Rook Pawn Endings 1

Philidor
[rook pawn ending]



++++.


++++
++++ ++/+
+++ ++++
+++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ +++
++++ !++++"
++++ $%&'()*+,-
!++++"#
$%&'()*+,- Pawn on 6th
Rook endgames are important to understand. [rook pawn ending]
After many exchanges in the middlegame and
early ending,we often end-up with such
endings.It is of vital importance to know the



different winning and drawing methods.This ++0+

position was analysed by A.Philidor in the 18th
century. 1.e5 Rg6 Black is waiting for the ++++
pawn to move to the 6th rank.
[ 1...Rh1 would be an error 2.Kd6 Rd1+
+/+
3.Ke6 Rd8 4.Rh7 and white wins ] ++++
2.e6 Rg1! The white king can now not hide
from checks. 3.Kd6 Rd1+ with a draw.This ++++
method of holding the draw is called the
philidor method.
++++
++++
Passive rook !++++"#
[rook pawn ending] $%&'()*+,-
In this position,the white king is not sheltered
(Diagram) by the pawn,resulting in a draw. 1.Kf5
Trying to hide on g6
Black's rook is forced to remain passive due to [ 1.Rb7 threatening 2.h7 Ra6+ 2.Kf5 Ra1!
mating threats on the backrank 1...Rc8 2.Rb7 -Draw ]
Ra8 3.Rg7+ Kf8 1...Ra1! and black reaches a philidor position-
[ 3...Kh8 4.Rh7+ Kg8 5.f7+ Kf8 6.Rh8+ Draw
winning ]
4.Rh7 Kg8 5.f7+ Kf8 6.Rh8+ winning

11−Oct−2013
Rook Pawn Endings 2

Stalemate
[rook pawn ending]



++++


+++
++0+. ++++
+++ ++++
++0+ ++++
++++ +0++
++++ ++++
++++ !++++"#
++++ $%&'()*+,-
!++++"
$%&'()*+,- Longside
How can black hold a draw in this seemingly [rook pawn ending]
hopeless position? 1...Rf7+!!
[ 1...Ra8 2.Rc7 and white wins ]
2.Ke5



[ 2.exf7 Stalemate! ] ++++

2...Rf1 Draw
++++
Shortside
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[rook pawn ending] ++++
++++
(Diagram) +0++
In rook endgames one will frequently come ++++
across the terms'Longside' and 'Shortside'.
Let us look at this example to see why
knowing these definitions is important. 1.Kd4
there are only two ranks between the pawn
and rook.This proves insufficient to prevent
the pawn from advancing. Rd7+ 2.Kc5 Rc7+
3.Kd5 Rd7+ 4.Kc6 Rd8 and the pawn
advances 5.c5
11−Oct−2013
!++++"#
$%&'()*+,-
In this example,the distance between the
pawn and rook is three ranks.This proves
enough to stop the pawn from advancing
1.Kd4 Rd8+ 2.Kc5 Rc8+ 3.Kb5 Rb8+
4.Ka6 Rc8!
[ 4...Ra8+ not 5.Kb7 and the pawn can
advance ]
5.Kb5 Rb8+ This example helps us
understand what is meant by longside and
shortside.The longside is defined as the side
where the distance checking with the rook is
atleast three files or ranks.
Rook Pawn Endings 3

Pawn on fifth Knights pawn−drawn

[rook pawn ending] [rook pawn ending]





++0+. ++0
+++ +++
++++ +++0
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
!++++" !++++"#
$%&'()*+,- $%&'()*+,-
This is an important position,whose defensive In this endgame with a knight pawn,black is in
technique,one should commit to memory.How a passive position but white is unable to win.
is black supposed to defend this position.The 1.Rh7+ Kg8 2.Rc7 Ra8 drawn,since white
pawn is not yet on the sixth rank,which offers cannot make progress.
white a shelter for the king. The first question
is ,what is white threatening?To check on a8
then f6+.So f6 is the main threat 1...Rf1! Knight's pawn −bad king
[ 1...Rb6+ loses after 2.f6 Rb8 3.Rh7 ] [rook pawn ending]
[ 1...Rg1+ 2.Kf6 Kg8 3.Ra8+ Kh7 4.Ke6
and white wins ]
2.Kf6! As white is threatening mate it is



obvious that black should move her rook.the ++0+.

question is to e8 or g8?
[After 2.Ra8+ Ke7 white cannot make ++++
progress ]
2...Kg8! Black leaves the longer side for her
++++
rook to check the white king. +++/
[ 2...Ke8? 3.Ra8+ Kd7 4.Rf8! Rf2 5.Kg7
Ke7 6.f6+ Kd7 7.Ra8 and white wins ] ++++
3.Ra8+ Kh7 4.Rf8 Ra1! Now we see why it
was important to move to g8 with the king
++++
5.Re8 white is threatening to move to f7 with ++++
the king
[ 5.Ke7 Ra7+ 6.Ke6 Ra6+ and white !++++"
cannot make progress ]
5...Rf1! and white cannot progress.Drawn
$%&'()*+,-
In this position the king on f8 is not in a
favourable position.If the king was on g8,then
the black rook could move to f8 with a drawn
position. 1...Ra1
[ 1...Kg8 does not work,since the white king

11−Oct−2013
Rook Pawn Endings 4

can reach the primary keysquare on h7

2.Rb8+ Rf8 3.Rxf8+ Kxf8 4.Kh7 winning ]



[ 1...Rg1 2.Rb8+ Ke7 3.Rg8 Rg2 4.Kh7 ++++.

winning since black cannot stop g6 ]
2.Rb8+ Ke7 3.Kh6 Rh1+ 4.Kg7 Rg1 5.g6 ++/0
Rg2 6.Kh7 Kf6 7.Rf8+ Ke7 8.g7 winning ++++
++++
Lucena
[rook pawn ending] ++++
++++


++++
+0++ !++++"
+++0 $%&'()*+,-
++++
++++
Two files
++++ [rook pawn ending]
++++
++++


!++++"# ++++.

$%&'()*+,- ++/0
This position,with the king infront of the pawn
++++
on the 7th and the opposing king cut-off was ++++
analysed by lucena around 1497.It is called
the Lucena position and is known to be ++++
winning. 1.Rf4!
[ 1.Ke7 Re2+ 2.Kd6 Rd2+ 3.Ke6 Re2+
++++
4.Kd5 Rd2+ 5.Kc6 Rc2+ does not work ] +++
1...Rc1 2.Ke7 Re1+ 3.Kd6 Rd1+ 4.Ke6
Re1+
[If 4...Rd2 white plays 5.Rf5 Kg6 6.Rd5
winning ]
5.Kd5 Rd1+ 6.Rd4 and white wins.This
method is also called 'building the bridge'
Rook on longside
[rook pawn ending]
Black's rook is on the longside and black
saves the game. 1...Ra8+ 2.Kd7 Ra7+
3.Kd6 Ra6+ 4.Kd5 Ra5+ 5.Kc6 Ra6+
6.Kb7 Re6 winning the pawn and drawing.
11−Oct−2013
!++++"
$%&'()*+,-
With only two files separating the rook and
pawn,black is not able to hold the position.
1...Rb8+
[ 1...Rb3 2.Rg1+ Kh7 ( 2...Kf6 3.Kf8 )
3.Rg4! winning ]
2.Kd7 Rb7+ 3.Kd8 Rb8+ 4.Kc7 Ra8
black threatens to now check from a position
with three files separating. 5.Ra1!! Re8
6.Kd7 winning
Rook Pawn Endings 5

Rookpawn
[rook pawn ending]



+++


/+++
+++ +0++
/0++ ++++
++++ ++++
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++++ ++++
++++ !++++"#
++++ $%&'()*+,-
!+++"# 7.Rc8! Rh8+ 8.Kc7 Rh7+ 9.Kb8
$%&'()*+,- and white wins

The a and h-pawns are normaly difficult to win.

The reason for this is that the king has a tough Study
time moving out of it's boxed-in position.The [rook pawn ending]
pawn is also only able to shelter the king from
vertical checks and not the horizontal.This
position is drawn since the king is unable to



move out of a8. 1.Rh7+ Kc8 2.Rh8+ Kc7 ++++

3.Rb8 Rc2 4.Rb7+ Kc8
/+++
Rook pawn−win
++++
[rook pawn ending] ++++
++++
(Diagram) ++++
This position is winning since the black king is ++++
not boxing the white king.The winning method
is instructive for similar situations. 1.Rb8 Rc1 !+++"#
2.Kb7 Rb1+ 3.Kc8 Rc1+ 4.Kd8 Rh1!
5.Rb6+
$%&'()*+,-
[ 5.Ke8 loses the a-pawn Rh8+ 6.Kf7 Rh7+ This is a beautiful study by A.Troitsky 1.Kf4
7.Kf6 Rxa7 ] white is threatening to check on g8 and
5...Kc5 6.Rc6+! promote Kf2 forced 2.Ke4 Ke2 3.Kd4 Kd2
[ 6.Ra6 proves not to be enough for the win, 4.Kc5! Kc3 5.Rc8 Rxa7 6.Kb6+ winning
as Rh8+ 7.Ke7 Rh7+ 8.Kf8 Rh8+ 9.Kg7
Ra8 10.Kf7 Kb5 11.Ra1 Kb6 Draws ]
6...Kb5
[ 6...Kd5 7.Ra6 Rh8+ 8.Kc7 Ra8 9.Kb7
wins ]

11−Oct−2013
Rook Pawn Endings 6

Pawn on 6th 7.Kd8 Rh1 8.Rb6+ Kc5 9.Rc6+ Kb5

[rook pawn ending] 10.Rc8 Rh8+ 11.Kc7 Rh7+ 12.Kb8 winning


King cut off
++++ [rook pawn ending]

00++


++++ ++++.
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ +++
+++ 0+++
!++++"# ++++
$%&'()*+,- ++++
It is still difficult with the pawn on the 6th.This
position is still drawn 1.Rh7+ Kc8 2.Rb7 Rc1 !++++"
3.Kb6 Rb1+ 4.Kc6 Rxb7 5.axb7+ Kb8
6.Kb6
$%&'()*+,-
As a rule,once the defending king is vertically
cut and the distance between king and pawn
Pawn on 6th−king far is more than four files,the position is winning.
[rook pawn ending] 1...Re4+ The king is cut-off and the rook fights
a lonely struggle against the pawn. 2.Kb5


Re5+ 3.Kc6 Re6+ 4.Kd7 Ra6 against any
other rookmove,white will also play 5.a1 and
+++ push the pawn. 5.Ra1 Kf6 6.a5 Ke5 7.Kc7
Kd5 8.Kb7 Rh6 9.a6 Rh7+ 10.Kb6 Rh6+
0+0+ 11.Kb5 Rh8 12.a7 Ra8 13.Kb6 winning
++++
++++ A.Cheron
[rook pawn ending]
++++
++++ (Diagram)
++++
In this analysis by A.Cheron,black is able to
!++++"#
$%&'()*+,-
This position is winning as the defending king
is too far from the action. 1.Rb8 Rc1 2.Kb7
threatening to push the pawn Rb1+ 3.Ka8!
Ra1 4.a7 Kd6 5.Kb7 Rb1+ 6.Kc8 Rc1+
11−Oct−2013
daw using the help of the rook to bring the
king closer.Notice that the distance between
pawn and king is only three files. 1.Kb5 Rd8!
If the rook is exchanged,black's king will reach
c8 intime.
[ 1...Rb8+ is an error 2.Kc6 Rb1 3.a6 Ra1
4.Kb6 Rb1+ 5.Ka5! Ra1+ 6.Ra4 winning ]
2.Rc4 Rb8+!
Rook Pawn Endings 7





++++ ++++
++0+ /++0
++++ ++++
/+++ ++++
+++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
!++++"# !+++"#
$%&'()*+,- $%&'()*+,-
[ 2...Kd7 3.a6 Ra8 ( 3...Rc8 4.a7! ) 4.Rh4
Kc7 5.Rh7+ Kd6 6.a7 winning ]
3.Ka4 Kd7 4.a6 Rc8 5.Rb4 Rh8! A−and g pawns
[ 5...Kc7 6.Rb7+ Kc6 It is always difficult if [rook pawn ending]
the king is cut-off horizontally. 7.Ka5 Rh8
8.Rb6+ Kc7 9.a7 Rh1 10.Ra6 winning ]
6.Ka5 Kc7 7.a7



[ 7.Rb7+ Kc8! ] ++++
7...Rh5+ 8.Ka4 Rh8 draw
/++0
A−pawn
++++
[rook pawn ending] ++++
++++
(Diagram) ++++
This position is a known draw.White cannot ++++
make progress,when he approaches to defend
the pawn,black checks the king. 1.Kb6 Rb1+ !+++"#
2.Kc7 Ra1 3.Kc6 Ra2 4.Kc5 Ra1 5.Kb4
Kh7 6.Kb3 Kg7 7.Kb2 Ra6 Draw
$%&'()*+,-
The g-pawn still does not change the outcome
of the position. 1.Kb6 Rb1+ 2.Kc6 Ra1
3.g4 Ra2 4.g5 Ra1 5.g6 Ra2 black should
just ignore the g-pawn and white cannot make
progress.
[ 5...Kxg6?? 6.Rg8+ Kf7 7.a8Q winning ]
6.Kb6 Rb2+ 7.Kc5 Ra2 Draw

11−Oct−2013
Rook Pawn Endings 8

A and h −pawn
[rook pawn ending]



++++


/++0
++++ ++++
/++0 ++++
++++ ++++
++++ ++++
++++ ++/+
++++ !+++"#
+++/ $%&'()*+,-
!+++"#
$%&'()*+,-
This position is also drawn.Black reacts the
same way she did with the g-pawn. 1.Kb6
Rb1+ 2.Kc6 Ra1 3.h4 Ra2 4.h5 Ra1
5.h6+ Kh7!
[ 5...Kxh6?? 6.Rh8+ Kg7 7.a8Q winning ]
6.Kb6 Rb1+ 7.Kc5 Ra1 draw

A and f−pawn
[rook pawn ending]

(Diagram)

The f-pawn changes the situation completely.

white is winning. 1.f4 Ra6 2.f5 Ra5 3.f6+!
Kf7
[ 3...Kxf6 4.Rf8+ Ke7 5.a8Q winning ]
4.Rh8! This is the idea! white will skewer the
rook Rxa7 5.Rh7+ winning

11−Oct−2013