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King & Pawn Endgames – Endgame Course Syllabus

This syllabus page outlines the king and pawn endgame techniques taught in the course. Detailed demonstrations and related endgame guides are available via the Endgame Hub →

Core King & Pawn Techniques

• The "Rule of the Square" : Example #1
• The "Rule of the Square" : Example #2
• "The Opposition" : Example #1 - White to move
• "The Opposition" : Example #2 - Black to move
• "Distant Opposition" : Example #1
• Where "Diagonal Opposition" vital to use - Example #1
• "Triangulation" AKA losing a move or losing a tempo

Winning and Drawing Patterns

• One pawn freezes/fixes two pawns giving easy win
• "Shouldering" - Example #1 - Keep opp. King out of key squares combined with plan
• "Shouldering" - Example #2
• Reti's famous Endgame Study
• Example #1 - Black is able to draw by making use of stalemate
• Example #2 - Black cannot draw because King very useful
• Example #3 - Black has h pawn - White King very useful
• Example #4 - Black is able to draw with 'f' pawn - White King can't help

Model Game Examples (Selected)

• Black plays the right move to get the "Opposition" - Cohnfeld vs Grundy
• 166 Cs - Aggressive King in endgame creates numerous zugzwangs - Cohn vs Rubinstein
• 106 Cs - Triangulation gets key position with opponent's move - Alburt vs Kasparov
• Key "Shouldering" move keeps K out of key squares - Rogers vs Shirov
• 12 Cs - Missed "Distant Opposition" loses instead of drawing - Firouzja vs Carlsen