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This Chess endgame is one of the simplest, but at the same time, it is one of the most important ones you need to learn in your career. We already learned how to win positions where our opponent’s king is outside of the pawn’s square. In this class, national master Robert Ramirez teaches you how to win even if your opponent’s king is close by. There are two main concepts we have to understand: the opposition and the key squares.
01:45 The Opposition is taken when you move your king in a way that it faces your opponent’s king with only one square in between them. We can take frontal, lateral or diagonal opposition. Taking the opposition allows you to take control and consequently gain more space to help your pawn reach its promotion square.
06:38 The Key Squares are the three squares in front of the pawn with an intervening square. This concept allows you to know where your king has to be in order to be able to help the pawn promote and win the game.
07:50 The steps I keep in mind as I play this endgame are the following:
1) Keep my king ahead of my pawn right away with one rank in between them.
2) Take the opposition
3) Penetrate/gain space
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My Book Recommendations:
First tactics book:
Mixed tactics book:
Advanced tactics book:
Advanced tactics book (II):
Carlsen’s book (excellent):
Kramnik’s book (excellent):
Pirc Defense book:
Endgames book:
Learn how to play Chess the right way from beginner to master level. National Master Robert Ramirez will take you up the pyramid by following a proven Chess training program he has been improving and implementing for over 10 years.
Benefits of Playing Chess:
- Promotes brain growth
– Increases problem-solving skills
– It exercises both sides of the brain
– Raises your IQ
– Sparks your creativity
– Teaches planning and foresight
– Teaches patience and concentration
– Optimizes memory improvement
– Improves recovery from stroke or disability
– Helps treat ADHD
Chess is an intellectual battle where players are exposed to numerous mental processes such as analysis, attention to detail, synthesis, concentration, planning and foresight. Psychological factors are also present on and off the board; playing Chess stimulates our imagination and creativity. Every single move a player makes is the result of a deep analysis based on the elements presented on the battle field.
Chess in its essence teaches us psychological, sociological and even moral values. In a Chess game, both players start with the same amount of material and time. The fact that the white pieces move first is considered to be practically irrelevant —especially because a player typically plays one game as white and one game as black. Consequently, the final result of the battle solely depends on each player. It doesn’t matter if you win by taking advantage of your opponent’s mistakes or by simply avoiding mistakes yourself. Truth is that Chess is an extremely individual sport and our defeats can only be blamed on ourselves and no one else. And this, in the end, only benefits us because we learn to be and feel responsible for our actions and never come up with excuses to justify ourselves.
We also learn that when it comes to our victories on the board, our opponent’s mistakes play a more significant role than our own skills. Let’s not forget that a Chess game without any mistakes would be a draw. This way, Chess provides us with another valuable life lesson: be humble at all times.
About National Master Robert Ramirez:
With an outstanding background as a professional Chess player and over 8 years of teaching experience, Robert Ramirez brings both his passion and his expertise to the board, helping you believe & achieve!
Robert Ramirez was introduced to the fascinating world of Chess when he was 5 years old and has participated in prestigious tournaments such as the World Open Chess Tournament and the Pan American Intercollegiate Team Championships. Thanks to his performance, he has earned his National Master title from the United States Chess Federation.