Chess Endgames on Mainline

17 essential endgames: opposition, rook endings, the Lucena and Philidor positions and more, each built on established theory and taught in plain English.

• K + P Opposition: The rule that decides most king-and-pawn endings
• K + R vs K Mate: Driving the lone king to the edge of the board
• Philidor Position: How to draw rook-and-pawn against rook a pawn down
• K + Q vs K Mate: King and queen working together to trap the lone king
• Lucena Position: How to win rook-and-pawn against rook
• Outside Passed Pawn: A passed pawn far from the kings: bait that wins games
• Rook Behind the Passed Pawn: Tarrasch's rule: rooks belong behind passed pawns
• Bishops of Opposite Colors: Drawish endings, but sharp attacks with the queens on
• Key Squares in K+P Endings: Three squares that decide a king-and-pawn ending
• Distant Opposition: Holding the opposition while the kings are still far apart
• Fortresses: Drawing positions the attacker simply cannot break
• Square of the Pawn: The instant rule for whether a king catches a pawn
• Triangulation: Spend a tempo to hand the awkward move to your opponent
• Outflanking: Stepping sideways around the enemy king
• K + B + N vs K Mate: The hardest basic mate: herd the king to the right corner
• Pawn Races: Both sides racing to promote: count the moves
• Rook on the Seventh Rank: Penetrate to the 7th rank with the rook