Editing Chess endgame (section)

==The start of the endgame==
There is no strict criterion for when an endgame begins, and different authors have different opinions.<ref name=":0">{{Harvcol|Fine|1952|p=430}}</ref> The former World Chess Champion [[Alexander Alekhine]] said, "We cannot define when the middle game ends and the endgame starts."<ref>{{Harvcol|Whitaker|Hartleb|1960|p= <!--pages not numbered, second page of text-->}}</ref> Using the standard system for [[chess piece relative value]], Speelman considers that endgames are positions in which each player has thirteen or fewer points in {{chessgloss|material}} (not counting the king). Alternatively, they are positions in which the king can be used actively, but there are some [[king walk|famous exceptions]] to that.<ref>{{Harvcol|Speelman|1981|pp=7–8}}</ref> Minev characterizes endgames as positions having four or fewer pieces other than kings and pawns.<ref>{{Harvcol|Minev|2004|p=5}}</ref> Fine considers endgames to be positions without [[Queen (chess)|queens]].<ref name=":0" /> Flear considers endgames to be positions where both players have at most one piece (other than kings and pawns)<ref>{{Harvcol|Flear|2007|pp=7–8}}</ref> whereas [[Mark Dvoretsky|Dvoretsky]] considers them to be positions in which at least one player has such a material configuration.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dvoretsky |first=Mark |url=https://www.amazon.ca/Dvoretskys-Endgame-Manual-Mark-Dvoretsky-ebook/dp/B08B2QXXGT |title=Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual |date=2020-06-08 |publisher=Russell Enterprises, Inc. |edition=5th |language=English}}</ref> Some [[Chess problem|problem composers]] believe that the endgame starts when the player to move can force a win or a draw against any variation of moves.<ref>{{Harvcol|Portisch|Sárközy|1981|p=vii}}</ref>

Alburt and Krogius give three characteristics of an endgame:<ref>{{Harvcol|Alburt|Krogius|2000|p=12}}</ref>

# Endgames favor an aggressive king.
# [[Passed pawn]]s increase greatly in importance.
# [[Zugzwang]] is often a factor in endgames and rarely in other stages of the game.

[[Edmar Mednis|Mednis]] and Crouch address the question of what constitutes an endgame negatively. They believe that the game is {{em|not}} in the endgame if these apply:
* better {{chessgloss|development}};
* open {{chessgloss|files}} for attacking;
* vulnerable king position;
* misplaced pieces.<ref>{{Harvcol|Mednis|Crouch|1992|p=1}}</ref>