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===King and pawn===
'''King and pawn endgames''' involve only [[king (chess)|kings]] and [[pawn (chess)|pawns]] on one or both sides. Getting a ''passed pawn'' is crucial (a passed pawn is one which does not have an opposing pawn on its file or on adjacent files on its way to promotion). [[Aron Nimzowitsch|Nimzovich]] once said that a passed pawn has a "lust to expand". An ''outside passed pawn'', a passed pawn on one of the rook files, is particularly deadly. ''Opposition'' is an interesting technique that is used to gain an advantage. When two kings are in opposition, they are on the same file (or rank) with an empty square separating them. The player having the move ''loses'' the opposition. They must move their king and allow the opponent's king to advance.
===Rook and pawn===
'''[[rook (chess)|Rook]] and pawn endgames''' are often drawn in spite of one side having an extra pawn. (In some cases, two extra pawns are not enough to win.) The great master [[Siegbert Tarrasch|Tarrasch]] once jocularly said "All rook and pawn endings are drawn". Rook endings are probably the deepest and most well studied endgames.
Two
* A rook on the seventh rank can wreak mayhem among the opponent's pawns. The power of a rook on the seventh rank is not confined to the endgame.
* Rooks should usually be placed behind passed pawns, whether one's own or the opponent's.
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In '''[[Bishop (chess)|Bishop]] and pawn endgames''', come in two distinctly different variants. If the opposing bishops go on the same color of square, the mobility of the bishops is a crucial factor. A ''bad bishop'' is one that is hemmed in by pawns of its own color, and has the burden of defending them.
Endings with ''bishops of opposite color'', meaning that one bishop works on the light squares, the other one working on dark squares, are notorious for their drawish character. Many players in a poor position have saved themselves from a loss by trading down to such an endgame. They are often drawn even when one side has a two pawn advantage since the weaker side can create a blockade on the squares which his bishop operates on. Interestingly the weaker side should often try to make his bishop ''bad'' by placing his pawns on the same color of his bishop in order to defend his remaining pawns, thereby creating an impregnable fortress.
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===Knight and pawn===
'''[[knight (chess)|Knight]] and pawn endgames''' feature clever maneuvering by the knights to capture opponent pawns. While a knight is poor at chasing a passed pawn, it is the ideal piece to block a passed pawn.
===Queen and pawn===
In '''[[queen (chess)|Queen]] and pawn endings''', the dominant theme is for the player with more pawns to avoid ''perpetual check'' and advance one of his pawns to get a second queen. These endings are frequently extremely long affairs. For an example of a Queen and pawn endgame see [[Kasparov versus The World]].
Endings with asymmetric piece possession are less common. A rook is worth roughly two pawns plus a bishop or a knight. A bishop and knight are worth roughly a rook and a pawn, and a queen is worth a rook, a ''minor piece'' (bishop or knight) and a pawn. Three pawns are often enough to win against a minor piece, but two pawns rarely are. A bishop is usually worth more than a knight.
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