Bähr's Rule in Pawn Endgames: Blocked Rook Pawns
White to play and win
PlayThis pawn ending is a win, and a rule tells you so before you move. Draw a line from his blocked pawn on h5 diagonally back through g6 to f7, then forward again through e6, d5 and c4 to b3. If your passed pawn stands on that line or behind it, you win; in front of it, the game is a draw. Your pawn is on b3, right on the line, so leave it there.
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Bähr's Rule: Blocked Rook Pawns
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
The rule applies here: your h-pawn has not crossed the middle of the board, your king stands beside your b-pawn, and his king stands in front of it. Push b4 and the pawn leaves the line. His king takes it, gets back to f8 in time, and the game is drawn.
With rook's pawns blocked on one wing and a passed pawn on the other, the stronger side gives the passed pawn away, takes the rook's pawn, and keeps the defending king out of the corner. Whether that works is a race between the kings, and a geometric rule settles it.
The rule. From the defender's blocked pawn, draw a diagonal back to the nearest bishop's file, then forward again to the edge. If the passed pawn stands on that line or behind it, the stronger side wins; in front of it, the game is drawn. It applies when the stronger side's rook's pawn has not crossed the middle of the board, his king stands beside the passed pawn, and the defending king stands in front of it.
Why it works. The defending king takes the passed pawn and walks back diagonally toward the bishop's file; the attacking king takes the rook's pawn and heads the other way. The line marks where the two routes meet.
In this drill your pawn on b3 is on the line. Do not push it: give it up, take h5, and bring your king to g7 before his reaches f8.
Keep going
Two Rook Pawns and a Distant Passer
White to play and win
A Central Passer Beside Blocked Rook Pawns
White to play and win
A Bishop Pawn Beside Blocked Rook Pawns
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