Endgame Endgame Rating 1000-1500

Key Squares

Key squares are the magic squares your king needs to reach to force a pawn through to promotion (or, when defending, to hold the draw). Get your king onto one and the result is guaranteed. Memorising them for king-and-pawn endings saves a lot of calculation.

Practise Key Squares ▸Study this concept Get a training plan

Source for further study: Dvoretsky, Endgame Manual, ch. 1.

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Opposition