Rook Endgame: Active Defence With the King
Black to play and draw, after Reshevsky - Alekhine, AVRO 1938
PlayYour a-pawn is one step from queening and White's rook is tied to it, but his pawns are coming. Sitting still loses. The rule: walk your king to the a-pawn, so that White has to give his rook for it. This works only when his pawns are still far back and his pieces are badly placed.
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Active Defence: Walk the King to the Passer
Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Only Kc6, Kc7, Kd7 and Rc2 hold here. Going to the kingside with Ke6 looks natural, and it loses: his king and pawns move up together, and your king is pushed back to the edge.
The active method. Instead of defending passively, the weaker side walks his king up to support his passed pawn. The pawn then becomes so dangerous that the stronger side must give up a whole rook to stop it.
The price. The march costs tempi, and the opponent uses them to advance his own pawns. Two connected passers with the king behind them beat a rook, so the plan can rebound.
The criterion. Active defence of this kind only pays when the enemy pawns are still far back and his pieces are awkwardly placed. Check both before you commit the king.
In this drill the criterion is met and the king march holds the draw.
Keep going
Self-Propelled Pawns Against a Counter-Runner
White to play and draw
One Tempo for the a-Pawn
Black to play and draw
The Structure Decides, Not the Tempo
White to play and win
All 96 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)