White to move · 3 moves · Rating 754
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35.c6 bxc6 36.bxc6 Kf4 37.c7
Ponderchess / Puzzles
Pawn endgame puzzles
63 pawn endgame puzzles from real games, rated 754 to 2659. Here are 18, from easiest to hardest.
King and pawn endings are pure calculation: there are no pieces left to rescue a mistake. These puzzles turn on opposition, key squares, breakthroughs and races to promote.
Pawn endgames are worth studying because every other endgame can turn into one. Knowing when a pawn ending is won tells you when it is safe to trade the last pieces.
How to solve them: Count moves exactly. Compare how many moves each side needs to promote, and look for a pawn sacrifice that creates a passed pawn the enemy king cannot catch.
New to the idea? Read Zugzwang in chess first.
18 pawn endgame puzzles to solve
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Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1047
Find the best move, then follow the winning continuation.
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75...Kf7 76.e8=Q+ Kxe8
White to move · 4 moves · Rating 1302
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38.bxc4 Kd4 39.a5 Kxc4 40.a6 Kxd5 41.a7
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 1642
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50...a3 51.cxb4 axb2
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 1768
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41...b4 42.cxb4 axb4 43.a4 d4
White to move · 2 moves · Rating 1802
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47.Kg2 Kg5 48.Kxg3
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 1864
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42...fxg3 43.hxg3 h4 44.gxh4 gxh4
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 2033
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53...Kc4 54.Kg6 Kd3 55.c4 Kxc4
Black to move · 6 moves · Rating 2086
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53...a5 54.Ke3 a4 55.bxa4 bxa4 56.Kd4 a3 57.Kc3 d4+ 58.Kxd4 a2
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 2222
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35...fxe4+ 36.Kd4 Ke6 37.Kc5 Ke5
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 2303
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52...Kd5 53.f5 g5 54.Kf3 Kd4
White to move · 5 moves · Rating 2328
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59.Kg5 Kf3 60.f5 Kg3 61.f6 Kh3 62.h5 gxh5 63.Kxh5
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 2385
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39...a4 40.c4 b4
Black to move · 3 moves · Rating 2399
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40...gxf5 41.e6 Kd6 42.exf7 Ke7
White to move · 4 moves · Rating 2489
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49.Kd5 g5 50.fxg5 f4 51.Ke4 Kxc6 52.Kxf4
Black to move · 6 moves · Rating 2532
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48...gxf3 49.Kd2 Ke6 50.Ke1 f4 51.Kf2 Kf5 52.exf4 Ke4 53.f5 Kxd4
Black to move · 2 moves · Rating 2558
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45...Kd5 46.Kc2 c4
Black to move · 4 moves · Rating 2659
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32...f4 33.exf4 gxh4 34.gxh4 f5 35.a5 bxa5
Train all 63 pawn endgame puzzles in the trainer, with a rating that adapts to you →
Positions from the open Lichess puzzle database (CC0).