FUNDAMENTAL ENDINGS



Considering that the object of the game is the capture of the
opposing King, it seems most important to find out whether there
are positions in which this capture can be accomplished in the
face of the best possible defense. Naturally a player must have a
certain material superiority to be able to force a mate, and the
first question which offers itself is what MINIMUM force is
required to compel the surrender of a King whose men have all
been captured during the game.

It is clear that in order to checkmate the lone King it is
necessary to attack the square on which he stands as well as all
adjacent squares to which he could escape. The most unfavorable
position for the King is, of course, a corner of the board as
there he has only three squares to go to while in the middle of
the board eight squares are accessible to him. Consequently, in
an ending in which one player has only his King left the other
player will try to drive the King into a corner where he needs
control over only three additional squares.

It can easily be seen that this can be done without difficulty
with King and Queen or with King and Rook. Supposing, for
instance, White has his King on c3 and his Queen on h3 while
Black's King stands on d6 as shown in the following diagram.