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Beginner lesson 10/20
Basic endgames
Learn the first ideas for simplified positions.
Learn this chess concept step by step, then practise it on the interactive ChessRivo board.
Open interactive lessonAbout this lesson
Endgames reward active kings and accurate pawn play.
Key ideas
- Activate the king when queens and many pieces are gone.
- Create passed pawns and support them.
- Know the basic king-and-pawn promotion ideas.
Coach tip: In many endgames the king becomes an active fighting piece.
Test yourself
In a simple endgame, the king should usually become…
- More active
- Hidden in the corner
- Unable to move
Show answer
Correct answer: More active
Practise this lesson interactively
Open the ChessRivo Academy board exercise for this exact lesson. Your progress is saved when you are signed in.
Open interactive lessonHow to use this lesson in a real game
Turn the idea into a repeatable decision process.
- Before moving, name the position feature this lesson is about.
- Find one candidate move that follows the lesson idea and one alternative.
- After the game, return to the critical position and compare your choice with the lesson.