Kling and Horwitz: The King Blockades
White to play and draw, after Kling and Horwitz, 1851
PlayConnected passers on g5 and h6 usually win, but the black king has already sat down in front of them on g6. This is the most important drawn position of the connected-pawns family, and it is worth memorizing from both sides.
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Kling and Horwitz: The King Blockades
White to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
Connected passers are strong because they advance. A king planted in front of them stops that, and the whole advantage evaporates.
The blockade. With the defending king on the square ahead of the pawns, neither pawn can move and neither can be defended forward. A lone rook cannot drive that king away.
Kling and Horwitz, 1851. This is the reference position for the whole theme. If you can reach it as the defender you draw, and if you allow it as the attacker you have thrown away the win.
In this drill you play the stronger side and learn to see the drawn blockade for what it is instead of pushing into a loss.
Keep going
The King March and the Zugzwang Squares
White to play and win
The Gap Between the f- and h-Pawns
White to play and draw
Defending Against Split Kingside Pawns
Black to play and draw
All 83 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)