Chess Endgames

The 20 Training Questions

GM Susan Polgar

Question 1.

White to play.

White has both pieces en prise

and Black has 2 pawns ready to
race down the board and
promote.

How can White save the game?

Question 2.

Black to play.

Choose between Kg2 and Kh2.

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Question 3.

Black to play.

What is the best move for black?

Question 4.

White to play.

How can White save the game?

2
Question 5.

Black to play.

How can Black save this

position?

Question 6.

White to play.

Can White win from this

position?

3
Question 7.

White to play.

What should the result of this

endgame be?

Question 8.

White to play.

How does White win?

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Question 9.

White to play.

Can White win this?

Question 10.

Black to play.

How can Black force a draw from

here?

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Question 11.

White to play.

Can White win this?

Question 12.

Black to play.

Same position with Black to play.

Can Black save the game?

6
Question 13.

White to play.

How can White draw this

position?

Question 14.

Black to play.

Can Black save the game?

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Question 15.

Black to play.

How can Black win the game?

Question 16.

Black to play.

Black can draw. How?

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Question 17.

Black to play.

White wants to play g4.

What is the better defense: 1...f5

or 1…h5?

Question 18.

White to play.

Susan’s sister, Judit Polgar, won

from this position.

Can you see how?

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Question 19.

White to play.

Can you find the win?

Question 20.

White to play.

Black has cut off White’s King

and can defend against checks
on the 8th rank.

Is there any way for White to

win?

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 The Solutions

1 With 1.Rb6! Kxc5 2.Rxh6!! gxh6 3.Kd2 Kd4 4.Ke2 Ke4 5.Kf2. Black cannot win as
he has the wrong colored Bishop.

2 1…Kh2? loses after 2.Rg8 Kh3 3.Kf2! h1=N+ (h1=Q 4.Rh8) 4.Kf3 Kh2 5.Rg5
Zugzwang. 1…Kg2!! Is a draw after 2.Rg8+ Kf1! 3.Kf3 h2 4.Rh8 Kg1 5.Rg8+ Kf1
with a draw.

3 Black can win by cutting the King off with 1…Rg4! 2.b6 Rg6! 3.b7 Rb6.

4 With 1.Ne3! Kf3 2.Nf1 Kg2 3.Ne3+ Kf2 4.Ng4+ Kf3 5.Nh2+ Kg2 6.Ng4 draw.

5 Black saves the game by taking the distant opposition with 1…Kh7!! 2.Kd6 Kh6
3.Ke6 Kg6=.

6 Yes, White wins be playing a breakthrough. 1.g5 Ke7 2.g6! hxg6 (2…Kf8 3.gxh7)
3.h7 and the pawn promotes.

7 White is winning after 1.Kd4! a3 2.Kc3 Kd6 3.h4. But not 1.h6?? a3 2.h7 a2
3.h8=Q a1=Q+ and Black skewers King and Queen, winning.

8 White uses the outside pawn to distract the Black King: 1.a6 Kc6 2.a7 Kb7
3.Kd5 Kxa7 4.Ke6 g5 5.Kxf6 gxh4 6.Kg5 winning.

9 1.Ke5! Kxa5 2.Kd6 and the Knight can´t stop the pawn.

10 Black draws by giving up his Bishop for the pawns: 1…Bd7! 2.e6+ (2.f6 Be6=;
2.Kf4 Bc8=) Bxe6 3.fxe6+ Kxe6=.

11 Yes, White wins by getting his Bishop in front of the opposing Bishop: 1.Bd7!
Bf1 2.Bc8 Bb5 3.Bb7 Ke6 (Be8 4.Bc6 wins) 4.Bc6.

12 Yes, Black to move draws: 1…Kd4! 2.Bd7 Bf1 3.Bh3 Bb5 4.Bg2 Kc5=.

13 The Philidor position. White cuts off the King and checks from the 8th rank if
the pawn advances. 1.Ra3! e3 2.Ra8 Kd3 3.Rd8+ Ke4 4.Re8+ Kf3 5.Rf8+.

14 1…Rb6! 2.Kc5 (2.a7 Ra6=) Rf6! 3.Kb5 Rf5+ 4.Kb6 Rf6+ 5.Kb7 Rf7+=.

15 With 1…Rd5! 2.Ke3 Kb2 3.Rc4 (3.Ke4 Rd4+) Kb3 4.Rc1 c4 wins.

16 1…Qd8+! 2.g8=Q Qd4+! 3.Qgg7 Qd8+ 4.Qhg8 Qh4+ 5.Q7h7 Qd4. White can´t
avoid perpetual check.

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17 The correct move is 1…h5! This set up (f7-g6-h5) is the best to draw in an
endgame with 4 vs. 3 pawns on the same flank.

18 1.h6+! Kf7 2.g5!! fxg5 3.Rd8 Re1 4.h7 Rf1+ 5.Kxg5 Rg1 6.Kf4 and the h-pawn
decides the game.

19 It’s mate in 2 with 1.Nf6+! gxf6 2.Re8 mate. If 1…Kf8/Kh8 2.Re8 mate.

20 It’s checkmate again with 1.Qd5! (zugzwang) Kf8 2.Qd8 mate. If 1…Kh8 2.Qd8
but not 2.Qxf7?? stalemate!

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