The 5 Most Common EndGames and How to Win Them

In chess, many games are decided in the endgame, when only a few pieces are left on the board. This is where beginners often lose easy points because they don’t know how to finish properly. Here are the five most common endgames and simple ways to win them.

The most basic is king and queen versus king. If you know how to checkmate with this, you can convert almost any winning position. The idea is simple: use your queen to gradually shrink the opponent’s king’s available squares, forcing them to the edge of the board. Then, bring your king closer to deliver mate in two moves.

Next is king and rook versus king. It’s a bit more technical but follows the same idea: use your rook to cut off the opponent’s king and your own king to shepherd them toward a corner. The mate is usually done by “boxing in” the king with the rook before delivering the final check.

Another classic is king and pawn versus king. Many beginners fail to win here because of poor technique. The key is to place your king in front of the pawn and guide it toward promotion. If your king is properly placed, you can force the pawn to become a queen and then win easily.

Then there’s the endgame with two rooks versus one. Here, you must coordinate your rooks using the “ladder mate” technique: deliver alternating checks to drive the opponent’s king toward the edge of the board, where you finish with checkmate.

Finally, one of the most common but tricky situations: rook endgames with multiple pawns. The simplest advice is to keep your rook active and place it behind your passed pawns or behind your opponent’s passed pawns to stop them. Rook endgames are full of traps, but if your rook stays active and your king is well-positioned, your chances of winning increase dramatically.