Passed pawns, pawn endings, rook endings, queen and minor-piece endings and how to save a draw.
- Yellow square: the piece to move (the "glowing piece" in the question).
- Stars: squares you could move to; only one is right.
- Letters A, B, C on squares: the options to choose from.
- Arrow: the last move, or a move the question gives you.
- Red square: a piece under attack.
- Blue square: a piece or square to watch.
Passed pawns and pawn races
Pushing a pawn home, pawn breakthroughs, pawn races and choosing what to promote to.
There are three white pawns; only one is passed. Push the passed pawn one square!
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Answer: f5
Why: Nothing stops a passed pawn: it runs to rank 8 to promote.
The glowing pawn sacrifices itself first. Break through!
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Answer: 1.b4 cxb4 2.c5
Why: Sacrifice the pawn on b4, black takes it, then the pawn on c5 runs free: no black pawn can block it anymore.
Pawn endgames
The square of the pawn, key squares, opposition, rook pawns and the active king.
White to move. Can the black king catch the pawn? Pick the result!
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Answer: A (White wins) · 1.g5 ♔c5 2.g6 ♔d4 3.g7 ♔e3
Why: You used the square of the pawn.
Use the opposition to win!
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Answer: 1.♔c6 ♔d8 2.♔b7 ♔d7 3.c6+ ♔d6 4.c7 ♔c5 5.c8=♕+
Why: You took the opposition, and the black king has to give way.
Rook endgames
Rook against pawn, the rook behind the passed pawn, and the rook endings that come up most.
White moves first. The black pawn is about to become a queen, and the black king stands right next to it. Does White win or is it a draw?
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Answer: B (Draw) · 1.♖xc2+ ♔xc2
Why: The rook can only trade itself for the pawn: if the rook takes the pawn, the black king takes the rook. The white king is too far away to help.
White moves first. In this game, does White win or is it a draw? Look at the black king and the black pawn!
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Answer: A (White wins) · 1.♖a4+ ♔c3 2.♔g2 ♔c2 3.♖e4 ♔d2
Why: The rook checks to push the black king away from the pawn, then blocks in front of the pawn. The black king can't protect the pawn, so the rook can take it.
Queen, bishop and knight endgames
Queen against pawn, bishop against pawns, zugzwang and converting an endgame advantage.
The glowing piece is the queen. Use checks to force the black king in front of its pawn, and keep playing until you win!
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Answer: 1.♕c4+ ♔b2 2.♕d3 ♔c1 3.♕c3+
Why: The queen's checks force the black king to block in front of its pawn, then the queen and the white king close in and checkmate.
The glowing pawn moves first. Think ahead!
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Answer: 1…axb5 2.♔f3 ♔f5
Why: Take the pawn on b5, then the black king goes to f5. The white king has to step back, and the black king comes in to take the pawn on h4.
Saving a draw
Ways to draw a lost position: perpetual check, the wrong-coloured bishop and drawing set-ups.
The glowing piece is the queen. Keep checking and don't let the white king rest!
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Answer: 1…♕d1+ 2.♔h2 ♕h5+
Why: The queen checks on d1, then h5; the white king runs back and forth but can't escape: draw.
The black king is glowing. Hold the draw in the corner!
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Answer: 1…♔g7 2.h6+ ♔xh6
Why: The black king heads to the corner and takes the h-pawn. With no pawns left, it's a draw!
Keep practising in the Karotto app
Each theme above is a lesson in the app's chess course, with a voice that reads every question, hints when your child is stuck, and a replay of the opponent's answer after a wrong move.