Beginner
Imagine this: there is only a pawn on one side and a lone king on the other. Can the enemy king run fast enough to catch and stop the pawn? The Rule of the Square gives us a quick answer — without calculating every single move!
Position 1.1 — White: Ka8, Pa4 | Black: Kh1 | White to move
Draw an imaginary square from the pawn to the 8th rank. If the enemy king can step into that square on their next move, they can catch the pawn. If not — the pawn promotes!
How to Draw the Square
1
Find the pawn. Note which square it is on (e.g., a4).
2
Count how many squares the pawn must travel to reach the 8th rank (e.g., a4 → a8 = 4 squares).
3
Draw a square of that size to the side the enemy king is on. The square’s corners are: a4–a8–e8–e4.
4
If the enemy king is inside or can reach the square in one move → Draw. Otherwise → the pawn wins!