Four Basic Endgame Checkmate Patterns for Students!
by John Bain
“If you want to be great at chess begin at the ending!”
“For a student to understand and progress in all stages of the game–the Opening, the Middle Game and the Endgame–the student must first know how to end the game in checkmate!”
-John Bain, author of Checkmate! Ideas For Students
Why the Four Checkmate Endgame Patterns are so important for a student to master?
The patterns contain certain knowledge that give students skills and confidence, which transfer to the whole game, enhancing all future learning; i.e., a waiting move–or “tempo” move; pawn majorities; moving the King to the center in the endgame; creating passed pawns and promoting passed pawns to Queens and so forth.
King & 2 Rooks vs Lone King

Checkmate Pattern 1: King and 2 Rooks versus the lone King checkmate. To begin, the white King is on e1 & with two Rooks on a1 and h1 versus the lone black King on e4.
Checkmate Pattern 1: In the First Checkmate Pattern above, the student plays the white pieces–with the white King on e1 & two Rooks on a1 and h1 versus the lone black King on e4.
The Assignment: White quickly checkmates the black King on the 8th rank, using only the two Rooks.
King & Queen vs Lone King

Checkmate Pattern 2: The King and Queen versus the lone King checkmate. To begin, the white King is on e1 & with the Queen on d1 versus the lone black King on e4.
Checkmate Pattern 2: In the Second Checkmate Pattern above, the student plays the white pieces–the white King & 1 Queen versus the lone black King.
The Assignment: White quickly checkmates the black King on the 8th rank, using the Queen & King.
King & 1 Rooks vs Lone King

Checkmate Pattern 3: The King and one Rook versus the lone King checkmate. To begin, the white King is on e1 & with Rooks on h1 versus the lone black King on e4.
Checkmate Pattern 3: In the Third Checkmate Pattern above, the student plays the white pieces–the white King & one Rook versus the lone black King.
The Assignment: White quickly checkmates the black King on the 8th rank, using one Rook & the King. Here in this pattern, the players will learn to use the waiting move–or “tempo” move.
King & 6 Pawns vs. King & 4 Pawns

Checkmate Pattern 4: The white King and 6 Pawns versus the black King and 4 Pawns checkmate. To begin, the white King is on e1 & with Pawns on a2, b2, c2, f2, g2 and h2 versus the black King on e8 with Pawns on a7, b7, g7 and h7.