Hold the Draw: Step Back
EndgamePawn EndgamesGoal: draw
The position
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Black to move and hold the draw. A draw is a good result here, and knowing the defensive method saves half points.
The idea
When you defend a king-and-pawn ending, your aim is to keep the opposition: your king facing the attacking king with one square between, with the attacker to move. There are three ways to take or keep it. This position is about the first: stepping back.
How to do it
- Keep your king in front of the pawn, so it cannot move forward safely.
- When the attacking king steps forward and the kings stand with a gap of two squares, step straight back to restore one square between the kings.
- Keep doing this, always answering so that the attacker, not you, has to move when the kings face each other.
- If the attacker cannot get past your king or push the pawn safely, the game is drawn.
Common mistakes
- Stepping to the side when only a step back keeps the opposition.
- Counting the squares between the kings wrongly.
- Letting the attacking king reach a key square in front of the pawn.
Remember
Stepping back is one way to keep the opposition. Use it when the kings are too close together.