C H A P T E R

1
Elementary Checkmates:
Heavy Pieces

■ Q ueen and Rook Endgames 1-2

■ Rook andRook Endgame 3

■ Q ueen Endgames 4-7

■ Rook Endgames 8-11

18 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME 1 W: Ke1, Qd1, Rf4 B: Ke5

White moves and wins

Queen and Rook Roll

a b o d e f g h

This is the simplest, fastest, most basic checkmate of all. From

any initial arrangement of pieces, White should force mate in
no more than five to six moves. The Queen and Rook alter­
natively heel each other up a staircase of supportive checks
known as "the roll." Mate comes in four moves.

1. Qd4+ Ke6
2. Rf6+ Ke7 +
3. Qd6+ Ke8
4. Rf8 mate
(1- 0)
 PIECES IN ACTION ■ 19

ENDGAME

W: Ke1, Qa3, Rb4 B: Ke5

White moves and wins

Rolling Barrier

a b o d e f g h

In this more typical Queen and Rook roll, the two major pieces
stand on adjacent files and give alternate checks to drive Black's
King to the board's edge. The Rook's barrier is upheld against
diagonal attack by the Queen. Finally, the major pieces guard
consecutive outside rows, preventing escape and mating.

1. Qa5+ Kd6
2. Rb6 + Kc7
3. Qa7+ Kc8
4. Rb8 mate
(1- 0)
20 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME
W: Kf1, Rh2, Rh1 B: Kg8
White moves and wins

Rook Barrier

a b c d e f g h

Two Rooks mate much the same way as Queen and Rook, but
not as quickly, since additional temporizing moves are required
to ward off diagonal counterattacks. White has two ways to
mate in three moves in the diagram: (A) by cutting off the King
on the f-file and rolling the Rooks on the files rightward; and
(B) by occupying the 7th rank on the h-file, shifting the other
Rook to the adjacent g-file, gaining a tempo on Black's King,
and mating up the board on the 8th rank. In both ways, the
Rooks will impede each other if they perform on the same line.
Instead they shift to adjacent rows, thereby dominating blocks
of sixteen squares.

A B
1. Rf2 Kg7 1. Rh7 Kf8
2. Rgl + Kh6 2. Rg1 Ke8
3. Rh2 mate 3. Rg8 mate
(1-0) (1-0)
 PIECES IN ACTION ■ 21

ENDGAME
W: Kd5, Qd7 B: Ka8
White moves and wins

Closing In

a b c d e f g h

A King and Queen mate a lone King on an outside row by

checking along the edge—a back row mate—or by the Queen's
checking up close, protected by its King—a support mate. The
latter, as in the diagram, is the "one, two, three formula": the
losing King is trapped on an outside row (1); the Queen oc­
cupies the row adjacent to the edge (2); and the White King, on
a square in the next row (3), defends the Queen.

1. Kc6 Kb8
2. Qb7 mate
(1-0)
22 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME
W: Kd5, Qb6 B: Ka8
White moves and wins

Backing O ff

a b c d e f g h

To push the King to the edge, the Queen gradually snips off the
King's available squares, move by move, closing in at a "Knight's
jump away." Overly rigid execution of this procedure, however,
stalemates Black's King in the corner— Black to move is already
stalemated. White to play wins by retreating the Queen one
square along the barrier (the b-file), giving Black breathing
room against stalemate. White's King then moves in to support
mate.

1. Qb5 Ka7
2. Kc6 Ka8
3. Qb7 mate
(1- 0)
 PIECES IN ACTION m 23

ENDGAME

W: Kf7, Qg8 B: Kh5

White moves and wins

Cut-Off

a b o d e f g h

Here the pieces are positioned in a one, two, three formula, as

in Endgame 4. But in this version White's King has to chase
Black's before getting close enough to support mate. This
could take a whopping five moves, as in 1. Kf6 Kh4 2. Kf5
Kh3 3. Kf4 Kh2 4. Kf3 Kh1 5. Qg2 mate. The more efficient
choice is to execute a timely cut-off with the Queen, forcing
Black's King back the other way and saving three moves. On his
final move, White could also mate by 2. Qh4.

1. Qg3 Kh6
2. Qg6 mate
(1-0 )
24 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME
W: Kc5, Qh1 B: Ke8
White moves and wins

Erecting the Barrier

a b o d e f g h
To keep Black's King caged on the edge, White's Queen is
posted on the very next line. The placement establishes a
cordon against escape. Next, White's King claims the row be­
hind its consort's, eventually overwhelming its counterpart for
a back-row mate or supporting a close-up Queen check. Again,
Black's King occupies row 1, White's Queen row 2, and White's
King row 3.

A B
1. Qh7 Kf8 1. Qh7 Kd8
2. Kd6 Ke8 2. Kd6 Kc8
3. Qe7 mate 3. Qc7 mate
(1-0) (1-0)
 PIECES IN ACTION m 25

ENDGAME

W: Ke6, Ra7 B: Kf8

White moves and wins

Waiting-Move Mate

a b o d e f g h

King and Rook against King can't end in a support mate (don't
even try to set one up). Go for a back-row mate instead, the
Rook checking and White's King guarding the possible escape
squares. White's King must stand directly opposite Black's on
the same rank or file. (The exception: If Black's King is in the
corner, White's King need only be on the adjacent line.) How­
ever, a word of warning—if White should move his King imme­
diately into line (1. Kf6), Black just slips away (1. . . . Ke8) and
White must start all over again. White instead should move to
get Black to align with White's King. This is done through a
tempo move or waiting move. The Rook slides one square
along the 7th rank, changing nothing essential in the position,
but turning the move over to Black.

1. Rb7 Kg8
2. Kf6 Kh8
3. Kg6 Kg8
4. Rb8 mate
(1-0)
26 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME
W: Ke6, Rd5 B: Kf8
White moves and wins

The " Cut-Off" Mate

a b o d e f g h

A conscientious Rook can work wonders. The right tempo or

cut-off can reduce Black's King to an automaton, with no op­
tions. Instead of taking the 7th rank here (1. Rd7), White gains
more by cordoning off the g-file, forcing Black to oppose
White's King. A back-rank mate in two moves can thus be
realized. In the final position, the three pieces form a right
triangle, with Black's King at the base.

1. Rg5 Ke8
2. Rg8 mate
(1- 0)
 PIECES IN ACTION ■ 27

ENDGAME

W: Ke6, Re2 B: Ke8

White moves and wins

The Any-Rook Move Mate

a b o d e f g h

Giving a discovered check is irresistible, but forget it here.

Instead, work the Rook and finally force a back-row, right-
triangle mate. The solution is quite astonishing, for White
mates in three moves, starting with any Rook move—that's
right, with any of eleven Rook moves available! But note that
on the second play, the Rook must occupy a cut-off file, forcing
Black's King to line up with White's. As variations A and B
demonstrate, there is no significant difference if White moves
his Rook initially along the file or the rank. In either case,
Black's King winds up mated at e8.

A B
1. Re5 Kd8 1. Ra2 Kf8
2. Rc5 Ke8 2. Rg2 Ke8
3. Rc8 mate 3. Rg8 mate
(1-0) (1-0)
28 ■ PANDOLFINI'S ENDGAME COURSE

ENDGAME
W: Kf5, Re5 B: Kg7
White moves and wins

Closing the Net

a b o d e f g h

Roping off could be better than giving a Rook check. Players

naturally hanker to cage Black's King with 1. Re6, when barriers
are then maintained on the e-file and 6th rank. More comes,
however, with a Rook check at e7, shaping the three pieces into
a triangle. With this incursion, precise Rook work trounces
Black quickly. After 1. Re7 + Kh6 2. Rf7 Kh5, White mates by 3.
Rh7. White's second move, a tempo waster, can be taken by the
Rook on any square between f7 and a7. The struggle goes on
with the sidling 1. . . . Kf8, but ultimately fails to the same
tempo-reversing mechanism: 2. Kf6 Kg8 3. Kg6 (or 3. Re8-b
Kh7 4. Rf8 Kh6 5. Rh8 mate) Kf8 4. Re6 (the tempo move
that can happen anywhere between e6 and e1) 4. . . . Kg8 5.
Re8 mate.

1. Re7 + Kf8
2 . Kf6 Kg8
3. Kg6 Kf8
4. Re6 Kg8
5. Re8 mate
(1-0)