Rook Endgame Draw: Pawn on the Sixth with the Move
Black to play and draw
PlayWith White to move, this position is a win. You are to move, and only one move holds: the check that stops Ke8. After that, keep your rook on the a-file, three files from the pawn, and on the back rank, so his king cannot reach e8. Your king waits as close to the pawn as it can.
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Pawn on the Sixth: Only Ra7+ Holds
Black 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.
The pawn on the sixth with the attacking king in front of it sits on a knife edge. With White to move it is won. With Black to move it is drawn, and exactly one move draws.
Only Ra7+. The check kicks the white king off e7 before it can step to e8 and free the pawn. Every other rook move and every king move loses.
Checking distance. A defending rook needs at least three files between itself and the enemy pawn, so the attacking king cannot answer a check by walking at the rook. From the a-file against the pawn on e6 there are three, and the checks never end.
A pawn on the sixth shelters nothing. It does not screen its own king from checks along the ranks, which is why the white king gets chased away from the pawn instead of escorting it.
In this drill you must find the holding resource at once. One loose move hands back the tempo and the win returns.
Keep going
The Rook Too Close to the Pawn
White to play and win
Rook Behind the Pawn, King to e8
White to play and win
The Vancura Position
Black to play and draw
All 96 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)