Two Separated Pawns vs a Lone King
White to play and win
PlayYour pawns on f4 and h4 stand with one file between them, and your king is far away on a1. Two such pawns can look after each other. The rule: keep the pawn the enemy king attacks behind the other one, because if he takes it, his king lands outside the square of the pawn in front.
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Separated Pawns Defend Each Other
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.
Push h5 first and taking on f4 no longer works. From f4 his king is outside the square of a pawn on h5, the box from e5 to h8, so h6, h7 and h8 make a queen.
Two pawns a file apart against a lone king look vulnerable, but they defend each other. The defending king cannot win either one without letting the other queen.
Mutual defence. If the king captures the pawn nearest to it, the other pawn advances and steps outside its reach: after h5 and Kxf4, the push h6 queens because the king on f4 is outside the square of the h-pawn. The order matters, though: with your pawn still on h4, Kxf4 only draws.
March the king up. Leave the pawns where they are and walk your king from the corner toward them. Once it arrives, escort one pawn to a key square and promote. With the pawns two or three files apart, no single king can stop both.
In this drill the defender will chase one pawn and then the other. Ignore the bait, bring your king up, and queen.
Keep going
Doubled Pawns Against a Bare King
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Inside the Square and Still Too Slow
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Stop the Runner First, Then Queen
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All 68 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)