The lessons
- about 8 min
1. The king steps up
With the queens gone, the king becomes one of the strongest pieces.
- about 10 min
2. The key squaresPlus
The squares where the king decides a pawn endgame, whoever is to move.
- about 10 min
3. TriangulationPlus
When it's the wrong side to move, the king walks around and passes the move.
- about 10 min
4. The outside passed pawnPlus
A passed pawn far away lures the king off, and your king cleans up on the other side.
- about 9 min
5. The breakthroughPlus
Three pawns against three: two sacrifices, and the third pawn becomes a queen.
- about 10 min
6. The wrong bishopPlus
A bishop and a rook pawn up, and still a draw.
- about 10 min
7. Knight against pawnPlus
The knight can stop a passed pawn, if it gets there in time.
- about 12 min
8. Rook against pawnPlus
Cut off the king when you have the rook, and block its way when you have the pawn.
- about 12 min
9. The rook behind the passed pawnPlus
The rook belongs behind the passed pawn, yours and your opponent's.
- about 12 min
10. The active rookPlus
An active rook is often worth more than a pawn.
- about 12 min
11. Mate with bishop and knightPlus
The hardest of the common mates, step by step.
- about 12 min
12. The final testPlus
Eight positions from the whole course, and now Lavi says less.
Who is the course for?
The course is for you if you know the rules and have played a fair number of games, but sometimes let a won endgame slip, or don't know how to hold a worse one. If you've done our Learn chess course, this is a good next step.
How long does it take?
A lesson takes about five to fifteen minutes, and the whole course about two hours, in 73 steps. Take one lesson at a time, and play it again after a few days. That's when it sticks.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the course cost anything?
The first lesson, The king steps up, is free for everyone. The rest of the course is part of LaviChess Plus.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in this browser: the lessons you've finished are saved on your own device. If you have a profile, they follow you to your other devices too. Otherwise the check marks disappear if you switch devices or clear your browser, but you can always go straight back to the lesson where you left off.
How do I know it's right?
Every claim about who wins has been checked against an endgame database in which every position with up to seven pieces has been worked out, or by the computer when there are more pieces on the board.
Updated November 6, 2026