Bishop and Pawn vs Rook and Pawn: The Bishop Sacrifice
White to play and draw, after Rubinstein - Tartakower, Vienna 1922
PlayBishop and pawn against rook and pawn. The black king is walking round to attack, and the bishop cannot hold forever. The rule: give the bishop for the g5 pawn at the moment the black king is too far away to stop your own pawn.
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Give the Bishop, Reach Rook Against Pawn
White 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.
Not yet. Bxg5 at once loses: after Rxg5 and Kf4, the black king is close enough to come back in time, and White loses.
This is the Rubinstein and Tartakower ending a few moves later, and it holds by a resource that is worth adding to your toolkit permanently.
Liquidate into rook against pawn. Giving the bishop for the enemy pawn (3.Bxg5 Rxg5) leaves rook against a king and a pawn. With the king in front of the pawn and escorting it forward (4.Kf4, then g5 and g6), that ending is a draw. A piece for a pawn is a bargain when the resulting ending cannot be won.
Timing decides it. Bxg5 played immediately LOSES. It only draws after 1.Be3 Kb3 2.Bc1 Kc2, once the black king has walked so far to the queenside that it can never catch the g-pawn. Wait for the defender's king to commit, then cash in.
Know when the barrier expires. The colour barrier buys time, but it does not hold forever against an invading king. Have the liquidation ready before you need it.
In this drill the rook and king close in. Shuffle, wait, and then give the bishop at exactly the right moment.
Keep going
Rook vs Knight: The Stranded Horse
White to play and win
Rook and Bishop vs Rook: The Second Rank
Black to play and draw
Rook vs Rook & Knight
White to play and draw
All 30 rook vs minor positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)