Rook on the First Rank, King to the Rescue

White to play and draw

You are the one without a pawn. Your rook already covers c1, the square the passer is heading for, and the position is a draw. But the margin is one tempo wide: the natural king retreat played in the game actually loses.

New to this ending? Learn the method first: Rook Endgames

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

Rook on the First Rank, King to the Rescue

White to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play

Waking the engine…

The theory

Kochiev against Smyslov: a rook ending a pawn down, objectively drawn, and lost inside a dozen moves. The margin in these positions is one tempo wide.

The rook covers the queening square. From the first rank the rook guards c1 along the rank, so a1, b1, f1, g1 and h1 all hold the pawn. What it cannot do is stray onto the black rook's file: Rd1 hangs to Rxd1.

The king has to come. 1.Ke4 keeps the draw. The game move 1.Ke2 loses: the king drifts away from the pawn and never catches up. Defending against a passed pawn, every king move should shorten the distance.

Short of the mid-line. The pawn on c5 is still on its own half of the board. That is what buys your king the time to arrive, and it is only enough if you actually spend it.

In this drill the attacker will try to escort the pawn. Keep the rook at range on the first rank and march the king.

Keep going

Cut, Shoulder, Check, Push

White to play and win

One Tempo Saves the Draw: Only Kd5

Black to play and draw

Cut Off by Two Files: King First, Pawn Last

White to play and win

All 83 rook endgames positions Follow the full curriculum (free)