•

Ut,

GM Edmar Mednis

Moon Township, Pennsylvania

Chess Enterprises
© Copyright 1997 by Chess Enterprises. All rights
reserved.

ISBN 0-945470-65-7

Editor: B. G. Dudley

Cover Design: E. F. Witalis, Jr.

Typesetting: B. G. Dudley

This material appeared in an earlier version in King Power

in Chess, David McKay Company, 1982.
 Preface

lbis book has been adapted from "King Power in Chess",

first published by David McKay Company in 1982. McKay
has allowed that book to go out of print and this has
enabled me to present the material in a way that is much
more accessible to the reader. "King Power in Chess"
aimed to cover the entire field of King "activity " - across
the opening, middlegame, and endgame. lbis led to a rather
massive treatise, which, moreover, did not have a unifying
whole. For instance, as is obvious, what is important
regarding King behavior in the opening bears little relation
to the characteristics of endgame play.

The objective of "The King in the Endgame" is to help the

student score more points by showing how to use the King
as an inherent part of successful endgame play. Topics
covered include: activating the King both for winning .and
drawing, technical King movements (opposition,
triangulation) and important activities such as preparing
action, gaining time and weaving mating nets. A complete
listing appears in Contents.

To make the book easier to use, two major technical

improvements have been made: notation has been changed
to algebraic and diagrams are used for all starting positions.
I am happy that this improved version is published by Bob
Dudley's Chess Enterprises. This is my seventh book for
this fine publishing firm.

3
 To ensure that the reader and the author are on the same
wavelength regarding the meaning of the question and
exclamation marks as they are used in the characterization
of moves, these are the presently accepted meanings:
! = a strong move
!! = a very strong move; a fantastic move
? = a bad move; a weak move
?? a horrible move; a blunder
!? an enterprising move; a move worthy of
consideration
?! = a dubious move, for theoretical or
practical reasons

New York, 1997

Edmar Mednis

4
 Contents

Preface 3

The King In The Endgame 7

Chapter 1: The Helpless King 8

Section 1: King Cut Off from Specific Field
of Action 8
Section 2: King Generally Imprisoned 14

Chapter 2: The Active King Wins 20

Section 1: King & Pawn Endgames 20
Section 2: Minor Piece Endgames 25
Section 3 : Rook Endgames 34
Section 4: Queen Endgames 39
Section 5: Mixed Endgames 44

Chapter 3 : The Active King Achieves a Draw 52

Chapter 4: King Activity for the Defense 58

Chapter 5: The King as a Generally Useful

Piece 63

Chapter 6: Technical King Movements 68

Section 1: Opposition 68
Section 2: Triangulation 74

5
Chapter 7: Various Important Activities 79
Section 1: Preventing Threats 79
Section 2: Marking Time 83
Section 3: Gaining Time 86
Section 4: Preparing Action 90
Section 5: Weaving Mating Nets 93

Chapter 8: Correct/Incorrect King Moves 99

6
 THE KING IN THE ENDGAME

It is in the endgame that the King is King. Of necessity sheltered

through the opening and middlegame, in the endgame the King
becomes a valuable, important, fighting piece. Mikhail Tal has
intriguingly suggested that the value of an active King in the
endgame is "three points, " i.e. equivalent to a Bishop or Knight.
Just as the dividing line between the opening and middlegame is
not sharp, so too the transition from the middlegame to the endgame
is often blurred. For an endgame to have arisen, to my mind the
following two things must exist: ( 1) Some exchanges of material
must have taken place, and (2) The important characteristics of
middlegame play, such as the importance of superior piece coordi­
nation and/or attacking prospects against the enemy King, must be
absent. Note that the mere absence of Queens, however, is never
enough to indicate the start of an endgame. Conversely, Queen and
pawn endgames are an important part of the genre. If a large
nwnber of pieces have been exchanged and the Kings look safe then
you can feel confident that you're in an endgame.
The basic objective of the endgame is to queen a pawn. Thus,
much of the action revolves around creation of passed pawn(s) and
the attempt to transform the passed pawn into a new Queen. The
King is of major importance, both as an attacker and defender, in
these operations.

7
 CHAPTER 1

The Helpless King

Because, by definition, the occurrence of an endgame requires that a
considerable amount of material has left the board, the remaining
forces-pieces and pawns-increase in importance. Therefore, it
follows logically that the King takes on a significantly increased
role. The side with a King unable to participate fully is under a very
serious handicap.

SECTION King Cut Off from

1.

Specific Field of Action

Middlegame positions usually suggest relatively broad possible
scenes of action; in the endgame the fruitful area of play is much
more localized. If the King can not get to this area, the ultimate
result of the game may be decided: i.e. a potentially drawn position
lost, or a favorable position only drawn. The most important scene
of action is the attempt at queening a pawn. If the defender's King is
cut off from this area, the loss is almost inevitable.
A classic example is J. Bednarski - E. Geller, Siegen Olympiad
1970, after Black's 24th move.

8
White is a pawn up, but Black's active Rook appears to be sufficient
compensation. Yet note that Black's King is cut off from returning
to the Kingside. This enables White to achieve a forced win starting
with
25 f4! exf4 26 e5 Rb1
Since Black's King can't help out, the Rook must rush back.
Unplayable for White now is 27 e6??, as 27 . . . Rb6 both stops and
wins the e-Pawn. White's King now enters the fray however, and,
with Black's King effectively absent, the unequal fight for promotion
of the e-Pawn must end in White's favor.
27 Kfl! Rfl + 28 Kg4 b5 29 e6 Re1 30 Kf5 Re3 3 1 Kf6 f3 32
gxfJ RxfJ+ 33 Kg7 Re3 34 Kt7 RfJ+ 35 Ke8 c6 36 Rd8+ Kc7 37
Rd7+ Kc8 38 Rxh7 Rxc3 39 e7 Rxc2 40 Kt'S Re2 41 e8 =Q+
Black resigns

The need for the defending King to control the queening square is
clear, and should serve as a guiding beacon in positions where a
choice of moves is possible. Consider next the following position L.
Polugaevsky- V. Korchnoi, 1 977 Candidates Match, Game 6, after
White's 43rd move.

Black is a pawn up, and it is easy to envision White's b-Pawn and

Black's f-Pawn being lost. This will leave Black's d-Pawn as the
only pawn remaining, and the question will be whether White ( with

9
the necessary assistance of the King) can stop it. Black's next is
straightforward:
43 . . . Kc5
White should now play the obvious 44 Kxf5, and after 44 . . . Rxh5,
He can then hold the position
4 5 Ra8 ! , to keep the Rook active.
after either 4 5 . . . Kd4+ 46 Kf4 Rb l (46 . . . Re5 47 Ra4+! Kd3 48
Ra3+ Kc4 49 Ra6 ! ) 47 Ra4+ Kd3 48 Ra3+ Kc4 49 Ke3 or after 45
. . . Rb4 46 Ra5 + ! Kb6 47 Ra8 ! Rd4 48 Ke6.
44 Rc8+??
Short of time, White commits a horrible, thoughtless blunder.
44 ••• KxbS 45 KxfS Re3!
The move White had overlooked when he indulged in his
"automatic" check. White's King now is and remains cut off from
the Black pawn's queening march, with the position becoming a
routine theoretical win.
46 Kf4 Rei 47 Rd8 Kc5 48 Rc8+ Kd4 49 Kf3 d5 SO Ktl ReS! 51
Ra8 Kc3 52 RaJ+ Kb4 53 Rat d4 54 Rei d3 SS Rc8 d2 56 Rb8+
Kc3 57 Rc8+ Kd3 58 Rd8+ Kc2 59 Rc8+ Kd 1 White resigns.

Black has obtained the "Lucena position" - known as a win since

the end of the 1 5th century The proof: ( 1 ) 60 Rc7 Rf5+ 6 1 Kg2 Ke2
62 Re7+ Kd3 63 Rd7+ Ke3 64 Re7+ Kd4 65 Rd7+ Rd5, and (2) 60
Rd8 Re2+ 6 1 Kfl (6 1 KO Ke 1 ) 6 1 . . . Re l + 62 Kf2 Kc2.

In K and P endings, the need for the King to control the enemy
pawn's queening square is, of course, absolute. Disaster, however,
can strike in various forms. First consider the position A. Lein - P.
Biyiasas, New York International 1 977, after Black's 3 7th move,
shown on the next page.

White is a pawn up; the activity of Black's Rook and the weakness
of White's g-Pawn means that there is no win:

10
38 Kg3 Rc3+
White has nothing better than to acquiesce to 39 Kg2 Rc4 40 Kg3
etc., with a draw, as the passive 39 Kh2 Rc4 40 Rg2 gives no
winning chances and Black can choose either 40 . . . a5 or 40 . . . Kg7 .
Yet White "decides" to commit suicide:
39 Rf3??
With the point that after 39 . . . Rxf3+?? 40 Kxf3 White's King is
close enough to the Queenside to stop Black's pawns, thereby giving
White a won endgame. With his unexpected (by White) reply,
Black wins a key tempo and completely turns the tables.
39 ... a5!
After 40 Rxc3 bxc3 the c-Pawn queens, and if White tries to get
out of the pin with 40 Kf2, he is one move too late after 40 . . . Rxf3+
4 1 Kxf3 a4 42 Ke2 b3 43 axb3 a3!.
40 h6 a4 White resigns
After 4 1 h7 Rxf3+ 42 Kxf3 Kg7 Black's King is close enough to
the scene of action, but White's King isn't.

In the previous example White's King was simply arithmetically

too far away from the Queenside. Often the King seems to be close
enough, yet use of appropriate interference prevents it from reaching
his goal. This is what happens to the play arising from A. Pomar -
Cuadras, Olot 1 974, after Black's 62nd move.

11
 Playing White, the Spanish GM has obtained only a materially
even endgame against his unheralded opponent. The endgame
offers nothing but equality, and the best way to maintain the status
quo is with 63 Kd4 Ke6 64 Kc4 Kd6 65 Kd4 Ke6 66 Kc4. But
Pomar, unmindful of potential danger, thinks only ofwinning:
63 Kd6??
••• and allows Black a characteristic winning breakthrough with
63 ... f4! ! 64 Kd5
The danger has been perceived, but the King won't be able to get
back in time. Alternately, 64 gxf4 h4 will give Black a winning
passed h-Pawn, and, after 64 exf4 h4! 65 gxf4 g3! 66 fx.g3 e3 the
e-Pawn can't be caught.
64 ... h4! 65 Kxe4 f3 ! !
The key interference move, preventing White's King from getting
to f3, as after 65 . . . h3?? 66 gxh3 gxh3 67 Kf3.
66 gxf3 h3 White resigns

There are, of course, many, many other types of action. Particu­

larly important for practical play is the type shown in the position on
the next page, P. Ostermeyer J. Dueball, Manheim 1 975, after
-

Black's 53rd move. Such endgames are generally won for the
stronger side, provided that his King can assist in the advance of his
pawns. This principle should serve as the basis for White's decisions.
Because it doesn't, White doesn't win:

12
54 Kg2?!
A serious, though not fatal misstep. Correct is 5 4 £3, with the
usual objective of using the King to assist the pawns to advance.
Black has two defenses, neither sufficient: ( 1 ) 54 . . . b3 5 5 Kf4 !
Rc4+ 56 Ke3 Rc3+ 57 Ke4 Kf6 (57 . . . Rc4+? 5 8 Kd3 Rf4 59 Ke3)
58 f4 Rc4+ 59 Ke3 Rc3+ 60 Kd4 Rg3 6 1 Rb6+ Ke7 62 g5,
followed by Ke4, Kf5 , etc. Slowly and surely White keeps moving
forward. And (2) 54 . . . Rc4 5 5 Rb6+ Kg7 (5 5 . . . Kg5? 5 6 f4+ !
Rxf4 57 Rb5+ wins the Rook) 56 f4 ! , followed by g 5 , f5, etc. With
the King on the third rank the pawns can advance by themselves
since a . . . ReS is easily met by Kg4.
54 ... b3 55 f4??
But after this there is no win since White's King remains cut off. It
was still not too late for bridge building with £3, Kg3, etc. White
has lost some time, but Black can't do anything of substance with it.
55 ... Kf6!
Surely not 5 5 . . . Rc2+?? 56 K£3, and the King gets out.
56 Rb6+ Kti 57 g5 Kg7 58 f5
Acquiescing to an immediate draw. With White's King relegated
to the second rank there is no way to make progress.
58 ... Rc5!
Now there is no way to protect the overly advanced pawns.
59 Rb7+ Kg8 60 Rb8+ draw

13
 SECTION 2. King Generally Imprisoned

There are two problems with a King who is so contained that it

must be considered to be imprisoned. First, it is of no offensive
help and, except for the few squares immediately around it, also of
no defensive value. Secondly, and particularly in positions contain­
ing one or more major pieces, the King can be readily vulnerable to
a mating attack.

An absolutely hopeless position, for practical purposes, is the

above position from L. Shamkovich - A. Soltis, 1 978 U.S. Champi­
onship, after White's 33rd move. Not only is Black a pawn down.,
but his King and Bishop are contained on the first rank. White's
immediate threat is 34 d6, so Black plays
33 Rb7
• • •

Or 33 . . . Rd3 34 Rd8, followed by 35 Ke2; or 33 . . . Kg7 34

Ke2 Rb2+ 35 Kd3 Rb3+ 36 Kd2 Rb2+ 37 Kc3, followed by 38
Bd4+.
34 Bd4 h6 35 h4 Rb3+ 36 Ke2 Rb7 37 ReS!
Black would be in complete zugzwang after 37 . .. h5 38 g3. There­
fore he allows an immediate end.
37 ••. Rb4 38 d6! Black resigns

14
 Of course a position doesn't have to be as hopeless as the above
still to be hopeless. This is true of L. Polugaevsky V. Korchnoi,
-

1 977 Candidates Match, Game 2, after Black's 34th move. Though

material is even, Black's Rook has penetrated into White's position
and Black's Kingside pawns will form a fence around White's King.
White is simply lost; the course was as follows:

35 Bc3 Rct 36 Bd2 Rc2 37 a4 f4 38 h3 fJ+ 39 Kfl hS 40 hxg4

hxg4 White resigns
Here the game was adjourned and White took 45 minutes to seal
his move, 4 1Kel. He resigned without continuing, since 41 . . . Bc5
keeps White in a hopeless hammerlock. No better would have been
41 Rd4, as the following analysis by Robert Byme shows: 41 ... Rb2
42 B e l Rxb3 43 Rxg4 Rb l (Shades of Shamkovich-Soltis, reversed)
44 Re4 Bb4 45 Re6 Kf7 46 Re3 Kg6 47 Re6+ Kf5 48 Re3 Rxel+
49 Rxe l Bxel 50 Kxe l Ke4, and Black wins the King and Pawn
endgame.

There are times when the greatest of sophistication is required to

recognize the ultimate danger of having a contained King. The
following position, E. Mednis L. D. Evans, New York Interna­
-

tional 11 1 977, after Black's 40th move, appears to hold no dangers

for Black. With his next move, however, White sets a sophisticated
trap:

15
41 ReS!
Attacking the h-Pawn, which therefore should be defended, yes?
41 g6?
..•

No! Correct is 4 1 . .. f6!, White can not afford to play 42 Rxh5?!

as
because of 42. ... . e5 43 Be3 Nd6, and White's Rook is semi-trapped.
Therefore best would have been 42 e5!, but with only a slight advan­
tage for White.
42 Rc6!
Black now is lost: his King and Knight are contained, and this also
chains his Rook to the first rank. Moreover, the "holey" nature of
Black's pawn formation enables White's King to penetrate into
Black's Kingside.
42 . Ne7 43 Rc7! Nc8 44 Be5! Nb6 45 Bd4 Rb8 46 KfJ! Nc8
. •

47 Be5 Nb6
Loses immediately, but after 47 . . . Ra8 48 Kf4 White's King
starts marching in.
48 Rc6! Rb7 49 Bd4 Black resigns
After 49 .. . Nd7 50 Rc8+ Nf8 (50 . . . Kh7 5 1 Rh8 mate) 5 1 Bc5
White wins the pinned Knight.

The imprisoned King is such a liability that the only correct advice
to give in how to defend such positions is: AVOID THEM! A
graphic illustration of the never-ending problems resulting from such
a King position is demonstrated in the play arising from E. Mednis -

16
I. Csom., Budapest 1 978, after Black's 33rd move. Though a pawn
down, Black is already better here, because of his active Rook and
the ultimate vulnerability of all of White's Kingside. Being short of
time, however, I didn't appreciate the additional risk of getting my
King imprisoned:

34 c4?
For better or worse, 34 b3 ! had to be played. White's King would
then have obtained a fair amount of mobility.
34 . . • Kc6! 35 Be3 RtJ 36 cxd5+ Kxd5 37 Bb6 b3!
It is this move to which I had neglected to give the necessary
respect. White's King now remains contained for the rest of the
game.
38 axb3 axb3 39 Bc7 Rh3 40 Rdl+ Ke4 41 Bd6
The adjourned position. Analysis showed that as long as Black is
careful to keep the bind, White's chances of survival are nil.
41 Bd8 42 Bc5 Bc7! 43 Rel+ Kd5 44 Bd6 Ba5! 45 Rdl+ Ke4
••.

46 Bc5 Bd2! 47 Bfl Kxe5 48 Bel Bf4 49 Bc3+ Kf5 50 Rfl Rxh4
51 Bel Rh3 White resigns
White's King is still contained while he is already down material.

The practical considerations that exist in an actual game are excel­

lently shown by the course of play from J. Benjamin - P. Biyiasas,
New York International 11 1 977, after Black's 4 1 st move.

17
 The time control is over, Black is two clear pawns down, and his
King is rather exposed. White's win should not be far away. Instead
note what happens and why it happens:
42 Qd4??
According to conventional thinking, a good plan: White exchanges
the Queens and remains two pawns up in the endgame. Yet a
deeper consideration shows it to be wrong because White's King will
remain imprisoned and unsafe during the play to come, whereas,
with the Queens off, Black's King is safe. It is most doubtful if the
endgame is a win for White; of course it shouldn't be lost.
Correct for White would have been a "middlegame" move, such as
42 Re l .
42 • . • Qxd4! 43 Rxd4 Re7
Already Black is operating with mating threats!
44 Rd1 Re4 45 Rfl Kg7 46 d6 a5 47 Nd5 Re2 48 Nb6 a4 49
Nxc4?!
Both 49 d7 ! and 49 Nxa4 ! are better.
49 • • • B-e6 50 Rdl Kf8! 51 Na3?!
51 a3 ! is better.
51 ... Ke8 52 c4 Rxg2 53 c5 Kd7 54 Nb5 Bg4 55 Rcl ?
55 Rei should still be good enough for equality.
55 Rc2! 56 Rg1 Rxc5 57 Nc3 Be6 58 Nxa4 Ra5 59 Nc3 Kxd6
.•.

60 Rd1+ Ke7

18
 With his King still imprisoned, White now is lost. After winning
White's h-Pawn Black will have a decisive h-Pawn of his own.
61 Re1 Kti 62 Rfl+ Bf5 63 Rf4 Kf6 64 Na4 Kg5 65 Rc4 Kxh5
66 axb3 Kg5 67 Rcl h5 68 Rg1+ Kf4 69 Rfl+ Kg3 70 Rg1+ Kfl
71 Rh1 Be4 72 Rh4 Bf3 73 Kb1 Kg3 74 Rc4 h4 75 Nc3 Re5 76
ReS h3 77 Rg8+ Bg4 78 Rh8 h2 79 Kc2 Rh5 80 Ne4+ Kf4 81
Rxh5 Bxh5 82 Nf2 Kf3 White resigns

19
CHAPTER 2

The Active King Wins

SECTION 1. King + Pawn Endgames

As the only piece left, by defmition, the King's power in King and
Pawn endgames is awesome. Apart from general King activity, the
technical King movements called "opposition" and "triangulation"
are also of major significance. Since these will be considered in
detail later on in the book, any appearance in this section will be
only noted tangentially. King activity is always of paramount
importance, and when I talk of the "active King" what I mean is that
the King can get to where it wants to go.
A basic, important, position is of the type shown below, White on
move.

Ideally, White wants to capture Black's pawn while Black wants to

capture White's. Clearly Black's King is too far away to do that. As
a secondary goal, Black wants to be able to protect his pawn. This

20
 also will be shown to be impossible. Thirdly, Black would want to
lose the pawn only under such circumstances that he can still hold
the position for a draw. Yet if White plays correctly, this too can be
avoided. White to play wins as follows:
1 bS! !
Overeager i s the immediate I Ke4?, a s Black draws after I . . . b5 ! !
2 Kd5 Kb7 3 Kc5 Ka6 4 Kc6 Ka7 5 Kxb5 Kb7 ! , and a position
known as a theoretical draw has been reached. White can always
capture Black's pawn; the key to the win of the game is to do it the
right way.
1 ... Kb7 2 Ke4 Kc7 3 KeS! Kd7 4 KdS! Kc7 S Ke6 Kc8 6 Kd6!
Kb7 7 Kd7! Kb8 8 Kc6 Ka7 9 Kc7 Ka8 1 0 Kxb6
And so, at long last, White's active King has captured the pawn.
Since White's King is on the sixth rank in front of its pawn, the
position is won irrespective ofwho is on move.
10 ... Kb8 1 1 Ka6 Ka8 12 b6 Kb8 13 b7 Kc7 14 Ka7 White wins
The active King is potentially even more dangerous when there are
pawns on both sides of the board. This situation, with the pawn
formations unbalanced, is shown in this position, S. Kalinichev- Y.
Gutop, I978 Moscow Championship, after White's 49th move. It is
obviously Black's King which is active, and he won as follows:

49 ... gS! SO hxgS hxgS 51 Kd2 e4 52 a3 f4

...

21
 Black can readily create a passed pawn from his majority, whereas
the overpowering location of Black's King prevents White from
achieving the same.
53 gxf4 gxf4 54 b4 Kc4! 55 Kcl Kb5! 56 KcJ Ka4 57 Kd4 e3! 58
fxe3 f3 White resigns
After 59 Kd3 Kxa3 60 e4 Kxb4 Black's King can stop White's
e-Pawn but White's can't get to Black's a-Pawn.

A more sophisticated demonstration of the value of the active King

is shown in the play arising from A Jusupov - Ionov, USSR 1977,
after Black's 45th move.

White has two advantages here: the obvious one of having the
active King and the less obvious one of having the potential Queen­
side pawn breakthrough (because of Black's doubled b-Pawns),
similar to that in Pomar - Cuadras. The basic winning method is for
White's King to force Black's far enough away from the Queenside
to allow the break to be executed. The course of the game:
46 b4 Kf6 47 bS
White's b-Pawn is now in place. Black has nothing better than
continued passivity, since 47 ... g5+ 48 Kg4 Kg6 loses to 49 a3! Kf6
50 Kh5 Kf5 51 a4! Kf6 52 Kh6 Kf5 53 Kg7, and White's King will
be the first one to do damage.
47 . . . Kg6 48 Kg4 Kf6 49 h4 Kg6 SO hS+ Kh6?!

22
 Makes White's task routine. More logical was 50 ... Kf6! 51 Kf4!
Ke7 (also losing is 51 ... g6 52 h6! g5+ 53 Ke3!, and Black can't go
after the h-Pawn because of White's pawn breakthrough) 52 Kg5
Kf7 53 Kf5 Ke7 54 Kg6 Kf8 55 a5!, and after the forced 55 ... Kg8,
White wins with 56 c5!: 56 ... dxc5 57 a5! bxa5 58 b6! cxb6 59 d6
Kf8 60 d7 Ke7 61 Kxg7 a4 62 h6 a3 63 h7 a2 64 d8 = Q+ Kxd8 65
h8=Q+.
51 a4 g6 52 c5! gxhS+
Or 52 ... bxc5 53 a5 c4 54 a6 bxa6 55 bxa6 c3 56 a7 c2 57 a8= Q
gxh5+ 58 Kf5! (the active King) 58 ... c l= Q 59 Qh8 mate.
53 KfJ!
But here it is important for the King to be able to stop the pawns,
as 53 Kf5? allows 53 ... h4!, and if White stops the h-Pawn with 54
Kg4, the mate threat apparent in the above note has evaporated. In
the game Black resigned after the text. Jusupov gives the following
likely continuation:
53 • • • bxcS 54 aS c4 55 a6 bxa6 56 bxa6 c3 57 Ke3 White wins
Black's c-Pawn gets stopped; White's a-Pawn promotes.

The active King doesn't necessarily have to be gaining material to

be doing its part in winning. Gaining territory or preventing threats
is often equally desirable. The following position, a 1932 study by
N. Grigoriev, at first glance offers scant winning hopes for White.

23
 Yet sophisticated and active King movements lead to the following
forced win:
1 Kf5! Ke3 2 KeS c6
To prevent White's Kd5. After 2 . . . Kd3 3 Kd5 Kc3 4 Kc5!
White's win is routine.
3 a4 Kd3 4 aS cS 5 a6 c4 6 a7 c3 7 a8 = Q c2 8 QdS+!
Black is just an eyelash away from a stalemate draw. To win,
White must put his Queen on the correct square and then move his
King down to create a mating net.
8 . . .. Ke2
After 8 . . . Ke3 White wins with 9 Qg2! followed by 1 0 Qg5(+ ).
9 Qa2! Kdl l O Kd4! cl = Q 1 1 Kd3! White wins.
Mate is unpreventable, e.g. 1 1 . . . Qf4 12 Qc2+ Ke l 13 Qe2.

The above is a study, yes. But now let us see how the themes of
preventing Black's pawn from queening and utilizing the King as
part of the mating attack are transferable to real life. An excellent
practical case is shown in the position below, Dr. Mandler -
Prochaska, East Germany 1 976, ·White to move.

White is two pawns ahead, yet Black's King is at the throat of

White's Kingside. Routine play is insufficient for the full point, e.g.
1 b5 Kxg2 2 Kb7 Kxh3 3 Kxa7 Kg4 4 b6 h3 and, after both sides
Queen, White's a-Pawn on the third rank is not enough to win. The
win requires a different type of King activity:

24
I Kd5!! Kxg2 2 Ke4 Kxh3 3 Kf3
White's plan is clear: he wants to keep Black's King and h-Pawn
contained long enough to enable him to make a Queen from his
Queenside pawn majority. Black's only practical hope is to try to
create a stalemate on the Kingside.
3 ... Kh2 4 Kfl! !
Only so! After 4 b5 Kg1!! 5 Kg4 Kg2! 6 Kxh4 Kf3 Black's King
gets back in time to the Queenside; after 4 a4 h3 5 Kf2 a5!! 6 bxa5
Kh1 7 a6 h2 Black has created stalemate.
4 ... h3 5 b5! Kh 1 6 Kfl ! h2 7 b6! ! a5! ?
The only try, since 7 ... axb6 8 a4 b5 9 a 5 allows White to promote
with checkmate.
8 b7 a4 9 Ke2!
Unfortunately White must release the stalemate. However, White's
King remains close enough to Black's so that the coming Queen and
Pawn endgame is won.
9 ... Kg1 10 b8 = Q h1 = Q 1 1 Qb6+ Kh2 12 Qd6+ Kg1
Or 12 ... Kh3 13 Qh6+ Kg2 14 Qg5+ Kh3 15 Qh5+ Kg2 16 Qg4+
Kh2 17 Kf2! , and White's King is close enough to mate Black's.
13 Qd4+ Kh2 1 4 Qb4+ Kg2 15 Qg4+ Kh2 1 6 Kfl! Black resigns
Imminent mate is unavoidable.

SECTION 2. Minor Piece Endgames

Since the value of the active King in the endgame is approximately 3

points, the strength of the active King in a minor piece endgame is
equivalent to a whole minor piece. This means that in minor piece
endgames the active King is a tremendous power and most of the
time is the winning factor. A crossection of minor piece endgames
will demonstrate this principle as well as give guidance in the proper
utilization of the King.
Instructive play in a same-color Bishop endgame arises from
Tarasov - T. Petrosian, 1957 USSR Championship, after White's
40th move. Superficially, White's position may look 0. K. He has
the Queenside majority and his pawns there are on the "right" color.

25
Yet it will become apparent very soon that Black has in fact a
decisive advantage because he can rapidly mobilize his King:

40 • • • Kg7!
Black plans simply to run his King along the h8-al diagonal to b2.
White suffers from having his King stuck on the edge of the board at
h2. Therefore, to try to slow down Black's King, White must use his
f-Pawn - but this leads to a chronic weakening of White's Kingside.
41 f4 Kf6 42 g3 Kf5! 43 Bbt+ Be4 44 Ba2 Bd3 45 Kg2 Ke4 46
gxh4
Allows Black two connected passed pawns in the center, to go with
his active King. But equally unattractive is 46 Kf2 hxg3+ 47 Kxg3
Kd4.
46 ... Kxf4 47 Kf2 Ke5! 48 Bb3
Black's King and passed pawns now can become active. But 48
Ke3 loses a pawn after 48 ... Bf5.
48 ... Kd4 49 Bdl e5 50 h5 gxh5 51 Bxh5 f5 52 h4 f4 53 Bd l e4!
54 h5 Ke5!
Passed pawns must be pushed! -and both sides strive to follow this
principle. Black's connected passed pawns remain a powerful force,
but first Black's King neutralizes White's pawn.
55 h6 Kf6 56 Bb3 e3+ 57 KfJ Be4+! 58 Ke2 Kg6
Eliminating the h-Pawn.
59 Be6 Kxh6 60 Bd7 Kg5 61 a4 Kf6!
Moving over to neutralize White's Queenside prospects.

26
62 b5 axb5 63 axb5 Ke5 64 Bg4 Kd5 White resigns
After the forced 65 c6 bxc6 66 bxc6 Kxc6 Black is up the two
passed pawns. Over-all, what a colossal job by Black's King!

The King's importance is even greater in an opposite-color Bishop

endgame. Since each Bishop "does its own thing," it is the.King's
role which most often is the decisive factor. It is very much so in the
play arising from E. Mednis - W. Lombardy, 1978 U.S. Champion­
ship, after Black's 46th move.

White is up a sound pawn, but the blockading tendencies of the

opposite-color Bishops makes the potential win far in the future.
White's general strategy is as follows: his King will head to the
Queenside; Black's King will have to do likewise or White's a-Pawn
will promote. White's Bishop then will capture Black's £7-Pawn.
With Black's Kingside thus weakened, White's King will return to it
and penetrate decisively. This is exactly what happens - though it
takes patience.
47 Ke4 Bfl 48 Bc8 Kd8 49 Bf5
White has accomplished his frrst objective: the Bishop is on the
proper diagonal for getting to h7, Black's potential counter play via
... f5 is stopped, and White's King is free to head to the Queenside.
Black has no time for an immediate King foray there: 49 . . . Kc7 50
Bh7 Kb6 5 1 Bg8 Ka5 52 Bxf7 Kxa4 53 Kf5 Bh4 54 Ke6 etc., with
White King's penetration decisive.

27
49 oBel SO Bh7 Kd7 Sl Kdl Kd8 52 Kc4 Kc7Sl KbS Bgl 54
o o

aS Bel SS Bdl
Prior to executing the indicated plan, White kills a bit of time in
order to reach the time control on Move 56. This is a common
tournament technique when the opponent, such as Black here, has no
way of improving his position.
SS 000 Bh4 56 Be4 Bel 57 Ka6 Bb4 58 Bh7 BgS 59 Bg8 Bd2
After considerable thought Black again sticks to his passive
approach. Of course, the only reason I hesitated about playing Bg8
was to decide on how to respond if Black plays ... f5, i.e. here 59 ...
f5. I felt fairly certain that 60 gxf5 f6 6 1 B£7 should win, as White
eventually gets in f4 and Black also has to reckon with a potential
c5-pawn break. Nevertheless, I had decided that even surer is 60
Bx£7, with the following possibilities: ( 1) 60 .. f4 6 1 Bg6 Bh4 62
Bf5 B£2 63 Kb5 Bg3 64 a6 B£2 65 c4 Bg3 (65 .. Bc5 66 h4 etc.) 66
a7! Kb7 67 a8 = Q+ Ka8 68 Kc6; (2) 60 ... e4 6 1 fxe4 fxe4 (6 1 . . .
f4 62 Be8, followed by 63 Bb5) 62 Bg6 e3 63 Bd3 and in due
course White will fashion a passed pawn on the Kingside to win; (3)
60 ... fxg4 6 1 fxg4, and again White will obtain a winning Kingside
passed pawn.
60 Bxt7 Bel 61 Bg6 Bel 62 BfS Bel 6l KbS
With objective 2, winning the f-pawn, achieved, White's King
heads back to go for objective 3: penetration of Black's Kingside.
6l Bel 64 a6 Bf2 65 Kc4 Kb6 66 Bc8 Kc7 67 Bb7 Kd8 68
•oo

Kdl Ke7 69 Ke4 Bb6 70 Bc8 DeS 71 Be6 Kf8 72 KfS Kg7 7l cl
Bf2
Black seems to be just holding by a hair, as 74 Bc8 can be met by
74 ... K£7. But a simple tactical deflection maneuver immediately
shows up the deficiencies in Black's camp.
74 Bg8! DeS 75 Ke6
Black must now capture, as otherwise White plays 76 B£7 and has
penetrated for nothing.
75 000 Kxg8 76 Kxf6
Thus White has achieved his third objective: his King has
penetrated into Black's position. The cost (White's Bishop) is easily

28
affordable, as his Bishop had no offensive power and neither Black's
King nor Bishop has any offensive possibilities. On a purely
material balance, White has three pawns for the piece, which is fully
sufficient.
76 • • • Kh7
Leads to an immediate disaster, yet 76 ... Kffl is only marginally
better: 77 c4 Kg8 (After 77 ... Ke8 78 Kg7! White makes a winning
passed g-Pawn) 78 h4! Bf2 79 Ke6 Bc5 80 Kd7, followed by Kc7,
Kb7, a7 etc.
77 Kti!
Black now is helpless against the coming Kingside pawn advance.
The conclusion was:
77 . . Bf2 78 h4 Bc5 79 g5 hxg5 80 hxg5 Bb6 81 g6+ Kh6 82 g7
Kg5 83 g8 = Q+ Kf4 84 Qg4+ KeJ 85 Qgl + KxfJ 86 Qxb6 e4 87
a7 e3 88 a8 = Q e2 89 Qe8 et = Q 90 Qxel Black resigns

Even at the master level it must be emphasized over and over again
how critical one's position can become if the opponent has the active
King. An excellent illustration in a Knight endgame is provided by
Segal - B. Ivkov, Sao Paulo 1 978, after Black's 22nd move.

White, a Brazilian master, had just rushed to exchange off all the
Rooks in the expectation that this will bring him closer to a draw.
His Knight is well placed and pawn formation faultless. But the
more experienced Yugoslav Grandmaster had correctly reasoned

29
that the imminent activity of his King will suffice to win. Black's
King is already centralized; White's is not. Note how quickly
Black's King attains a dominating position:
23 KO Kd6! 24 Ke2 Kd5 25 NfJ
White's Knight looks for a more stable location. After 25 Kd2
lvkov gives the following winning procedure: 25 ... Ne4+ 26 Ke2
Kc4 27 f3 Nc5 28 Kd2 e5, followed by 29 ... Kb3.
25 ••• e5 26 Nd2 e4 27 g4
To prevent 2 7 ... f5, yet this pawn advance weakens the Kingside.
27 ••• Na4 28 b3 Nc3+ 29 Kfl b5 30 Kg2 a4!
Both fixes White's a-Pawn and opens up the c4 square for potential
infiltration by the King or Knight.
31 b4 Ke5! 32 Kg3 f5
Black first strengthens his Kingside pawn formation. The Queen­
side play won't run away.
33 gxf5 Kxf5 34 fJ Ke5! 35 Kfl f5 36 Kg3 Ndl 37 fxe4 Nxe3 38
exf5 Nxf5+ 39 KfJ Kd4!
Black's King is now ready to devour White's Queenside, while the
exchange of Kingside pawns has greatly decreased Black's vulner­
ability there. White is totally lost.
40 Kf4 Nd6 White resigns

In Bishop vs. Knight endgames the role of the active King can be
considered a "normal" one, thus being very often the decisive factor
in such endings. Success for the side with the Bishop is demon­
strated from the position on the next page, V. Korchnoi - L.
Portisch, Sousse lnterzonal 1 967, after White's 63rd move. White is
up a passed g-Pawn, yet his Bishop is unable to attack any pawns,
while Black's Knight has an unassailable position on e5. White's
King is actively placed, however, and Black can't prevent it from
penetrating. Therefore White wins:

30
63 . . . Kg7
White's g-Pawn will advance if Black places his King on e7.
White also wins after 63 ... c4 64 bxc4 Nd3+ 65 Kf5 Nc5 66 e5
dxe5 67 Kxe5 a4 68 Bxa4! Nxa4 69 d6 (Korchnoi).
64 KfS Kf7
If 64 ... NO, White's active King wins as follows: 65 Ke6! Nd4+
66 Kxd6 Nxb5+ 67 Kxc5 Nc3 68 e5 Ne4+ 69 Kb6 Nxg5 70 Kxa5
NO 7 1 e6 etc.
65 Bel a4 66 bxa4 c4 67 BhS+! Kg7 68 Bdl cl 69 Ke6 Nc4 70
aS! Black resigns
After 70 ... Nxa5 7 1 Kxd6 White's active King provides decisive
support for the march of the passed center pawns.

31
 The active King helps the side with the Knight to win in A. Rubin­
stein - A. Alekhine, London 1 922, after Black's 50th move, in the
diagram on the previous page. Black's e-Pawn and Knight keep
White's King away from the Queenside and Black wins by walking
his King over:
51 Kgl Kt'S! 52 Kg2 Ke7 53 Bg8 Kd6 54 Bti Kc5 55 Bxh5
Passive resistance would have been obviously hopeless.
55 ..• Nxb3 56 KfJ
A slightly better try was 56 g4, after which Alekhine gives the
following winning line: 56 ... Nd4 57 g5! ? fx.g5 58 fx.g5 Nxf5 59
B£7 Kd4 60 Kfl Kd3 61 Kel Nh4 62 Bd5 b3!.
56 .•. Kd4 57 Bti Kd3!
The active King makes possible this quick combinational solution.
58 Bxb3 Kd2! 59 Bc4 b3 60 Bxb3 e2 White resigns

What about the relationship of the King (and pawns) in the fight
versus a single minor piece? A.s is well known, one minor piece is
usually regarded as equivalent to 3 pawns. It must be always kept in
mind that as the total force level decreases, the balance turns more
and more in the favor of the pawns. In the ultimate case of King and
minor piece vs. King and 3 pawns, it is obvious that the side with
the pawns has zero losing chances and excellent winning prospects.
When the side with the pawns also has the active King, its winning
chances are fantastic. Since the active King is equivalent in value to
a minor piece, it can be postulated that in such situations the
"pawns" side has in effect the material advantage of three pawns.
The conclusion of Mednis - Lombardy demonstrated how easily the
active King + three pawns win against a Bishop.

Very often the active King needs much less pawn power to be
certain of victory. Excellent food for thought is provided by, J.
Pinter - E. Mednis, Budapest 1 976, after White's 57th move, in the
diagram on the next page.

32
 White has a passed pawn for the Exchange and his King is able to
support the pawn's advance. The ultimate evaluation of the position
seems unclear, though in fact Black has an electrifying forced win:
57 ... Kb5!!
Alas, I never considered playing this move. To set the stage for
what follows: the game was to be adjourned at that moment with
Black to seal his move. After some thinking, it seemed clear to me
that it was important both for general principles and in this specific
case to activate my passive Rook, and I sealed 57 . . . Re6?, where­
upon White just managed to draw: 5 8 Kf5 Rei 59 Bf4 Kd7 60 Kf6
Rfl 6 1 Ke5 Ke7 62 g6 Kt& 63 Bh6+ Kg8 64 Kd5 Rb 1 65 Kxc4
Rxb2 66 a4 a6 67 Kd5 b5 68 axb5 Rxb5+ 69 Kc6 Rb3 70 c4 Rg3
7 1 Bd2 Rxg6+ 72 Kb7 Rd6 draw.
During his home analysis, my opponent had quickly noted the
power of 5 7 . . . Kb5!, which idea is diametrically opposite to mine
when I played 57 . . . Re6?. Black not only keeps his Rook passive
but must sacrifice it soon for White's g-Pawn. On the other hand, he
activates his King and it sweeps into White's Queenside along the
weak light squares and eats up White's pawns. An entire night of
analysis by Pinter produced no saving plan for White - there is none.
So Black's correct plan was to sacrifice his Rook and activate his
King. Yet it never occurred to me to leave my Rook passive. What
advice can I give myself for the future? Perhaps, to always repeat in
my mind : "the active King," "active King," active King" . . .

33
58 Kf5 Rg8 59 g6 Ka4 60 Kf6 Kb3 61 Kfi Rh8 62 g7 Rh7 63
Kg6 Rxg7+ 64 Kxg7 Kc2 65 Bf4 Kxb2 66 a4 Kxc3 67 Bb8 a6 68
Bc7 b5 69 axb5 axb5 70 Kf6 Kd3 71 Bd6 c3 72 Ke5 c2 73 Ba3
b4 74 Bb2 Kc4 75 Ke4 Kb3 76 Bel Ka2 77 Kd3 Kb1 78 Bg5 b3
79 Kc3 b2 Black wins
Of course, the above is just one illustrative variation. Yet no
matter what White tries, Black's active King is decisive.

SECTION 3. Rook Endgames

The most important single factor in Rook and Pawn endgames is

Rook activity. This is so because the Rook, though excellent as an
attacker, is a clumsy defender. By itself, the active King in Rook
and Pawn endgames is less of a power than in minor piece
endgames. When teamed with an active Rook, however, it becomes
very significant. The awesome power of such a combination is
excellently demonstrated in the play arising from E. Torre - P.
Biyiasas, Cleveland 1 975, after White's 54th move.

Both sides have active Rooks and have passed pawns. The cardinal
difference, therefore, is the location of the Kings. Whereas White's
is passively placed and even in danger of being mated, Black's can
be used as an active attacking piece. Therefore, 54 ... Kxd5?! would
be incongruous. Instead decisive is:

34
54 . • . Kc3! !
Confining White's Kin g to th e frrst rank and enabling Black's
connected passed pawns to roll forward. White's response is as
good as any.
55 h6 Rxa4
The mate threat wins a tempo.
56 Kbl c4!
Black is now able to utilize both the d- and a-ftles for his Rook's
attacking purposes. If now 57 Rd7, 57 ... b3 58 h7 b2, followed by
59 ... Ra 1 mate.
57 Rti Rxd5!
With the mate threat 58 ... Rd1 + 59 Ka2 b3+ 60 Ka3 Ra l . Too
eager is 57... b3? 58 Rxf6 b2?? because of 59 Rf3+.
58 Kd b3 59 Rb7 Rd2! White resigns
After 60 h7 Rxf2 6 1 h8 = Q comes 6 1 ... Rf l mate, and 6 1 Kdl
Rh2 allows Black to stop the h-Pawn, whereupon his passed pawns
will be decisive. An ending where the difference lay in the activity
of the respective Kings.

Often the relative pawn count is considerably less significant than

the activity of K and R. This was already noted in Torre - Biyiasas.
An even more dramatic demonstration occurs in the play arising
from this position, S. Gligoric - E. Geller, Zurich Candidates
Tournament 1953, after White's 60th move. White is up two pawns

35
and has two passed pawns, yet Black's single passed pawn wins by
force because his King can be rapidly mobilized to help out:
60 .•. d3 61 Rn+
Now Black's King is liberated; if the Rook remains on the e-file,
however, the pawn promotes by itself.
61 Ke5 62 KtJ Kd4! 63 g4 Kc3 64 Ke4 Rel + 65 Kf5 d2 66
...

Rxd2 Kxd2 67 g5 Kd3!

Black's Rook stands well enough and it is again time for King
work. Since passive defense is hopeless, White tries an interesting
pawn breakthrough, coming in the end only a tempo short.
68 c5 dxc5 69 d6 ReS 70 d7 Ra8 White resigns
The likely end would have been: 71 Ke6 c4 72 Ke7 c3 73 d8 = Q+
Rxd8 74 Kxd8 c2 75 g6 c l = Q 76 g7 Qg5+.

The next three examples are more "normal," in the sense that there
exists material equality. In each case, the decisive factor is the
active King. A strategically clear situation exists in T. Petrosian - S.
Furman, 1 95 8 USSR Championship, after Black's 3 8th move.

White obviously has the active Rook, yet Black can protect all of
his weak spots against attack from that source. Thus, White's Rook
needs help from its King. Petrosian achieves this effectively with
39 e4! !
Voluntarily allowing Black to exchange off his isolated d-Pawn.
Petrosian has correctly seen that this is hugely compensated for by

36
what White gets in return: a dominant, centrally active King and a
passed d-Pawn.
39 . . . dxe4+ 40 Kxe4 Ke7 41 Ra8 Ke6 42 d5+!
Utilizing all of White's strengths.
42 . . . Kd6 43 Re8! Rc7 44 Re6+ Kd7 45 Rc6! Black resigns
The active King from the Rook and Pawn endgame gets trans­
ferred into the winning active King in the King and Pawn endgame
after 45 . . . . . Rxc6 46 dxc6+ Kxc6 47 Kf5 . Also hopeless is the
passive 4 5 . . . . . Rb7, with White having the delightful choice between
46 Rxf6 and 46 Kf5 .

White also has a significant strategic advantage in the following

position, A. Alekhine - M. Euwe, 1 93 5 World Championship
Match, Game 2 7, after Black's 3 1 st move. White, of course, can
readily fashion a passed pawn on the Queenside, whereas it will not
be so easy for Black to achieve the same on the Kingside. More
importantly, White's King can get to the Queenside and assist his
pawn(s) in queening. The game continued:

32 a4?
Alekhine queries this because Black's Rook now gets access to his
b3 and a3 and White's King is a move behind in various races to the
Queenside. Consistent and decisive was the immediate 3 2 Ke2 ! . If
Black defends passively, White wins as in the game, and after

37
32 . . . Rc2+ 33 Kd3 Rxg2 34 Kc4 ! White's King assists his Queen­
side pawns for a certain win (Alekhine).
32 • • • Rb3?
This loss of time seals Black's fate, something which according to
Alekhine wouldn't have been as clear after the correct 3 2 . . . e5!. Of
course, 32 . . . Rc2+? would have been no better than in the previous
note.
33 bS gS 34 Ke2! eS 35 Kd2 f6 36 Kc2 Rb4 37 KcJ Rd4 38 Ra6
Black has prevented White from achieving connected passed
pawns, but one passed pawn, supported by the King, will also be
victorious.
38 • • • Kg6 39 Rxb6 Rxa4 40 Ra6 Rd4 4 1 b6 Black resigns
After 41 . . . Rd l 42 Ra2 ! Rd8 43 Kc4 White's King assists in the
promotion of the b-Pawn, while Black's King remains toothless.

In a quick look at J. R. Capablanca - S. Tartakower, New York

1 924, after Black's 34th move, it may not be obvious that White is
better.

For instance, if anything, it is Black who has the more active

Rook. Yet Capa in fact aimed for this position, convinced that his
King activity must lead to a win. White's King heads for Kf6 from
where it will threaten Black's with a mate and also be in a position to
assist in the advance of the Kingside pawn(s).
35 Kg3! Rxc3+ 36 Kh4 Rf3

38
 Black decides to at least eliminate the possibility of White having
connected passed pawns. Other continuations are also
unsatisfactory: ( l ) 36 ... Rei 37 K.h5! Kg8 38 Rd7; (2) 36 .. a5 37
.

g6 b5 38 axb5 a4 39 Kg5 a3 40 Kf6. In both cases, White's active

King is the winning factor.
37 g6 Rxf4+ 38 Kg5 Re4
A forced mate occurs after 38 ... Rxd4?! 39 Kf6 Kg8 40 Rd7.
39 Kf6 Kg8 40 Rg7+ Kh8 41 Rxc7 ReS 42 Kxf5!
The sacrificed material has been regained, with White still having
the active King and now also the active Rook. White's win is
assured, e.g. 42 ... a6 43 Ra7 b5 44 a5 !, and White will capture
Black's a-Pawn and then promote his own.
42 Re4 43 Kf6! Rf4+ 44 Ke5 Rg4 45 g7+ Kg8
••.

Or 45 ... Rxg7 46 Rxg7 Kxg7 47 KxdS, and White's active King

decides the King and Pawn endgame.
46 Rxa7 Rgl 47 Kxd5 Rcl 48 Kd6 Rc2 49 d5 Rcl 50 Rc7 Rat
51 Kc6 Rxa4 52 d6 Black resigns

SECTION 4. Queen Endgames

The Queen is such a powerful piece that of necessity the King's role
is less than that in other endgames. Nevertheless, the active King is
still of considerable value and power. It is completely wrong to feel
that since the Queen is so powerful, the King may as well remain
placidly at home.
A good practical illustration of the need always to consider the
potential usefulness of the active King is shown in the play arising
from the position on the next page, K. Treybal - A. Alekhine,
Pistyan 1922, after Black's 39th move. Alekhine had started a
combination on Move 33, with the key position resulting after
White's next move:

39
40 g6+!
In the game White inexplicably played 40 Qb3+? and resigned
after 40 . . . Kg6, as the checks will soon be over (41 Qe6+ Kh5 42
Qe2+ Kxh4 etc.).The text is the main line that Alekhine had consid­
ered when preparing to play his 33rd move.
40 000 Kxg6! !
Playing for the active King in a Q and P endgame i s in fact the
only way to win. Obviously inadequate is 40 . . . Kg8? because of 41
gxh7+ etc. However, the obvious, materialistic 40 . . . hxg6? also
only draws because White can force perpetual check. Alekhine
provides the following line: 41 Qb3+ Kf6 42 Qf3+ Ke7 43 Qa3+
Ke8 44 Qa4+! Kd8 45 Qa8+ Ke7 46 Qa3+ K£7 47 Qb3+ etc.
41 Qxf8 Qxb2+ 42 Kf3 Qc3+ 43 Kg2 Qd2+ 44 Kg3 Qe3+ 45
Kg2 Qe4+ 45 Kg3 QeS+ 47 Kg2 KhS!
The active King! Since there is no satisfactory way to protect the
h-Pawn, White must initiate its exchange.
48 Qf3+ Kxh4 49 Qh3+ KgS 50 Qxh7 Qe2+ 51 Kg3 Qg4+ 52
Kh2 Qh4+ Black wins
After the exchange of Queens, the active position of Black's King
leads to an easily won King and Pawn endgame.

A more traditional starting position for King activity is that on the

following page, Y. Averbakh- A. Suetin, 1 954 USSR Champion­
ship, after Black's 41 st move.

40
 White is a pawn ahead, but no direct method exists for realizing
this advantage. Moreover, Black's remaining pawns seem to be
quite secure in their present locations. Clearly White can not hope
to achieve anything by utilization of only the Queen and pawns. The
winning ingredient is White's King, as follows:

42 g4!
Freeing the g3/h4 route as an outlet for the King.
42 ... Qd2 43 Kg3 Qc3+ 44 K.h4 Qd4 45 Qf5+ g6
Weakening the King position. Equally unpalatable however, is the
retreat 4 5 . . . Kg8, as White's King rolls forward by 46 Kh5 .
46 Qfi+ K.h6 47 Qf6 K.h7
The threat was 48 Qh8mate. Now White's King starts his decisive
march.
48 Kg5! Qd2+ 49 f4 exf4 50 Qfi+ K.h8 51 K.h6! Black resigns
Mate can't be prevented; if 51 . . . £3+, then 52 g5 is the end.

The active King proves itself quite as valuable through three

phases of the Queen and Pawn endgame ensuing from V. Kuznetsov
- E. Tiolin, USSR 1 978, after Black's 46th move. Though material
is even, Black seems to be for choice, because his Queenside pawn
majority will readily generate a passed pawn. On the other hand, for
White to achieve the same on the Kingside seems a much slower

41
process. Yet White demonstrates that because of the advantageously
active location of his King, the chances are fully balanced:

47 g4!
The first phase is a single Queen endgame. White starts pushing
his Kingside pawns.
47 ••• b4 48 Kg6! Qe4!
Otherwise 49 f6.
49 KgS! QdS! SO Kg6! a3?
Black seriously overvalues his prospects. Correct was 50 . . .
Qe4 ! , with a likely draw.
Sl bxa3 bxa3 52 f6 Qe6
Clearly unsatisfactory is 52 . . . a2? 53 Qxe7+ Kc6 54 f7 a l = Q 55
f8 = Q Qb l + 56 fS .
53 gS a2 54 fS QeS SS Qg8 a l = Q?!
Better drawing chances were to be had with 5 5 . . . exf6 56 Qxa2
fxg5
56 r7 dS
A frustrating position for Black. Even though he has queened
ahead of White, the two Queens can't get at White's active and
sheltered King. Yet as soon as White gets a second Queen, Black's
King will be in mortal danger. The double Queen endgame is the
second phase.
57 f8 = Q Qa6+ 58 f6 Qd3+

42
 After 58 . . . exf6, White wins with 59 Qgg7+ Kc6 60 Qfxf6+
Qxf6+ 6 1 Qxf6+ Kb5 62 Qxa6+ Kxa6 63 Kf5 ! .
59 Kti Qe6+ 60 Kg7 Qxg8+ 6 1 Qxg8 exf6 62 gxf6
Here starts the third phase. The further advanced passed pawn,
aided by the King, leads to a forced win.
62 ••.Qd4 63 Qti+ Kc6 64 Qe6+ Kb5 65 Kt'S Qe4 66 Qe7 Qh4
67 Ke8 Qb2 68 Kd7 Qb6 69 Qe6 d4 70 ti Qg7 71 Ke8 Qb8+ 72
f8 = Q Black resigns

An instructive Q and N endgame is shown in the play arising from

the following position, M. Matulovic - U. Andersson, Belgrade
1 977, after Black's 54th move. True, White is up a Queenside pawn,
yet it is quite difficult to fashion a passed pawn there, and, in
general, Black is not only able to protect everything, but even has
counterchances. For example, Black's immediate threat is 55 . . .
Qxe3 ! . White, noting the vulnerability of many of Black's Kingside
squares, comes up with the winning plan: activization of his own
King:

55 Kb3 Qc6 56 Kb4! Qb l+ 57 Kg5 Nb7+ 58 Kb6 Qc6+

There is nothing else, but now White will be up two pawns.
59 Kxb5 Nf6+ 60 Kg5 Nb7+ 61 Kh4, and White won on Move
73.
Black's immediate checks are at an end, e.g. 6 1 . . . Qh6+ 62 Kg4
Nf6+ 63 Kf3 Qh 1 + 64 Ke2 Qh2+ 65 Kd3 or 6 1 . . . Qh 1 + 62 Kg4.

43
Therefore the two pawn advantage leads to an easy win. Yet note
that it was the active King that made this situation possible!

SECTION 5 . Mixed Endgames

A cross section of other endgames are given in this section, all with
the same basic important point: the active King wins. Consider ftrst
E. Mednis - J. Fedorowiez, New York International 1 977, after
Black's 40th move. The fact that White is an Exchange down is a
minor matter� some moves earlier White had sacrificed it hoping
(expecting) to arrive at such a position. The connected passed
pawns mean that White has a theoretical win; the way to win is to
make full use of the active King:

41 Ka4! Kc8
4 1 . . . Kc7 is also met by 42 Kb5 ! and Black's K and R are in
zugzwang. Neither does Black have time for Rook activity with 4 1
. . . Re7, as 42 a6 wins, e.g. 42 . . . Re1 43 Kb5 Rh 1 44 Kb6, followed
by 45 a7.
42 KbS!
The first step is for White's King to achieve a dominating presence.
White's King should be where it can be of greatest help in the pawns'
advance. Less clear would be 42 b5 Rc7! 43 b6 Rc5, and Black is
getting counterplay.

44
42 ... Kb8
Or 42 . . . Kc7 43 a6, and Black is again in zugzwang and must
allow the further advance of White's King.
43 Kb6! Re7 44 a6 Rc7
There is no hope. If 44 . . . Ra7 45 b5 and the Rook must move,
whereupon 46 Bb7 wins.
45 Bb7!
The threat of 46 a7 mate requires the reply which leads to an
elementary K and P endgame win.
45 ... Rxb7+ 46 axb7 d5 47 Kc5 Black resigns

With lots of free board room, in endgames of Rook and Bishop vs.
Rook and Knight the side with the Bishop has the advantage because
the Bishop can control more territory than the Knight. The position
below, V. Smyslov - V . Bagirov, Lvov 1 978, after Black's 63rd
move, shows that even in cases with minimum material, a win can
be fashioned from a combination of small advantages. White has a
number of these: the Bishop, the active King, the temporary inactiv­
ity of Black's King. Therefore, even though each side has only one
pawn, White's practical chances for a win are excellent.

At first Black defends perfectly, yet just one slip is sufficient to

cause a loss:
64 c4 a4 65 Ra6 Rd8 66 Bd6!

45
 Keeping the bind is much more important than wmrung the
a-Pawn. What White particularly wants to prevent is Black's Knight
from sacrificing itself for the c-Pawn, thereby securing a theoretical
draw.
66 • ReS+ 67 Kd5 Nf5 68 c5 Ne3+ 69 Kc6 Re4 70 Kd7! Nd5
• •

71 c6 Rc4 72 Ke6 Nc3 73 Kd7

Insufficient is 73 Rb6 because of 73 . . . a3 ! 74 Bxa3 Nb5 ! 75 Bb2
Na7.
73 ... Nd5 74 Ba3! KfJ?
Bringing back the King is strategically logical, but tactically wrong
because White's King can now force Black's Knight away from its
defensive bastion. Only with 74 . . . Rd4 ! 75 Bc5 Nb4 !+ 76 Bxd4
Nxa6 77 Be5 a3 78 Kc8 Nb4 (Bagirov) could Black draw.
75 Kd6! Nf6 76 Ra8! Rc3 77 Rf8! Rxa3 78 Rxf6+ Ke2 79 c7
Rd3+ 80 Kc6
The active King decides the Rook and Pawn endgame.
80 ••• Rc3+ 81 Kb7 Kd2 82 Rc6 Black resigns

An elegant and sophisticated demonstration of the active King in a

Rook and Bishop vs. Rook and Bishop endgame is given by White

in A. Alekhine - R. Teichmann, Berlin 1 92 1 Match, Game 4, after

Black's 26th move. Alekhine has sacrificed a pawn to arrive at this
position, in full realization that the active King, active Rook,

46
superior Bishop and passed b-Pawn will give winning chances only
to him:
27 Kd3! Kg8?
As soon becomes clear, Black will have great difficulties in
protecting his c-Pawn. Therefore, Alekhine suggests 27 . e4+! 28
. .

Kxe4 Bd6, with some drawing chances.

28 Ke4! Rb8
Or 28 . . . Rfl 29 Kd5 ! Kf7 30 Ra7.
29 b4 Kt7?!
The only practical chance was 29 . . . Bxb4 !?.
30 bS Ke6 3 1 c4 Kd7 32 Ra7! Bd6 33 KdS!
Threatening the unpreventable 34 b6. Obviously White is
entitled to more than 33 c5?! Bxc5 ! .
33 ... e4 3 4 b6! Rf8
After 34 . . . Bxh2 Alekhine gives the following win: 35 c5 Kc8
36 Kc6 cxb6 37 Rxg7 ! .
3 5 c S Rf5+ 36 Kc4 Black resigns
The b-Pawn is unstoppable: 36 . . . Bxh2 37 b7 Rf8 (37 . . . c6 38
b8 Q+) 38 Ra8.
=

The active King becomes even more powerful when opposite­

calor Bishops are on the board. One such demonstration occurs in
the play arising from the following position, E. Mednis G. -

Kuzmin, Budapest 1978, after White's 79th move.

47
The presence of opposite-color Bishops and the meager number of
pawns seem to offer White realistic drawing chances; these would
become much better after the "normal" looking 79 . . . fxg4? 80
Bxg4 ! . But Black takes advantage of the active King to win by:
79 ••• f4! 80 RfS+ Kd4 8 1 RxgS Kel! 82 Kg2 Bc3 83 Rg8
With the idea 83 . . . Rd6? 84 Re8+, and a likely draw. Material is
now even and White could draw-thanks to the opposite-color
Bishops-if he could chase Black's King away from its domineering
location on e3 . Yet he can not, and this fact will spell his end. Of
course, 83 Rb5 loses to 83 . . . Rd6.
83 ... b3 84 ReS
When playing this, I overlooked the killing response. Also insuffi­
cient is 84 Rb8 b2, however, e.g. 85 g5 Bd4! 86 Rb3+ Kd2 87 Bg4
Re2+ 88 Bxe2 Kxe2 followed by 89 . . . f3+ etc. - the active King
wins again!
84 ... Ba5! 85 Bdl
White's Bishop can't both stop the b-Pawn and prevent the devas­
tating . . . f3+. 85 Rb8 now fails to 85 . . . Bb6 ! .
85 ... b 2 86 Bc2 fJ+ 87 Kg3 Ke2 88 Rf8 Bc7+ White resigns

Something like the ultimate in King activity in a mixed endgame

where the major piece is the Rook occurs in C. de Villiers - R.
Schackis, 1 977 South African Championship, after Black's 39th
move.

48
 We see White's King active from the initial position, in a Rook and
opposite-calor Bishop, and fmally in a Bishop vs. Rook endgame.
The initial position is obviously very favorable for White, since he
has a large space advantage and active pieces, while the dark squares
in Black's position are chronically weak. Even so, the semiblock­
aded nature of the position makes progress difficult. White's
winning plan is based on King power:
40 Ke3! Ka7 41 Kf4! Ka8 42 Ba3 Ka7 43 Nh3 Ka8 44 Kg5! Rf8
45 Kf6! Rh8 46 Ng5 Re8 47 DeS Rc7 48 R/1 b2! Rd7! 49 Nh7
Rh8
Deciding that sacrifice of the Exchange is the best defensive plan.
The alternative, 49 . . . Rc7, loses to 50 Nffi ! Nb8 5 1 Bd6 ! , e.g. 5 1 . . .
ReS 5 2 Be7 ! Nc6 5 3 Nxe6 Rxe7 (53 . . . Nxe7 5 4 Nc5) 5 4 Rxc6 !
(Walker).
50 Nf8 Rxf8 51 Bxf8 Ka7 52 DeS Ka8 53 Bd6 Ka7 54 f4! Ka8
55 Rxc6!
White must create new vulnerable points in Black's position. The
sacrifice of two Exchanges does that trick, after which the domineer­
ing White King is decisive.
55 ... bxc6 56 Rb8+ Ka7 57 Re8! Kb7 58 Rxe6
White's just a bit overeager here. More accurate was first 5 8 a5 ! ,
an d only after 5 8 . . . Ka7, 59 Rxe6 ! . After the text Black i s able to
organize a bit of a defense.
58 ... fxe6 59 Kxe6 Kc8 60 aS Rb7 61 Bb4 Kd8 62 Kd6! Rc7 63
DeS Rc8 64 Bb6+ Ke8 65 Bc7! Kti 66 Kd7! Re8 67 Bd6 Re6 68
Kxc6 Re8 69 Kb7 Black resigns
White will win Black's a-Pawn and then queen his own. What an
awesome example of King power!

The last two examples will show the active King helping its Queen
achieve success. First consider the position on the next page, Banas
- J. Plachetka, 1 978 Czechoslovakian Championship, after White's
4 1 st move. For the missing Queen White has Rook, Bishop and two
pawns, which is full equivalence. White's main problem is that his
pieces are not well placed for defensive work. Since Black can't

49
hope to win without the participation of his King in any case, his
next move is logical enough:

41 ..• KeS! 42 Bti+?

This just further deflects the Bishop away from the defense, while
chasing Black's King where it wants to go. Correct was to improve
the defensive position of the Rook with 42 Ra5 ! . Chances would
have then remain balanced.
42 • • • Kd4 43 Rd5+ KcJ 44 ReS Qdl + 45 Kg2 f4! 46 Rxe4?
Allows an immediate forced win. The only move was 46 gxf4 !
with the following continuation: 46 . . . Qg4+ 4 7 Kfl Qxf4 48 Re7
Qf6 49 Rxe4 ! (Equivalent is 49 Ra7 e3 50 Ra3+ Kxb4 5 1 Rxe3 ) 49
. . . Qxf7 50 Re3 + ! Kxb4 5 1 Kg2 Qf4 52 Rh3 Qg4+ 53 Rg3 Qxh4 54
Re3 Kxc4 55 Rh3, and, according to Averbakh, White has obtained
a theoretically drawn position.
46 . • . tJ+ 47 Kh2 Qe2 ! ! 48 ReJ+
There is nothing else, but now Black's active King will help the
f-Pawn queen. Note that White's Bishop is too far away to help.
48 • . . Kd2! 49 Kgl QxeJ! 50 fxeJ Kel 51 Bd5 f2+ 52 Kh2
n = Q White resigns

Quite interesting is the play arising in J. Smejkal - L. Ljubojevic,

Moscow 1 977, after Black's 5 2nd move. Having two Rooks for the
Queen, Black even has a slight material advantage. White's passed

50
f-Pawn is such a power however, that it will tie down both of Black's
Rooks to passive defense. This will allow White's King to infiltrate
into Black's position and gain victory. The instructive course was:

53 QeS! Rd1 54 Qb8+ KaS SS Ke4

A shade more accurate was the move order 5 5 Qb7 ! Rdd6 56 Ke4
Rb6 5 7 Qc7 Rdc6 5 8 Qd7! (Filip) and Black, being in zugzwang,
must lose inunediately.
SS ... Rd7 56 KeS Rcc7 57 f6 hS
Or 57 . . . Rb7 5 8 Qe8 Kb6 5 9 Qh5 aS 60 Qg6! Ka7 6 1 Qgl Kb6 62
Qal , and White will win in a way similar to that in the game.
58 h4 Rf7 59 Qe8 Kb6 60 Ke6! Rh7 61 Qb8+ KaS
No better is 6 1 . . . Kc6 62 Kf5 Rb7 63 Qg8 and White's win again
ts near.
62 Kf5 Rhd7 63 Kg6! Rb7
Pretty is the end after 63 . . . Rc6 : 64 Kxh5 Rxf6 65 Qc8 ! .
64 QeS Kb6 6 5 KxhS Rbc7 66 KgS a4 6 7 Qal!
Preventing any possible . . . a4 and getting ready to take advantage
of the weakening of the bS square.
67 ... Rc6 68 Qa4 Ra7 69 hS! Ra8 70 h6 Rg8+ 71 Kf5 Ra8
The attempt at counterplay by 7 1 . . . Rf8 is parried with 72 Qb5+
Kc7 73 Qxa5+ Kd7 74 Qal .
72 h7 Black resigns
Something in Black's position will have to give imminently.

51
CHAPTER 3

The Active King

Achieves a Draw

If you can't win, by far the next best thing is to draw. To achieve
this, it is very often necessary to create counterplay in order to
compensate for either a material disadvantage or a positional
problem someplace else. Since the King is an inherent power in the
endgame, it follows that an active King can often create enough
counterchances to attain a draw.
An excellent starting example is the following, V. Ceshkovsky -

V. Bagirov, Lvov 1 978, after Black's 55th move.

White of course is a piece down and has been so for quite some
time. Nevertheless, he had activated his King, "tricked" Black into
allowing the exchange of a pair of Rooks, and now exploits his King
position to force a draw as follows:
56 b4! ! cxb4 57 Ka4! Kf4 58 c5 Ke5 59 c6 Kd6 60 Kb3 Draw
Black's King is able to neutralize the c-Pawn all right, but
White's King can't be prevented from scissoring Black's pawn or

52
Knight: 60 . . . Kxc6 6 1 Kc4 Kb6 62 Kxd3 Kb5 63 Kc2 Ka4 64
Kb2, with an elementary draw.

There is no question that White is better in the following position,

L. Portisch - T. Petrosian, 1 974 Candidates Match, Game 1 2, after
Black's 5 1 st move: White is up a passed b-Pawn.

Nevertheless, Black should be able to hold the draw, because his

Rook has the ideal active location so that he can both watch the
b-Pawn and menace the Kingside pawns, while also the threat of
infiltration by his King should keep White's King "honest. " Play
continued:
52 bS gxh4! 53 gxh4 Kg6 54 b6 KfS! SS Kd4
Obviously the only winning try - the King tries to help the
b-Pawn's advance.
ss . . . Rxf2?!
The first inaccuracy. The Rook stood well enough; it was the King
that needed activation, thus - 55 . . . Kg4 ! 56 Rg8+ Kxh4 5 7 Kc5
Rc2 + ! 5 8 Kd6 Rd2+! 59 Kc7 Rc2+ ! 60 Kb8 Rxf2 6 1 b7 Rb2 62
Kc7 f5 63 b8 = Q Rxb8 64 Rxb8 f4 6 5 Kd6 f3 66 Ke5 f2 67 RfS
Kg3 68 Ke4 Kg2, and it is White who needs to force the draw with
either 69 Ke3 or 69 Rg8+.
56 Ra8! Rbl 57 KcS Rcl+ 58 Kd4 Rbl 59 RaS+ Kg4!!

53
 Only so - the King must be kept active. As pointed out by
Averbakh, this is the only way to draw. Of course, this is nowhere
as simple to see as was the correct way back on Move 5 5 .
Even so, the passive 59 . . . Ke6? seems inherently hopeless, and in
the game Black lost quickly: 60 Kc5 Rc2+ 6 1 Kb5 Kd6 62 Ka6 !
Kc6 63 Ral Rc4 64 b7 Rb4 65 Re i + Kd7 66 Rc8 Black resigns.
Note how the active King was victorious over the passive one.
60 Ra4! Kh3! !
To enable Black to reach the stalemate draw at the end, White's
h-Pawn must be allowed to live.
61 Kc5 f5 62 Rb4!? Rxb4! 63 Kxb4 f4 64 b7 f3 65 b8 = Q f2
Draw
The f-Pawn on the 7th with the King to protect it is a theoretical
draw. The blockaded h-Pawns do not affect this consideration.

Some virtuoso King activity allows White to hold the following

inferior Queen and Pawn endgame, P. Keres - M. Tairnanov, Zurich
Candidates Tournament 1 9 5 3 , after Black's 3 1 st move.

In effect Black is up the passed e-Pawn, since hls two Queenside

pawns easily hold White's three pawns there. Note how White's
King first holds up any invasion by Black's Queen and then itself
goes on an attack to secure a perpetual check draw:
32 Kd2!
Centralization!

54
32 ••• e4 33 Qf2 Qg5+
After 33 . . . Qf6?! 34 Q:xfO! gxf6 3 5 Ke3 ! f5 36 g4 Kg6 3 7 Kf4 the
active King already means a slight plus for White.
34 Kel Qd5 35 Ke3! Qd3+ .
White threatened 36 Qc2, and 35 . . . Kg6 is of no help because of
36 Qc2 Kf5 37 Qc8+.
36 Kf4 g5+ 37 Ke5! Draw
There is no reasonable way to prevent perpetual check, e.g. 3 7 . . .
e3 3 8 Q£7+ etc.

For a practical demonstration of how to fight back in a hopeless­

appearing position, watch the play from B . Amos - E. Mednis, New
York International 1 976, after White's 49th move.

Black is a pawn down and has less than no compensation for that.
Moreover his h-Pawn is very weak and at the very least he will have
to allow White a tremendous passed h-Pawn. However:
49 ... Kb6!
Never say die! In fact, after 50 B£7?! Kc5 5 1 Bxh5? Kd4 ! Black
obtains excellent chances for at least a draw. Therefore White must
mobilize the h-Pawn immediately and this allows Black to exchange
off his h-Pawn, rather than lose it outright.
50 g4 hxg4+ 51 Nxg4 Be7! 52 h5 Kc5 53 h6 Bf8! 54 h7 Bg7 55
Nh6?

55
 Black is on the verge of significant counterplay so that White's
"straight-forward" attempt to win a piece by queening his h-Pawn
will be unfruitful. It was imperative to keep out Black's King with
5 5 Ke3 ! Bb l 5 6 a3 ! . White then should safeguard his e-Pawn with
57 Bd5, move his King to a safe square, and then proceed with Nh6
and N£7 to win Black's Bishop. As always, care is required, but the
ultimate win is there! After the over-eager text Black obtains suffi­
cient defensive resources to eke out a surprising draw.
55 .. Kb4! 56 Nti Bbl 57 Nxd6
A very unpleasant change of plans for White. There is less than
no time for the intended 57 h8 = Q? Bxh8 58 Nxh8 because after 5 8
. . . Bxa2 and 59 . . . Bxb3 Black's a-Pawn is worth more than White's
out-of-the-game Knight. Better than 57 h8 = Q? is 57 a4? ! , as after
the capture of both pawns Black's King will be placed less favorably
on a4 than on b3 (or b4) as in the above note. Even so Black has at
least equal chances.
57 ••. Bxal 58 Nb7 Bbl !
Obviously Black is not going to exchange Queenside pawns with
5 8 . . . Bxb3??. If we compare the position after the text move with
that just a few moves earlier, it is clear that Black has made giant
strides towards the draw. He has traded his "useless" d-Pawn for
White's valuable a-Pawn, White's b-Pawn is now weak and Black's
King has an excellent active location hovering over it. In subsequent
analysis, Amos and I were not able to fmd any win for White.
White's next moves are quite logical: he protects his d-Pawn with the
Bishop and then moves his King over to guard the b-Pawn.
59 Bd5 Bel 60 Ke3 Bdl !
Black's light square bishop heads back to assist his Bg7 in coping
with the h-Pawn.
61 Kd3 Bh5 62 Kcl Be8! 63 Nd8 Bh8
Black's defensive plan is to leave his King and Be8 where they are
and tempo back and forth with his Bh8. He doesn't have to worry
about the opposite-color Bishop endgame after 64 N£7 Bx£7 65
Bx£7, as Black's King will always be able to get back to the
Kingside to prevent penetration by White's King. Black can also

56
hold the type of opposite-color Bishop endgames which result after
a Ng6 by White, as after the exchange . . . Bxg6, fxg6, Black's King
and remaining Bishop are able to blockade White's g-Pawn and
h-Pawn.
64 Bti BbS 65 Ne6?!
Tired out after the long non-stop effort (there was no adjournment
at Move 40) White "blunders, " allowing an immediate draw. Even
so, there is no more win. Apart from entering one of the two
opposite-color Bishop endgames discussed above, White's only
other try is to queen his h-Pawn starting with 65 Bg6. This allows
Black to go after White's e-Pawn, however, and achieve the draw as
follows: 65 . . . Bg7 66 N£7 Bc6 ! 67 h8 = Q Bxh8 68 Nxh8 Bxe4+
69 Kb2 Bd3 ! , and Black, with 70 . . e4, e3, e2, will win back his
.

piece and have complete equality.

65 o o o Bc6 66 Kd3 Draw
After 66 . . . Bb5+ 67 Kc2 Bc6 neither side has anything better
than to repeat the position with 68 Kd3 ! Bb5+ ! etc.

57
CHAPTER 4

King Activity for the Defense

Since the King is powerful and mobile in the endgame, sending it on

a defensive assignment is a logical thing to do. Such use of the King
in trying to hold an inferior position for a draw is, of course, routine
and does not require any belaboring of the point. A typical example
is the following, I. Csom - A. Groszpeter, Budapest 1 978, after
White's 34th move.

White does have the freer and more active position; the only poten­
tially vulnerable point in Black's position, however, is the d-Pawn.
Therefore Black rushes his King over to safeguard it.
34 • Kg7! 35 Nel Kf6! 36 Nf3 h6! 37 KeJ Re7 38 Rd6 Rc7 39
. .

R/l d4 Kfi! 40 Kd3 Ke8! 41 Kc3 Rh7 Draw

The draw agreement is quite justified. With Black's d-Pawn safe,
White has no meaningful attacking prospects.

58
Of greater teaching importance is the utilization of the active King
for defensive purposes in order to help bring about an ultimate
victory. For instance, consider the situation of I. Csom - L.
Barczay, Budapest 1 978, after Black's 3 0th move. True, White is
ahead a passed a-Pawn. But how to do something with it? Black's
Rooks have a total grip on the a-file and White's Rooks must remain
on the second rank to guard the a-Pawn. White comes up with an
instructive winning maneuver: he sends his King to b l ; with the
a-Pawn sufficiently protected, White's pieces can then become
coordinated for attacking purposes. The game continued:

31 Ktl! f6 32 b4 Kti 33 Kel! RaS 34 Kdl! RgS 35 Nd2 gS 36 Nf3

Bal 37 Kcl ! g4 3S Nel DeS 39 Kbl! RbS 40 Rcl
Black threatened 40 . . . Rbxb3+! (4 1 axb3?? Ra J mate). Black
should now try to retain the status quo with 40 . . . Rba8. The coming
opening of the game works out in White's favor.
40 000e6?! 41 Rdl! ReS 42 dxe6+ Rxe6 43 RdS RaS 44 Nd3 Ke7
45 a4 ReS 46 Kc2!
With its function on b I completed, the King selects a useful central
location.
46 Kd7 47 Kdl! ReeS 4S aS! Kc7 49 Ra2 RbS SO RaJ Kc6 SI
000

Kc2 f5 52 a6
White's extra passed a-Pawn is a power, and with all of White's
pieces harmoniously placed, Black has no satisfactory defense. By

59
trying for complications Black hastens the end; good advice is
non-existent, however.
52 f4 53 gxf4 Bd4 54 b4! cxb4 SS Nxb4+ Rxb4 56 Rxd4 Ra8
.••

57 RaS Rb6 58 Rxd6+ Kxd6 59 cS+ Kc6 60 cxb6 Kxb6 61 Ra2

Ka7 62 Kd3 Black resigns
Black had sealed 62 . . . ReS but resigned without resuming play.
After 63 Kd4, followed by fS etc., White's win is elementary.

White has sacrificed a pawn to arrive at V. Tukmakov - B. Gulko,

1 977 USSR Championship, after White's 24th move.

The immediate threat, of course, is 25 ReS+ ! , and after something

like 24 . . . g6? ! , White has excellent chances for getting both of his
Rooks active on the 7th rank after 25 Nc4 Bxc4 26 Rllxc4.
However, Black extinguishes White's hopes by having the King
participate in the defense of both the d-Pawn and the second rank:
24 •.• Kf8! 25 Nc4 Bxc4 26 R/7xc4
After 26 R/ l xc4 KeS ! Black threatens to trap the forward Rook with
27 . . . KdS followed by 2S . . . Nc6.
26 ••• Ke8! 27 R/1c2 Kd8! 28 Kg2 aS 29 ReS Rb8 30 dS
White tries to bring about some complications. Otherwise Black
exchanges a pair of Rooks with 3 0 . . . ReS and pushes the a-Pawn to
victory.
30 exdS! 31 BxdS NxdS 32 RxdS Ra8 33 Rc4 a4! 34 Rh5 h6
•.•

35 Rg4 Ra6! 36 Rxg7 Rb3 37 Rh7 a3 38 R/5xh6 Ra7!

60
 With both Rooks on, the advance of the a-Pawn is assured.
39 Rxt7 Rbb7!
The careless 39 . . . a2?? leads to a win for White: 40 Rh8+ Kc7 4 1
Rxd7+! Kxd7 4 2 Rh7+, followed by 43 Rxa7.
40 Rh8+ Kc7 White resigns
White sealed 4 1 Rf3 but resigned without continuing, in view of
the following variation: 4 1 . . . a2 42 Rc3+ Kd6 43 Rh6+ Ke7 44
Re3+ Kf7 45 Rf3+ Kg7 46 R/3f6 d6 ! .

Black had confidently aimed for the position below, A. Kotov - S.

Reshevsky, Zurich Candidates Tournament 1 953, after Black's 5 1 st
move, in the expectation that his prospects for winning White's
a-Pawn gave him the superior chances. Yet a couple of deft moves
by White's King show just the opposite to be true:

52 Kel! g4
Best. Inferior are both ( 1 ) 52 . . . Nxg3? 53 Nf7+ Ke7 54 Nxg5,
and the liberation of the Black Knight will require the sacrifice of
the h-Pawn, and (2) 52 . . . Nc3? 53 Kd3 ! Nb l 54 Kc2 Nxa3+ 5 5
Kb2 h4 56 Kxa3 hxg3 5 7 Nf7+! Ke7 58 Nxg5 (Bronstein), and
White wins.
53 hxg4 hxg4 54 Nxg4 Ncl?
Again wrong, since White's King can trap the Knight. Required
was 54 . . . Nxg3 ! 5 5 Nf2 ! Nfl + ! 56 Kd3 e5 57 fx.e5+ Kxe5 58 Ndl

61
f4 59 Nc3 f3 60 Nxa4 f2 ! 6 1 Ke2 Nd2 62 Kxf2 Nxc4 (Stahlberg),
with a draw.
SS NeS Nbl 56 Kd3! Nxa3 57 bS!
It is important not to allow Black's Knight to free itself, as after 5 7
Kc3? b5 ! 5 8 c5+ Kd5 59 c 6 Kd6 60 Kb2 Nc4+ 6 1 Nxc4 bxc4 6 2 b5
Kc7 the King and Pawn endgame is drawn.
After the text move, 5 7 . . . Kc5 is met by 5 8 Nd7+ Kb4 59 Nxb6
Kb3 60 Nxa4 . Therefore, Reshevsky decides to sacrifice his Knight
for two pawns, but White's active King easily carries the day.
57 NxbS 58 cxbS KcS 59 Nf3 KxbS 60 Nd4+ Kb4 61 Kc2! eS
•••

62 fxeS KcS 63 e6 Kd6 64 Kc3 bS 65 Kb4 Ke7 66 KcS! a3 67

KdS! Black resigns

62
CHAPTER S

The King as a Generally

Useful Piece

The single most important feeling that I want to impart to the

reader is to have the desire, as if by second nature, to make some use
of the King in the endgame. For instance, don't just think "what can
I do with my Rook (or Bishop, or pawn[s] etc.)" but equally "what
can I do with my King to make it more useful in the play to come?"
Part of the time, general usefulness is what is involved. In M.
Vukic - A. Karpov, Bugojno 1 978, after White's 4 1 st move, White
has the more active position and Black's King on the second rank
may turn out to be awkwardly placed. Yet note how easily Karpov
achieves a perfectly sound position:

41 ... g5!
The pawn march will gain some space for Black on the Kingside
and the King will move up behind its pawns to a comfortable and
useful location.

63
42 Kg2 h5! 43 h3 Kh6! 44 Ne3 f4! 45 Qd5
After 45 Nd5 Black gains full equality with 45 . . . g4 ! .
45 ••• Qxd5 46 Nxd5 fxg3! 4 7 Bxg3 B f8 4 8 Ktl Kg6!
Black's King shifts over to the center, sends White's Knight
away and gives Black total equality.
49 Ke2 Kt'S 50 c3 bxc3 51 bxc3 Ke6 52 Ne3 Bg7 53 Bel Nf8 54
Bd2 Ng6 55 Nfl Nf4+ 56 Bxf4 exf4 57 Nd2 Draw

If in the above ending the initial King activity was mostly general,
in the next example the need is more specific. The position below
arose after Black's 46th move in B. Spassky - A. Karpov, 1 974
Candidates Match, Game 6.

Black is clearly better because he is certain to win White's

advanced d-Pawn. White's drawing chances depend on getting
counterplay and exchanging pawns so that he can reach a theoreti­
cally drawn position, though a pawn down. To achieve this, his
King must do its part. Correct therefore is:
47 Kf3!
Helping to hold back both Black's e-Pawn and King.
In the game White played 47 b4? and lost as follows: 47 . . . e4 ! 48
Rd4 (Or 48 Rb3 Kxd6 49 bxa5 bxa5 50 Kf2 Kd5 5 1 Ke3 Rc5 5 2
Ra3 Ke5 5 3 Rb3 Rd5 54 Rc3 Rd3+, with a won King an d Pawn
endgame - Botvinnik) 48 . . . Ke5 49 Rdl axb4 50 Rb l Rc3+ 5 1 Kf2
Rd3 52 d7 Rxd7 53 Rxb4 Rd6 54 Ke3 Rd3+ 5 5 Ke2 Ra3 White

64
resigns. After 56 Rxb6 Rxa4 White is defenseless against the
coming 57 ... Kf4.
47 . . . Rd8 48 b4! Rxd6 49 Rb3 Rc6
After 49 ... Rd4 50 bxa5 Rf4+ White must play the active 5 1 Ke3 !
to draw. Losing is 5 1 Kg3? bxa5 52 Rb6+ Kd5 and Black's active
King will lead to a win.
SO b:xaS bxaS 51 RbS Rc3+ 52 Ke2 Rc4 53 RxaS Rxg4, with a
theoretical draw, as given by Botvinnik. Of course Black is still
better, but White can hold with correct play. Note the big difference
between this position and that in the game: here White still has his
a-Pawn!

Some creative King prancing, though with a clear strategic

purpose, can be seen in the play arising from H. Wolf - A. Alekh­
ine, Carlsbad 1 923, after White's 3 1 st move.

White is down a pawn and has a locked-in Bishop. Nevertheless he

seems to have set up an effective blockade, thus throwing into
question Black's potential win. As Alekhine demonstrates, the key
to winning is to break the blockade, and for this Black's King is to
play the major role:
31 ••• hS! 32 fxg6+
After 32 g5 Alekhine gives the following win: 32 . . . fxg5 33 hxg5
Bxg5 34 fxg6+ Kxg6 35 Kxe5 h4, with the passed h-Pawn decisive.
32 ••• Kxg6 33 gxhS+ Kt7! !

65
 Aiming for the blockade-breaking e6 square. After 33 . . . Kxh5?
34 Kf5 ! the White King's active and blockading location may well
yield a draw.
34 h6
If 34 Kf5, the King will be chased back with 34 . . Rh8, and then,
.

after 3 5 Kg4, Black again plays 3 5 . . . Ke6.

34 ... Ke6! 35 Rgl Rh8 36 Rg6 Bf8 White resigns

The imminent 3 7 . . Rxh6 will chase away the Rook, whereupon

.

38 . . . f5+ will do the same to White's King, leaving Black with a

decisive material and positional superiority.

And now for a lengthier example of making good use of the King
throughout an endgame. We view V. Bagirov - Y. Razuvaev, Baku
(USSR) 1 977, after White's 24th move.

Though much material still remains, the lack of direct danger to the
respective Kings means that the position can be considered in
endgame terms. Generally speaking, Black has a healthy advantage:
he has the superior pawn formation, greater space and prospective
attacking chances along the f-file. Still, without good King utiliza­
tion not much can be achieved. Therefore:
24 . . . Kg7!
With the following strategic plan in mind: the King will go to h6
from where it will protect both the Bishop and h-Pawn. This will be

66
followed by placing the Rh8 on f8 and maneuvering the Knight to
e5 . Black will then have an excellent attacking formation.In the
coming play White defends as well as possible; for instance now
inferior is 25 Kfl ?! Kh6 26 Ke 1 Rhf8, with a huge edge for Black.
25 Kh3 ! ? Kh6! 26 Rgl Re5!
Something of a change in plans. Black tries to chase the White
King away from its h3 .
27 Rcgl Be8 28 Nfl Bd7+ 29 Khl Ng4+ 30 Bxg4 hxg4 31 Ne3
Kg6!!
With this and the following King move Black neutralizes White's
attack against the g-Pawn.
32 Kg3 Kh5! 33 Rbl b6 34 a4! ? Re7 35 a5 bxa5 36 Rb7 Rti 37
Rxa7
After 37 Nf5 Razuvaev demonstrates the following win: 37 . . .
Rxf5 3 8 Rxd7 Rf3+ 39 Kh2 Rh3+ 4 0 Kg 1 Rb8 4 1 Rg3 Rb 1 + 42
Kg2 Rhh 1 ! .
37 ... a4 38 Khl Rhf8 39 Kg1 Kxh4 40 Ra6 Rf6?
An error just before time control which White could have
exploited with the active 4 1 Rh2+ Kg5 42 Rh7! with good drawing
chances. Correct was 40 . . . Rb8 ! - as subsequently played in the
game.
41 Ra7? R6ti 42 Ra6 Rb8! 43 Rhl+
Equally unsatisfactory is 43 Rxd6 Rb 1 + 44 Kh2 (44
Nfl e3 ! ) 44 . . . Kg5 ! , with the threat 45 . . . Rh7+.
43 Kg5 44 Rxd6 Rb1+ 45 Kgl
•..

Or 45 Nfl g3 ! 46 Rg2 Rxfl +! 47 Kxfl Bh3 .

45 Rbl 46 Kg1 a3 47 Ra6 g3! 48 fxgJ Rxhl 49 Kxhl Rf2+ 50
•..

Kg1 Rel ! 51 RxaJ

Hopeless too is 5 1 Nfl a2 etc.
51 .•. RxeJ 52 Ra5 Rxg3+ 53 Kf2 Kf4! White resigns

67
CHAPTER 6

Technical King Movements

SECTION 1. Opp ositi on

The most important single concept of K and P endgames is that of

"opposition." Take a look at the position below, noting that the
Kings are opposite each other.

For the technical meaning of "opposition" to apply, however, the

Kings must be separated by an odd nwnber of squares: 1 , 3 or 5 . A
separation by 2, 4 or 6 squares has no particular meaning as far as
"opposition" is concerned. Above we have an example of vertical
opposition. This is the most common type. The other types are
horizontal and the fairly rare diagonal. In chess terms, that side is
said to have "opposition " which is NOT on move. In this position if

68
it is White's move, Black has the opposition. Correspondingly, if
it's Black's move, White has the opposition. In clear-board situa­
tions it is always favorable to have the opposition. Here, this factor
is the decisive one in deciding the result of the game:

A) Black is on move (i.e. White has the opposition):

1 . . . Kd8 2 d7 Kc7 3 Ke7 White wins
B)
White is on move (i.e. Black has the opposition):
1 d7+ Kd8 2 Kd6 Stalemate
It is very important to know that King and Pawn vs. King endgames
always come down to the type of position shown above. The
ultimate result then is dependent on who is on move.

The next two examples illustrate the basic methods of achieving the
desired result when one has the opposition. The position below is a
1 952 endgame study by J. Moravec: White to play and win:

1 Kf2 h4!
The best try. After 1 . . . Kd7?! 2 Kg3 Ke6 3 Kh4 KfS 4 Kxh5 Kf6
5 g4 Kg7 6 Kg5 ! White has the opposition and is sure to achieve our
basic position with Black on move.
2 Kgl ! !
Unfortunately the routine 2 Kf3? is met by 2 . . . h3 ! ! with a draw:
a) 3 gxh3 Kd7 and the Black King gets to f8 with a book draw,

69
b) 3 g4 Kd7 4 Kg3 Ke6 5 Kxh3 Kf6 6 Kh4 Kg6 7 g5 Kg7 8 Kh5
Kh7 9 g6+ Kg7 1 0 Kg5 Kg8 ! (The only correct retreat) 1 1 Kf6 K:fB,
and Black has the opposition and the draw: 1 2 g7+ Kg8 1 3 Kg6
stalemate. This last variation clearly shows that to hope to win King
and Pawn vs. King endgames, the stronger side's King must lead (i.e.
be in front of) its pawn.
2 ..• hJ!
Again, 2 . .. Kd7 3 Kh2 followed by 4 Kh3 and 5 Kxh4 gives a
winning position similar to that of the note after Black's first move.
3 g3!
Instead 3 g4? allows the same draw demonstrated after 2 Kfl? h3 ! !
3 g4.
3 ••• Kd7 4 Khl Ke6 5 KxhJ Kf6!? 6 Kh4!
Not 6 Kg4? Kg6 ! and Black, having the opposition, draws.
6 ••• Kg6 7 Kg4!
White has the opposition and wins:
7 Kh6 8 Kt'S Kg7 9 Kg5! Kh7 10 Kf6 Kh6 1 1 g4 Kh7 12 g5
•••

Kg8 13 Kg6! Kh8 14 Kf7 Kh7 15 g6+ White wins

Keeping in mind the concept of opposition allows White to draw

from this position:

1 e5! !

70
 Routine play is hopeless: 1 Kc2? Kd4 2 Kd2 (2 e5 !? Kxe5 ! 3 Kd3
Kd5 ! ) 2 . . . Kxe4 3 Kc3 d5 ! 4 Kd2 Kd4 ! and Black, having the
opposition, wins.
1 . . . dxe5 2 Kcl! !
Establishing distant vertical opposition is the only way to draw.
Losing is 2 Kc2? Kc4 ! 3 Kd2 Kd4 ! 4 Ke2 Ke4 ! etc.
2 ... Kd5!?
Routine i s 2 . . . e4?! 3 Kd2 with a draw. After 2 . . . Kc4 3 Kc2 ! i t i s
White who h as the opposition and c an draw: 3 . . . Kd4 4 Kd2 Ke4 5
Ke2.
3 Kdl!!
Retaining distant vertical opposition holds the draw. All other
King moves lose.
3 ... Kd4 4 Kd2! Ke4 5 Ke2 Draw

The best that Black can get is the type of position shown in our
first example, where White will have the opposition and therefore
draw.
The concept of opposition is of recurring importance in practical
play. A relatively simple illustration is from L. Espig - Inkiov,
Varna 1 976, after Black's 53rd move.

Though White is up a passed f-Pawn, it is not possible to exploit

this factor directly, e.g. 54 Kg6 Kg8 5 5 f7+ Kffi 56 Kf6?? stalemate.

71
To win, the pawn must be used solely for purposes of achieving the
opposition:
54 ti!! Kxti
The "fancy" 54 . . . Kg7 is parried by the "extra fancy" 55 f8 = Q+ !
Kx£8 56 Kf6 etc.
55 KfS!
White has the opposition and therefore wins, since Black can't
prevent penetration by the White King.
55 . . . Ke7 56 Kg6 Ke8 57 Kf6 Black resigns
After 57 . . . Kd7 5 8 Kf7 etc. White wins the d-Pawn and the game.

A whole series of "opposition opportunities" occur in the play

arising from the position below, La Rouche - S. Weil, New York
1 977, after Black's 5 5th move.

Black had sacrificed a piece to get this position, in the correct

expectation that, after winning it back, he will have the better King
and Pawn endgame because his King has penetrated into White's
position. Note that the Queenside pawns are essentially fixed; thus
the question of opposition will determine whether Black will be able
to win or whether White can hold. Play went:
56 Kcl
O.K., but perhaps simpler is the line discovered by Fred Sorensen:
56 Ng3 ! K£2 (Equivalent is 56 . . . Kf3 57 Nf5 ! g3 5 8 Kd2 ! g2 59
Nh4+ K£2 60 Nxg2 Kxg2 61 Ke2 . White has the horizontal

72
opposition for the draw.) 57 Nh5 ! g3 58 Kd2 ! ! g2 59 Nf4 g 1 = Q 60
Nh3+ Kg2 6 1 Nxg 1 Kxg l 62 Kel, with White again having the
horizontal opposition and the draw. White's 58th and 59th moves
gained the tempo required to achieve the opposition.
56 ••• Kd3 57 Kb2 Kd2 58 Ng3
Still keeping the draw in hand, yet making the job more difficult.
More accurate was 5 8 Kb3 ! , and only after 58 . . . Kc l , 59 Ng3.
Then Black's King is one square further from the Kingside and this
gives White sufficient time to achieve normal opposition thus: 59 . . .
Kd2 6 0 Nh5 Ke2 6 1 Kc2 Kf2 6 2 Kd2 g3 6 2 Nxg3 Kxg3 64 Ke3 ! .
I f now 64 . . . Kg2, 6 5 Ke2 etc., and after 64 . . . Kg4 6 5 Ke2 ! White
has diagonal opposition and can transform this into horizontal or
vertical opposition, e.g. 65 . . . Kf4 66 Kf2 ! Ke4 67 Ke2 .
58 ••• Kel 59 Kc2
An interesting alternative draw is to set up the distant horizontal
opposition from the a-file: 59 Kb3 (59 Ka2 also works) 59 . . . Kf2
60 Nf5 g3 6 1 Nxg3 Kxg3 62 Ka3 ! ! (Sorensen). Two possibilities
anse:
( 1 .) 62 . . . Kf2 63 Kb2 Ke 1 64 Ka1 ! (White must stay off the
c-file where he doesn't have enough maneuvering room)
64 . . . Kd 1 65 Kb l ! Kd2 66 Kb2 Kd3 67 Kb3 etc.
(2 .) 62 . . . Kf3 63 Kb3 ! (Not 63 Kb2? because of 63 . . . Kf2 !
and not 63 Ka2? because of 63 . . . Ke2 ! ) 63 . . . Kf2 64
Kb2 etc.
59 ••• Kf2 60 NfS?
Finally, the losing move. Correct was the method given in the note
to White's 56th move: 60 Nh5 ! g3 6 1 Kd2 ! .
60 ..• g3 6 1 Nxg3 Kxg3 62 Kcl
White is lost, as he will not be able to prevent Black from gaining
the opposition, e.g. 62 Kd3 Kf3 63 Kd2 Kf2 ! (64 Kdl Ke3; 64 Kd3
Ke l ). No better is 62 Kb3 Kf3 63 Kb2 Kf2 ! and Black wins, thanks
to having the distant opposition. However, faulty would be 63 . . .
Ke3? because of 6 4 Ka3 ! and 6 3 . . . Ke2? because of 64 Ka2 ! -in
both cases White draws. White also has no time for 63 Ka3 because

73
63 . . . Ke3 ! (distant opposition! ) wins: 64 Kb2 Kd3 ; 64 Kb3 Kd3 ; 64
Ka2 Ke2 ! .
62 ••. Kf3 63 Kbl Ke3 64 Ka2 Ke2!
Gaining the distant horizontal opposition is the only way to win.
After the inconsistent 64 . . . Kd2? White draws with 65 Kb2, e. g. 65
. . . Ke3 66 Ka3 !, and it is now White who has the opposition.
65 Ka3 Kd l ! 66 Kb3
Or 66 Kb2 Kd2, and Black wins.
66 . . . Kcl White resigns
If Black so chooses he can win all three of White's pawns - an excel­
lent example of the power of the active King when it obtains the
opposition!
SECTION 2. Triangulation
The term "King triangulation" refers to the King making a "triangu­
lar" run around its location in order to arrive again at its starting
point, but in a position a move behind its opponent. The purpose of
triangulation is to give the move to the opponent and is of signifi­
cance only in zugzwang positions. Triangulation is only meaningful
when the "triangulating" King has more maneuvering room than its
counterpart. The following examples will clarify this abstract sound­
ing definition. The greatest effect of successful triangulation occurs
in King and Pawn endgames. An instructive case is shown in the
following composition (Fine 1 94 1 ):

74
 Though White is a pawn up, Black's protected passed c-Pawn
appears to ensure the draw, as it seems to prevent activity by White's
Kffig. Nevertheless, by some accurate King maneuvers, including
two triangulations, White can get his pawns to the sixth rank. Then
White's Kffig will join its pawns for a mating attack. White plays
and wins as follows:
1 Kd4 Kg4 2 b4 Kb5 3 Ke3 Kg4 4 Ke4 Kh5 5 Kf4!
The immediate further advance of White's pawns is now
assured. Note that from here White's King can still catch the
c-Pawn.
5 ... Kg6 6 g4 Kg7 7 b5! Kh6
White's pawns now appear stymied. If Black, however, had to
move again in this position, White's pawns could advance. There­
fore White's King triangulates to achieve this position with Black to
move.
8 Ke4! Kg5 9 Kf3! Kh6 1 0 Kf4 Kg7 1 1 g5 Kf7 12 g6+ Kf6!
Again Black seems to have stopped the pawns. But once more
triangulation forces Black to give up control of his key f6 square.
13 Ke3! Kg7 14 Ke4! Kf6 15 Kf4! Kg7
After 1 5 . . . Ke6 White wins as follows: 1 6 h6 Kf6 1 7 h7 Kg7 1 8
Kf5 ! c3 1 9 Ke6 ! c2 2 0 h8 = Q+ ! Kxh8 2 1 Kf7, followed by 22 g7+
etc.
1 6 Kg5! c3 17 b6+ Kg8 1 8 Kf6 c2 1 9 h7+ Kh8 20 Kf7 cl = Q 2 1
g7+ Kxb7 2 2 g 8 = Q+ Kb6 2 3 Qg6 Mate
The active King won!

The usefulness of King triangulation may not appear as obvious

for other endgames, but often is equally applicable. Consider first
the position on the next page, Sozin - M. Botvinnik, USSR 1 929,
Black on move.
White's position is most precarious, yet at the moment he is
hanging on by a thread. If White was on move here, however, Black
could make decisive progress. Therefore Botvinnik starts to
triangulate:

75
I . . . Kd2! 2 Bh2
Allowing the main line. The alternative was 2 Kf2 Kd3 ! 3 Bh2
Ke4 ! . Now 4 Kg3 Ke3 5 Bgl+ Ke2 leads to the game continuation,
whereas 4 Bg3 leads to a routine loss after 4 . . . f4 5 Bh2 Kf5 ! 6 Bg 1
g3+ 7 Kf3 h2 .
2 ... Kel ! 3 Bgl Ke2!
The triangulation is successfully completed, and White on move
must give ground. If now 4 Kf4, Black's King penetrates the
Kingside: 4 . . . Kfl 5 Bh2 Kg2 .
4 Bd4 f4+!
And now the f-Pawn can advance, since White's Bishop IS no
longer guarding the h2 square.
5 Kh2 f3 6 Kgl f2+
Even simpler is 6 . . . g3 .
7 Bxf2 h2+ White resigns After 8 Kxh2 Kxf2 9 Kh I Black wins
with 9 . . . Kg3 ! .

Meaningful opportunities for triangulation often exist at hi gher

material levels also. W. Henneberger - A. Nimzowitsch, Winterthur
1 93 1 , after White's 48th move, shows a classic case of the "good
Knight" vs. the "bad Bishop" . Nevertheless, the position is so block­
aded that it is difficult to see where Black can penetrate. To make
progress, Black will have to resort to two triangulations.

76
 The first item on Black's agenda is to achieve the diagram position
with White to move. Note that Black has two access squares from
which his King can get to d5 ; White has only one square from which
to reach e3. Therefore Black has an easy case of triangulation:
48 Kd6! 49 Ke2 Kc6! 50 Ke3 Kd5 51 Ke2 Nd6 52 Ke3 Nb5 53
••.

Bd2 Na3 54 Bel

Forced, as 54 Bel? allows a hopeless King and Pawn endgame
after 54 . . . Nc2+ 5 5 Ke2 Nxe l 5 6 Kxe l Ke4 57 Ke2 a3 . After the
text, however, White's Bishop will soon be stalemated.
54 ... Nbl ! ! 55 Bb2 a3 56 Bat Kd6! 57 Ke2 Kc6! 58 Kdl
After 58 Ke3 Kd5 Black's King gets to e4 and then still farther in.
If White tries to triangulate himself with 58 K£2, Black's Knight is
freed and he wins with 58 . . . Nd2 (59 Ke2 Ne4; 59 Kg l Nb3 !).
Winning the Knight is the best try.
58 ••• Kd5 59 Kc2 Ke4 60 Kxbl KfJ 61 Bb2
As White is playing without the Bishop, Black would win easily
on the Kingside. Therefore the text is the only chance, but Black
still wins by a tempo:
61 ... axb2 62 a4 Kxg3 63 a5 Kh2! 64 a6 g3 65 a7 g2 66 a8 = Q
gl = Q+ 67 Kxb2 Qg2+! 68 Qxg2+ gl = Q+ 69 Ka3 KfJ 70 Kb4
Kxf4 71 Kxc4 Ke3 72 d5 exd5+ 73 Kxd5 f4 74 c4 fJ 75 c5 f2 76
c6 fl = Q White resigns

77
In the Rook and Pawn endgame below, I. lvanov - V. Chehov,
Vladivostok (USSR) 1 978, after B lack's 40th move, White has two
advantages: the active Rook and the superior pawn formation. Yet
Black is just able to prevent any immediate damage. Seeing that
Black presently has the optimum piece configuration, White forms
the following plan: to give Black the move! Triangulation will do the
job:

41 Rb6! ReS 42 Kf3!

Premature is the immediate 42 f3 ? ! , as Black gets good counter­
play after 42 . . . RdS 43 Rc6 Rd3 44 ReS Ke6! 4 5 RxbS e4 ! 46 fx.e4
Rxg3 .
42 • • • RdS 43 Ke3! Rd3+ 44 Ke2 RdS 4S Re6!
Mission accomplished - Black is now forced to deactivate his
Rook.
4S ••• Rd7 46 ReS Rb7 47 Ke3 Rb6 48 f3! b4
Passive defense is also hopeless: 48 . . . Rb8 49 f4 ! Kg4 50 RxeS
Kxg3 5 1 RgS+ Kxh4 52 Rxg6, and the passed f-Pawn will win
easily, since Black's King remains cut off on the h-file.
49 g4+! hxg4 SO fxg4+ Kf6 51 Ke4!
Keeping the King active!
51 bxc3 52 bxc3 Rb1 53 Re6+ Kti 54 KxeS Rh1 SS Rc7+ Ke8
•••

56 Kf6! Rxh4 57 Rxc4 Black resigns

78
CHAPTER 7

Various Important Activities

SECTION 1. Preventing Threats

There are all kinds of potential threats and there are a large
number of King movements possible to deal with them.
Perhaps the simplest one is the direct defensive move to parry an
overt threat. An instructive example is offered by the play arising
from Gottschal - S. Tarrasch, Nuremberg 1 888, after White's 79th
move.

Even though Black has only two pawns for the piece, he has a
significant advantage because White's Knight is nothing but a defen­
sive piece and Black can create connected passed pawns on the
Queenside with . . . a5 and . . . b4. Black's actively placed Queen is
another advantage, and to keep winning prospects he doesn't want to
allow an exchange. At the moment, therefore, White has a defmite
threat: 80 Qa3 ! , and if 80 . . . Qxb l , 8 1 Q:ffi + , with a perpetual check

79
draw. Therefore the immediate 79 . . . a5? is faulty because the
endgame after 80 Qa3 ! Qxa3? 8 1 Nxa3 b4 82 Nc2 ! is at best only
drawn for Black. Tarrasch panies White's threat with the defensive:
79 ... Kg7! 80 Qa3
Not wanting to be smothered to death after 80 . . . a5 etc., White
tries his luck with Queen activity. It will turn out that Black's King
can evade the checks; White's approach however, is no worse than
anything else.
80 ... Qxbl 81 Qe7 Qfl+! 82 Ke3 Qel+ 83 KtJ Qxc3+ 84 Kg2
Qd2+ 85 Kh3 Qa5! 86 Qf6+ Kf8 87 Qh8+ Ke7 88 Qf6+ Ke8! 89
Qh8+ Kd7 90 Qf8 Qd8! 91 Qc5
Nothing satisfies. The Black King escapes to safety after 9 1 Qd6+
Ke8 92 Qc6+ Qd7 93 Qa8+ Ke7 94 Qh8 Qe8 ! 95 Qf6+ Kd7; after
9 1 Qx£7+ Qe7 92 Qxh5 b4 the three connected passed pawns will
triumph.
91 ... Qb8 92 Qb4 Ke8! 93 Qc5 Qb7 94 Qa3 b4 95 QtJ b3 96
Qxh5 b2 97 Qh8+ Kd7 98 Qf8 bl = Q 99 Qxti+ Kc6! lOO
Qxe6+ Kb5 White resigns

Prevention of threat(s) by King aggressiveness is demonstrated in

the play arising in A. Alekhine - R. Fine, Kemeri 1 93 7, after Black's
3 1 st move.

Black had hoped to get out of an unpleasant bind by the use of

tactics directed against White's King, and he now threatens both 3 2

80
. . . Nb3+ and 32 . . . Rxd5+ . Alekhine however, turns the hunted into
the hunter with
32 Kc3!
Now 32 . . . Rxd5? loses a pie�·e after 33 Kc4 ! . The Knight retreat
32 . . . Nd7 loses material to 3 3 Be7. Therefore Black's response is
forced, and Alekhine quickly turns his overwhelming space advan­
tage into a win.
32 ... b6 33 axb6 axb6 34 Bxc5! bxc5 35 b6! Nd6 36 Bd7!
With the plan of 3 7 Bc6, 38 b7 and 39 Ra8. Not wanting to
witness this, Black commits suicide.
36 ... Rxd7?! 37 Ra8+ Black resigns

Then there is the indirect-often " sneaky"-way of preventing a

threat, as shown in the play arising in M . Botvinnik - D. Bronstein,
1 95 1 World Championship Match, Game 5, after White's 3 0th
move.

At first glance it may seem that White has little to worry about,
since Black's forward doubled d-Pawn seems destined to be lost.
Moreover, Black's attempt to retain a pawn advantage by 30 . . .
Nxa3 allows White approximate equality after 3 1 Nxd5 Nxd5 3 2
Bxd5+ Bxd5 3 3 Ne7+! K £7 34 Nxd5, because White threatens 3 5
Ral, 3 5 Nb6, 3 5 Nc7, 3 5 Rfl + , an d therefore wins back the pawn
effortlessly. However, Bronstein has a devilishly sneaky way of
preventing the threat to his d-Pawn:

81
30 .•• Kh8!! 31 Re1 ?
Without the helpful zwischen-check on e7, it turns out that Black's
d-Pawn is inviolate: 3 1 Nxd5? Nxd5 32 Bxd5 Bxd5 33 Rxd5 g6 34
Ne7 Ne3 ! , and White must choose between losing his Rook or his
King.
Even so, the text is also unsatisfactory. White should save his
a-Pawn with 3 1 a4 ! , retaining fair prospects for an eventual draw.
31 ••. Nxa3 32 Nd6 Bc6 33 Ra1 Ncl 34 Rxa6 d4!
The ugly doubled pawn has developed into a power. If now 3 5
Bxc6, Black wins with 3 5 . . . Nxb4 ! 36 Ra8 Rxa8 3 7 Bxa8 dxc3 .
35 Ncxb5 Bxgl! 36 Kxgl Ng4! 37 Nf5
There is no defense. Black also has a winning attack after 37 Ne4
Nce3+ 38 K.h3 g5 ! 39 Nxg5 (39 Nxd4 Rf2 ! ! 40 Nxf2 Nxf2 mate! )
39 . . . R f2 4 0 Kh4 Rxh2+ 4 1 Nh3 Nf2.
37 ••• d3 38 Rd6
Hopeless too is 38 Nc3 g6 39 Nd6 Nce3+ 40 Kh3 Rf2.
38 ••• Rxf5 39 Rxd7 Nce3+ White resigns

In the previous examples the threats were of the immediate tactical

type. Equally important is to prevent the longer range strategic ones.
An instructive case arises in the following position, E. Gufeld -
Gavashelishvili, USSR 1 977, after Black's 40th move.

Though material is even, White has a winning advantage because

he is going to push his passed b-Pawn to victory. Black's only

82
chance is to loosen up White's King position by throwing his
Kingside pawns forward and then hope that he can achieve perpetual
check. White can win if he sees through and prevents Black's plan.
However:
41 b5?
Both overeager and careless. Winning was 4 1 Kg3 ! ! , with the
King stopping the pawns long enough to allow the decisive march of
the b-Pawn.
41 ••• f4! 42 b6 e3! 43 fxe3 f3! 44 Qd5+
The resulting Queem and Pawn endgame is unwinnable. More
chances were offered by 44 Qg5 ! Qxb6 45 gxf3 , with the lack of
symmetry in the interest of the stronger side.
44 ... Kh7! 45 Qxf3 Qxb6 46 Qf4 Qbl 47 e4 Qel 48 h4 Kg7 49
e5 Qc3 50 Qf6+ Kh7 51 Qe7+ Kg8 52 e6 Qe5+ Draw
Black has a relatively easy perpetual check.

SECTION 2. Marking Time

Just as it is true in the middlegame, so also in the endgame the

King is useful as a time-killing mechanism. Usually the prospects
for formulating a concrete plan are better in the endgame than in the
middlegame, and thus the opportunities for marking time are corre­
spondingly fewer. Nevertheless they do occur, and even world
champions do not hesitate to mark time when it suits their purposes.
Enlightening in this respect is the course of play from the position
on the next page, A. Alekhine - J . R. Capablanca, 1 927 World
Championship Match, Game 34, after Black's 5 1 st move. At this
point in the match Alekhine needed one more win to become world
champion. Clearly his position, a pawn up, is significantly
favorable. Yet the practical question always is: how to ensure the
win? Alekhine now played:

83
52 Rd5!?
Alekhine characterizes his approach t o the play over the next ten
moves as follows: "White makes use of every opportunity, by repeti­
tion of moves, to gain time with the clock, so as to avoid a slip just
before the capture of the title. " Note that at moves 52-53 he uses the
Rook for this; at moves 60-6 1 the King performs this function.
52 . . . Rf6 53 Rd4 Ra6 54 Ra4 Kf6 55 KfJ! Ke5 56 Ke3 h5 57
Kd3 Kd5 58 Kc3 Kc5 59 Ra2! Kb5 60 Kb3!? Kc5 61 Kc3 Kb5
62 Kd4!
The definitive winning plan: the King heads for the Kingside to
menace the Black pawns. In the ensuing play Alekhine does not find
the absolutely fastest wins, but keeps the game in hand, anyway. If
now 62 . . . Kb4, White plays 63 Ra 1 ! , as 63 . . . Kb3? allows White's
King to get to the Queenside with 64 Kc5 .
62 ... Rd6+ 63 Ke5 Re6+ 64 Kf4 Ka6 65 Kg5! ReS+ 66 Kh6
Rf5 67 f4
White could have put Black into zugzwang by triangulating with
his King as follows: 67 Kg7 ! Rf3 68 Kg8 ! Rf6 69 Kf8! Rf3 70 Kg7 !
Rf5 7 1 f4.
67 ... ReS 68 Ra3 Rc7 69 Kg7 Rd7 70 f5 gxf5 71 Kh6 f4 72 gxf4
Rd5 73 Kg7 Rf5 74 Ra4 Kb5 75 Re4! Ka6 76 Kh6! Rxa5 77
ReS! Rat 78 Kxh5 Rgl 79 Rg5 Rhl 80 Rf5 Kb6 81 Rxti Kc6 82
Re7!
Black resigns

84
 Using the King for marking time so that the opponent is put into
zugzwang is quite an important endgame strategy. The sophisticated
movement called "triangulation" was examined in detail in Chapter
6. Periodically, "simple" King moves serve equally well. For
instance, let's look at S. Tatai - R. Keene, Skopje Olympiad 1 972,
after White's 42nd move.

Though Black is a pawn up, it is difficult to see how he can make

progress, since his Bishop has little scope, and 42 . . . Rf7 is parried
by 43 Nd2 ! . Yet note that White is actually in zugzwang: the only
King move allows . . . c4+; a Knight move allows . . . Rd2 ; any Rook
move allows . . . Rf7. Therefore Black simply plays:
42 ..• Kg7! 43 Rcl Rti! 44 Rc4 Kg6!!
Zugzwang once more! If now 45 Ke3 Ra7 46 Rc2 c4+ or 45 Re i
c4 ! 46 Rxc4 Rf4+ 4 7 Kd3 Rxf3+. Therefore White must allow
Black's Rook to penetrate to the 7th rank.
45 Nel Rf2 46 Nd3 Rxa2 47 Rcl
Allows a tactical end. Equally hopeless is 4 7 Nxc5 Bxc5 48 Rxc5
Rg2 49 Kf3 Rb2 .
47 .•• c4! 48 Nxb4 Re2+ 49 Kf3 Re3+ 50 Kg2 cxb3 White resigns

Another instructive zugzwang posttton is set up from E.

Bogolyubov - A. Alekhine, Hastings 1 922, after White's 40th move,
as shown on the following page.

85
 Black has a slight material advantage, but to win he must loosen
up the White pawn formation. He does this by putting the White
pieces in zugzwang by:
40 ... Qe2! 41 d5
The pieces can't move: 41 Rh3 (or 4 1 Rhl) Ng4 ! ; 41 Ng4 Nxg4 ! ;
4 1 Nh3 Ng4 ! .
41 . . . Kg8! 42 h 5 Kh7! 43 e4
Forced, but now the White pawn structure disintegrates.
43 ... Nxe4 44 Nxe4 Qxe4 45 d6 cxd6 46 f6 gxf6 47 Rd2 Qe2!
Forcing an easily won King and Pawn endgame.
48 Rxe2 fxe2 49 Kf2 exfl = Q+ 50 Kxfl Kg7 51 Kf2 Kti 52 Ke3
Ke6 53 Ke4 d5+ White resigns

SECTION 3. Gaining Time

Capablanca has said that for success in endgame play, the need is
for accuracy and time saving; thus major attention must be given to
moves that gain or save time. In other words, gaining time (or
tempos, as it is often expressed) is a major objective of endgame
play. This makes sense in those positions where the strategic goal is
clear and simple, e.g. queening a passed pawn or obtaining con- trol
of a key square.

86
 It is therefore logical to expect that the King has a vital role to play
in the fight for time (tempos). Many such instances are so clear as to
be self-evident. What I shall discuss, therefore, are the more sophis­
ticated methods of using king activity to gain time.

Both interesting and important is the type of maneuver employed

in the play arising from this position, a 1 95 2 endgame study by J .
Moravec. White seems to be in dire straits indeed, since his King
can't catch Black's h-Pawn, while White's c-Pawn looks easy to stop.
Nevertheless, White's King can gain a tempo and the draw as
follows:
1 Kb5! h5
After 1 . . . Kc7 2 Kc4 ! White's King is close enough to the h-Pawn.
2 Kc6!! Kc8
Otherwise White's King gets to b7 and assists in queening the
c-Pawn: 2 . . h4 3 Kb7 h3 4 c6 h2 4 c7+ etc.
.

3 Kd5!! Draw
In effect White's King has gotten to d5 in net two moves and there­
fore is again close enough to the h-Pawn: 3 . . . h4 4 Ke4 h3 5 KO h2
6 Kg2 .
The successful execution of a similar maneuver in a practical game
occurs in the play arising from the position on the next page, A.
Bisguier - J. Tarjan, 1 975 U.S. Championship, after White's 47th
move. A simple count shows that Black's King can't get to the
Queenside in time to stop the a-Pawn. Sacrificing the e-Pawn with

87
an early . . . e3+ also offers no prospects. Yet there is a way for
Black's King to accomplish its objective:

47 ... Kf6! 48 aS Ke5!!

If now 49 a6? Kd4 ! 50 a 7 e3+. Therefore White's reply i s forced,
and this loss of time is just enough for Black's King to complete his
journey successfully.
49 Ke3 Kd6! 50 b4 Kc6 51 b5+ Kc5 52 a6 Kb6
An interesting, dynamically stable position has resulted. White's
three passed pawns offer no winning chances because his King can't
participate, as it must stay back to prevent the e-Pawn's advance.
On the other hand, Black also can't win because his Bishop has
insufficient offensive punch. In the play to come, Black tries
various approaches, but White parries them all.
53 Kf2 BfJ 54 Ke3 Bg2 55 Kf2 Bh3! 56 Ke2 ! Ka7 57 Kf2 Kb6
58 Ke2 Bg2 59 Kf2 BfJ 60 Ke3 Ka7 61 c5 h6 62 Kd4 h5 63 Ke3
Bd 1 64 Kxe4 Ba4 65 b6+! Kxa6 66 Kf4 Kb7 67 Kg5 Be8 68
Kh4 Kc6 69 Kg5 Kb7 70 Kh4 Kb8!? 71 Kg5! Bfi 72 Kh4 Kc8
73 Kg5 Kd7 74 Kh4 Kc6 75 Kg5 Draw

A somewhat similar concept, but with a different execution, occurs

in the play arising from this position, V. Smyslov - V. Korchnoi,
1 95 2 USSR Championship, after White's 48th move.

88
 Black's advanced, connected passed pawns, well supported by the
Rook, appear invincible. A closer look, however, shows that Black's
Rook can't help its pawns advance and stop White's a-Pawn. For
example, 48 . . . e2 49 Re8 f3 50 a6 Rfl 5 1 a7 Ral 52 Kxf3, and
White draws. What Black would like to do, therefore, is to keep his
Rook where it is and stop the a-Pawn with the King. Yet quite
obviously the King is too far away for this. Black however, does
have a tempo-gaining King route:
48 •.. Ke7!!
By taking away the e8 square from White's Rook, Black threatens
the immediately-winning 49 . . . e2 . To reestablish access to e8,
White is forced to send Black's King exactly where it wants to go.
49 Rh7+ Kd6! 50 Rh8 e2! 51 ReS Kc6! White resigns
Black's King stops the a-Pawn while Black's Rook ensures the
promotion of his passed pawn(s): 52 Re6+ Kb7 5 3 a6+ Ka7 54 h4
f3 5 5 Kg3 Rfl etc.

A different kind of sophisticated King movement occurs in the

play arising in J. Tarjan - L. Christiansen, 1 978 U . S . Championship,
after Black's 27th move. White has a significant advantage based on
having the more active pieces, the passed a-Pawn and Black's weak
d-Pawn. At the moment Black threatens 28 . . . Nd3+. A King move
is White's best remedy, but which King move?

89
28 Kc3!
This is more accurate than 28 Kc2, as it prevents Black's Rook
from getting to e2 with check in variations such as 28 Kc2 NO 29
Rxe8+ Rxe8 30 Bf4 Re2+o
28 • . • fS?!
Fundamentally weakening the Knight's status on e5o Also useless
is 28 0 0 0 Bc7?! because White plays 29 Kc2! and has, in effect,
gained a move, since the line given above would now be fruitless for
Black because the Bishop is en prise. Black's best defensive set-up
was 28 0 0 0 Kg7 followed by 29 0 0 0 f60
29 Bf4 Kti 30 a4! Bc7 31 Kc2 ! Kf6 32 h4 Kti 33 a5! RedS 34 a6
Nt3 35 Re6 Rd7 36 Kb2!
One more sophisticated King maneuver: White makes sure that
Black never gets in 0 0 0 Nd4 with check.
36 Ra8 37 Nxc7 Rxc7 38 Bxd6 Rcc8 39 Re7+ Kf6 40 Re6+
••.

Kti 41 Re7+ Kf6 42 a7 Nd4 43 Rb7 Black resigns

SECTION 4. Preparing Action

You want to do something, but the King is either in the way or of

no help? Move it, so that you can then be ready for action!

90
 First I'll consider the case where the King position makes a desir­
able plan impossible, as in K. Regan - P. Benko, 1 978 U.S. Champi­
onship, after White's 25th move.

A cursory look may lead to the conclusion that White has some
advantage, due to the strong pressure against the e-Pawn and the
passive placement of Black's f6-Rook. Yet note how quickly Black
demonstrates the complete soundness of his position:
25 ••• bxa5! 26 Rxa5 Kt'S!
Black would like to activate his f6-Rook via f5, but that move is
not feasible because the e-Pawn is pinned. But after the text it will
be both feasible and good.
27 Kfl Rf5! 28 Rxf5?!
Why straighten out Black's pawn formation? Correct is 28 Ra3,
with equality.
28 exf5 29 Ke2 f4 30 Re4 g5 3 1 Kd2 Rd7+ 32 Kc2 Bb7 33 Re5
..•

h6 34 g3 Re7! 35 Rxe7 Kxe7

Black has a slight advantage because of his outside passed pawn.
Accurate defense by White, however, achieved a draw on Move 6 1 .

Moving the King so that it is placed at maximum advantage for the

execution of a concrete plan is shown in the play arising from the
position on the next page, J. Mieses-A. Alekhine, Mannheim 1 9 14,
after White's 3 5 th move. Though material is even, Black's connected
passed pawns offer great promise of success.

91
 But how to make progress? 3 5 . . . b5 leaves Black's Rook wtpro­
tected, and White can untangle himself with 36 Nf7 ! . A surprising
King move, however, puts an end to all of White's hopes:
35 •.. Kh7! ! White resigns!
Black simply threatens to push the b-Pawn to victory. With
Black's King on h7 the tactical N£7 (either next move or subse­
quently) is parried by (after e.g. 36 N£7) 36 . . . Rxg5 37 Nxg5+
Kg6 ! , with White's Knight trapped and lost.

A sophisticated example of a King move to prepare action is illus­

trated in the play arising from this position, V. Ceshkovsky-V.
Savon, Baku (USSR) 1 977, after Black's 4 1 st move.

92
 Black's position is just plain horrible. His King is in some danger,
the h7-Knight a strictly defense piece, c-Pawn weak - and White's
d-Pawn an obvious queening threat. In the game White played the
immediate 42 Ng3 ? ! , and after 42 . . . Ne2 + ! 43 Nxe2 Qe l + 44 Kh2
Qxe2 Black had considerably lightened his defensive load, and after
some further inaccuracies by White managed to squeeze out a 60
move draw. The following sophisticated King move would have left
Black in a completely helpless situation:
42 Kh2! ! with a won position for White.
White removes his King from the first rank, thus obviating any
checks and pins. White now is ready to proceed with 43 Ng3 and
the Knight stands very well here for both offensive and defense
purposes. Black's best try is 42 . . . Ne2 ! ?, anyway, after which White
activates his Queen with 43 Qe6 ! , leaving Black defenseless. For
instance, 43 . . . Qe l 44 Ng3 Qg l + 45 Kh3 Nf4+ 46 Bxf4 gxf4 47
Nf5+, and White mates first. After the game Savon ventured the
opinion that since after 42 Kh2 ! ! his prospects would have been so
bleak, he might well have resigned immediately

SECTION 5 . Weaving Mating Nets

As I have said many times previously, one of the characteristic

features of endgames is that the Kings can feel rather safe.
Paradoxically, this means that one King can participate most effec­
tively in trying to help bring down its unlucky counterpart.
Sometimes the King needs just a bit of effort to accomplish its
objective. A good example of this occurs in the play arising from E.
M . Jackson - F. J. Marshall, London 1 899, after White's 2 8th move,
diagram on the next page. In previous play Black had sacrificed two
pawns to chase White's King to the edge of the board. To complete
the job he still needs additional help, and this is where his own King
comes m :

93
28 . . • Kg7! 29 Bf4?
Meets a striking refutation. A better try was 29 Kh5, though Black
should still win after 29 . . . f4+ 30 Kg4 fxg3 3 1 Kxg3 Re6 ! 32 h4
Rxg6+ 3 3 Bg5 Rxc2 (Marshall).
29 ... Kxg6! ! 30 BgS
The frightful threats of 30 . . . Be7+ and 30 . . . Rxf4+ ! need
panying, but now comes a real Marshall bombshell:
30 ... Rf4+! ! White resigns
His choice is between 3 1 gx.f4 Bf2 mate and 3 1 Bxf4 Be7+ 32
Bg5 Bxg5 mate.
More work by a King succeeds in turning the tables in the play
arising from the position below, I . Bondarevsky - A Uflffitsev,
Leningrad 1 936, Black on move.

94
 Black is two pawns up and in no apparent danger. Yet note how
quickly everything changes:
1 . . . Bg2??
After this obvious response White has a forced win. Correct is
1 . . Rc3 ! .
.

2 Rh8+ Kf7 3 Be8+!! Nxe8 4 Kg5!! Black resigns

Next comes 5 R:£8 mate.

A considerably longer successful King trek ending in mate results

from the following position, L. Schneider - J. Nogueiras, Jurmala
(Riga) 1 978, after White's 35th move.

Despite material equality, Black has a significant advantage due to

the passed b-Pawn and the superiority of his Knight over White's
Bishop. Yet the decisive factor will turn out to be Black's super­
active King:
35 .•• Rb7! 36 f4 Kf7 37 Rc8?!
It was better to centralize the King with 3 7 Kf2 ! . The Rook just
wastes time.
37 ... Kg6! 38 ReS b5! 39 Bc5 Rc7! 40 Bb6 Rc6! 41 BaS Ra6 42
Bel Kf5!
The start of the decisive march.
43 Rg8 Kg4! 44 f5! ? exf5 45 Rxg7+ KO 46 RgS Ne3 White
resigns

95
 He is defenseless against the coming 47 . . . Ral , e.g. 47 h4 Ral 48
Kh2 Rxe l 49 e6 Ng4+ 50 Kh3 Rh l mate.

The direct attempt at mate does not always lead to that conclusion.
Such a threat, however, is very often successful in achieving a
specific objective some place else. In the following two examples,
the ability to see mating opportunities is of decisive influence in the
game's result. In the first example Black spies such an opportunity
and this allows him to consolidate his material advantage success­
fully; in the second case White's inability to notice a similar opportu­
nity allows his opponent to escape with a draw.

The first position is J. Timman - L. Ljubojevic, Amsterdam (IBM)

1 978, after White's 40th move.

Though a pawn down, White had counted on the imminent capture

of Black's d-Pawm to give him sufficient counterchances for a draw.
Yet Black has foreseen that he can stop all of White's hopes with the
surpnsmg:
40 ... Ke7! !
The obvious 4 1 Rxd7+ leaves White's King helpless after 4 1 . . .
Ke6 ! . The threat i s 4 2 . . . Be l + and e.g. 4 2 Rdl leads to 42 . . . Bxb4
43 Bc4+ Kf6 and there is nothing to be done about the threat of 44
. . . g5 mate. Therefore White's King must now go through some
contortions to save itself.

96
41 KeS ReJ+ 42 Kf4 Re4+ 43 Kf3 d6!
Black has consolidated his position and, after winning the b-Pawn,
will be up two sound pawns. The further play is routine.
44 Bc6 Rxb4 45 Rd3 Bbl 46 a5 Rc4 47 ReJ+ Be5 48 Bb7 Ra4
49 a6 g5! 50 h3 h5 51 Re2 g4+ 52 Kg2 f4 53 Rd2 RaJ White
resigns

An unusual deployment of forces is depicted in this position, G.

Sosonko - A. Miles, Bad Lauterberg 1 977, after Black's 33rd move.

Though White is up two pawns, both of these are isolated and

doubled, thereby significantly decreasing their value. White,
however, also has several strategic pluses: a very strong advanced
passed b-Pawn, active Rooks, and Black King's uncomfortable situa­
tion in the middle of the board. The way to win is to take advantage
of the last factor:
34 Kg2!
With the devastating threat 35 Kf3 ! and 36 Rb5 mate.
Instead, in the game, White rushed things with 34 Rc7?, and Black
managed to draw after 34 . . . Rhb8 35 Rxb7 Rxb7 36 Rb4 Ke6 37
Kg2 Kd5 38 f5 ? ! (The non-weakening 3 8 Kf3 ! still retained winning
chances) 38 . . . Kc5 39 Rb3 f6 ! 40 h4 h5 4 1 Kg3 Kc4 42 Rc3+ Kd5
43 Rd3+ Kc5 44 Ra3 Rxb6 45 Ra7 Kd5 ! 46 Rxg7 Ke5 47 Re7+
Kxf5 48 Re2 Rb3+ 49 f3 Rb4 Draw. Black's King turned out to be
safe and active!

97
34 . . . Kxf4
Everything else is worse. For instance, 34 . . . Re8 loses to 3 5
Rb5+! Kxf4 3 6 Rc4+ Re4 3 7 Rc7! Rxc7 3 8 bxc7 Rc4 39 Rb4 ! .
3 S RbS! fS ! 36 Rc4+ KgS 37 h4+ Kh 6 3 8 Rc6+ g6 3 9 RxfS, with
a won position for White.
White has succeeded in exchanging one of his weak doubled
f-Pawns for Black's healthy f-Pawn, and, by retaining his material
advantage and positional bind, can look forward to a fairly easy win.

98
CHAPTER S

Correct/Incorrect King Moves

You're in check or, for other reasons, must make a King move.
But where to move? Of course, the best way to proceed is to
examine all the alternatives carefully and then choose the correct
one. Yet if time is short or the position is too complicated for a
definitive analysis-what to do then? The best approach is to rely on
some valid general principles, i.e. if in doubt, play according to them
and, most of the time, things will turn out fme. Five particularly
important ones will be illustrated below.

1. Don 't be greedy - especially when in time pressure!

N. Gaprindashvili - U. Andersson, Dortmund 1 978, after Black's
3 3rd move, shows a position in material and dynamic balance.

White has an extra pawn on the Queenside; Black on the Kingside.

The normal way to mobilize White's Queenside is 34 Nc3, forcing
34 . . . bxc4+. Noting that Black is in serious time trouble, White
tries a trickier approach:
34 cxbS+!? KxdS??

99
 Usually the Swedish GM is among the most conservative of
players. But here, caught by complete surprise, he loses his cool.
Did he really think that White had left the Knight hanging? The only
correct recapture, strategically and otherwise, was 34 . . . Kxb5 ! .
Then, after 3 5 Nc3+ Kc6 3 6 Kc4 Ne6 ! 3 7 g3 Nc7, the position
remains equal.
35 bxa6 Ne6
Or 3 5 . . . Kc6 36 b5+ Kc7 37 b6+ Kc6 38 a7 Kb7 39 a6+. Should
it really be a surprise that three well mobilized passed pawns quickly
bring down a lone King?
36 a7 Nc7 37 b5 Black resigns
The likely end would have been: 3 7 . . . Na8 38 b6 Kc6 39 a6,
followed by 40 b7.

2. Prevent all unnecessary counterplay.

In A. Mihaljchishin - V. Jansa, Vmjacka Banja 1 978, after Black's
27th move, White has a nice material advantage, as well as the
positional pluses of a passed d-Pawn and well coordinated pieces.

The only potential danger is to White's King, particularly as a result

of the far advanced f-Pawn. Correct therefore is:
28 Kh l !
But not 28 Kfl? Rg7 !, followed by doubling Rooks on the g-file
with excellent counterchances for Black. After the text move
White's Rook can participate in defending gl and the win becomes

1 00
fairly routine. Note that in this case the general principle of central­
izing the King is replaced by the need to prevent counterplay.
28 Rg4 29 Rdl b5 30 d6 Rd8 3 1 Bb6 Rd7 32 Bc7 b4 33 Nd5 c3
•.•

34 bxc3 bxc3 35 Nxc3 Rc4 36 Rd3! Rf4 37 Nd5 Rc4 38 Rxf3

Ke6 39 Nb6 Rcl+ 40 Kg2 Rg7+ 41 Rg3 Black resigns

3. Whatever the choice, avoid positions which must be mathemati­

cally lost.

One of the requirements for success in practical play is to hold

inferior positions for a draw. Inferior positions always require
choosing between a number of evils. It is imperative to be able
continually to select the minor ones. Part of the time this can be
done by a process of elimination. Avoid those moves which must
turn out badly; of the other(s), whatever will be, will be, and there is
no use in worrying about it!
Let's see how this type of thinking can be applied to the position
below, E. Mednis - J. Begovac, Sombor 1 974, after White's 34th
move:

White is up a passed b-Pawn, yet the win is in no way assured

because there are few pawns left and Black's Bishop pair is well
placed to cope with the b-Pawn. But ftrst things ftrst: Black's King
is in check and must go to one of two possible squares. Where?
34 • . • Kf8?

101
 Not here! Though superficially logical ("heading towards the
center" ; "to be closer to the b-Pawn" etc.), it is bound to be wrong
since it allows by force a same-calor Bishop endgame which must
be certain death for Black. For better or worse, 34 . . . Kh8 ! had to
be played. As a follow-up Black puts the dB-Bishop on b6 and then
tries to free his King with . . . g6 and . . . Kg7. As discussed earlier
Black's drawing chances remain considerable.
35 Ne6+ Ke7 36 Nxd8!
Clear and consistent: White aims for that endgame where he is sure
of the win. Inferior is 36 Nxg7? ! , since Black's Bishops and King
may well capture the b-Pawn. If so, White's Kingside pawn advan­
tage would be insufficient for the win.
36 Kxd8 37 f4 Kc7 38 Kfl b6 39 Ke3 Bel 40 Be4 Bb3 41 Kd4
•••

Kb6 42 Bd3 Black resigns

The game was adjourned here, and Black resigned without continu­
ing. The b-Pawn binds Black's King to the Queenside and White's
King gets to the Kingside via e5 to win the pawns there.

4. Keep out the enemy King.

Since the King is an endgame power, it is logical enough to
prevent the enemy King from penetrating into one's own territory.

This fairly obvious point should give us sufficient guidance in

selecting Black's correct move in this position, A. Nimzowitsch - M .
Tchigorin, Carlsbad 1 907, after White's 53rd move. White i s for

1 02
choice because he has the more active King and is able to put
pressure on Black's isolated d-Pawn. Black now must choose
between 5 3 . . . Kc6 and 53 . . . Ke6:
A) 53 . . . Ke6? = Wrong!
This is the game continuation and must be patently wrong since
White's King penetrates on the next move. Black's d-Pawn becomes
immediately indefensible.
54 Kc5 f5 55 h3! fxg4 56 hxg4 d4 57 Kxd4 Kd6 58 f5 Black
resigns

B) 53 ... Kc6! = Right!

Black can now hold the game. At the moment this is not obvious,
but is the only viable practical approach since 53 . . . Ke6? must be
hopeless.
54 h3!
Black has fewer problems after 54 h4 Kd6 55 h5 Ke6 ! 56 Kc5 f5
5 7 g5 hxg5 5 8 h6 Kf7! 59 fxg5 f4 60 Kd4 Kg6, with a draw.
54 ... Kd6 55 h4 Kc6! 56 h5
The break 56 g5 is insufficient: 56 . . . fxg5 57 fx.g5 hxg5 58 h5 g4
59 Ke3 (Or 59 h6 g3 60 Ke3 d4+ 6 1 Kf3 d3 etc.) 59 . . . Kc5 ! 60 h6 !
d4+ 6 1 Kf2 d3 62 h7 g3+, and both sides will queen.
56 ... Kd6 57 g5 fxg5 58 fxg5 Ke6!!
It is possible Tchigorin didn't notice that Black has this surprising
defense. Even so, what he played was demonstrably worse, not only
from a theoretical standpoint, but also from a practical one.
59 g6 Kf6 60 Kxd5 Kg7 61 Ke6 Kg8
Keeping the opposition makes good general sense but Black could
also draw here with 6 1 . . . Kf8 . In all possible cases, White has
many ways to stalemate Black's King, but that's all he can achieve!
62 Kf6 Kf8 Drawn

5. When in doubt, be active!

Often enough the choice between having an active or passive King

comes down to psychological factors. Even though there seems to

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be nothing wrong with an active King move, "wouldn't it be better to
play it safe?. " As a general principle, the answer is "No ! '' -the King
can be very powerful in the endgame, therefore, activate and use it!
An excellent illustration occurs in the play arising from A. Alekhine
- E. Cohn, Stockholm 1 9 1 2, after White's 47th move.

Black has a slight material advantage, a passed e-Pawn and a very

active Rook. White's only hope for salvation are his connected
passed pawns. How should Black react to them?
47 . . . Kc6?
The " safe, " passive way is the losing way, because now White's
King can be activated and the team of King, Knight, b- and c-Pawns
will be too much for Black to handle. As Alekhine pointed out,
Black could have won with the active 47 . . . Kc4 ! , e.g. 48 c6 Ra3 ! 49
Ne4 Ra7 ! , and White's pawn(s) have been stopped.
48 Kd3 Rfl 49 g3! !
White does know the value o f the active King. By preventing the
check on Black's f4, White has ensured c4 for his King.
49 h5 50 Kc4 h4 51 b5+ Kd7 52 gxh4 Rf4+53 Kd5 Rxh4 54
•.•

c6+ Kc7 55 Kc5! Rxh3 56 b6+ Kb8 57 Nb5 Black resigns

Note how the change in the role of the Kings totally changed the
result of the game.

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$8.95

The King in the Endgame can open up a whole new

dimension to your chess game. This book teaches through
practical lessons and examples how to use the King in the
endgame. There are many endgame positions in .which the
King must assist his remaining forces in order to win, or
avoid defeat.

Mikhal Tal, a great champion of fighting chess, suggested

an active King is equivilent to a minor piece (bishop or
knight). In a closly contested endgame, who can affort not
to use such a piece?

International Grandmaster Edmar Mednis is widely

recongized as an outstanding author of endgame texts. This
book reinforces hi s reputation as a premier chess teacher.

0-9454 70-65-7