Theoretical endgames - the 10 endgames you

should know

Martin Burrows, 20 December 2024 Lets say you are rated 1500-2000 and looking to improve your endgame play, a typically neglected area of the game. How should you go about this? Well, I could say go and read the classic "Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual" cover to cover but that is far too complex and detailed, and you probably won't remember much from it. A more accessible book is the highly regarded "100 endgames you must know" by Jesus de la Villa. But do you need to know that many? De la Villa suggests that players below 2000 Elo can restrict the learning to 23 endgames. I suggest that that is still too high. I have selected 10 endgames and if you know these you will probably be doing better than most sub 2000 players. I will refer to pawns with the following terminology: • Centre pawns: 'd' or 'e' pawns • Bishop pawns: 'c' or 'f' pawns • Knight pawns: 'b' or 'g' pawns • Rook pawns: 'a' or 'h' pawns For simplicity I will always show white as the side with extra material

Part one: King and Pawn endgames

1. K+p v K (centre, bishop and knight pawns)

If the white King is alongside of the pawn or behind it then the position is generally a draw. With the white King in front of the pawn, the position is winning if he can get the opposition. With the pawn of the 5th rank, the position is winning regardless of who has the move.

2. K+p v K (rook pawns)

If the black king gets in front of the pawn then this is easily drawn, regardless of where the white king and pawn are. Black simply shuffles the king between g8 and h8. Black also draws if his King can reach f7 and trap the white king in the corner.