Chess Endgames: Basic Checkmates, King and Pawn, and Rook Endings
The endgame is where won games are converted and lost games are saved. Learn the essential positions, see the winning method in verified examples, then practice them against Stockfish.
How to Checkmate with a Queen
Push the king to the edge with your queen, bring your own king up, and mate in 10 moves or fewer.
Open lesson ↗02How to Checkmate with a Rook
Box the king in with your rook, bring your king up, and mate on the edge in 16 moves or fewer.
Open lesson ↗03Opposition in Chess
Face the enemy king with an odd number of squares between you, and make your opponent move first.
Open lesson ↗04King and Pawn Endgame
Win with key squares and the opposition, draw by getting in front of the pawn.
Open lesson ↗05How to Checkmate with Two Bishops
Two bishops side by side build a wall, the king pushes, and the corner becomes a mating net.
Open lesson ↗06Lucena Position
Win rook and pawn against rook by building a bridge for your king.
Open lesson ↗07Philidor Position
Hold rook and pawn against rook with the third-rank defense.
Open lesson ↗08Chess Endgame Practice
Four principles, a study order for the key endgames, and real endgame puzzles to drill them.
Open lesson ↗How to study endgames
- Start with the basic checkmates: king and queen, then king and rook.
- Learn the opposition before any other pawn ending; almost every king and pawn ending depends on it.
- Play each position against Stockfish from the analysis board until you win it without help.
- Move on to rook endings, the most common endings in real games, with Lucena and Philidor.