In ”My System” by Aron Nimzowitsch, five elements are discussed for endgame strategy.
• Centralization
• The aggressive Rook position and the active officer in general.
• The rallying of all isolated detachments
• The combined advance.
• The materialization of files.
Jay Stallings an experienced scholastic chess coach from California gives an endgame lesson for beginners that describes 4 rules for the endgame. They are simple and most importantly easy to follow.
• Use your strongest piece to attack the enemy pawns.
• Get your king to the center.
• Try to create a passed pawn.
• Stop your opponent from doing the first three.
Reuben Fine's "Basic Chess Endings" gives the following conclusion to endgames.
There are three points that are so fundamental that they must always be borne in mind:
1. Without Pawns one must be at least a Rook ahead in order to be
able to mate. The only exceptions to this which hold in all cases
are that the double exchange wins and that a Queen cannot defend
successfully against four minor pieces.
2. Where one is two or more Pawns ahead the win is routine. By this
we mean that a straightforward advance of the Pawns will net
considerable material gain, usually at least a piece. With a piece
to the good one can then capture more Pawns, then more pieces,
and finally mate.
3. The theory of the ending proper is concerned to a large extent
with the conversion of an advantage of one Pawn into a win. The
basic principle is that one Pawn wins only because it can be used
to capture more material. Straightforward advance will as rule
not do the trick (as it will with two Pawns). The chief devices to
be used in the winning process are forcing an entry with the
King, keeping the opponent busy on both sides (outside passed
Pawn) and simplification.
Fine goes on to give the following "FIFTEEN RULES FOR THE ENDGAME ".
Most of the following rules have been mentioned in the body of the
work. We have gathered them here in order to impress upon the reader the
necessity of proceeding according to general principles rather than trial and
error.
• Doubled, isolated and blockaded Pawns are weak: Avoid them !
• Passed Pawns should be advanced as rapidly as possible.
• If you are one or two Pawns ahead, exchange pieces but not Pawns.
• If you are one or two Pawns behind, exchange Pawns but not pieces.
• If you have an advantage do not leave all the Pawns on one side.
• If you are one Pawn ahead, in 99 cases out of 100 the game is drawn if there are Pawns on only one side of the board.
• The easiest endings to win are pure Pawn endings.
• The easiest endings to draw are those with Bishops of opposite colors.
• The King is a strong piece: Use it!
• Do not place your Pawns on the color of your Bishop.
• Bishops are better than Knights in all except blocked Pawn positions.
• Two Bishops vs. Bishop and Knight constitute a tangible advantage.
• Passed Pawns should be blockaded by the King; the only piece which is not harmed by watching a Pawn is the Knight.
• A Rook on the seventh rank is sufficient compensation for a Pawn.
• Rooks belong behind passed Pawns.
Both Bruce Pandolfini and Jeremy Silman give extensive coverage to the elements of the endgame. In fact hundreds of endgame books exist and hundreds of thousands of endgame problems have been composed for students to learn from. So why is the endgame the weakest part of most chess amateur's game? Quite simply the amateur forgoes the study of the endgame in favor of the following:
1.Reading about his favorite openings
2. Looking through a collection of grandmaster games
3. Studying Middlegame Tactics.
Though these three studies are needed for proper chess development the endgame study is by far more important if the player is to achieve beyond the amateur ranks. I suggest the following endgame course for all competing students:
• A complete study of the endgame shortly after the introduction of the rules of the game and calculation studies (The math of chess).
• Training in tactics added as they are needed to help complete the endgame study.
• Pattern studies for both the middle game and the endgame.
• Opening strategy and tactics.
Why opening studies in an end game course? In many cases you can guide an opening towards a favorable endgame position without going through a complex middle game and so an understanding of how to bridge the opening to the endgame is useful. With the above properties given I shall now try to formulate a list of the most important rules for the chess student and hopefully cover the endgame as completely as possible.
“The Art of Endgame Play”
If you assess it…The plan will come.
• The Material Count . Who is ahead and is it a factor?
• The Pawn Structure . Are there any weakness, targets or advantages?
• Piece placement . Are your pieces on their best squares, are all of them employed?
• King safety and centralization. Is you king safe and is he doing his job?
• The Character of the whole position. Are you winning or losing?
• Pawn Structure
Your proper assessment of the pawns is the most important first step to a successful endgame. Find the weakness in yours and your opponent's pawn structure will help you devise a plan to overcome and exploit. The following is a list of questions for pawn structure in the endgame.
• Are there any passed pawns for me and can I promote them?
• Are my passed pawns in “The Square”?
• Are my Rooks behind my pawns?
• Does my pawn queen on the color of my Bishop?
• Is promoting going to cause a stalemate?
• What are my pawn weaknesses?
• Do I have doubled pawns?
• Do I have isolated pawns?
• Do I have backward pawns?
• Are my pawns on squares that impede my pieces. Bad bishops and blocked files.
• Can I defend and is it worth defending my pawns?
• Do I have a kingside or queenside majority?
• What are my opponents pawn weaknesses
• Does he have doubled pawns?
• Does he have isolated pawns?
• Does he have backward pawns?
• Are his pawns on squares that impede his pieces. Bad bishops and blocked files.
• Can he defend and is it worth capturing his pawns?
Does he have a kingside or queenside majority?
• Piece Placement
Where your pieces reside in the endgame can make or break the position. Ask yourself the following questions about your pieces:
• Are your Rooks occupying open files or the 7 th rank?
• Do you have your knights on outposts.
• Is your position open enough to centrally post your bishops.
• Are your bishops free from pawn obstacles?
• If you have a Queen is she actively aimed at targets?
• Are your pieces able to assist your passers?
• If you do not have pieces?
5. Your King's Health Plan
You need to begin considering the optimum location of your king and find a safe plan to get there.
• Can I get my King to trouble areas after the pieces are exchanged?
• Do I have the opposition?
• Is my king inside the square?
• Can my King reach the golden square?
• Does my opponent's King have a health plan?
6. Character Counts!
After asking yourself all of the above questions you will need to ask several very important questions.
• Am I winning and do I now have the correct plan to execute the victory?
• How do I assess my opponents play?
• Does he have chances for cheapos and swindles?
• How do I play risk free?
• How do I avoid telescoping and gloating?
• What do I do after the win?
• Am I losing and do I have a good plan to salvage a draw?
• If the position is lost, are there any cheapos that can pull out a win or draw?.
• Should I offer a draw?
• When should I resign?
• What do I do after the loss?
• Material Count
Do the math! Remember count only what is on the board. This is the easiest chore a chess player has. The hard part is knowing if the material imbalances are enough to make a real difference. If you are ahead or behind you will need to ask the following questions.
• If you are ahead is it safe to trade down ? (See Rule 3 of Fine's)
• If you are behind are you compensated and can you overcome the deficit?
Here are some factors that may influence your count.
• Remember that a passed pawn on the 6 th or 7 th rank is worth more than a pawn.
• Also remember that pigs are worth an extra pawn.