A king and pawn ending is a specific type of endgame in chess where only the king and one or more pawns remain on the board. The objective in this scenario is to promote the pawn to a queen or another piece, which can then help checkmate the opponent's king. In these endings, the position of the kings is crucial. The player with the pawn must use their king to support the pawn's advance while preventing the opponent's king from blocking it. Understanding key concepts like opposition and pawn promotion is essential for success in these endgames.