The King March and the Zugzwang Squares

White to play and win, after Kasparian, 1946

Your pawns are already on g6 and h5 with the rook on h7, and nothing you do with them makes progress. This win is not about pawns at all: it is a march of the king from a1 to the kingside, aimed at a reciprocal zugzwang.

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The King March and the Zugzwang Squares

White to play and win · Win against perfect defense

Waking the engine…

The theory

Some winning positions contain no forcing line at all. This one is won by walking the king across the board and handing the defender a zugzwang.

No pawn moves. Pushing here throws the win away. The pawns on g6 and h5 with the rook on h7 are already where they belong.

The march. The king travels from a1 along the second rank towards f2. The defending rook must stay behind the pawns, shuttling between g3 and h3.

The zugzwang squares. King f2 against rook h3, and king e2 against rook g3, are reciprocal zugzwangs. Arrive with the defender to move and his rook is forced out, releasing your rook from h7.

Keep going

The Gap Between the f- and h-Pawns

White to play and draw

Defending Against Split Kingside Pawns

Black to play and draw

Giving Up the h-Pawn to Push the f-Pawn

White to play and draw

All 83 rook endgames positions Follow the full curriculum (free)