Doubled Pawns vs King: The Reserve Tempo
White to play and win
PlayTwo pawns on the b-file against a lone king. As with one pawn, the king leads. The extra pawn gives you something a single pawn never has: a spare tempo for when the kings face off. The rule: lead with the king, keep the spare pawn move in reserve, and watch out for stalemate.
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Doubled Pawns Against a Bare King
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Careful with the first move. Kc4 lets his king onto b6, right in front of your pawns, and that is a draw.
Doubled pawns are weak, but against a lone king they still win, and they win exactly like a single pawn plus a free tempo.
King first, pawn second. Lead with the king, get it in front of the pawns, and take the opposition on the sixth rank. This is the same winning formation as king and one pawn versus king.
The rear pawn is your reserve tempo. In a single-pawn ending you can lose the fight for the opposition because you have no waiting move. Here you do: at the critical moment you advance a pawn one square and put the defender in zugzwang. Two exceptions spoil it: rook pawns draw once the defending king reaches the corner, and a rear pawn already stuck on the fifth rank gives you no tempo to spend.
In this drill the defender will try to hold the opposition. Bring the king up, and when you need a spare move, let the doubled pawn provide it.
Keep going
Inside the Square and Still Too Slow
White to play and win
Stop the Runner First, Then Queen
White to play and win
Mined Squares: c4 and b6
White to play and draw
All 68 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)