Endgame Trainers
The techniques every player must know, against a defender that never gives up.
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Queen checkmate
Keep the queen a knight's move from the king and copy its every step, then bring your own king.
Rook checkmate
Fence the king off with the rook, face it with your king, and check when the kings stand opposite.
Two rooks checkmate
The ladder: the rooks take turns pushing the king to the edge.
Two bishops checkmate
Side by side, the bishops sweep the king into a corner.
Bishop and knight checkmate
Push the king to the dark corner, then the knight walks a W along the edge and the bishop mates in the right corner.
Promote the pawn
King and pawn against king: key squares, the opposition, and when the pawn goes through.
Stop the pawn
You have the lone king. Take the opposition and hold the draw.
Lucena position
Rook and pawn against rook. Cut the king off, build a bridge with your rook and walk the pawn home.
Philidor position
Rook against rook and pawn. Keep your rook on the third rank; when the pawn steps up, check from behind.
Rook's pawn on the 7th
Your rook stands in front of the pawn on a7. Win with a check or the skewer Rh8, or walk your king in when the enemy rook is stuck on a8.
Vancura position
Rook against rook and rook's pawn. Attack the pawn from the side, check the king when it comes close, and keep your king on g7 or h7.
Queen against a pawn
The pawn is one step from queening. Check until the king blocks its own pawn, step your king closer, and repeat.
Pawn against a queen
You have the pawn on its 7th rank. With a rook's or bishop's pawn, run to the corner: taking the pawn would be stalemate.
Rook against a pawn
Cut the king off from its pawn, bring your own king in on the diagonal, and win the pawn before it queens.
Pawn against a rook
You have the pawn. Keep your king next to it, shoulder the enemy king away, and know when to promote to a knight.
Win with the wrong bishop
Bishop and rook's pawn, but the bishop can't cover the corner. Keep the enemy king out of it: take b8 with the bishop and the corner with your king.
Draw against the wrong bishop
You have the lone king against bishop and rook's pawn. Get to the corner: once your king is there, nothing can drive it out.