Position 1
Queen and King against King
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Chapter 5 of 13
The End-Game
The material needed to force mate, piece against piece, King and pawn against King and the opposition, pawn majorities and the distant passed pawn, doubled pawns, and endings with pieces and pawns.
Every example is on its own board: click a move or use the arrows, and the notes appear beside the board. The number under the board is Stockfish's evaluation for White (minus means Black is better), or the exact result when few enough pieces are left.
Just as it is difficult to state the exact point at which an opening ends, so is it equally difficult to say where the end-game may be said to commence. One of the main characteristics of end-games is the active part taken by the King. Clearly the King cannot venture out into the field of operations until there has been an exchange of the majority of the pieces, so that there can be no danger of his being mated. As soon as a player has attained some advantage in material which ensures the victory in the end-game, he will try to bring about the end-game by exchanging pieces, for there the lines on which to push home his advantage are clearly set out.
It is first necessary to know what surplus of forces is the minimum required in order to force a mate. The positions in which the mate can be forced may be shown by a few typical examples. But I shall lay stress mainly on one point. That is the ability to judge whether an end-game which could be brought about by exchanges is won or not; in other words, whether it can be reduced to one of the typical positions referred to above.
It is obvious that the end-game is the particular demesne of pawn strategy. Nearly always one or more pawns survive the exchange of pieces, and the knowledge of the end-game will be invaluable for gauging the consequences of pawn moves in the course of the middle game. The latter represents probably the most difficult aspect of the strategy of chess.
End-games with pieces
In order to enable beginners to grasp the following chapters, I must again point out a few elementary considerations. Simple end-games, that is, end-games without pawns, are comparatively easy to understand. Let us first consider the case of a King denuded of all his troops. In order to force the mate it is necessary to obtain command of four squares, namely, those four squares which he controls after he has been driven into a corner. Supposing the Black King has been driven to a8, the White King can prevent him from reaching two squares of different colour, namely, a7 and b7. Therefore it is necessary for White still to have such forces as can command two more squares of different colour, namely, a8 and b8. As can readily be seen, it will be essential to have at least the Queen or a Rook or two Bishops, or a Knight and Bishop, or two Knights. (How the King can be driven into a corner will be shown subsequently.)
We shall see that in the latter case it is impossible to drive the King into a corner without bringing about a stalemate. The mates by a Queen or Rook are so simple that I only give an example of each for the sake of completeness. (The book gives these first three positions in words, not as diagrams.)
1ahPosition 2
Rook and King against King
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Position 3
Two Bishops and King against King
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
It is more difficult to mate with Knight and Bishop. It is only possible to mate on a corner square commanded by the Bishop, as the following argument shows clearly. A mating position in the corner which the Bishop does not command would have to be of the type set out in Diagram 42. Here the Bishop plays on White squares, and the Knight in order to checkmate must move on to a White square; in other words, he must come from a Black one. Therefore, when the Bishop checked on the previous move and drove the King away, the King had the option of two black squares, and had no need to go into the corner one. He is only mated in consequence of a wrong move.
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As stated above, however, it is possible in all cases to mate in the corner square which is of the same colour as the Bishop. The King is driven into the corner in this way: the Knight cuts him off such squares as the Bishop does not command. Diagram 43 will serve as an illustration.
Diagram 43
The mate with Knight and Bishop
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
It is impossible to force a mate with the King and two Knights. On the same grounds as given with respect to Diagram 42, the mate can only be attained through the opponent making a bad move. But a mate can be forced if the weaker side has a spare move which prevents the stalemate, e.g. Diagram 44.
Diagram 44
Two Knights against a pawn
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Having decided as to the smallest amount of material advantage with which it is possible to force a mate, we will now turn our attention to simple game endings (still without pawns). To judge such endings correctly, it will only be necessary to find out whether it is possible to obtain the minimum advantage mentioned. It is sufficient to discuss cases in which a piece on the one side plays against a stronger one on the other, because in endings where several pieces are left on either side, fortuitous circumstances are generally the deciding factors, and it would be impossible to characterise and classify positions of that kind, by giving typical illustrations. Besides, they are reduced sooner or later by exchanges to such end-games as have been treated already, or are going to be shown now.
The Queen wins against any other piece; the Rook alone may give trouble. In Diagram 45 we illustrate a position which is one of the most favourable to the weaker side.
Diagram 45
Queen against Rook
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1.Qa6 leads to nothing, as 1.Qa6 Rc7+ 2.Kb6 Rc6+ follows, and Black forces a stalemate. It is necessary for White to gain a move in this position; in other words, White must try to transfer to the other side the onus of having to move. If then the Rook moves away from the King, it gets lost after a few checks, or if Black's King plays to c8, the Rook is equally lost through Qa6.
The Rook can win against a minor piece in exceptional cases only. In endings of Rook against Bishop the weaker King must take refuge in a corner square of different colour from that of his Bishop. For instance, Diagram 46:
Diagram 46
Rook against Bishop, the safe corner
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Imagine the pieces in Diagram 46 shifted two squares towards the centre of the board, as in Diagram 47, and White wins with:
Diagram 47
Rook against Bishop, the wrong square
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
In endings of Rook against Knight, the weaker side loses, where the Knight is cut off from his King. For instance, in Diagram 48:
Diagram 48
Rook against Knight
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
As soon as the Knight can obtain the King's support the game is drawn even when the King is already forced on to the edge of the board. (The book gives the next two positions in words.)
Rook against Knight, with the King's support
a draw
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Rook against Knight, the King in the corner
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Pawn endings
We come now to the more interesting part of end-game play, namely, pawn endings. The best course will be first to study how to turn a material superiority in pawns to decisive advantage, after which we shall note particular positions, in which a win is possible with an equality or even an inferiority in pawns.
The ending of King and pawn against King is one of the simplest albeit one of the most important of elementary cases. The stronger side will evidently try to queen the pawn. But generally this is not possible if the adverse King has command of the queening square. One important condition, though, must be complied with: the weaker King must move into "opposition," and "opposition" is one of the characteristic and deciding factors in most pawn endings. It is absolutely necessary for the learner to understand fully the meaning of the term "opposition," and its value in elementary cases. This knowledge is of far reaching influence in end-games.
In Diagram 49 White seeks to queen his pawn.
Diagrams 49 and 50
The opposition
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This is the critical moment, namely, when the pawn reaches the sixth rank. If now Black plays 3…Ke8 he is lost, for White playing 4.Ke6 has the opposition (see the variation). But Black has a draw in this position, by playing 3…Kd8!! (not …Ke8).
Other moves here
Diagram 51 will serve as an example. Having the move, White would only draw with 1.c5, because Black's …Kf7 wins the pawn. But White wins as follows:
Diagrams 51 and 52
Winning the opposition
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
This is possible in positions such as that in Diagram 53, where the stronger King is not more than one rank ahead of his pawn, and the weaker King can assume the opposition. In the position in Diagram 53 Black plays …Kd5 and maintains the opposition until the pawn moves, after which a typical position, similar to the one treated in connection with Diagram 50, is brought about. If White has the move, however, he wins easily by 1.Kc4, thus:
Diagram 53
The King one rank ahead
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
If the King is more than one rank ahead of his pawn, as in Diagram 54, the end-game can always be won, for if Black takes the opposition with …Kd6, White deprives him of it again, winning a move by c3, and the position is similar to that in Diagram 53, with White to move.
Diagram 54
The King two ranks ahead
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
This settles all typical end-games of King and pawn against King. There is, however, one exception to the rules set out, namely, when a Rook's pawn is concerned. Here the isolated King always succeeds in drawing if he can reach the corner where the pawn has to queen, for he cannot be driven out again. The Rook's pawn affords another opportunity for the weaker side to draw. Diagram 55 will illustrate this, and similar positions are of frequent occurrence in practice.
Diagram 55
The Rook's pawn
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
End-games with a majority of one pawn, when both sides still have pawns, are much more simple to manipulate. Such games result in positions of which Diagram 56 is a typical instance. Here White does not even need to Queen his passed pawn. The mere threat forces the win. For the pawn at g4 reduces the mobility of the Black King, in so far as the latter must at all times be ready to reach the queening square in as few moves as the pawn, or else the pawn would queen unmolested. The White King can therefore capture the opposing Bishop's pawn in peace and then queen his own.
Diagram 56
The passed pawn that ties the King
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Such positions as Diagram 56 are also reached when there are several pawns on each wing. The stronger side exchanges pawns on the wing where there is a majority until the extra pawn is passed.
The winning process is not quite so simple when all the pawns are on the same wing, because exchanges are of no use unless the King can assume the opposition in front of the last remaining pawn (compare notes to Diagram 53). In Diagram 57, for instance, White must not play c4. Therefore he can only win by gaining the Knight's Pawn, that is, by bringing his King to c5. This he achieves by forcing the Black King to relinquish the opposition with 1.c3.
Diagram 57
All the pawns on one wing
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Before I discuss positions of greater complexity, in which the only way to win is by sacrificing the extra pawn, I shall treat of end-games in which positional advantages ensure the victory although the pawns are equal. Here we shall find simple cases in which pawn manœuvres bring about the win, and more intricate ones in which King moves are the deciding factor.
Of the former the most important type is the end-game with the "distant passed pawn." A typical example is the position in Diagram 58, in which Black wins. The King's moves are outlined by the necessity of capturing the opposing passed pawn, after which the Black King is two files nearer the battle-field (the Queen's side), so that the White pawns must fall.
Diagram 58
The distant passed pawn
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
For similar reasons the position in Diagram 59 is lost for Black. White obtains a passed pawn on the opposite wing to that of the King. He forces the Black King to abandon his King's side pawns, and these are lost. I give the moves in full, because this is another important example characteristic of the ever recurring necessity of applying our arithmetical rule. By simply enumerating the moves necessary for either player to queen his pawn, separately for White and Black, we can see the result of our intended manœuvres, however far ahead we have to extend our calculations.
Diagram 59
Counting the moves
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
It is necessary to make it a rule to examine positions in which each side has a passed pawn, by counting the moves in the way first shown. It is just because end-games can be calculated to a nicety, there being no moves of which the consequences cannot be foreseen, that we note in contemporary master play a tendency to simplify the middle-game by exchanging pieces, as soon as there is an infinitesimal advantage in the pawn position (compare the game Charousek – Heinrichsen, below).
We will now turn our attention to positions in which the pawns opposed on each wing are of equal number and no passed pawn can be forced through. Everything depends on the relative position of the Kings. The deciding factor in valuing the King's position is whether pawn moves are possible, or whether they are already entirely or nearly exhausted, so that only manœuvres by the King are possible. The following illustrations make the position clear. We shall see that the importance of getting the opposition is paramount. Diagram 60 shows a simple instance in which there are no more pawn moves. Whoever has the move wins by assuming the opposition. The opposing King must then give the way free to one of the pawns.
Diagram 60
Whoever has the move wins
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Win
A position to study: explore it from here, or switch on the live engine.
The state of affairs in Diagram 61 is similar to that in Diagram 60. Having the move, White plays into opposition and forces his way to d5, after which Black's Bishop's pawn is lost.
Diagram 61
White to move wins
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
If Black has the move he can only draw, because the White Bishop's pawn is covered even though Black gains the square at d4.
Diagram 61
Black to move draws
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Draw
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
I shall take this opportunity of explaining what is called "distant opposition." In Diagram 62, White with the move wins by 1.Ke2, thus assuming "distant opposition" (squares of the same colour!!).
Diagram 62
The distant opposition
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
If the pawns are still standing behind, the King who has the most advanced position has always the advantage, because he threatens to attack the opposing pawns should they leave their base. White has more pawn moves at his disposal, and will nearly always succeed in assuming the opposition. For instance, in Diagram 63, White, having the move, wins because his King gets first into the centre of the board.
Diagram 63
The more advanced King
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
The strength or weakness of a pawn position, which, as we saw, had so deciding an influence in the end-game position just treated, is one of the most important factors in a game of chess, and should have full consideration in the middle game. A pawn, when isolated, is naturally weaker than when it is or can be protected by another. It may easily lead to the loss of a game, as the mobility of the King or a piece is reduced by having to protect the pawn.
It is frequently and erroneously thought that doubled pawns as such are a weakness. Doubled pawns are weak when isolated, for they cannot support each other. But if doubled pawns can be supported by a pawn on the next file they need not by any means be at a disadvantage against three united single pawns on the opposite side. For instance, in Diagram 64, if Black had a pawn at b6 instead of a7, White would have no winning chances. He could not attack the pawns, nor would any kind of manœuvres force a passed pawn through. In the diagram, however, White wins through:
Diagram 64
Doubled pawns that cannot hold
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
In this particular case the win is made easy by the fact that the White King is able to attack the Black pawn at once. But even without this advantage, the weakness of doubled pawns usually entails the loss of the game. Diagram 65 may serve as an example.
Diagram 65
The weakness of doubled pawns
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Doubled pawns are a drawback, even when not isolated, should there be no way of obtaining a passed pawn by exchanging them against a smaller number of single pawns. This is illustrated in Diagram 66, in which Black wins because the three pawns on the King's side hold up the four White pawns and the Black King can assail the White pawns from the rear, the White King being fettered by the necessity of capturing the c-pawn. The proper formation for the Black pawns would be at f6, g7, h6, after which White cannot force a pawn through by playing f4 and g5, as Black can refrain from making any exchange. Black could not afford to leave the pawns where they are, because even if there were no White pawn at f2, White would, by playing g5, threaten to win by g6 and h6.
Diagram 66
Ed. Lasker – Moll, Berlin 1904
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Other moves here
To conclude the study of pawn endings with an equal number of pawns on either side, we will discuss Diagram 67, which illustrates a curious position occurring from time to time in practice. Whoever has the move wins by moving into distant opposition. White, therefore, should play 1.Ke5; 1.Kd5 would lose, as Black would play …Kb4, protecting his pawn and attacking the White pawn, the protection of which White has to give up next move. In the same way Black with the move cannot play …Kb4 because White wins the pawn with Kd5.
Diagram 67
The distant opposition again
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
We have still to consider end-games in which a draw results in spite of a majority of pawns, or where a win can only be achieved by the sacrifice of an extra pawn. Diagram 68 shows the latter case. Here White can only win in the following manner:
Diagram 68
Winning by giving back the extra pawn
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Any other way would allow Black to assume the opposition and to force the draw, e.g. 1.Kc2 Kc6 2.Kd3 Kd5, etc. Not 1.Kc2 Kb4 2.Kb2 Kc5 3.Kc3, etc., as in Diagram 57.
A counterpart to this position is found in Diagram 69, which shows one of the few cases in which the possession of an extra pawn does not force a win. It seems at first sight as if White could win by simply assuming the opposition with 1.Ke4, continued …Ke7 2.Kd5 Kd7 3.f5 Ke7 4.Kc6, etc. But Black would reply:
Diagram 69
An extra pawn that does not win
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Mixed endings
We come now to those end-games in which pieces as well as pawns are left on the board. As it is my aim to give typical examples, I shall confine myself to positions where there is only one piece besides the King. Most end-games with several pieces can be reduced to that.
In nearly all end-games with pieces the King's manœuvres used in pawn endings are of no avail, as far as opposition is concerned, as the advantage of opposition means that the opponent is forced to move his King, and as long as there are pieces on the board, such "forced move" positions are infrequent. However, the strength of the pawn position is of the same importance as in pawn endings, just as the command of as many squares as possible is essential for the King. A third and very important factor is again the mobility of pieces.
A good example is found in Diagram 70, a position from a game Post – Leonhardt (Berlin Jubilee Tournament, 1907). Black's pawn position is weaker, because the White pawns, being on Black squares, cannot be attacked by the Bishop, whilst Black has two isolated pawns on White squares. Furthermore the Black Bishop has less mobility than the White one, and finally the Black King is tied to d6, to prevent White's entry at c5 or e5. These drawbacks decide the issue.
Diagram 70
Post – Leonhardt, Berlin 1907
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
A corresponding instance of Knight v. Bishop is the end-game Blackburne – Schlechter, below.
It is difficult to gauge the relative value of Bishop and Knight in the end-game. The Knight has the advantage of access to all squares; against that the Bishop is able to fight at long range, and offers opportunities of gaining moves in certain positions where there is a "forced move."
As already stated, two Bishops are superior to two Knights because the limitation of the colour of squares ceases. A Rook generally wins against a Bishop or a Knight, sometimes even against a majority of one or two pawns, provided, of course, that there are still pawns on the Rook's side, and that their exchange cannot be forced. The following position (Diagram 71), from a game Moll – Post, shows how to proceed in such cases.
Diagram 71
Moll – Post
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
The Queen against a minor piece wins so easily that it is not necessary to give an example. It only remains to discuss end-games of Queen v. Queen, Rook v. Rook, and minor piece v. minor piece, in which one player has a majority of pawns, or an equal number of pawns, one of which is passed. As a rule the extra pawn leads to a win. There are, however, exceptions frequently recurring in practice to which I must refer specially.
Diagram 72 shows an end-game with a Rook's pawn and a Bishop "of the wrong colour."
Diagram 72
The Bishop of the wrong colour
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Draw
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
In Diagram 73 White cannot win, although his Bishop is of the "right colour," by 1.c7 Nxc7 2.Bxc7, and White cannot win the Rook's pawn. He can only attack the pawn from g7 or g8, both of which are inaccessible as the Black King gets to g8. It is a stalemate position. If the White pawn were still at h5, White's King could attack the pawn from h6 and secure the win.
In the position given, White could only win by keeping his passed pawn, and indeed it is possible to win by gaining a move with the Bishop. In the diagram it is White's move. Black with the move could not play …Kf7 because Kd6 would follow. The Knight would have to move, allowing the pawn to queen. Therefore White must try to bring about the same position with Black to move. He can do this, for instance, in the following way:
Diagram 73
Gaining a move with the Bishop
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
On this occasion I should like to point out that it is impossible to gain a move with a Knight, as a square which is accessible to him in an odd number of moves cannot be reached by him in an even number. A simple instance is Diagram 74. White loses, having the move:
Diagram 74
A Knight cannot gain a move
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
In end-games of Bishop v. Bishop, of which we have already had an example in Diagram 70, an extra pawn wins in most cases if the Bishops are of the same colour. It is generally possible to force an exchange of Bishops and obtain one of the well-known pawn endings.
On the other hand an ending with Bishops of different colour leads mostly to a draw, frequently even against a majority of two pawns. The position in Diagram 75 is a draw, because it is impossible for the White King to get round his g-pawn to drive off the Bishop.
Diagram 75
Bishops of opposite colour, two pawns up: a draw
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A position to study: explore it from here, or switch on the live engine.
With two passed pawns distant from each other, a win can generally be forced, as in the following position (Diagram 76). The King moves up to the pawn, the progress of which is barred by the Bishop (not the King). He thereby forces the sacrifice of the Bishop. If the Black King comes to the rescue of the Bishop, the other pawn proves Black's downfall.
Diagram 76
Two distant passed pawns
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
When the pawns are united, one should observe this rule: if they are attacked, they should, if possible, move to squares of the colour of the opposing Bishop. Therefore in the position set out in Diagram 77 White should not play f5, but e5. After 1.f5 there is no possible chance for White to assume the command of the Black squares, and in order to advance the pawns it is necessary to force access to both White and Black squares. In the present instance play would proceed on these lines:
Diagram 77
United pawns against the opposite Bishop
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
In end-games with one Knight on each side, an extra pawn usually decides the game much in the same way as in end-games with Bishops of the same colour; frequently even with equal pawns, the possession of a passed pawn is sufficient, as it keeps either the King or the Knight busy, so that there is only one piece available for the defence of the pawns. An instructive example is the end-game Ed. Lasker – Rotlewi, below.
End-games with Rook against Rook are the most frequent, as well as the most difficult. Here the possession of an extra pawn is seldom sufficient for a win, unless the stronger side has also an advantage in the greater mobility of the Rook. Diagram 78 is typical of such cases, frequent in practice, in which the greater mobility is the deciding factor. Although White has one pawn more, he can only win by reducing the mobility of the Black Rook through the following manœuvre:
Diagram 78
Rook against Rook, the more mobile Rook
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Having the move, Black would draw the game by:
Diagram 78
Black to move draws
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
When there is only one pawn left in endings of Rook against Rook, the weaker side maintains the draw, if the King can command the queening square. Diagram 79 shows a position favourable to the stronger side, and which can mostly be obtained in this end-game. But here, too, Black forces a draw with a pretty manœuvre:
Diagram 79
A stalemate defence
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Draw
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
The chances of a draw are even greater in endings of Queen against Queen, as the King on the stronger side can seldom evade perpetual check. For the sake of completeness I will show a few cases in which Queen or Rook cannot win against an advanced pawn.
In Diagram 80 White can still draw, for in five moves the pawn reaches b2, supported by the King at a2, and in that time Black cannot come up with his King, so that he must give up the Rook for the pawn.
Diagram 80
Rook against an advanced pawn: a draw
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hDraw
A position to study: explore it from here, or switch on the live engine.
Two passed pawns win, even when the King is away from them, if they have reached their sixth square. In Diagram 81, for instance, White is lost, as Black gives up his Rook at d2 and plays …g3, after which one of the pawns queens.
Diagram 81
Two pawns on the sixth
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Loss
A position to study: explore it from here, or switch on the live engine.
The Queen wins against an advanced pawn, even when the latter is supported by the King; only the Rook's or Bishop's pawn can draw sometimes, when the pawn is on the seventh supported by the King, and the opposing Queen cannot move to the queening square. The following illustrates the three principal cases (the book gives them in words):
A
Queen against the Rook's pawn: stalemate
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Therefore, if in the above example the Black King was standing at d4, Black would win as follows:
A
With the King near, Black wins
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
B
Queen against the Bishop's pawn: White draws
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Draw
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
C
Queen against the Knight's pawn: White loses
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Loss
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
End-games from master play
In the following pages I give some instructive examples taken from tournament play. Step by step we will find how very important is the knowledge of the simple endings treated in the last chapter. We shall see that it is often necessary to consider many moves ahead to find the correct line, but that it is nearly always possible to foresee every consequence with unfailing certainty. Moreover, because of the reduction of forces there is no call to take very many variations into consideration. This explains why there is a tendency in modern master play to enforce the exchange of pieces, as soon as there is the slightest advantage sufficient to bring about one of the elementary end-game positions, in which the win can be forced.
I. Teichmann – Blackburne, Berlin 1897
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Black has an extra pawn on the Queen's side. But as it is doubled, the material superiority is of no account. A perceptible advantage, however, lies in the fact that White cannot bring about a "forced move" position, as Black has the move …c5 in reserve. White has also an infinitesimal weakness on the King's side, the Rook's pawn having advanced two squares and being therefore an easy mark. This disadvantage soon becomes apparent.
II. Ed. Lasker – Rotlewi, Hamburg 1910
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7…c4. The notes are on the highlighted moves.
III. Blackburne – Schlechter (Vienna, 1898). White has just played Qf4. f5 is threatened, and Black is forced to exchange Queens. The ensuing end-game, however, is inferior for Black, because the d-pawn is weak and White threatens eventually to force his Queen's Pawn through.
III. Blackburne – Schlechter, Vienna 1898
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
IV. Bird – Janowski
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In spite of the preponderance of material, the win is not an easy one for Black, because of White's alarming pawn array on the Queen's side. The King must first make use of his great power as an end-game piece.
V. Steiner – Forgacz, Székesfehérvár 1907
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White has an advantage in the greater mobility of his Rook, and makes the most of it in an instructive fashion.
VI. Charousek – Heinrichsen, Cologne 1898
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White's position is superior; firstly, because the only open file on the board is his, and secondly, because the Black Queen's side pawns are advanced, and therefore weak for a King's ending. After exchanging the Queen and one Rook, the possession of the King's file ensures the advance of the King to e4 and from there to d5. Then the weakness of Black's pawns decides the game.