Rook and Pawn vs Knight Endgame
White to play and win
PlayThe rook outweighs the knight, so the extra pawn should decide. But a lone knight draws against a bare rook, so you must promote the pawn, not trade it away.
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Rook & Pawn vs Knight
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
Waking the engine…
The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Rook and pawn versus knight is winning, but the win runs through the pawn: bare rook versus knight is a well-known draw, so the whole game is about promoting.
The method. Walk the king in front of the pawn, use the rook to cut the enemy king off and to shield the promotion square, and advance. The knight cannot blockade forever with the rook harassing it.
The trap. If the knight is allowed to give itself up for the pawn, the position collapses into a drawn rook-versus-knight. Guard the pawn's path so the sacrifice never works.
In this drill you convert. King leads, rook cuts, pawn promotes: the knight will seek the drawing sacrifice at every step.
Keep going
Rook & Pawn vs Bishop
White to play and win
Knight & Pawn Hold vs Rook
Black to play and draw
Bishop & Pawn Hold vs Rook
Black to play and draw
All 30 rook vs minor positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)