Boxing the King on the Edge
White to play and win
PlayThe enemy king has been driven to the edge and cut off by your rook. Even with the pawn short of the mid-line, a king pinned to the rim cannot get back in time to draw.
No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.
Boxing the King on the Edge
Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
A king pressed against the edge and cut off is nearly helpless in a rook ending. Even a modest pawn can be escorted past it.
Pinned to the rim. Your rook holds a file that keeps the enemy king near the edge, the maximum distance from the pawn. It cannot come back in time.
March together. King and pawn advance side by side while the defender only checks. Without its king, the defense has no blockade and no fortress.
In this drill the attacker's job is patience: hold the file, keep the king boxed, and walk the pawn to promotion.