The Rook Too Close to the Pawn
White to play and win
PlayThe black rook on b8 is only two files away from your e-pawn, and that is not enough checking distance to defend. Your first move exploits something else: your king is standing on your own rook's line.
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The Rook Too Close to the Pawn
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.
Count the files between the black rook on b8 and the pawn on e6: only c and d. A defending rook needs at least three files of checking distance, so Black is already lost.
Rook endings are decided by distance. The defending rook needs room to check from, and when it does not have that room, the extra pawn goes through.
Three files, minimum. A rook checking a king from the side has to be far enough away that the king cannot simply walk at it. Two files of separation is not enough. Here the black rook is on b8 and the pawn is on e6, with only c and d in between, and that is why White wins.
Only Kd6+. It looks like a retreat. It is a discovered check: the king on e7 was blocking its own rook on a7, and stepping to d6 opens the seventh rank onto the black king. Any other first move only draws.
The checks run out. After Kd7 and Ke7 the defender is pushed back, and Ra1 sets up the finish: Rb7+ Kd8 Rb8+ Kc7, and the checking rook is attacked by the king. That is what a rook without checking distance is worth.
In this drill the defender checks from the best angle he has. Take the discovered check first.
Keep going
Rook Behind the Pawn, King to e8
White to play and win
Philidor's Defense on the Fifth
Black to play and draw
The Fifth-Rank Fortress: 1.Kf6 Does Not Win
White to play and draw
All 83 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)