In the endgame you convert your advantage that you have accumulated during the game.

There are different characteristics in the endgame and often it is not quite clear when the endgame starts.

The king becomes a fighter as there is usually not much danger on the board for him when queens have been traded off.

• If you have an advantage in material try to simplify and exchange pieces. (bishops, knights, rooks, queens)
• Always place your rooks behind your passed pawns to support them and behind the opponents pawns to stop them from advancing or to attack them.
• If you have a bad bishop that is blocked by his own pawns sitting on the same colored squares then get rid of this bishop and trade it before you go into the endgame.
• Place your queen into the center and not on the edge of the board to get center power.
• Place your knights into the center.
• Place your king into the center. The king is a fighter, remember?
• Create a passed pawn
• If your position is better don’t exchange your last pawn or you have nothing to promote. You need your pawn to promote it into a queen.

Draw	Draw – Bishop has wrong color

Draw – Two knights can’t give checkmate	Draw

Draw – ends in a stalemate	Draw – ends in a stalemate

However you should replay and study the following realistic chess endgames commented by Jan van Reek and learn more about chess endgame principles.

Replay and study the Chess Games

commented by Jan van Reek
Flip Board: Press F-Key (or click e7 or d2 on top)

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