Fix the Pawns and Draw
Black to play and draw
PlayThe same position from the other chair. Everything hangs on a single tempo, and this time you are the one who gets to spend it: block the rook pawns before White does, then hold his far pawn.
New to this ending? Learn the method first: King & Pawn Endgames
No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.
Fix the Pawns and Draw
Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
The mirror image of the winning version: same board, other player to move. That alone flips the result, which tells you exactly what kind of ending this is.
One tempo. With White to move, a4-a5 fixes your rook pawn on a6 and his king wins the race to it. With you to move, ...a5! blocks his pawn on a4 first, and the race ends level.
No fortress. Nobody blockades anything. The rook pawns stop each other without a king in sight, and your king spends its whole life on the far pawn.
Hold the passer. Once the rook pawns are locked, only Kf6 keeps the draw. Stand in front of the pawn and let White probe.
In this drill count the race and then trust the count. One extra pawn is not enough.
Keep going
The Tempo Count Decides
White to play and win
The Extra Pawn That Cannot Win
Black to play and draw
The Stalemate That Saves
Black to play and draw
All 62 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)