TEN CHESS OPENING RULES

1. OPEN with a CENTER PAWN.

2. DEVELOP with threats.
3. KNIGHTS before BISHOPS.
4. DON'T move the same piece twice.
5. Make as FEW PAWN MOVES as possible in the opening.
6. DON'T bring out your QUEEN too early.
7. CASTLE as soon as possible, preferably on the KING SIDE.
8. ALWAYS PLAY TO GAIN CONTROL OF THE CENTER.
9. Try to maintain at least ONE PAWN in the center.
10. DON'T SACRIFICE without a clear and adequate reason.

Trickery Mate
0-1

1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. dxe5 Nfd7 5. exd6 Bxd6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bc4 O-O 8. O-O h6 9. Re1 Nde5
10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Bb3 Qh4 12. g3 Qh3 13. f4 Bg4 14. fxe5 Bc5+ 15. Kh1 Bxd1 16. Rxd1 Rad8 17. Bf4
Rxd1+ 18. Rxd1 Kh7 19. Nd5 c6 20. Ne3 Bxe3 21. Bxe3 Rd8 22. Rxd8 Qf1+ 23. Bg1 Qf3#

*Ten rules for the opening:

1. Get your pieces out into the centre quickly. The opening is a race to see who can get their
pieces out first while keeping at least a share of control of the centre.
o This is the main point to remember; all the other rules are just footnotes to this one.
Sortez les pieces!
2. Get a firm foothold in the centre - a pawn on one of the 'little centre' squares e4/e5/d5/d4 - and
don't give it up without good reason
3. Move your king to safety at the side by castling
4. Complete your development before moving a piece twice or starting an attack. By move 12,
you should have connected your Rooks, or be about to do so.
5. More detail on winning the race:
o move pieces not pawns, and
o move them to their best squares in one move if you can, and also
o try to gain time if you can by aggressive moves.
 6. Move your minor pieces out early on generally move Knights before Bishops, and generally
straightaway to f3/c3 or f6/c6 (but probably not both, as White)
7. Don't move out your major pieces (Q+RR) where they will get chased around by the little guys
and possibly trapped.
8. Don't grab pawns or attack if you haven't completed development; especially, don't charge
around with your Queen trying to hoover up pawns.
9. If one side gets ahead in development:
o If you are ahead in development, start something going and open up lines for your
better pieces
o If you are behind in development, don't start anything and keep things closed until you
have caught up. This is especially true if you have not castled!
10. Rooks are the hardest piece to develop: "openings should be judged on the prospects they offer
to ambitious young Rooks" - PURDY. To develop your Rooks, open a file; to open a file, bring
pawns into a position to swap them off; so after 1.e4, plan to play d2-d4 or f2-f4 soon.
o In fact, you have to attack the opponent's centre with pawns to get much chance of an
advantage as White (The Four Knights' Game is next to Old Stodge in drawishness), so
d2-d4 makes sense for more than one reason.

Further advice on playing the opening

I've collected here some other advice from the grandmasters of the past.

Lasker's rules for the opening

1. Do not move any pawns in the opening of a game but the King and Queen pawns.
2. Do not move any piece twice in the opening, but put it at once on the right square.
3. Bring out your knights before developing your bishops, especially the Queen's Bishop.
4. Do not pin the adverse King Knight (ie. by Bg5) before your opponent has castled.

COOL TIP: Why should you move the knights first? Well, knights are very much more effective if
they are in the centre. (Bishops are more effective here too, but they can work from a distance). For the
opening that has to mean Knights moving to c3 and f3 (or c6 and g6). Where should the Bishops go? The
White King's Bishop on f1 could go to b5,c4,d3 or even e2. Which is best? That depends on what your
opponent is up to. So, move your knights straight away to the centre, and while you are doing that your
opponent's moves may suggest to you where you should put your bishops.

Reuben Fine on the opening:

1. In the initial position White, because of the extra move, has a slight advantage. Consequently:
2. White's problem in the opening is to secure the better position, while...
3. Black's problem is to secure equality.

Fine's rules for the opening

1. Open with either the e-pawn or the d-pawn.

2. Wherever possible, make a good developing move which threatens something or adds to the
pressure on the centre.
3. Develop knights before bishops.
4. Pick the most suitable square for a piece and develop it there once and for all.
 5. Make one or two pawn moves in the opening, not more.
6. Do not bring your queen out too early.
7. Castle as soon as possible, preferably on the king's side.
8. Play to get control of the centre.
9. Always try to maintain at least one pawn in the centre.
10. Do not sacrifice without a clear and adequate reason, eg.:
o it secures a tangible advantage in development
o it deflects the opponent's queen
o it prevents the opponent from castling
o it enables a strong attack to be developed

Fine's two last questions to be asked before a move is made:

 How does it affect the centre?

 How does it fit in with the development of my other pieces and pawns?

Nimzovitch's Seven Axioms

1. Development is to be understood as the strategic advance of the troops toward the frontier line
(the line between the fourth and fifth ranks).
2. A pawn move must not in itself be regarded as a developing move, but merely as an aid to
development.
3. To be ahead in development is the ideal to be aimed for.
4. Exchange with resulting gain of tempo.
5. Liquidation, with consequent development or disembarrassment.
6. The pawn centre must be mobile.
7. There is no time for pawn hunting in the opening, except for centre pawns.

-- NIMZOVITCH

Suetin's four principles for advanced players

1. The fight for control of the centre

2. The striving for the quickest and most active development.
3. The creation of conditions that permit early castling.
4. The formation of an advantageous pawn structure

-- SUETIN

Hort's 13 rules for all players

1. Take advantage of every tempo.

2. Do not make pawn moves without careful planning.
3. Begin the game with a centre pawn, and develop the minor pieces so that they influence the
centre.
4. Develop flexibly!
5. Develop harmoniously! Play with all your pieces
6. Do not make aimless moves. Each move must be part of a definite plan.
7. Do not be eager for material gain. The fight for time is much more important than the fight for
material, especially in open positions.
8. A weakening of your own pawns may be accepted only if it is compensated by a more active
placement of your pieces.
 9. With the help of your pawns, try to get an advantage in space and weaken your opponent's
pawn position.
10. Do not obstruct your pawns by grouping your pieces directly in front of them; pawns and pieces
must work together.
11. During the first few moves, pay special attention to the vulnerable KB2 square on both sides.
12. Remember that the poor placement of even a single piece may destroy the coordination of the
other pieces.
13. With White, exploit the advantage of having the first move and try to gain the initiative. With
Black, try to organize counterplay.

This last point is worth particular attention, for, although it contains much wisdom, it is not always
applied in current tournament practice. Unfortunately, we belong to a time when White usually tries to
gain only a minimal advantage, because to try for more entails the taking of risks. Black, having no sure
method of developing counterplay without risk, usually tries to minimise White's attacking possibilities.
The game thus proceeds towards an endgame in which neither side has real winning chances."

-- VLASTIMIL HORT

Portisch on forming a repertoire:

"Your only task in the opening is to reach a playable middlegame."

"...To all players I can recommend the following: simplicity and economy. These are the
characteristics of the opening systems of many great masters... A solid opening repertoire fosters
self-confidence." -- LAJOS PORTISCH

(LP goes on to discuss the Exchange Ruy Lopez, the Modern Steinitz (as Black), slow lines of the French
Winawer, the Classical Pirc, the Closed Sicilian and the King's Indian Attack against the French (and
Sicilian; and on the other side of the board the Exchange Queen's Gambit and lines of the King's Indian
Defence and Nimzo-Indian)
TEN MIDDLEGAME RULES
1. Have all your moves fit into definite plans.
Rules of Planning:

a) A plan MUST be suggested by SOME FEATURE IN THE POSITION.

b) A plan MUST be based on SOUND STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES.
c) A plan MUST be FLEXIBLE,
d) CONCRETE, and
e) SHORT.

Evaluating a Position:

1) MATERIAL,
2) PAWN STRUCTURE,
3) PIECE MOBILITY,
4) KING SAFETY,
5) ENEMY THREATS

When you are material AHEAD, EXCHANGE as many pieces as possible, especially
QUEENS.

2. AVOID serious pawn WEAKNESSES.

3. In CRAMPED POSITIONS free yourself by EXCHANGING.
4. DON'T bring your KING out with your OPPONENT'S QUEEN on the board.
5. All COMBINATIONS are based on DOUBLE ATTACK.
6. If your opponent has ONE or MORE pieces EXPOSED, look for a COMBINATION.
7. IN SUPERIOR POSITIONS, to ATTACK the ENEMY KING, you must OPEN a file
(or less often a diagonal) for your HEAVY PIECES (QUEEN and ROOKS).
8. IN EVEN POSITIONS, CENTRALIZE the action of ALL your PIECES.
9. IN INFERIOR POSITIONS, the best DEFENSE is COUNTER-ATTACK, if
possible. ---

Middle Game Tactics

1) Do not play with backwards pawns on half-open files if you don't have a reason for it.

2) Attack on the wing where you have more pieces.

3) The pawn structure is like an arrow that points to the wing you need to attack... (Pawns c3
and d4 naturally point to the castled king on g8) Deviating from such a plan always leads to a
structural weakness... (c3,d4 and f4 would weaken the light squares, though it does grab e5).

4) The move of a centre pawn denotes the move of a neighbouring pawn... After all we all like
centre duos or trios... (c4/d4 or c4/d4/e4) An opening featuring e4 and then b4? often does not
make sense positionally... A related point is, we like to keep dark and light squares covered
with the pawns next to each other... Knowing this can help you where to organize the assault...
It also tells you what the opponent may do.
5) Bishops are best on neighbouring diagonals... (Consider again c3/d4 and then Bd3 and Bc1 as
in point 3.) This is also why the fianchetto of 1 bishop is often good... Double fianchetto is
often bad or not needed.

6) If you sac in an exchange, then your last rook is often a key defender of the bottom row while
it attacks from a distance... Don't exchange it! To a lesser degree this can apply to being up the
small exchange... (When not to exchange pieces.) Related is: Exchange double pieces, do not
exchange unique pieces.

7) If a doubled pawn is directly facing an enemy pawn, then the offensive value of the pawn is
(N - 1) In other words, you cannot make a passer against a minority... That is all things being
equal... The defensive value is the same... (When not to allow doubled pawns... When to
inflict doubled pawns. How to win a better endgame.)

*Note that there is some danger if the opposer of the doubled pawn is not the spearhead of the
formation...

Must-know: Middlegame
 WGM Natalia_Pogonina

The middlegame is the main stage of the game. Studying this part of chess is essential to
understanding concepts such as weak squares, a strong center, open files, the art of exchanging
pieces, etc. One has to be aware of how to evaluate the position and create a plan. All of this is a
must-know for an improving player.

The middlegame has two main aspects: strategy and tactics.

Strategy

Strategy implies positional understanding, knowing how to evaluate the position and form a plan.
It involves principles on which chess moves are chosen. The must-read book on strategy is “My
System” by Nimzovitch. While some of the opening evaluations and analyses are outdated, it
still offers a great overview of the main chess principles. There are many other good books, but
“My System” is a true classic. Also, there are nice software products on the middlegame like
Chess Assistant. These have contributed a lot to my chess level by providing critical positions
from masters’ games in which one has to make the correct decision.

Another good idea is to study game collections of the chess legends. As we are talking about
strategy, choose a book on, let’s say, Capablanca or Karpov. Text annotations are preferred to
lengthy chess variations. The former will help you get a touch of what positional play at top level
feels like.

Tactics

By “tactics” we mean chess combinations with sacrifices involved. Tactics don’t appear out of
nowhere (unless someone blunders), they are based on strategic principles. However, the
underlying factors in strategy (see above) and tactics (pins, destroying the defense, deflection, X-
ray, etc.) are different. There are tons of books on tactics for people of any chess level, as well as
computer programs.
 You may want to buy both guides (which teach you about different types of tactics) and actual
books with chess problems. Don’t forget about the classics, such as the games of Alekhine and
Tal. Just like with strategy, try to find sources with the underlying ideas written out, not just
wordless lines of obscure variations.

A few more tips:

1) IM Mark Dvoretzky’s books are excellent in terms of studying the middlegame. The only
drawback is that these are intended for strong, master level players.
2) Chess.com has a fantastic Chess Mentor course (as well as Tactics Trainer) and lots of chess
videos on different aspects of chess. If you can afford it, buying a premium account is a great
investment.
3) Pay special attention to games annotated by top players. Try to understand how they think
and why they pick each move.

4) Find the right balance between tactics and strategy. You may try to study them
simultaneously, e.g. first review how to take advantage of weak squares (strategic concept) and
then solve a few tactical positions exploiting these weaknesses. Keep in mind that “an hour of
tactics a day keeps the patzer away!” (even half an hour can do miracles sometimes).
5) “Guess the move” is a very nice training exercise recommended by Nimzovitch. Nowadays
one can use its improved version. First you look at a position from a master’s game and try to
find the correct continuation. Write it down. Then see the actual move played in the game and try
to understand which choice was better and why. Play the opponent’s reply and start thinking
once again. And so on. When you’re through with the game, you might analyze the game with a
chess engine and figure out the correct answers. To make the process more entertaining, you may
want to evaluate yourself and see what percent of your moves is as good as or better than the
master’s. Of course, there is also software products of this type, but choosing the games and
rules yourself will give you more flexibility.
6) Move from easy to advanced: first learn the basics (center, open files, weak and strong
squares, etc.) and then more sophisticated concepts (e.g. chess dynamics).

Now let's take a look at an instructive game from the Mullhouse 2010 GM event featuring both
strategical and tactical issues:

Pogonina, N. (2501) vs. Strohhaeker, R. (2432)

Mulhouse 2010 - GM / Round 6.2

ECO: B42 | 1-0

 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nb3 A rare move, more popular is Nc6
6... Nf6 7. O-O d5 Black forces White to make a decision about the center
8. exd5 (Less attractive is 8. Nc3 d4 9. Ne2 e5 )8... exd5 Black has an isolated pawn, but as compensation he gains
control over the c4 and e4 squares which can be exploited by the knights. White has a nice blocking square on d4
for the knight and knows that most endgames will be in her favor. An isolated pawn can be either an asset or a
liability depending on the position.
(If 8... Nxd5 then 9. Qe2 Bd6 10. c4 Nf6 (10... Nf4 11. Bxf4 Bxf4 12. Nc3 Bc7 13. Rad1 and White is ahead in
development )11. Nc3 )9. Bf4 (Stronger is 9. Re1+ Be7 (9... Be6 10. Bf5 Qd7 11. Qe2 Bd6 12. Bxe6 fxe6 13. Qxe6+
Qxe6 14. Rxe6+ Kd7 15. Re2 Rhe8 16. Rxe8 Rxe8 17. Bd2 )10. h3 O-O 11. Bf4 with mutual chances )9... Bd6
10. Re1+ (Also playable is 10. Qd2 O-O 11. Nc3 )10... Be6 11. Bxd6 (Better is 11. Qf3 O-O 12. h3 Qc7 13. Bxd6 Qxd6
14. N1d2 )11... Qxd6 12. N1d2 The knight wants to go to f3 and then to d4
12... O-O 13. Nf3?! White had two decent options
(13. h3 followed by Nf3 and preventing Bg4, as well as avoiding potential backrank problems, e.g. 13... d4 14. Ne4
Nxe4 15. Bxe4 Rad8 16. Qf3 the position is about equal, but the d4-pawn can still be picked upon )(Or 13. c3 Ne5
(13... d4 14. Ne4 Nxe4 15. Bxe4 Rad8 16. Bxc6 Bxb3 17. axb3 Qxc6 18. cxd4 Qd5 19. Re7 )14. Qe2 Nxd3 (14... Neg4
15. Nf3 )15. Qxd3 )13... Bg4 a nasty pin, White will need to waste time to get out of it
14. h3 Bh5 15. Be2 g4 weakens the kingside too much
15... Rfe8 16. c3 Bg6 (A good choice was 16... Bxf3 17. Bxf3 Rxe1+ 18. Qxe1 Ne5 19. Nd4 Re8 20. Qd2 )17. Nbd4
Worse if Nfd4 since the knight on f3 is more active than its brother on b3
17... Nh5 Black is trying to attack by relocating the knight to f4 and then playing Be4-Qg6. This is another feature of
positions with an isolated pawn.
18. Bf1 Be4 (18... Nf4 can now be answered by 19. g3 )19. Nxc6 Black is starting to put pressure on my king. Time
to deflect him by making a move on the queenside
(19. Nd2 Bg6 )19... bxc6 (19... Qxc6? 20. Nd4 Qg6 21. Qg4 Qxg4 22. hxg4 Nf4 23. f3 Bg6 24. Rad1 an isolated pawn
is usually a weakness in endgames )20. Nd2 Nf6 (20... Bg6 21. Rxe8+ Rxe8 22. Bxa6 Winning a pawn, although Black
has some compensation due to starting an attack after Nf4 )21. Nc4 I have been pondering Ne4 for a while and,
after deciding not to play that way, opted for Nc4 with the idea of improving my knight's location by placing it on
e3. Then I saw Qb8 winning a pawn...
21... Qb8 Trying to keep cool, I realized that there is nothing terrible about giving up the b-pawn
(21... Qc7 22. Ne3 Rab8 23. b4 a5 24. a3 followed by Qd4 and dark-square game )22. Na5 Qxb2 (22... Qb6 23. b4 c5
24. Qa4 cxb4 25. Qxb4 )(22... c5 23. Qd2 with the idea of b4 23... Qb6 24. b4 Rab8 25. Nb3 otherwise Black can
restrain the knight by playing 25... cxb4 26. cxb4 Qxb4 27. Qxb4 Rxb4 28. Bxa6 )23. Qb3 Qd2 (23... Qxb3 24. axb3
c5 (24... Rec8 25. Nb7 and the a-pawn falls )(24... Reb8 25. b4 Rb6 26. Nb3 White is down a pawn, but has full
compensation due to weak a6 and c6 pawns )25. Nb7 regaining the pawn, e.g. 25... d4 26. Nxc5 dxc3 27. Rec1
)24. Rad1 (Also possible is 24. Nxc6 )24... Qg5 25. Nxc6 Nh5 26. c4 dxc4? (he should have played 26... Nf4 27. Qg3
Qf6 (27... Qxg3 28. fxg3 dxc4 29. Rxe4 Rxe4 30. gxf4 )28. cxd5 Bxd5 29. Nb4 Bb7 30. Nd3 )27. Qxc4 Bxg2? an
incorrect sacrifice
(27... Nf6 28. Re3 )(27... Qg6 28. Nd8 Nf6 29. Qc7 )28. Bxg2 Nf4 29. Qf1 Nxh3+ 30. Kh1 Nf4 31. Nd4 bringing the
knight to the rescue

(Being greedy is not wise: 31. Ne7+ Kf8 32. Bxa8 Qh5+ (32... Rxa8 33. Qg1 )33. Kg1 Rxa8 White is up a rook, but the
king is exposed (33... Nh3+ 34. Kg2 Nf4+ 35. Kg3 Qg5+ 36. Kf3 Rxa8 with some compensation ))31... Rab8 32. Nf3
Qh5+ 33. Nh2 Re6 (A stronger resistance is 33... Qg6 34. Bf3 h5 35. Qc4 )34. Rxe6 fxe6 35. Bf3 Qh4 (35... Qb5
36. Qxb5 Rxb5 37. Nf1 )36. Qxa6 the f2-pawn is not as important as the passer on the a-file
36... Qxf2 37. Qc4 (pushing the pawn is also ok 37. a4 )37... Rf8 38. a4 the passer decides the game in White's
favor
38... Qe3 39. Qd4 Qa3 40. Ra1 Qb3 41. a5 Nh3 42. Rf1 Ng5 43. Bg2 Nh3 44. Rxf8+ Kxf8 45. a6 Qb1+ 46. Nf1
The first part of the game was concerned with playing against an isolated pawn. The intricacies
of such positions are discussed in detail in the book by GMs Belyavsky and Michalchishin
“Isolated pawn”. Then the game entered the tactical stage and was decided after an incorrect
sacrifice.

The Principles of the Endgame

IM DanielRensch

Top Ten Rules to the Endgame!

For a lot of beginner level chess players, the endgame can be a difficult challenge. Many of my
early games ended in checkmate in the middlegame, so I did not have a lot of early experience
playing endgames. However, knowing what to do in the final stage is just as important as
anything else. So, I decided to make a list of some very basic steps that could steer NO endgame
wrong! Enjoy!!!

Rule #1 - Master the Basic Checkmates!

There isn't really much to say here. Your ability to win a chess game is based on whether or not
you can checkmate the enemy King. But more importantly, and as will be reviewed in Rule #5,
you can't truly make accurate decisions in the more complex situations of a game unless you are
confident in your ability to deliver a full point when it matters most. The basic checkmates that
must be mastered (and in this order, if you want my expert opinion) are:

1. King and Queen vs King -- Because every King and Pawn Ending ends with the promotion of a
pawn. If you can't checkmate with a Queen, then you can't truly master King and Pawn
Endings.
2. Two Rooks (or the Rook Roller) vs King -- Because it's lots of fun!
3. King and Rook vs King -- Because many Rook and Pawn endings (arguably the most commonly
reached practical ending) end with one side having to give up their Rook for a Pawn. If you
can't do this mate, then you can't win Rook and Pawn endings.
4. King and Two Bishops vs King -- Because two Bishops are better than one!
5. And only once you've reach a higher level (I would say 1800 Rated) -- King and Knight & Bishop
vs King... -- When you're ready!
There are several videos on our site that teach these mating patterns, as well as some articles too.
This isn't a "study guide" -- just my random foolishness ... So go learn these patterns and have
fun along the way. Good luck!

Rule #2 - Win, When, Winning -- Master the Basics of Technique!

This rule is not just another way to remind you to checkmate when you are ahead large amounts
of material. It is more of a "state of mind" or general approach than it is a specific pattern.
Basically, the principles of winning won positions (and yes, that makes sense grammaticaly )
can be broken down into a system:

1. Keep It "Simple"/Simplify -- Basically, if either side possess more than a full piece (minor)
advantage (and in some cases, a clear two pawn advantage is good enough) they should be
looking for every opportunity to trade piece. Simplifiy the position down to its "purest" form
(kind of like doing "fractions" in math). This is a principle of technique that applies in both
Middlegames and Endgames, but you would be surprised if I told you how often I see amateur
games get "blown" simply because whomever was winning dismissed their opportunities to
trade pieces, and instead played for some kind of crazy checkmate attack ... You aren't being
"wimpy" by taking the life out of a position where you have already earned a large advantage.
2. Keep an "Eye Out" -- If/when you've achieved a significant advantage, your opponent's threats
just became more important than your own brilliant plans! I know that's hard to take in, but the
point is that "tricks" are all your opponent has left. Chess is much more a science than it is an art
(just let that sink in for a moment ). The "bad news" is that that means chess at the highest
level isn't as fun as it looks, and that there isn't nearly as much creative thinking required to
become a great chess player as you think there is... The "good news" is that, technically, if you
have a clear advantage and play perfectly from then on out, it wouldn't matter if your opponent
got up and Garry Kasparov sat down -- if your position is winning, you should win it! It's that
simple. So, if you can have a "defensive" eye and not get careless about your opponent's tricks,
you will convert all your endgame advantages into a full point!
3. Keep Playing Chess -- The game isn't over, despite your advantage. So, pay attention to all the
other principles in this article and remember that if there isn't a clear "path to victory" by
trading pieces, you have to keep playing good moves!

Rule #3 - Passed Pawns MUST be Pushed!

Shake what your momma gave ya'... wait, wrong article . Um, push your passed pawns if you
got 'em (yeah, that's it)! Recognize a passed pawn, and push it! Whether it be a basic Endgame
simply begging for one side to march their pawn up the board and promote, or even a more
complex position with plenty to think about besides the pawns -- you must push your passed
pawns! So, we figured it would be a crime not to remind you of that! Here is a cool position
where the "passer" was the key to victory:

New position 51 vs. ?

0-1

1... Rf1+! 2. Rxf1 Qh2+!! 3. Kxh2 gxf1=N+ 4. Kg2 Nxd2 5. Kf2 Kxc7 Aaahhh, nothing like some good old fashioned
"under-promotion" to start your day off right!
Rule #4 - Activate Your King!

One thing that really separates the final stage of chess from the rest of the game is King play!
Every great endgame player in history not only understood the importance King activation, but
they anticipated precisely when the middlegame was ending, and that it was time to bring out the
big guy!

Generally, as soon as the Queen's have been traded you should consider the possibility of
bringing out your King. In cases where there still exists lots of enemy forces (particularly the two
Rooks and at least two minor pieces) -- you might want to put the reigns on your leader, but don't
lose a game because you brought your King into the battle too late! Here is a great example from
a game of my own. Though it's complex, try to anticipate how the King might "find his way" to
help the Rook on h8 promote the h7-pawn:

Rensch, D. vs. Boor, C.

Vegas International / Endgame Technique / 2006

1-0

56... Bf5 White's only way to win this ending is to activate the King, as black has successfully stopped the h-pawn
while the Rook and Bishop hold a blockade over the King's progress.
(56... Rxg5+ 57. Kf4 Rf5+ 58. Ke3 Bb1 59. Ng4 Followed by Nf6 is winning! )[[57. Kf4! The process starts!
57... Rh4+ 58. Ke3 Kb7 Now how should white proceed? The 4th rank is cut off so white must "create" and
entrance with the King. How?
59. Kd2 Rd4+ 60. Kc3 Rc4+ 61. Kb3 Rh4 62. a4! That's how! Recognizing that the Knight guards the King from
checks along the 3rd rank is the key to this position. White is about to achieve his ultimate goal and fully activate
the King.
62... bxa4+ 63. Kxa4 Rh2 64. b5 Rh4+ (64... Rxf2 65. Rb8+ Kxb8 66. h8=Q+ Kb7 67. Qe8 is easily winning! )65. Ka5
Rh5 66. b6 Rh2 67. Kb4 Rh4+ 68. Kc5 Rh5 69. Kd6 Rh2 70. Ke7 and black resigns!

And a simpler example from a video of GM Bojkov's that I liked is:

Active pieces - The King vs. Knight Endgame Example

1... Kd6 2. h4 Kc5 3. Kf1 Kb4 4. Ke1 Kc3 5. Kd1 c6 6. Kc1 Nf3 7. Nc4 f5 8. Nb2 f4! 9. Nc4 (9. Nd1+ Kd4 10. Nb2 Ke4
11. Kd1 fxg3 12. fxg3 Nd4 )9... Nd4 10. Ne5 fxg3 11. fxg3 c5 c2 pawn is not going anywhere, so Black first secures
his c pawn.
12. a5 Nxc2 13. axb6 axb6 14. Nd7 Nd4 15. Nxb6 Ne2+ 16. Kd1 Nxg3 17. Nd7 Kb4 18. Kc2 Nf5 19. Nf8 Nxh4
20. Nxh7 Nf5 21. Nf6 Nd4+ 22. Kd3 (22. Kb2 Nxb3 23. Nd5+ Kc4 24. Nb6+ Kb5 25. Nd7 Nd4 )22... Kxb3 23. Nd7 Ne6
24. Ne5 g5 0-1 Smislov-Sax, Tilburg 1979.
And I would guess there may be ten quadrilion similar examples. Perhaps even much more simple
ones for players of this level, but just try to let the main point integrate: "In the Middlegame the King is
a mere extra, but in the Endgame he is a principal" -- Aaron Nimzowitsch.

Rule #5 - Play "Backwards-to-Forwards" Chess!

This is one of my favorite "concepts" or "mind-sets" to teach beginners, as I believe it can

change their entire approach to the game when they "get it". You must recognize your goal or
long term strength/opponent's weakness to attack before you can ever expect to make an accurate
decision with what's in front of you. Basically, most players drastically (to the point of "tragic
comedy") misplay endings because they never take 5 minutes to stop, make some mental notes
about all the long term weaknesses and strengths of their position, before they start making
moves. Rather, they assume that with less pieces on the board there is less to think about, and
they play as such... BIG MISTAKE

GM Khachiayn talks about it in his videos as "thinking from the end" -- which is a different way
to say the same thing. Stop and make a committment to a plan or long term goal, and watch all of
your calculations get better! Players critique themselves for making blunders and miscalculating
simple things, but without a goal in mind, it is hard to keep yourself "on track" -- so of course
you are going to make mistakes.

The Russian/Soviet School of Chess takes this approach a step further by teaching all their
students endgames first. Kind of like my recomendation to master the basic checkmate patterns
BEFORE anything else. Knowing what's next makes all of your decisions better. It isn't that
GMs are calculating 50 moves ahead, they just know more endings then you do -- so not only are
their decisions in the endgame better, but you almost never reach a relatively equal one with a
stronger player because they were making better Middlegame moves based on their knowledge
of the ensuing ending. Make sense? Man that was tough to say ... Glad I got that out ...

Here are a couple cool examples where the long term goal was established and it lead to some
awesome endgame play:

Principal of Two Weaknesses vs. ¥ishop vs. ¤night

Black finds an awesome move that creates a long term weakness in his opponent's position. Crippling the kingside
pawns on dark-squares (potential targets for the Bishop) and following the "principle of two weaknesses" (will be
discussed later).
1... g4+! It is necessary for Black to play this move in order to fix the kingside pawns on dark-squares. It should be
noted that if White didn't have this second weakness, the endgame would not be lost.
2. Ke4 (Sitting around to protect the kingside pawns would not have helped white either, as black can then take his
time to bring the King around and white's pawns. 2. Kg2 Bd2 (2... Kh6 followed by Kg5 was also easily
winning... )3. Nb1 Bb4 4. Kf1 Kf8 5. Ke2 Bc5 6. Kf1 Ke7 7. Nc3 (7. Kg2 Kd7 8. Kf1 Kc6 9. e6 fxe6 10. f6 (10. fxe6 Kd6
11. Kg2 Kxe6 12. Kf1 Kd5 13. Kg2 Kc4 14. Kf1 Kb3 15. Ke2 Bg1 ))7... Bd4 8. Nb1 Bxe5 winning. )2... Bd2 3. Nb1 Ba5
4. Kd5 Kf8 5. f6 (5. e6 Bb6 (5... fxe6+ 6. fxe6 Bb6 7. Ke5 Bg1 8. Kf4 Bxh2 9. Kg5 Bxg3 10. Kxh5 )(5... Ke7 maybe the
easiest road... 6. Ke5 fxe6 7. fxe6 Bb6 )6. Kc6! Bg1 7. Kd7 fxe6 8. fxe6 Bc5 9. Nc3 Be7 10. Nb1 Bb4 11. Kc6 Ke7
12. Kd5 Be1 13. Na3 (13. Ke5 Bxg3+ (13... Ba5 14. Kf5 Bb6 15. Nc3 Bd4 )14. hxg3 h4 15. Nc3 h3 16. Nd5+ Ke8
17. Nf6+ Ke7 18. Nd5+ draw. )13... Bxg3! 14. hxg3 h4 15. Ke4 h3 wins. )5... Bb6 6. e6 Bg1 7. e7+ Ke8 8. Ke4 Bxh2
9. Kf4 h4 10. Kxg4 hxg3 11. Kh3 Bg1 12. Nc3 (12. Kxg3 Bd4 13. Kf4 Bxf6 14. Kf5 Kxe7 and black wins with the two
extra pawns. )12... Bd4 13. Nd5 Be5 preventing 14.Nc7+ and ending the game on the spot. Black promotes the b-
pawn next move.
 Principal of Two Weaknesses vs. Lesson in Good Technique

1. Be2 (1. a5 Kg6 2. Be2 Bd7 3. Ke3 Kf6 4. Kf2? the best resistance would have been (4. Kd3 Ke7 5. Bh5 Kd8 6. Bf7
Kc7 7. Bg8! this forces black to waste a valuable tempo that he might have been able to use later on as
zugzwang 7... h6 8. Bd5 Kb8 9. Kc3 Ka7 10. Kb3 Ka6 11. Ka3 Bc8 12. Ka4 it almost looks like white has secured a
draw... 12... Bg4! 13. Kb3 Bd1+ 14. Kc3 (14. Ka3 now black has relocated the bishop to the optimum diagonal, and
he uses the "Triple step dance" with the bishop to create the win and put his opponent in zugzwang! 14... Bc2
15. Kb2 Ba4 16. Ka3 Bd1 17. Kb2 Kxa5 18. Bxb7 Kb4 )14... Ba4 15. Kd3 Bd7! 16. Kc3 Bc8 17. Kb3 Kxa5 )4... Ke7 5. Kg3
Be6! This is the perfect example of stopping your opponents plan along with yours (which in most cases diong a
move like this whether it be necessary or not is more important then carrying out your plan right away), for this
move stops Bg4 and all funny buisness! 6. Kf3 Kd6 7. Ke3 Kc7 8. Kd3 Kb8 9. Kc3 Ka7 10. Bd3 Ka6 11. Bb1 Kxa5
12. Bc2 h6 13. Bd1 Pb7-b5 will not help black after hte simple exchange 13... Bd7 14. Bc2 Ba4 15. Bd3 Bd1 16. Kd2
Bb3 17. Kc3 Ka4 18. Be2 Ka3 19. Bd3 Bd1 20. Kd2 (20. Bb1 Be2 21. Bc2 Ka2 22. Ba4 Kb1 23. Bb5 Kc1 24. Ba4 Bd1
25. Bd7 Bc2 26. Bf5 Bb1 transposes to the game )20... Ba4 21. Kc3 Ka2 22. Be2 Kb1 23. Bg4 Bc2 24. Bf5 Kc1 25. Bg6
Bb1 26. Bf5 Kd1 27. Kb3 Kd2 28. Ka4 Kc3 29. Kb5 Kd4 )1... b6! Securing the a5-square for the black King's "march"
to the Kingside. A VERY long term plan, but an awesome one...
2. Bd1 here we will analyse what happens after passive defence
(2. a5 this is an interesting attempt to block black's path in 2... bxa5 3. Kc3 Bd7 4. Kb3 Bc6 5. Bf3 Kg6 6. Ka3 Kf6
7. Kb3 Ke7 8. Ka3 Kd6 9. Kb3 Kc7 10. Ka3 Kb6 11. Kb3 Bd7 12. Ka3 Bh3 13. Be2 Bg2 14. Bd3 Bf3 15. Kb3 Bd1+
16. Ka3 (16. Kc3 a4 17. Kd2 a3! 18. Kc3 Ka5 19. Bb1 Kb6 20. Ba2 Kc7 21. Kd2 Ba4 and the black king will march to
the kingside winning )16... a4 17. Bb1 Ka5 18. Bd3 h6 zugzwang 19. Bb1 Be2 20. Bc2 Bxc4 21. Bxa4 Bd3 22. Bc6 c4
23. Bd5 Kb5 24. Kb2 Kb4 25. Bc6 c3+ 26. Kc1 Kc5 27. Bd5 Kd4 )2... Kg7 3. Be2 Kf6 4. Bd1 Ke7 5. Kc3 Kd7 6. Kb3 h6
7. Be2 Kc7 8. Ka3 Kb7 9. Kb3 Ka6 10. Kb2 Ka5 11. Ka3 Bd7 12. Bd1 Here we can see that is Bc6 then Bc2 defends,
therefore; black must try to setup the decisive zugzwang. So he first knows that his king has reached its' important
square and he now recognizes white's weaknesses and knows that he has planty of room to manuevour!
12... Be8 13. Bb3 (13. Bc2 Bc6! )13... Bf7 14. Ba2 Bg6 15. Bb1 Be8 16. Bc2 Bc6 17. Bd3 Bxa4

Rule #6 - Beware of "German Words"!

Zugzwang and Zwischenzug... oh those fickle German mistresses !!! If you don't know what
those words mean, check this out. I included both "famous-German-Chess" words here because,
well, I can -- but really, Zugzwang is the "beast of the endgame". Do you realize how many
endgames would otherwise be a draw if it weren't for Zugzwang? If you (or your opponent)
didn't have to move unless they "felt like it" the chess world would be a much more peaceful
place . Dozens, if not hundreds, of King and Pawn Endings rely on Zugzwang to be
successful, several critical Rook Endings, and countless other positions. Here is a few (including
our 2nd example from the last rule) common ones:

Note that if black had the ability to "pass" the turn -- this famous winning position of "King on the 6th,
Pawn on the 5th" would not be a win -- instsantly changing chess history!!!
 1. Rg7 Black says: "Um, I think I'll pass..." - and what can white do??? If 2.Kb6, threatening checkmate is ever
played - the black King simply runs to c8. This pattern could go on forever with black "passing the buck" at the
opportune moment...

As the description of the position above explains, even this simple basic checkmate is based on
Zugzwang.

And we see yet another example of a "winning position with Zugzwang" that ends in a draw if black can
pass the turn... Finally, you should realize that the complex idea black executes in Rule #5 (2nd diagram)
above is designed to put white in Zugzwang. But if white could "say pass" with the Bishop on c2, the
Triple-Step Winning Method (a little too advanced for this article here, but something I mention in my
Principle of Two Weaknesses Video Series) wouldn't be winning without Zugzwang. I am talking about
this position:

Principal of Two Weaknesses vs. Lesson in Good Technique

1. Be2 (1. a5 Kg6 2. Be2 Bd7 3. Ke3 Kf6 4. Kf2? the best resistance would have been (4. Kd3 Ke7 5. Bh5 Kd8 6. Bf7
Kc7 7. Bg8! this forces black to waste a valuable tempo that he might have been able to use later on as
Zugzwang 7... h6 8. Bd5 Kb8 9. Kc3 Ka7 10. Kb3 Ka6 11. Ka3 Bc8 12. Ka4 it almost looks like white has secured a
draw... 12... Bg4! 13. Kb3 Bd1+ 14. Kc3 (14. Ka3 now black has relocated the bishop to the optimum diagonal, and
he uses the "Triple step dance" with the bishop to create the win and put his opponent in zugzwang! 14... Bc2
15. Kb2 Ba4 16. Ka3 Bd1 17. Kb2 Kxa5 18. Bxb7 Kb4 )14... Ba4 15. Kd3 Bd7! 16. Kc3 Bc8 17. Kb3 Kxa5 )4... Ke7 5. Kg3
Be6! This is the perfect example of stopping your opponents plan along with yours (which in most cases diong a
move like this whether it be necessary or not is more important then carrying out your plan right away), for this
move stops Bg4 and all funny buisness! 6. Kf3 Kd6 7. Ke3 Kc7 8. Kd3 Kb8 9. Kc3 Ka7 10. Bd3 Ka6 11. Bb1 Kxa5
12. Bc2 h6 13. Bd1 Pb7-b5 will not help black after hte simple exchange 13... Bd7 14. Bc2 Ba4 15. Bd3 Bd1 16. Kd2

Bb3 17. Kc3 Ka4 18. Be2 Ka3 19. Bd3 Bd1 20. Kd2 (20. Bb1 Be2 21. Bc2 Ka2 22. Ba4 Kb1 23. Bb5 Kc1 24. Ba4 Bd1
25. Bd7 Bc2 26. Bf5 Bb1 transposes to the game )20... Ba4 21. Kc3 Ka2 22. Be2 Kb1 23. Bg4 Bc2 24. Bf5 Kc1 25. Bg6
Bb1 26. Bf5 Kd1 27. Kb3 Kd2 28. Ka4 Kc3 29. Kb5 Kd4 )1... b6! Securing the a5-square for the black King's "march"
to the Kingside. A VERY long term plan, but an awesome one...
2. Bd1 here we will analyse what happens after passive defence
(2. a5 this is an interesting attempt to block black's path in 2... bxa5 3. Kc3 Bd7 4. Kb3 Bc6 5. Bf3 Kg6 6. Ka3 Kf6
7. Kb3 Ke7 8. Ka3 Kd6 9. Kb3 Kc7 10. Ka3 Kb6 11. Kb3 Bd7 12. Ka3 Bh3 13. Be2 Bg2 14. Bd3 Bf3 15. Kb3 Bd1+
16. Ka3 (16. Kc3 a4 17. Kd2 a3! 18. Kc3 Ka5 19. Bb1 Kb6 20. Ba2 Kc7 21. Kd2 Ba4 and the black king will march to
the kingside winning )16... a4 17. Bb1 Ka5 18. Bd3 h6 zugzwang 19. Bb1 Be2 20. Bc2 Bxc4 21. Bxa4 Bd3 22. Bc6 c4
23. Bd5 Kb5 24. Kb2 Kb4 25. Bc6 c3+ 26. Kc1 Kc5 27. Bd5 Kd4 )2... Kg7 3. Be2 Kf6 4. Bd1 Ke7 5. Kc3 Kd7 6. Kb3 h6
7. Be2 Kc7 8. Ka3 Kb7 9. Kb3 Ka6 10. Kb2 Ka5 11. Ka3 Bd7 12. Bd1 Here we can see that is Bc6 then Bc2 defends,
therefore; black must try to setup the decisive zugzwang. So he first knows that his king has reached its' important
square and he now recognizes white's weaknesses and knows that he has plenty of room to maneuver!
12... Be8 13. Bb3 (13. Bc2 Bc6! )13... Bf7 14. Ba2 Bg6 15. Bb1 Be8 16. Bc2 [[Bc6! Where white is in Zugzwang... if
17.h5 - then black repeats the "Triple Step Method" to achieve the same position with white to move again (and
once again, white is in Zugzwang). See the variation...
17. Bd3 (17. h5 Be8 18. Bd1 Bd7 19. Bb3 (19. Bc2 Bc6 Zugzwang. )19... Bg4 winning... )17... Bxa4

So anyway, why is our new found appreciation for German Language worthy of a principle in
this article? Simply because so many positions reach "that critical moment" that if you aren't
aware of this "looming idea" then your approach in many endgame positions will remain an
amateur one...

Rule #7 - Find a Pawn Majority... AND Use It!

If you are going to shake what you momma gave ya, then recognize the potential of what your
momma gave ya (rule #3) first! Example:

How can white execute an advantage here? Do you realize that white is winning by force?!?! -
1. f4! The e4-Pawn is a "pretender" which means that with the help of a friend (f-pawn or "Fairy God Mother"), he
will become a "real boy" (passed pawn).

This is known as a "pawn majority" (meaning white's 4 on 3 pawn advantage on the Kingside).
Here is another example.

POSITION 2 WHITE MOVES vs. ?

1. Rxf6! This combination is the start of...

1... Rxc3 black's only move, but after
(1... Kxf6 2. Ne4+ Ke5 3. Nxc5 Kd5 4. Nxb7 white wins.... )2. Rxf7+!! white solidifies a "two vs one pawn majority"
on the Kingside. Notice that knowledge of this advantage (being the principle of recognizing a potential passed
pawn) is the reason white's combination worked.
2... Kxf7 3. bxc3 White should win end game
3... b5 4. Kf2 Kf6 5. Kf3 Kf5 6. g4+ Ke5 7. h4 a5 8. Ke3 a4 9. Kf3 Kf6 10. Kf4 e5+ 11. Ke4 Ke6 12. g5 hxg5 13. hxg5 and
even if black's King was taking the g5-pawn now, white would still win because of the King is closer to the
Queenside pawns.

Rule #8 - Principle of Two Weaknesses... What's That?!

This rule is more of a concept or idea that has become a staple part of every good coach's
"endgame teaching repertoire". Basically, teaching their students that against tough defense --
even a clear advantage like an extra pawn may not be enough. Many Rook endings are drawn
afterall, and minor piece endings always have the potential that a player might sacrifice and leave
you with an extra piece but no winning chances.

So, rather than beating your head against the "proverbial wall" with one advantage, let your
advantage serve as a clamp on your opponent's ability to defend a different target. By
creating a second weakness you often increase the strength of your first advantage. A very
simple example of this idea, and one that I used in my video series on the subject is:

Principle of Two Weaknesses vs. Training Positions

 1... h5! This is a good example of the Principle of Two Weaknesses. Principal of Two Weaknesses means that in
most cases, unless there exists a huge advantage of some sort, it is necessary for the side playing for the win to

improve his position to the max on one side of the board, and then switch and create targets on the other side!
2. Ke3 (2. Kf1 g5 3. Ke2 f6 4. Kf1 Bd7 5. Ke2 Be6 6. Bxe6 Kxe6 7. Nc5+ Kd6 8. Nd3 Bc3 )2... g5 3. f4 exf4+ 4. gxf4 g4
5. Be2 (5. e5 h4 )5... Bd7 6. Nc5 Bc8! 7. Nd3 Bc3 8. Bd1 h4 9. f5 b3! 10. Bxg4 (10. Bxb3 h3 11. Bd1 (11. f3 h2 12. Nf2
g3 )11... h2 )10... b2 winning...

Rule #9 - Be Concrete & Calculate!

Unlike any other "phase" to chess, the endgame requires more knowledge of specific positions
and patterns. What if you realized that in the majority of the endgames you play, the result is
likely already decided or forced if the best moves are played by both sides? That's kind of scary
when you think about it, right ? It means that being general and/or trying to evaluate things
intuitively is very risky.

As a beginner, you can't expect yourself to have the knowledge of technical positions that a
master level (let alone a Grandmaster) player would have. BUT what you can do is take my piece
of advice as something similar to the "never turn your back on the ocean" saying, ie -- approach
the endgame like every move could be your last!!! Be concrete, calculate, "don't move until you
see it", etc... If you play chess with a healthy fear of endings and that they are actually the
hardest stage of the game where there is the most to calculate, then you will be on the right track
already.

Rule #10 - Less Pieces = Less Room for Error!

Similiar to our last rule, this principle is in place to remind you of the scary fact that endgames
require the most precision of any stage of the game. Unless you are simply lost and only
postponing things to avoid going home, or totally winning and enjoying the torture of your
helpless opponent -- then you are by definition involved in a relatively equal ending that
requires, here it comes, your complete focus and hard work!

"If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch", or as one famous Grandmaster said: "The
endgame separates the Master from the Amateur"... or something like that...

White to play and WIN

FEN:6k1/K2p4/5Q2/1q3pKp/8/8/P7/8 w - - 0 1:
Although White is material down he can mount a winning attack because of the poor
placement of the Black King at the edge of the board. The stair-movement of the new
promoted White Queen is worth remembering because it is often a feature of these type of
endings.

1.Kg6! Qc6
Black is forced to pin the White Queen to stop the mate threat.
2.Qxc6 ...
2.a4 Qxf6+ 3.Kxf6 f4-+; 2.Kxf5 Qxf6+ 3.Kxf6 h4-+;
2... dxc6
3.a4 f4
Black wins the race to queen but White queens with check !
4.a5 f3
5.a6 f2
6.a7 f1Q
7.a8Q+ Qf8
Now begins the stair movement of the White Queen
8.Qa2+ Kh8
9.Qb2+ Kg8
10.Qb3+ Kh8

The White queen ascends the "stairs".

11.Qc3+ Kg8
12.Qc4+ Kh8
13.Qd4+ Kg8
14.Qd7! Wins.
A simple but an attractive ending.

Chess Endgame Strategies

Edited by Harri, Maluniu, Teresa, Denise and 2 others

You must be up at least a rook to force mate in the endgame. The only exception to this rule is
that two knights and a king cannot force mate.

Edit Steps

1. Without pawns, you must be at least a rook up to force mate. The only exception to this is
that two knights and a king cannot force mate against a lone king.

2. The king is a powerful piece. Use it to block and attack pawns

3. Bishops of opposite colors draw most of the time because neither side can advance pawns
without losing them. A rook pawn and bishop only draw against a king if the bishop is the
opposite color as the queening square.

4. Bishops are worth more than knights in all but locked pawn positions.
5. Pawns and bishops become more valuable as the game proceeds, so play to keep them.

6. Many games with all the pawns on one side of the board end in a draw. 90% of master
games end in a draw where all the pawns are on one side of the board. This is because the
master with less pawns will exchange pawns, then sacrifice a knight or a bishop for the last of
the pawns. If you are left with just a bishop or a knight, you cannot force mate.

7. Many times, rook and knight, or rook and bishop, can only draw against a rook.

8. In queen endings, the one who moves the queen to the center first dominates play.

9. Powerful pawn structures:

o An "outside pawn" lures the opponent’s king to other side, allowing you to gobble the
rest of his pawns or advance your pawns on the other side of the board.
o A "passed pawn" is not obstructed by another pawn and should be pushed. Nimzovitch
said, "Passed pawns must be pushed."
o A "protected passed pawn" is a passed pawn that is protected by another pawn. A
protected passed pawn forces the opponent to constantly defend against an advance.

10. Weak pawn structures:

o Doubled pawns cannot defend each other and are subject to attack.
o Isolated pawns are weak and must be defended by a piece.
o Backward pawns on open files are extremely weak and subject to attack by rooks.

11. A king with the opposition can draw against a king with a pawn.

12. A rook on the seventh rank is worth sacrificing a pawn.

13. Zugzwang (if your opponent moves he loses) is common in chess.

14. Rook and pawn endings are the most complicated, so avoid them.

15. A queen can win against 9 pawns if the pawns are not advanced.