Chess Statistics: Most Often Occurring Endgames in Chess

Yury Markushin
10.26.2012
Chess Statistics: Most Often Occurring Endgames in Chess

Today we will talk a little bit more about chess statistics.

The last time we covered Top 10 Best Openings for White and Black and today you will see exactly what types of endgames are the most common in the game of chess.

Take a guess what types of endgames are the most common in chess: Two Rooks vs. Two Rooks, Bishop vs. Knight or Rook vs. Rook?

You can check your solution viewing the full article.

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Endgame frequency table

Percent

White Pieces

Black Pieces

8.45 rook rook
6.76 rook & bishop rook & knight
3.45 two rooks two rooks
3.37 rook & bishop rook & bishop (same color)
3.29 bishop knight
3.09 rook & knight rook & knight
2.87 king & pawns king (and pawns)
1.92 rook & bishop rook & bishop (opposite color)
1.87 queen queen
1.77 rook & bishop rook
1.65 bishop bishop (same color)
1.56 knight knight
1.51 rook bishop
1.42 rook & knight rook
1.11 bishop bishop (opposite color)
1.01 bishop pawns
0.97 rook knight
0.92 knight pawns
0.90 queen & minor piece queen
0.81 rook two minor pieces
0.75 rook pawns
0.69 queen rook & minor piece
0.67 rook & pawn rook
0.56 rook & two pawns rook
0.42 queen pawns
0.40 queen rook
0.31 queen two rooks
0.23 king & one pawn king
0.17 queen minor piece
0.09 queen & one pawn queen
0.08 queen two minor pieces
0.02 bishop & knight king
0.01 queen three minor pieces

So, the most popular endgame (according to Müller & Lamprecht 2001:11–12, 304) is Rook vs. Rook ending, it appears in about 8.5% of all chess games. That must be an endgame to study if you want to win more games!

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Updated 12.16.2023

Comments:

Rabbinvane:
The percentage is over whole games, not over endings. 46.9% of games finished before getting to the endgame.
Md. Abu hanif:
That's only [b]53.1%[/b] as I calculated! Where is other [b]46.9%[/b]! Could not understand.
William Berry:
No pawns, just rook vs. rook? How long did they play it out? :lol:
Michael:
Similar analysis plus endgame blunder rate: http://chess-db.com/public/research/endgame_statistics.html
virtual girlfriend:
Amazing!It's nice to know,these endings... and its very helpful for someone new to ending theory,that by learning to deal with the most common endings that you will be able to apply it in games that get to that stage.
virtual girlfriend:
Amazing!It's nice to know,these endings... and its very helpful for someone new to ending theory,that by learning to deal with the most common endings that you will be able to apply it in games that get to that stage.