How to stop a pawn with a knight
Learn to stop a passed pawn with a knight alone: sit on the queening square, check the king to win time, and give the knight for the pawn, since a lone king cannot win.
On the queening square
Your king on g2 is too far away. The knight has to stop the pawn on b2 alone.
Play Nb1: the knight sits on the queening square, and the pawn cannot move. Nb1 Kc2
1… Kc2 Kc2: the king attacks the knight.
Play Na3+: a check, and from a3 the knight still guards b1. Na3+ Kb3
2… Kb3 Kb3: the king attacks the knight again.
Play Nb1: back to the queening square. Nb1
The knight goes from b1 to a3 and back, and the king gets nowhere. A draw.
Knight for the pawn
Your king on h4 is too far. Check first: the knight comes closer and wins time.
Play Nb4+: a check, and the knight is close to the pawn. Nb4+ Kb3
1… Kb3 Kb3: the king attacks the knight.
Play Nd3: the knight steps aside, ready for a check from c1. Nd3 a2
2… a2 a2: the pawn is one step from queening.
Play Nc1+: a check, and the knight attacks the pawn. Nc1+ Kb2
3… Kb2 Kb2: the king guards the pawn and attacks the knight.
Play Nxa2: give the knight for the pawn. Nxa2
The king takes the knight, but a lone king cannot win. A draw.
The king chases the knight
This time the king goes after your knight instead of the pawn. The knight has a ring of four squares, and the king never catches it.
Play Nc1: the only move. From c1 the knight guards a2. Nc1 Kc2
1… Kc2 Kc2: the king attacks the knight again.
Play Na2: the only move. The knight stands right in front of the pawn. Na2 Kb2
2… Kb2 Kb2: the king attacks the knight and guards the pawn.
Play Nb4: the only move. From b4 the knight guards a2. Nb4 Kb3
3… Kb3 Kb3: the king attacks the knight again.
Play Nd3: the only move. From d3 the knight can reach both c1 and b4. Nd3
Kc3 only brings back the start. The knight goes round d3, c1, a2 and b4, and the king never catches it. A draw.
The long way back
The pawn on a4 is running, and your king on b7 cannot help. The knight heads back to it.
Play Nf4: the knight heads for d3, on its way back to the pawn. Nf4 a3
1… a3 a3: the pawn runs on.
Play Nd3+: a check, and the knight is back in time. Nd3+ Kc3
2… Kc3 Kc3: the king attacks the knight.
Play Nc1: from here the knight guards a2. Nc1 Kb2
3… Kb2 Kb2: the king attacks the knight and guards the pawn.
Play Nd3+: the only move. The knight jumps away with a check. Nd3+ Kc3
4… Kc3 Kc3: the king attacks the knight again.
Play Nc1: back to c1, and the knight guards a2 again. Nc1
The same position again: Kb2 is met by Nd3+, and the king gets nowhere. A draw.
Key ideas
- A knight on the queening square, or guarding it, stops the pawn.
- When the king attacks the knight, jump away with a check, then come back.
- Chased by the king, the knight goes round a ring of squares: against a pawn on a3 that is d3, c1, a2 and b4.
- Giving the knight for the pawn is a draw: a lone king cannot win.
- Your own king is too far, so every tempo has to come from the knight.
Common mistakes
- Walking the king towards the pawn while the knight waits.
- Attacking the pawn instead of guarding the square in front of it.