Two Separated Pawns vs a Lone King
White to play and win
PlayYour two pawns on f4 and h4 stand a file apart and look loose. They are not. If the black king grabs f4, the h-pawn simply runs and the king lands outside its square, unable to catch it. So the pawns guard each other while your king walks up to help.
Updated
New to this ending? Learn the method first: King & Pawn Endgames
No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.
Separated Pawns Defend Each Other
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
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 Kxf4, the push h5 queens because the king on f4 is outside the square of the h-pawn. So the pawns are untouchable, and you never have to defend them passively.
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
White to play and win
Inside the Square and Still Too Slow
White to play and win
Stop the Runner First, Then Queen
White to play and win
All 68 king & pawn positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)