Separated Passers Overrun the Rook

Black to play and win

The rook has one job it can never put down: watching the a-pawn. While it is tied to that, your king walks out and escorts the other passer home.

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

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

Separated Passers Overrun the Rook

Black to play and win · Win against perfect defense

Waking the engine…

The theory

A rook can stop two separated passers only if it is free to watch both. Take that freedom away and the pawns win.

The anchor. Your pawn on a2, with your king behind it on a1, chains the white rook to the a-file: step off a1 and a1=Q follows. The rook may check, but it can never leave.

The runner. c4 is your only legal move and exactly what you want. The c-pawn advances while your king walks out to meet it: Kb2, Kc2, Kb3, Kc4.

The absent king. White's king starts on g6 and never arrives. Without it, the rook is one piece doing two jobs, and one of the pawns always gets through.

Keep going

Pawn on the Seventh: Building the Bridge

White to play and win

Pawn on the Sixth: The Rook Goes to h7

White to play and win

Holding the Sixth-Rank Pawn

Black to play and draw

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