A Drawn Pawn on the Sixth

White to play and draw

Play

Not every pawn on the sixth wins: with the defending king in front and your own king shoved to the edge, this rook ending is a draw.

No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.

A Drawn Pawn on the Sixth

Hold the draw against perfect play

Waking the engine…

The theory

Sitting a pawn on the sixth rank is no guarantee of a win, and this position marks the boundary where the technique runs out.

Why it draws. The defending king covers the queening square, and with your king crushed against the edge, there is no room to outflank and support the pawn.

The checks. The defending rook checks from the side whenever you try to reposition, so the king can never break free of the edge.

In this drill you hold the draw, so read the position correctly: this is a known fortress, and the honest result is half a point.

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