Chess lessons › Chess endgames
The Réti manoeuvre
A king walking on a diagonal can chase a pawn and help its own pawn at the same time.
The idea
A king on a diagonal chases a pawn and helps its own at once.
- Black’s h-pawn runs, and your king is outside its square.
- Your king walks down the diagonal, one rank per move.
- Each step also nears c6, so Black has two threats to meet.
In a game: When your king looks too far from a pawn, look for a diagonal that also helps your own pawn.
How the lesson begins
This study by Richard Réti was published in 1921. White is to move, and it looks hopeless.
Black’s h-pawn needs four moves to queen, and your king on h8 is outside the pawn’s square: it cannot catch the pawn in a straight race. Your c-pawn is no help either: Black’s king on a6 is only two steps from it.
Yet White draws. The whole trick is one idea: a king walking on a diagonal can do two jobs at once.
Find the move
Find White’s first move. Your king has to chase the h-pawn, but it also wants to help the c-pawn.
A hint
Go down the board and towards c6 with the same move.
Show the answer
1. Kg7
Kg7 is the only move that draws. Every other move loses. A king comes down the board one rank per move, on a file or on a diagonal, so the step to g7 loses no time against the h-pawn. It also brings your king one step nearer c6.