Restricting the King: A Key Endgame Skill

In this blog, we will look importance of Restricting King in the Endgame and few scenarios with positions explaining each.

[Quick note: If you are reading the blog from a mobile device, Click on the "Analysis Board" for reading the annotations and exploring the variations. ]

1.Using a Pawn

[Black to Move]

Solution: ...b4+* This move helps black in either winning a pawn or restricting white's king. It also stops white's idea of b4+. Please remember that in the same colour bishop endgame, you should try to fix your opponent's pawns on the same colour as the bishop. With this move, we fix the b3 pawn on the light square. Due to fixing of the b3 pawn, white's king or the bishop will be occupied in defending that pawn, giving more chances to black to create activity.

2.Deny the Entry Squares

[Black to Move]

Solution: ...Kc7* Black's up a pawn but white's king is active! This move not only helps black in improving their king's position, but more importantly, it stops white's ideas of Kb6/Kd6 that would have helped them in creating some activity!

3.Tying the King to a Weakness

[Black to Move]

Solution: ...Bf8* This move helps black in attacking white's b4 pawn and forcing white to resrict their king!

4.Knight Control

[Black to Move]

Solution: ...Ne5* Black's up two pawns but white was planning to play Kb6 to target black's queenside pawns and was threatening Bxg7 as well! This move deals with both ideas of white!

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Learn more strategies like:

• Keeping the King Away from a Passed Pawn
• Cutting Off with the Seventh Rank
• Deflecting through Exchange
• Gradual Restriction
• Restriction over Material

If you’d like to dive into above strategies for double bishops, read the full blog on ChessNeurons for Free.
https://chessneurons.com/blogs/restricting-the-king-a-key-endgame-skill

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