Chess endgame guides
The theory that decides games: every essential checkmate, the exact rook endgame positions, and the concepts underneath them all: opposition, zugzwang, the square of the pawn. Each guide ends where it should: with the position on the board, playable against a tablebase-perfect opponent.
Checkmates
8 guidesHow to Checkmate in Chess
The five endings every chess player must be able to finish
King & Queen Checkmate
Mate in 10 or fewer, if you dodge the one trap
King & Rook Checkmate
The mate that teaches you what the opposition is for
Two Rooks Checkmate (Ladder Mate)
The lawnmower: rank by rank, no king required
Two Bishops Checkmate
Two diagonals side by side make an unbreakable wall
Bishop & Knight Checkmate
The technique that separates real endgame players
Two Knights Checkmate (Why It Fails)
Enough material to mate, and no way to force it
Back-Rank Mate
Three loyal pawns, one undefended rank