What is Key squares in chess?
Specific squares that, once reached by the attacking king, guarantee a pawn promotes.
In king-and-pawn endings, each pawn has a set of key squares (usually on the sixth and seventh ranks directly in front and to the sides). If the attacking king reaches any of these squares, the pawn will promote regardless of how the defending king plays.
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- TriangulationA king maneuver that loses a tempo to reach the same position with the opponent to move.
- Square of the pawnA visual shortcut to check whether the defending king can catch a passed pawn before it promotes.
- Wrong bishopA bishop that cannot control the pawn's promotion square, turning a winning position into a draw.
- Book drawAn endgame that is known to be a draw with correct play, as established in opening or endgame theory.
- GambitSacrificing material, usually a pawn, for faster development or attack.
- Opening theoryThe body of analysed and established best-play sequences for the first moves of a game.