Rook Endgame: Single f-Pawn Draw
White to play and draw
PlayYou are up a bishop pawn on the sixth rank, with your king and rook close by, but the defending king has reached the danger zone. A single f-pawn with the enemy king this close is only a draw.
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The Lone f-Pawn Falls Short
White to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play
Waking the engine…
The theory
A lone extra pawn wins in a rook ending only when the attacker can cut the king off or shepherd the pawn safely, and neither is possible here.
King proximity. When the defending king reaches the squares around the promotion path, a single pawn cannot force through.
Bishop pawn limits. An f-pawn gives more chances than a rook pawn, but against an active king and rook it still falls short.
In this drill you hold the stronger side and learn to accept the draw the defender has earned.
Keep going
Outflanking: The Réti Study
White to play and win
Pawn on the Seventh: Building the Bridge
White to play and win
Where the Side Checks Run Out
White to play and win
All 96 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)