The Capablanca method · Chapter 3

The endgame

Endgames are simpler than they look: win a weak pawn and promote one of your own. These five rules do most of the work — step through the key techniques on the board.

E-1

Activate your king

In the endgame the king becomes a strong piece. The moment the queens come off, march it toward the centre (d4/e4/d5/e5). A centralised king is worth about a minor piece; a king hiding in the corner is wasted.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
0/3
Queens are off — the king becomes a fighting piece. March it to the centre (E-1).
E-2

Attack the pawns

You can't checkmate with few pieces, but you can win pawns and promote one of your own. Find the weakest enemy pawn — isolated, doubled, or backward — and direct your king and rook at it.

E-3

Rooks belong behind passed pawns

Behind your own passed pawn, the rook grows stronger as the pawn advances. Behind the opponent's, it restrains the pawn cheaply while your king does other work. A rook in front of a passed pawn is passive and weak.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
0/5
The rook sits BEHIND its passed pawn (E-3) — it will grow stronger with every push.
E-4

Don't push pawns without a reason

Pawn moves can't be taken back. Advance a pawn only to open a file for your rook, make or support a passed pawn, restrict the enemy king, or escape an attack. Otherwise, leave it alone.

E-5

Play on two weaknesses

Create or find two weak points on opposite sides of the board. Attack one to drag the defender across, then switch to the other — your opponent can't be in two places at once. This is how Capablanca won 'equal' endgames.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
0/5
Black has weak pawns on both wings (a7 and h7). One can be defended — two cannot (E-5).
← The middlegame