Short of the Mid-Line: The Drawing Rule
White to play and draw
PlayYou have the extra pawn, but it still sits on its own half of the board. The mid-line rule says this is only a draw, and the drill is to understand why the extra pawn does not win here.
No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.
Short of the Mid-Line: The Drawing Rule
Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
A famous guide to rook endings is the mid-line: a pawn that has not crossed the middle of the board, with the defending king close, is usually only a draw even a pawn up.
Why the mid-line matters. Short of the center, the pawn is too far from promotion for the king to escort it past a blockading enemy king while also hiding from checks. The two tasks conflict.
Pressure, not a win. The attacker can probe, but correct defense holds: king in the pawn's path, rook active. There is no breakthrough.
In this drill you hold the stronger side to a draw. The lesson is judgment: know when the extra pawn is not enough.