Key square

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In chess, particularly in endgames, a key square (also known as a critical square)

is a square such that if a player's king can occupy it, he can force some gain such
as the promotion of a pawn or the capture of an opponent's pawn. Key squares are
useful mostly in endgames involving only kings and pawns. In the king and pawn versus king endgame,
the key squares depend on the position of the pawn and are easy to determine. Some more complex
positions have easily determined key squares while other positions have harder-to-determine key squares.
Some positions have key squares for both White and Black.

Contents
1 King and pawn versus king
1.1 Rook pawn
1.2 Other pawns
1.2.1 An exception
1.2.2 Example from game
2 Blocked pawns
3 Example with a protected passed pawn
4 Example with more pawns
5 Any key square by any route
6 See also
7 References

King and pawn versus king

In an endgame with a king and pawn versus a king, the key squares are relative to the position of the
pawn. Assume that White has the pawn. If the white king can occupy a key square, he can force the
promotion of the pawn but accurate play is required. Whether or not the white king can reach a key
square depends on the position of the pieces and which player is to move (Mller & Lamprecht 2007:20
22).

Rook pawn

An advanced rook pawn generally has two key squares: the two squares on the adjacent file that touch the
promotion square, i.e. b7 and b8 for a white a-pawn, and g7 and g8 for a white h-pawn. The key squares
are indicated by the black dots in the position in the diagram on the right. If White's king can reach either
of the two key squares, he can keep Black's king away and the
pawn will promote. If the Black king can reach any of the
squares marked with a dot or an "X", it stops the pawn either
by blocking the pawn or preventing the white king from
reaching a key square (Silman 2007:1056).
Key squares with rook pawn
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Dots are key squares for a rook pawn. In
addition, Black stops the pawn if the
black king gets to any of the squares
marked with "X".

Other pawns

a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Dots indicate key squares for a pawn on
the second and third ranks
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Key squares for a pawn on the fourth and
fifth ranks

Pawns other than rook pawns have more key squares. If the pawn is on the second, third, or fourth rank,
there are three key squares the square two squares in front of the pawn and the squares to the left and
right of that square. The key squares are indicated by the black dots in the diagrams above. If the pawn is
on the fifth or sixth rank, there are six key squares: the square in front of the pawn and the squares to the
left and right, as well as the square two squares in front of the pawn, and the squares to the left and right
of it, see the middle diagram. When the pawn is on the seventh rank, the key squares are the squares on
the seventh and eighth rank that touch the pawn's square (see the diagram on the right).

a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Key squares for a pawn on the sixth and
seventh ranks
the defender to move. In the diagram on the right, with the
white king on either the square indicated or the square marked
by "x", the position is stalemate if Black is to move.
An easy way to remember the key squares is to note that if the
pawn is not beyond the midpoint of the board, there are three
key squares that are two ranks ahead. If the pawn is on the
fifth or sixth rank there are six key squares on the two ranks in
front of the pawn. If the pawn is on the seventh rank, the
adjoining squares on the seventh and eighth ranks are key
squares (Mller & Lamprecht 2007:1618).
An exception
There is an
a b c d e f g h
exception to the
key squares rule 8 8
with a knight pawn 7 7
on its sixth rank,
6 6
the defending king
in the corner, and 5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Exception to key squares - stalemate with
Black to move if the white king is on c7
or c8

Example from game

This position from a game[1] between Svetozar Gligori and Bobby Fischer illustrates key squares. Black
to move can keep the white king from reaching a key square by 57... Kb8, so the game is drawn (Mller
& Lamprecht 2007:20). If the white king moves to the fifth rank, Black takes the opposition. (See
Opposition (chess)#Example for more details of this game.)

Blocked pawns
In a position with a blocked pair of pawns (opposing pawns on the same file), the key squares for a
player's king extend for three files on either side of the opponent's pawn. In this position, the first king to
reach one of his key squares will win the opponent's pawn and protect his own. Even though the white
king is farther away from the pawns, White wins if he moves first:

1. Kg3! Kb7
2. Kf4 Kc7
3. Ke5 Kd7
4. Kd5 Kc7
 5. Ke6 The white king reaches a key square.
Gligori vs. Fischer, 1959
5.... Kc8
6. Kd6 Kb7 a b c d e f g h
7. Kd7 Kb8 8 8
8. Kc6 Ka7 7 7
9. Kc7 Ka8
10. Kxb6 and White wins (see king and pawn versus 6 6
king endgame) (de la Villa 2008:17273). 5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Position after 57. Kc4. Marked squares
are key squares; Black draws

a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Key squares for blocked pawns (white
dots for the white king, black dots for the
black king)

When both kings can reach a key square, a position of mutual zugzwang may occur. The first king to
attack the opposing pawn must save a square for attack and defense (the squares marked "x"). With White
to move:

1. Kd7! (The only winning move; all other moves lose. For instance, if 1. Kd6?? then 1... Kf5 puts
White in zugzwang and Black wins)
1... Kf5
2. Kd6! (now Black in zugzwang)
2... Kg6
3. Kxe6 and White wins (de la Villa 2008:173).
Example with a protected passed pawn a b c d e f g h
8 8
In this example, White would win if his king could get to any
7 7
of the key squares (marked by the white dots). But Black is
able to prevent this and draw the game with or without the 6 6
move. For example: 5 5

1. Kd2 Kd5 4 4
2. Ke3 Ke5 (the only move to draw) 3 3
3. Kf3 Kf5 (the only move to draw)
4. Kg3 Ke5 2 2
5. Kg4 Ke4 (the only move to draw) (Mller & 1 1
Lamprecht 2007:52). a b c d e f g h
White to move, does not go directly to a
key square

Walker, 1892
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
Black prevents the white king from
reaching a key square

Example with more pawns

In this example, f6 is also a key square for the white king. White to move wins, Black to move draws.
(All of Black's moves are the only move to draw.)

1... Kh6!!
2. Kc7 Kg7
3. Kb7 Kh7
4. Kb8 Kh8
5. Kc8 Kg8
6. Kd7 Kh7
7. Ke6 Kg6! (Mller & Lamprecht 2007:9596).
 a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
The squares with white dots and the f6
square are key squares for White. White
to move wins, Black to move draws.

Any key square by any route

With a king and pawn versus a lone king, it is important to get
Jan Drtina, 1908
the attacking king to any key square and the path to a key
square is not always direct. For instance, in the diagram on the a b c d e f g h
right, the key squares for the white king are b5, c5, and d5. 8 8
Black can prevent the white king from reaching a key square 7 7
directly, e.g.:
6 6
1. Kd2 Ke7 5 5
2. Kd3 Kd7
4 4
3. Kc4 Kc6 (taking the opposition).
3 3
However the white king can reach a key square (b5) by going
2 2
on the other side of the pawn:
1 1
1. Kc2! Ke7 a b c d e f g h
2. Kb3 Kd6 White gets to a winning position by
3. Kb4 Kc6
getting to the key square at b5
4. Kc4 (opposition, and Black is in zugzwang) Kd6
5. Kb5

or

4... Kb6
5. Kd5

and the white king has occupied a key square and has a winning position (Mller & Lamprecht 2007:20).
See also
Corresponding squares
Chess endgame
Triangulation
Opposition
Zugzwang

References
1. Gligori vs. Fischer (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1008390)

Bibliography

de la Villa, Jess (2008), 100 Endgames You Must Know, New in Chess, ISBN 978-90-5691-244-4
Mller, Karsten; Lamprecht, Frank (2007), Secrets of Pawn Endings, Gambit Publications,
ISBN 978-1-904600-88-6
Silman, Jeremy (2007), Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner to Master, Siles
Press, ISBN 1-890085-10-3

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Categories: Chess terminology Chess tactics Chess endgames Chess theory

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