ENDGAME TIPS: tip013

3. With only one Pawn advantage, you will win if you can use it to gain more material – it is not usually enough just to advance the Pawn. Often one Pawn advantage is thought to be a theoretical draw, although the practical difficulties may be very great. Winning by the advance of the Pawn may be won because it allows entry with the King, or causes distraction from one vulnerable side, or allows simplification into a known won ending.

* Weak Pawns are only weak if they (or the squares near them) can be attacked.

* Knights need to be near the centre and forward; they thrive on outposts (whether absolute = can’t be dislodged by a Pawn, or relative, like on f5, when a pawn move (…g6) would weaken the opponent’s position).

(Nimzowitsch) 1. Development is to be understood as the strategic advance of the troops toward the frontier line (the line between the fourth and fifth ranks).