The Key Squares
Part of the The King and the Pawn section of Coddy's Endgames journey. Lesson 19 of 26.
Every pawn has key squares: stand your king on one and the pawn queens whoever is to move, wherever his king is. For a pawn on its second, third or fourth rank they are the three squares two ranks ahead of it; from the fifth rank on, both rows ahead. Reach one and the counting is over.
Try it yourselfBeginner
Position 1 of 8
WatchThe key squares of a pawn on e4: two ranks ahead, three wide.