King & Pawn vs King (rook pawn)
EndgamePawn EndgamesGoal: promote a pawn
The position
| ♚ | |||||||
| ♙ | |||||||
| ♔ |
White to move and queen a pawn. Count the squares and the moves: endgames like this are decided by a single tempo.
The idea
A pawn on the edge file (the a or h file) is the hardest pawn to win with. The defender's king only has to reach the corner in front of the pawn to draw, so the attacker usually has to settle for half a point.
How to do it
- Count whether the defending king can reach the promotion corner before your pawn. If it can, the position is a draw.
- The attacker only wins if their king gets in front of the pawn before the defender's king reaches the corner.
- If you are defending, run to the corner and sit there. Shuffle between the corner and the square next to it.
- If you are attacking, do not push the pawn to the seventh rank while the enemy king is in the corner, as that is stalemate.
Common mistakes
- Attacking with a rook pawn and expecting the same method as a central pawn. It does not work.
- Pushing the pawn to the seventh rank when the defender's king is in the corner. Stalemate.
- Defending: leaving the corner and letting the attacking king in.
Remember
With a rook pawn, the defender draws by reaching the corner.