TuksChess had their second clinic this year at Sci-Enza (University of Pretoria, Main Campus) on the 21st April 2018. The focus of the clinic was on end games when players only have (i) Kings and Pawns, (ii) Queen versus Pawn ending. The techniques that we focused on were The Opposition, Critical squares, Triangulation, Mined squares and Queen Endings. The clinic was conducted by Mfundo Masiya, a first year student in the Humanities Faculty.

The Opposition, when the Kings are facing each other with odd number (one, three and five whether diagonally, horizontally or vertically) of squares in between them. During the opposition, the person who does not have the move is said to have the opposition and is at an advantage. Critical squares, the three squares two blocks in front of the pawn (e.g. E2 pawn, the critical squares are D4, E4 and F4). The king that controls the critical squares first has the advantage. See puzzles below (white to move).

Triangulation, triangulating a piece is done to give the opponent the move so that you can have the opposition which is once again advantage. See puzzles below. Mined squares, the player that steps on a mined square first will usually lose the game. See puzzles below (white to move).

Queen endings, if you have a rook or bishop pawn on the 7th rank you can play for a draw. This is because the King can go to the corner square with stalemate traps. With knight and centre pawns, the side with the Queen usually wins, unless the King (that has Queen) is close enough to the pawn.  See puzzles below (white to move).

“Play the Opening like a book; Play the Middle-game like a magician; Play the End-game like a machine.”