Knowing whether the endgame will be good or bad for you is essential for playing the middlegame correctly. That enables you to create correct plans and trade off pieces wisely!
Just as you must know what the middlegame will be like after the opening you prepare and choose, you have to be able to understand the endgame that is about to occur from that middlegame. The latter is much harder, obviously, because the opening theory is very advanced and we can simply read what the middlegame will be like.
That is why we have to rely on pattern recognition and certain features of the position which help us understand its assessment and the nature of the endgame. These “signals”, albeit numerous, can still be categorized for easier learning.
0. Material – this one is clear; with a material advantage, the endgame should generally be winning.
1. Pawn weaknesses
Pawn weaknesses, such as isolated, doubled, or backward pawns, are a clear indication of an endgame advantage. The more pieces you trade off, the larger and easier to exploit the weakness becomes.
2. Pawn majorities
Pawn majorities often determine the outcome of the game themselves. They basically mean that you are likely to be able to create a passed pawn on the side of the board where you have a majority. The queenside majority is often advantageous in games where both sides have castled short because the opposing king will have a harder time reaching the pawns.
3. Space advantageous
Space gives your minor pieces more room to maneuver and brings your pawns closer to queening. The advantage is exploited and amplified by minor pieces, so it’s wise to trade off rooks and queens to highlight it.
4. Piece placement and piece activity
More active pieces on the board mean easier maneuvering and more control. If your opponent has a knight stuck on a8, then trading off the rest of the pieces will probably highlight its weakness even more.
5. “Dead” pieces
The best example of this is the bad bishop vs a knight. Bishops can only control one color complex, whereas a knight can hop into both. This means that with patience, you can enter a position in which you are virtually a piece up!
When you sense that you have one of these advantages, consider trading off and entering an endgame. It might be winning!
If you would like to support the channel and my quest to chess improvement, you can donate here:
Any support is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
#chess