ChessRanger
Endgame

Réti manoeuvre

A king that chases two goals at once by taking a diagonal path — the idea behind Réti's famous study.

In Réti's celebrated 1921 study, a lone king seems unable to both catch the enemy passed pawn and support its own — yet by moving diagonally it stays inside both 'squares' at once and draws against all logic. The manoeuvre is the geometric heart of king-and-pawn endings.

The lesson is that a king moving diagonally covers rank and file distance simultaneously, so it can threaten two things a move at a time. Spotting these double-purpose king paths turns lost-looking races into draws or wins.

Why it matters

It rewires how you count king distances — many 'hopeless' pawn endings are saved by the king's diagonal double-duty that the Réti idea reveals.

The mistake everyone makes

Assuming a king is out of the race by counting a straight-line path, when a diagonal route keeps it inside both critical squares.

Related terms

Corresponding squares
Pairs of squares in a locked pawn ending where each king must mirror the other to hold or win.
Pawn race
Both sides push passed pawns for promotion — often a matter of a single tempo.
Active king
In the endgame the king becomes a fighting piece — centralise it and use it to attack and support.
Opposition
Kings facing each other with one square between them; the side NOT to move usually holds the advantage.

See Réti manoeuvre in your own games

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