Rook and King vs Pawn: The Shoulder-Charge
White to play and win
PlayYour rook cannot win the pawn alone: your king must come close, and his king stands in the way. The rule: put your king opposite his on the same rank, with one square between them, and only then check with the rook. His king must give way, and yours steps in.
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The Attacker's Shoulder-Charge
White to play and win · Win against perfect defense
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The theory
Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.
Checking first is the mistake. After Re1+, his king steps to f4, right in your king's way, and the position is a draw.
A lone rook can hold a pawn but never win king and pawn by itself. The extra winning ingredient is your king, and the technique for bringing it in is the shoulder-charge.
Shoulder before check. Standing your king right next to the enemy king, body to body, robs him of squares and pulls your king closer to the pawn at the same time. Checking too early is the classic error: Re1+ at once lets the black king step sideways to f3 or f4 and shoulder your king out.
The three-beat rhythm. First the shoulder, Kg4-Kg3 taking the side opposition. Then the check, Re1+, driving the king back a rank. Then the step in, Kf2, into the key zone by the queening square.
In this drill the defender will try to keep his king in your king's path, on f3 and f4. Deny him those squares with your shoulder, then check and march in.
Keep going
Cut Off One Rank Ahead of the Pawn
Black to play and draw
The Outside Passer: Play Where You Are a Piece Up
White to play and win
Lucena's Limit: The Rook Pawn
Black to play and draw
All 96 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)