Editing Chess endgame (section)

====Other endings with no pawns====
{{main|Pawnless chess endgames}}

The ending of king and bishop versus king is a trivial draw, in that checkmate is not even possible. Likewise for king and [[Knight (chess)|knight]] versus king.

Two knights cannot force checkmate against a lone king (see [[Two knights endgame]]). While there is a board position that allows two knights to checkmate a lone king, such requires a careless move by the weaker side to execute. If the weaker side also has material (besides the king), checkmate is sometimes possible.<ref>{{Harvcol|Troitzky|2006|pp=197–257}}</ref> The winning chances with two knights are insignificant except against a few pawns. ({{cite journal|url=http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/27847/|title=Western Chess:Endgame Data|date=2009|last=Haworth|first=Guy M<sup>c</sup>C|website=CentAUR}}) The procedure can be long and difficult. In competition, the [[fifty-move rule]] will often result in the game being drawn first.

The endgame of king and three knights against king will not normally occur in a game, but it is of theoretical interest. The three knights win.<ref>{{Harvcol|Fine|1941|pp=5–6}}</ref>

{{Chess diagram  
|tright
|Fine & Benko, diagram 967
|kd|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|nd|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|kl|  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  
|  |rl|  |  |  |  |  |  
|White to play wins (Kb6); Black to play draws (...Nc8).
}}

Two of the most common pawnless endgames (when the defense has a piece in addition to the king) are (1) a queen versus a rook and (2) a rook and bishop versus a rook. A queen wins against a rook — see [[Queen versus rook endgame]]. A rook and bishop versus a rook is generally a [[chess theory|theoretical]] draw, but the defense is difficult and there are winning positions (see [[Rook and bishop versus rook endgame]]).
{{clear}}