Kennsluefni

The Drawing Zone, Part 1

Byrja

Everyone wants to be a winner in chess. But don't forget that part of winning is...not losing!

Every chess player, from the earliest beginner to the world champions, sometimes has a game that gets derailed and needs to be saved. There is beauty in saving a difficult ending, so now let's sit back and learn how to keep the game in the DRAWING ZONE! Start saving difficult positions today!

Here is what you will learn:

Learn the key techniques for defending tough positions!
Practice calculating essential defensive tactics!
Learn important defensive resources in the endgame!

A Tale of a King and a Pawn

The most basic of all endgames, besides the basic checkmates...this is the first king and pawn ending you should learn, and is necessary to know if you are a chess player!

15 Challenges

Philidor's Method

Francois-Andre Danican Philidor was one of the first great chess players, in addition to being a famous musical composer.

10 Challenges

One-For-One

One of the most important principles of defending (and drawing) an inferior endgame is to trade pawns.

2 Challenges

The Harakiri Bishop

In this lesson, we will see another basic endgame fortress that it is important to know.

8 Challenges

Kramnik's Mistake

Everyone can make mistakes - even the world champion!

2 Challenges

The King is Happy to be Trapped?!

Usually you want your king to be able to move around a bit. He needs some air to breathe.

2 Challenges

Calculating to the Finishing Line

Sometimes there is no substitute for calculation.

12 Challenges

Building the Stone Wall

Another drawing resource that the defending side can resort to is the building of a fortress.

9 Challenges

King Behind the Barricade

Rook and pawn versus rook endings where the king cannot get directly in front of the pawn (and reach the Philidor method) can be tricky.

4 Challenges

Counterplay

In some positions, active attempts to break out are suicidal, while in others activity is the only hope.

4 Challenges

Defensive Simplification

Everyone learns as a beginner that you should trade pieces when you are up material, and not trade them when you are down.

4 Challenges

Two Knights Defense?!

No, this lesson is not actually about the Two Knights Defense, which is an opening after 1.e4. Here we are looking at another of our defensive weapons.

3 Challenges

Leaving the Active Rook

In rook endings, the activity of the rook is paramount. Here we have an example where White holds the draw despite being a pawn down due to his active rook.

10 Challenges

Ponziani's Position

There are certain endgame fortresses that it is important to know.

3 Challenges

Preparing the Perpetual

Some of the most important ways of securing a draw in an inferior endgame are: creating a fortress, exchanging off potential mating material, and perpetual check.

4 Challenges

King and Queen Bound

In queen and pawn endings, perpetual check is the name of the game for the defending side.

5 Challenges

Shouldering

The most common endgame - the rook endgame - often simplifies to a battle between passed pawns and a rook once one side promotes and the other sacrifices.

10 Challenges

Shadow Defense

King and pawn endings are the most "simple" chess positions, but at the same time can be the most difficult. This is because so much can be calculated and every move is very important.

5 Challenges

The Drawing Zone, Part 1

Tengt