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The chess endgame with a king and a pawn versus a king is one of the most important and fundamental endgames, other than the basic checkmates. [1] It is an important endgame for chess players to master, since most other endgames have the potential of reducing to this type of endgame via exchanges of pieces.
King and pawn endgames involve only kings and pawns on one or both sides. International Master Cecil Purdy said, "Pawn endings are to chess as putting is to golf." Any endgame with pieces and pawns has the possibility of simplifying into a pawn ending. [16] In king and pawn endings, an extra pawn is decisive in more than 90 percent of the cases ...
See King and pawn versus king endgame.) If it were White's turn to move, Black would have the opposition and the position would be a draw. In order to ensure correct play in situations like in the diagram, it may be helpful to remember that each time the pawn steps forward, it must be without giving check.
The back-rank defense always works if the pawn is a rook pawn or knight pawn and the defending king is in front of the pawn. The defending king blocks the pawn and the rook is on the first rank preventing checks by the rook. In the diagram, Black draws. If 1.g7 then 1...Rb6+ draws, and if 1.Rg7+ then 1...Kh8 draws. White's best attempt is: 1 ...
The Lucena method also works with a rook pawn if the white rook is already on the fourth rank, the black rook is not on the file adjacent to the pawn, and White is to move. Otherwise, the defending king must be cut off four files from the pawn, as in the diagram. This is not a true Lucena position since the king is cut off by more than one file.
Philidor believed that maintaining the mobility of pawns was the most important strategic factor of chess, and he discussed pawn structure, particularly isolated pawns, doubled pawns, and backward pawns. Philidor's writings were widely praised and misunderstood for 90 years. His ideas were taken up by the English school in the 1840s.
In a king and pawn versus king endgame with a rook pawn, the defending king only has to get in front of the pawn to draw the game. In contrast, in the endgame with a bishop and the wrong rook pawn, getting the defending king in front of the pawn will not necessarily draw. In this position from Edmar Mednis, White wins if it is their move. 1 ...
If the pawn is held up before the fifth rank, the rook is better in front of the pawn. Often the rook is best protecting the pawn from the side if it is on the fifth rank or higher. [20] In the ending of a rook and pawn versus a rook, if the defending king is cut off from the pawn's file, then the best defence is with the rook on its first rank ...