Endgame Bootcamp 2: Part 1

White is winning, but how and why? I will be separating this Bootcamp into multiple segments to allow more depth in White’s “Depends on the Weather” victory.

I’ll do my best to explain this game as if someone is a relatively new chess player. I am a firm believer that every player should start off by learning endgames. I want the information to be digestible and absorbed. I do not want readers to drift focus. Take your time, slow down, and calculate like we should in Endgames. Try to come to conclusions and answers on your own. You may already have the right ideas!

Ranks are the numeric designations of the board and annotations of chess games 1-8, Files are the designated letters of the board a-h. In Endgames with K+R+P (King Rook and Pawn) we often talk about ranks and files.

Quick first impression:

Black looks threatening with their Rooks, and White MUST move their Rook.

Deep impressions:

Black has both rooks on the 2nd Rank

Doubled Rooks on the 2nd or 7th Rank often means Game Over. However, in this position the Black Rooks are in the middle of White’s pieces. Almost like they were caught infiltrating and require EVAC.

Black has two pawn islands

The pawns on a7, b5, c6, and d6 are an island. The pawns on f7, g7, and h6 are an island.

The Black King is still on the 8th rank

Three of its pawns are on the 7th rank, two next to the king, one on the other side of the board. Three of its pawns are on the 6th rank. One a square away, and the other two on the other side of the board (if you split board in between the d and e files). One of its pawns is on the 5th rank. Black King sitting on g8 is not part of the activity, three moves away from a central square.

White’s Rook is currently hanging

Let’s move the undefended and actively being attacked piece, so we are not down material. Rxg1 would let Black WIN.

White has the ability to take an open or partially open file

Since there are no pawns to block the path of a rook on the e file, it is open. The c file would be considered half-open: there’s only one pawn to block the path of the rook. Compared to the d file: White’s Knight, White’s pawn, and Black’s pawn blocking the path of a Rook.

White has three pawn islands

The pawn on d4 is an island. The pawns on a3 and b4 are an island. The pawns on g4 and h4 are an island.

The White King is on the 3rd Rank

Opposite from Black’s King, The a pawn is on the same rank, but the rest are on the 4th. White is doing the most on b3, close to its Knight and Pawns, and two moves away from a central square.

White is +1 for material

White and Black have both Rooks. White has a Knight. Black has two more pawns.

To be continued....