How to Play in Unbalanced Chess Endgames

"It is now conceded by all experts that by proper play on both sides the legitimate issue of a game ought to be a draw." Said Wilhelm Steinitz about the game chess. Chess matches, opening, middlegames, and endgames are balanced by nature. So, how do chess endgames become unbalanced, and how do you play in unbalanced chess endgames?

What is an Unbalanced Chess Endgame?

First, let's talk about what an “endgame” really is. Most definitions will find some way to contradict themselves. If you think of a chess game as a movie, the endgame is the third and final act. The climax of the story is happening, and the end is near. Now, some of my chess games are short films that end too quickly when I blunder checkmate on move twelve, but as you improve, most chess games will find their way to an endgame. Here are some general themes that can clue you into the fact that you have reached an endgame.

You Might Be In a Chess Endgame If:

1. Lots of traded pieces.
2. Queens may even be off the board, but not necessarily.
3. A king can safely become active.
4. Pawns have been traded or are being pushed for promotion.

An endgame may have some or all of these traits, but depending on which pieces are still left you will likely deal with many imbalances in an endgame.

Types of Imbalances

If a perfectly played game is a draw, then creating imbalances is fighting against the game's nature. So, what is a balanced game?

The opening position of a chess game is completely balanced. White gets to go first. So how do we compare that to an endgame? A balanced endgame could look something like this.

This position is very balanced and should be a draw. Can we have a position that is still equal but less balanced?

This is the same amount of material, but now white is completely winning because of an imbalance in the position. What are some types of imbalances in chess endgames?

Material Difference

Material matters in chess! Whether you are up material, down material, or have a material imbalance, those differences will play into what moves you decide to make. If you are entering an endgame and you are down material, you want to keep as many pieces on the board as possible. Complicate the position. Complicating the position is the best way to lead your opponent to make a mistake. 

Queen vs Other Pieces

Playing with a queen against minor pieces and a rook can be frustrating. You have the most powerful piece so it feels like you should be winning! But this imbalance can be difficult to convert. Keep looking for checks! Loose pieces can be picked up by a sneaky queen check, so always be on the lookout.

Positional Difference

A game can have material equality but have a very different positional situation. One side can be completely winning positionally even when material is equal. Take a look at the position below. Which side do you think is better even though material is the same?

White’s bishop has nowhere to go! The imbalance of the position outweighs the balance of the material.

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Chess Strategy Using Passed Pawns

Sometimes, the positional imbalance can lead to a huge advantage for one side in the form of a passed pawn. An incredibly important chess strategy that I teach students is the power of a passed pawn. If you haven't learned yet about pawn promotion, it will change the way you think about material and endgames. A promoted pawn completely changes the nature of the game, changing a positional imbalance into a material one for the side that has a new queen. If you have a passed pawn, find a way to protect and push.

King and Piece Activity

In the opening of a chess game, we always stress to develop our pieces. Why? Having your pieces involved in the game is key to success. If you leave them on their starting squares, you might as well not have them at all. What does this mean for an endgame? One positional imbalance in an endgame can be piece activity. If one side has their king well placed, that can be the deciding factor in a game. If your two rooks have an open file or get to the 7th/2nd rank, that can win you a game even if the material is equal.

Here black threw away what could have been a completely balanced endgame by letting white activate their king. Pushing pawns aimlessly instead of ensuring your king is well-placed can be a fast way to an unnecessary defeat.

Material Leading to an Imbalanced Game

Not all positions have equal material, however. Hopefully, you have been practicing your tactics, and you have won some of your opponent's pieces. Chess pawns are even a prize to have won from a skilled opponent. How do you play in these imbalanced endgames where you have material that your opponent does not?

Chess Pawn Majority

One way you can get to a passed pawn is if you have a pawn majority on one side of the board. This can be a small positional imbalance in an endgame, but it can be enough to change the game. 

Here the queenside pawn majority will give white a winning advantage. If you have a good grasp of pawn majorities, passed pawns, and pawn promotion, you will do well in many chess endgames.

Rooks

If you have “won an exchange,” meaning that you were able to take one of your opponent's rooks while giving up one of your minor pieces, then you may end up in a position like this.

You are winning this unbalanced endgame, but how do you actually win?

Here are a few quick tips for winning when you are up an exchange:

1. Use your material! Your two rooks, especially in an endgame, are powerful. Use them.
2. That means open files and 7th/2nd ranks. 
3. Don’t immobilize your rooks to do something a worse piece can do! Sometimes, you need to defend a pawn with a rook because of how important passed pawns are, but usually, you want your rooks to be more active than just defending some silly pawn.

Knights and Bishops

A knights vs bishops endgames might be equal but the position is still unbalanced. Is a bishop really better than a knight? It depends on the position! A closed-down position may make your knight the better piece in this unbalanced endgame. But if the position is wide open, and you have two bishops, then you likely have the advantage, even if not through material count.

Chess Strategy in the Endgame

Implementing the correct endgame strategy can be the difference between winning an endgame and losing. If you want to learn how to play in unbalanced chess endgames and better endgame strategy, here are a couple of great sources. Firstly there are plenty of endgame books out there to choose from. Two I would recommend are Silman's Complete Endgame Course by Jeremy Silman and Winning Chess Endings by Yasser Seirawan. Silman’s Complete Endgame Course is great for all levels and will give you the basics you need to win basic endgames so that you can conquer deeper endgame strategies. Yasser’s book will introduce some more basic chess strategy in the endgame.

Winning Chess Matches Leads to Unbalanced Chess Endgames

If you are getting better at chess, and learning how to play in unbalanced chess endgames, then you will start to have better positions than your opponent. These better positions are inherently unbalanced. So if you are dealing with these imbalances in the endgame, congrats! You are playing chess, and probably winning. Now go win even more!