Chess Endgames - Queen Endings

Queen Endings

With queens on the board, checks decide almost everything. A queen stops a pawn on the seventh rank only with help from its king, queen against rook wins by separating the rook from its king, and queen and pawn endings are often drawn by perpetual check.

Queen vs Pawn on the Seventh

Goal

Stop a pawn on the seventh rank with the queen, and know when the queen cannot win.

Idea

The black pawn on f2 is a bishop pawn, one step from queening, and the black king on g1 stands next to it. The white king is too far away to help. Each queen check only sends the king to the corner, and if the queen takes the pawn there, it is stalemate. With a central pawn the queen wins.

Technique

1. Look at the pawn's file. A central pawn loses to the queen, and a bishop pawn or a rook pawn can draw.
2. Check where the kings are: the draw needs the defending king next to the pawn and the attacking king far away.
3. If the defending king is far from the pawn, the queen wins: it checks the king away and then takes the pawn.
4. Do not take the pawn when the black king stands in the corner behind it.

Typical mistake

Taking the pawn at the wrong moment. After 1. ♕g8+ ♚h2 2. ♕g3+ ♚h1 3. ♕xf2?? it is stalemate.

Exercise

White to move. Win or draw? (The pawn is now a central pawn.)

Practice

Copy the position into any board or engine to practice it:

4Q3/8/5K2/8/8/8/5p2/6k1 w - - 0 1

Queen vs Rook

Goal

Win the rook with a check that makes its king leave, or mate the king. Queen against rook is usually a win, but it takes many accurate moves.

Idea

The rook on e7 is protected by its king on f7, but the white king on d8 attacks it. The check ♕f5+ forces the black king away, the rook loses its protector, and ♔xe7 wins it. With queen and king against a bare king, mate follows.

Technique

1. Look for a check that makes the black king leave the rook.
2. Bring your king close: it attacks the rook, so the rook cannot be protected from a distance.
3. Take the rook when the king steps away: ♔xe7.
4. Then mate with the queen and the king: ♕g4+, ♕c8#.

Typical mistake

Chasing the rook with the queen while the king is far away. The rook stays protected by its king, and the queen only gives checks that lead nowhere.

Exercise

White to move. Find the winning check.

Practice

Copy the position into any board or engine to practice it:

3K4/4rk2/8/8/8/3Q4/8/8 w - - 0 1

Queen and Pawn Endings

Goal

Know that queen endings are often drawn by perpetual check, even against an advanced pawn, and use a safe king to win them.

Idea

White has a pawn on e7, one step from queening, but the white king stands exposed on h4. The black queen checks without end, and White cannot push the pawn. With the white king on g5, out of reach of the checks, White wins.

Technique

1. Before pushing a pawn, check whether the enemy queen can give a perpetual check.
2. Bring your king to a square where the checks run out, often near its own pawn.
3. Use your queen to block or to capture while you advance.
4. As the defender, check from a distance and from behind: ... ♛f6+, ... ♛f5+.

Typical mistake

Pushing the pawn with the king exposed. The checks never stop, and the pawn on the seventh rank cannot queen.

Exercise

Black to move. Win or draw?

Practice

Copy the position into any board or engine to practice it:

8/1k2P3/2q5/8/7K/8/8/4Q3 b - - 0 1

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