Endgame Analysis: How to Study Simple Positions With an Engine

Before looking at lines, name the endgame. Is it king and pawn, rook and pawn, minor-piece, queen ending, or a simplified middlegame? Each type has different rules of thumb.

In rook endings, activity often matters more than pawn count. In king and pawn endings, opposition and pawn races decide everything. Naming the type tells you what lesson to search for.

If Stockfish prefers one king move over another, ask what plan it supports. Does the king need to cut off the opponent? Does the rook belong behind the passed pawn? Should a pawn majority be fixed before advancing?

Write the plan in one sentence. That sentence is more valuable than a move sequence that only works in the exact analyzed position.

Some simplified endgames are objectively drawn or winning with perfect play. The practical question is whether you understand the drawing method or winning method. If a position is equal but difficult, it still deserves study.

A good endgame note might be: "Drawn if the rook keeps checking from the side; losing if the rook becomes passive in front of the pawn."

Save repeated themes from your games: outside passed pawn, active king, rook behind passed pawn, wrong bishop color, opposition, fortress, and zugzwang. Over time, your own games become a personalized endgame curriculum.