Title: Chess Endgames — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What is the endgame in chess?
A: The final phase of a game when most pieces are off the board.

Q: Why study endgames?
A: They occur frequently and decide many games; principles inform earlier play.

Q: What is the most important endgame skill?
A: King activity — the king becomes an attacker.

Q: What is "opposition"?
A: Two kings facing each other with one square between; key in K+P endgames.

Q: What is direct opposition?
A: One square between kings on the same file, rank, or diagonal.

Q: What is distant opposition?
A: An odd number of squares between kings on the same line.

Q: What is diagonal opposition?
A: Kings on the same diagonal with one square between.

Q: What is "key squares"?
A: Squares whose occupation by the king ensures pawn promotion.

Q: What is the rule of the square?
A: Determines if a king can catch a passed pawn (draw a square from the pawn).

Q: What is "out of the square"?
A: When the king cannot catch a passed pawn.

Q: What is a passed pawn?
A: A pawn with no opposing pawns on its file or adjacent files.

Q: What is a protected passed pawn?
A: A passed pawn defended by another pawn.

Q: What is a connected passed pawn?
A: Two passed pawns on adjacent files.

Q: What is the value of connected passed pawns?
A: Often unstoppable; mutually defending.

Q: What is promotion?
A: When a pawn reaches the last rank and becomes a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.

Q: What is the typical promotion choice?
A: Queen, unless underpromotion is needed.

Q: What is underpromotion?
A: Promoting to a piece other than the queen for tactical reasons.

Q: What is knight underpromotion?
A: Sometimes saves the game when queen promotion gives stalemate.

Q: What is rook underpromotion?
A: Avoids stalemate when queen would give one.

Q: What is stalemate?
A: A player has no legal moves but isn't in check; a draw.

Q: What is the value of stalemate as defense?
A: A losing side can save the game by stalemate tricks.

Q: What is the K vs K endgame?
A: Trivial draw (insufficient material).

Q: What is the K+Q vs K endgame?
A: Routine win; box in the king.

Q: What is the K+R vs K endgame?
A: Win, but requires technique to avoid stalemate.

Q: What is the K+2B vs K endgame?
A: Win, but requires more technique.

Q: What is the K+B+N vs K endgame?
A: Win, but difficult; requires precise technique.

Q: What is the K+2N vs K endgame?
A: Draw with best play unless opponent has pawns.

Q: What is the K+P vs K endgame?
A: Sometimes win, sometimes draw based on key squares.

Q: What is the rook pawn (a- or h-file) exception?
A: K+P with rook pawn can be drawn if defender's king reaches the corner.

Q: What is the Lucena position?
A: A winning rook endgame with K+R+P vs K+R; building a bridge.

Q: What is "building the bridge" (Lucena)?
A: Using the rook to shield the king from checks.

Q: What is the Philidor position?
A: A drawing rook endgame technique.

Q: What is the third-rank defense (Philidor)?
A: Rook on the third rank prevents enemy king from advancing.

Q: What is the Vancura position?
A: A drawing technique against a rook pawn.

Q: What is the principle "rooks belong behind passed pawns"?
A: Tarrasch's rule; rook behind your pawn helps it advance.

Q: What is the back-rank weakness?
A: A king trapped on the back rank with no escape squares.

Q: What is "luft"?
A: A square for the king to escape back-rank mate.

Q: What is "moving the worst piece"?
A: Improve your weakest piece first in the endgame.

Q: What is the principle "trade pieces when ahead"?
A: Simplification when winning.

Q: What is the principle "trade pawns when behind"?
A: Reduces material to drawing combinations.

Q: What is the rule of two weaknesses?
A: Need multiple weaknesses to win against good defense.

Q: What is "active king"?
A: Centralized, attacking king in the endgame.

Q: What is "centralization"?
A: Bringing the king to the center in the endgame.

Q: What is the typical king's role in the endgame?
A: A strong attacker; equivalent to a minor piece.

Q: What is the value of a knight in endgame?
A: ~3 points; good in closed positions, poor with pawns on both sides.

Q: What is the value of a bishop in endgame?
A: ~3 points; good in open positions, on both sides.

Q: What is the bishop pair advantage?
A: Two bishops control all squares; powerful in open positions.

Q: What is "good bishop" vs "bad bishop"?
A: Good = mobile, off pawn-color; bad = blocked by own pawns.

Q: What is "fixing pawns on opposite colors"?
A: If you have a bishop, place pawns on the opposite color.

Q: What is "opposite-colored bishops"?
A: Often drawish; each bishop can't attack the other.

Q: What is "same-colored bishops"?
A: More winning chances; can attack each other's pawns.

Q: What is the Knight vs Bishop endgame principle?
A: Depends on pawn structure and king activity.

Q: What is "the worst placed piece" rule?
A: Improve it first before activating others.

Q: What is "fortress"?
A: A position the opponent can't break despite material disadvantage.

Q: What is the typical fortress against extra queen?
A: Specific piece placement creating impenetrability.

Q: What is "perpetual check"?
A: Forcing draw by repeated check.

Q: What is the typical perpetual setup?
A: Queen + king vs lone king in some positions.

Q: What is "shuffling"?
A: Maneuvering pieces while looking for the right plan.

Q: What is "the 50-move rule"?
A: A draw if 50 moves pass without a capture or pawn move.

Q: What is the "75-move rule"?
A: Automatic draw at 75 moves; FIDE rule update.

Q: What is "threefold repetition"?
A: Draw if the same position occurs three times.

Q: What is "fifty-move rule" tablebase exception?
A: Some endgames have been proven to need more than 50 moves; rules adjusted.

Q: What is endgame tablebase?
A: Database of perfect play for endgames with limited pieces.

Q: What is "Nalimov tablebase"?
A: Famous early tablebase project.

Q: What is "Syzygy tablebase"?
A: Modern, compact tablebases used by many engines.

Q: What is "the 7-piece tablebase"?
A: Solved endgames with up to 7 pieces; comprehensive perfect play.

Q: What is the typical endgame study?
A: A composed position with a unique solution; instructive.

Q: What is the difference between practical and study endgames?
A: Studies are puzzles; practical endgames arise from games.

Q: What is the role of Capablanca's endgame skill?
A: He was a champion endgame technician.

Q: What is the role of Karpov's endgames?
A: Karpov's positional endgames were legendary.

Q: What is the role of Magnus Carlsen?
A: Modern era's foremost endgame artist.

Q: What is "Magnus's endgame magic"?
A: Squeezing wins from positions deemed drawn.

Q: What is "the principle of two squares"?
A: Some pawn endgames depend on whose move it is by two squares.

Q: What is "zugzwang"?
A: A position where any move worsens your situation.

Q: What is "mutual zugzwang"?
A: Both sides would lose if forced to move.

Q: What is "the wrong bishop"?
A: A bishop unable to control the promotion square in K+B+P endgames.

Q: What is "wrong-colored rook pawn"?
A: With wrong bishop and rook pawn, position is drawn.

Q: What is the corresponding squares technique?
A: Mapping pawn-king relationships for tempo control.

Q: What is "triangulation"?
A: A maneuver to lose a tempo and put opponent in zugzwang.

Q: What is the rule of triangulation?
A: Move king along three squares to return with opponent's turn.

Q: What is "shouldering"?
A: Using your king to block opponent's king.

Q: What is the typical K+P winning structure?
A: King in front of pawn with opposition control.

Q: What is "the rule of the king in front of pawn"?
A: King in front with opposition wins for most pawns.

Q: What is the rule "passed pawns must be pushed"?
A: Aphorism; advance them when in front.

Q: What is the rule "blockade enemy passed pawns"?
A: Use a piece (ideally knight) to stop them.

Q: What is the rook activity principle?
A: Active rooks are worth more than passive ones.

Q: What is "doubling rooks"?
A: Two rooks on the same file or rank; powerful.

Q: What is "rook on the seventh"?
A: A rook on opponent's second rank; very strong.

Q: What is "pigs on the seventh"?
A: Two rooks on the seventh rank; often decisive.

Q: What is "back-rank tactics in endgame"?
A: Mating ideas remain relevant in simplified positions.

Q: What is the role of pawn structure?
A: Often determines plans and winning chances.

Q: What is "weak pawns"?
A: Isolated, doubled, backward, or hanging pawns.

Q: What is the role of an outside passed pawn?
A: Distracts enemy king, freeing yours to attack.

Q: What is the typical winning idea with outside passed pawn?
A: Pawn lures king away; your king eats other pawns.

Q: What is "the principle of the active king"?
A: King activity often outweighs material in pure endgames.

Q: What is "tempo"?
A: A move that effectively gains time or position.

Q: What is "gaining a tempo"?
A: Forcing opponent to waste a move.

Q: What is "losing a tempo"?
A: Wasting a move (sometimes intentional in zugzwang).

Q: What is "rook lift"?
A: Moving a rook along a rank to attack on a different file.

Q: What is the typical knight in K+N+P endgame?
A: Best when supporting pawn from in front.

Q: What is the typical bishop in K+B+P endgame?
A: Best when controlling promotion square.

Q: What is "minority attack"?
A: Pawn attack by fewer pawns on a wing; weakens opponent's majority.

Q: What is "majority"?
A: A pawn majority on one wing; potential passed pawn.

Q: What is "majority attack"?
A: Advancing the larger group of pawns to create a passed pawn.

Q: What is "pawn island"?
A: A connected group of pawns separated by files.

Q: What is "fewer pawn islands is better"?
A: Easier defense; harder to attack.

Q: What is "fixing pawns" in the endgame?
A: Stopping enemy pawns from advancing.

Q: What is "the principle of the unstoppable pawn"?
A: A passed pawn that wins the race to promotion.

Q: What is "promotion race"?
A: Both sides racing to queen; one move advantage often decisive.

Q: What is "Reti's endgame study"?
A: Famous study showing king's apparent inability to stop pawn — but it can via diagonal.

Q: What is Reti's idea?
A: The king moves on a diagonal, simultaneously chasing the pawn and supporting own.

Q: What is "the Saavedra position"?
A: A famous study with surprising rook underpromotion.

Q: What is "the Réti maneuver"?
A: The diagonal route showing geometry beats counting.

Q: What is "K+Q vs K+R"?
A: Generally winning for the queen, but technical.

Q: What is "Q vs R Philidor"?
A: A defensive position drawable in some cases.

Q: What is "K+R+B vs K+R"?
A: Winning theoretically but technically hard.

Q: What is "K+R+N vs K+R"?
A: Generally a draw with proper defense.

Q: What is "Q vs 2 minor pieces"?
A: Slight queen edge; depends on coordination.

Q: What is "Q vs B + N"?
A: Often winning for queen.

Q: What is "Q vs R + B"?
A: Often drawn or close.

Q: What is "Q vs R + N"?
A: Often drawn with passive defense.

Q: What is "K+B+N vs K"?
A: Winning; requires the W-maneuver and knowing the right corner.

Q: What is "the right corner" in B+N mate?
A: Corner of the bishop's color.

Q: What is the typical B+N mate technique?
A: Drive the king to the right corner via the W-maneuver.

Q: What is "the W-maneuver"?
A: A knight maneuver to force the king toward the correct corner.

Q: What is "endgame planning"?
A: Setting up favorable structures during the middlegame.

Q: What is "tradetomastery"?
A: Trading down to a favorable endgame.

Q: What is the role of opening choice on endgame?
A: Some openings lead to specific endgame structures.

Q: What is the Berlin Defense legacy?
A: Often leads to drawish endgames; revived by Kramnik vs Kasparov 2000.

Q: What is "Russian endgame school"?
A: Famous for deep endgame understanding (Botvinnik, Karpov, Smyslov).

Q: What is "Capablanca's Endgame Manual"?
A: A classic endgame textbook.

Q: What is "Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual"?
A: A definitive modern endgame reference.

Q: What is "Müller's Fundamental Chess Endings"?
A: Comprehensive modern endgame book.

Q: What is the role of analyzing endgames?
A: Builds calculation and pattern recognition.

Q: What is "Greco's mate"?
A: An early mate pattern in opening blunders.

Q: What is "smothered mate"?
A: A knight mate where king's escape squares are blocked by own pieces.

Q: What is "Anastasia's mate"?
A: A mate pattern with knight + queen/rook trapping king on the edge.

Q: What is "Boden's mate"?
A: Two bishops mate the king after castling queenside.

Q: What is "Légal's mate"?
A: An attacking pattern from the Italian Game.

Q: What is "epaulette mate"?
A: King flanked by two own pieces blocking escape.

Q: What is "back-rank mate"?
A: A heavy piece mating king trapped on the back rank.

Q: What is "swallow's tail mate"?
A: King mated with king pieces hovering near.

Q: What is "Lawn mower / staircase mate"?
A: Two rooks alternating ranks to push the king to the edge.

Q: What is "Anastasia's mate" again, briefly?
A: Knight on h6 (or similar), king on h-file, mated by rook/queen.

Q: What is the principle of "two rooks vs queen"?
A: Coordinated rooks can defend; queen has perpetual ideas.

Q: What is "King in the corner is a death trap"?
A: Cornered king often falls to mating attacks.

Q: What is "queen and king attack"?
A: Common winning method in queen endings.

Q: What is the typical Q vs P endgame?
A: Queen usually wins unless pawn is on 7th with support.

Q: What is the difference between rook pawn and other pawns?
A: Rook pawns have fewer winning chances (drawing fortress).

Q: What is the typical R vs P endgame?
A: Usually drawn unless rook is well-placed; technical.

Q: What is "K+R+P vs K+R" key idea?
A: Promote pawn with rook support.

Q: What is "the umbrella" technique?
A: Using rook to shield king from checks while pawn promotes.

Q: What is "checking distance"?
A: A rook needs distance to give effective checks.

Q: What is "minimum checking distance"?
A: A rook needs 3+ ranks of space behind it.

Q: What is the typical R+R+P vs R+R defense?
A: Active defense with counterplay.

Q: What is "fortress against extra pawn"?
A: Specific defensive setups holding draws.

Q: What is "the corresponding squares" advanced concept?
A: Mapping all key squares for both kings.

Q: What is "deep zugzwang"?
A: A position requiring many moves to reach a zugzwang.

Q: What is "the principle of one diagonal" for bishops?
A: A bishop controls a diagonal; place pieces on the same color.

Q: What is "the right side of the board"?
A: Where your pawn majority can promote.

Q: What is the typical practice approach?
A: Study fundamental positions, then play them out repeatedly.

Q: What is "tablebase practice"?
A: Practicing perfect-play endgames against engines.

Q: What is the typical recommendation for endgame study time?
A: ~30% of total chess study time, but underdone.

Q: What is the "Bonjour effect"?
A: Modern openings push endgame study into adulthood.

Q: What is "the Soviet school's endgame emphasis"?
A: Russian/Soviet training famously included extensive endgame work.

Q: What is the rule "study endgames first"?
A: Capablanca's advice; endgames teach piece value.

Q: What is the rule "study less, think more"?
A: Many strong players advocate deep understanding over book knowledge.

Q: What is the role of intuition?
A: Built through pattern recognition across many positions.

Q: What is the role of calculation?
A: Critical in endgames where precise sequences matter.

Q: What is the typical endgame mistake?
A: Overlooking opponent's resources; particularly stalemate tricks.

Q: What is the typical winning method?
A: King + pawn + technique against weakened structure.

Q: What is "the principle of the lost tempo"?
A: Triangulating to give the opponent the move.

Q: What is "the principle of preventing exchange of last pawns"?
A: Pawnless endgames are often drawn.

Q: What is "the lesson of every endgame"?
A: Each one teaches piece coordination and king activity.

Q: What is "the bishop endgame heuristic"?
A: Pawns on opposite color than your bishop.

Q: What is "the principle of distant opposition"?
A: Long-range opposition wins by gaining direct opposition.

Q: What is the takeaway of endgame study?
A: Master the basics, then build pattern recognition through play and study.

Q: What is "the principle of opposition control"?
A: Whoever takes opposition first often holds the win.

Q: What is "key squares for the king"?
A: Specific squares that ensure pawn promotion.

Q: What is "the 6th rank rule"?
A: King in front of pawn on the 6th rank usually wins.

Q: What is "the bishop and wrong rook pawn"?
A: Drawn if defender's king reaches the corner.

Q: What is "the rule of two with bishops"?
A: Two bishops cover all colors of squares.

Q: What is "the principle of pawn promotion"?
A: The threat to promote forces the opponent to compromise.

Q: What is "the principle of king activity in king-and-pawn endgames"?
A: King is the active piece; centralization wins.

Q: What is "Vancura's defense"?
A: A drawing technique against an active rook with an a- or h- pawn.

Q: What is "the bridge"?
A: The Lucena technique using rook to shield king.

Q: What is "the principle of restriction"?
A: Limit opponent's pieces while improving yours.

Q: What is "the bishop and a-pawn drawing fortress"?
A: King in corner with bishop unable to control promotion.

Q: What is "two knights vs pawn paradox"?
A: Pawn helps the stronger side win because it creates a target.

Q: What is "the rule of king on 6th rank with pawn on 5th"?
A: Winning except a- or h-pawn cases.

Q: What is "the principle of finding the winning idea"?
A: Identify the structural advantage to exploit.

Q: What is "Reti's geometric trick"?
A: King moves on a diagonal serving two purposes.

Q: What is "tablebase confirmed wins"?
A: Endgames computer-proven; takes the mystery out.

Q: What is "the role of tempo loss for zugzwang"?
A: Triangulation lets you give the move.

Q: What is "Nimzowitsch's quote on endgame"?
A: "The threat is stronger than the execution" — applies in endgames too.

Q: What is "the wisdom of resigning"?
A: Sometimes accepting a loss preserves energy for next game.

Q: What is "the gain from a single won pawn"?
A: In the endgame, can be the entire game.

Q: What is "the importance of patience"?
A: Endgames reward calm, methodical play.

Q: What is "Capablanca's saying about endgames"?
A: "To improve at chess you should study the endgame before everything else."

Q: What is "the principle of two weaknesses"?
A: Single weaknesses can be defended; two cannot.

Q: What is "the rule of opposition with two pawns"?
A: One pawn fixes the opponent; the other promotes.

Q: What is "the principle of the wrong bishop"?
A: Bishop wrong color can't escort pawn to promotion in corner.