Rook vs Two Pawns: The Tail-Hook Draw

Black to play and draw

Play

Two connected pawns with their king beside them, and your king is far away. Play for the draw. The rule: aim for your rook behind the leading pawn, covering its queening square, and your king next to the pawn that stays behind. Then neither pawn can advance without being lost. To get there in time, first attack the rear pawn from behind, so that his king stays tied to it.

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The Tail-Hook

Black to play and draw · Hold the draw against perfect play

Waking the engine…

The theory

Watch the method: press play to see the winning idea run, or step through it move by move.

Going after the g-pawn first, Rg3, is the mistake. Kg7 steps in front of it, the f-pawn runs, and you lose. Running with the king first, Kd4, loses the same way, to Kg7.

Two connected passed pawns with their king in support usually roll home, but there is a drawing formation even when your king is far away. It is called the tail-hook.

Rook on the head, king on the tail. The rook takes the leading pawn's promotion square so that pawn can never queen. The king attacks the backward pawn, the tail. With both pawns held, neither can advance without simply being captured.

Set it up in order. The paradoxical Rf3 stops the front runner and keeps the enemy king out of g7. After the leader is pushed you switch behind it with Rg3, then march the king across to hook the tail, Kd4-Ke5.

In this drill the defender will try to run the pawns before your king arrives. Start with checks if you must, reach the hook, and hold the half point. If the pawns ever sit safely on the sixth together, though, the hook is too late and they win.

Keep going

Hold the Rook Pawn with Precise Checks

Black to play and draw

The Second-Rank Defense against Doubled Pawns

White to play and draw

F- and H-Pawns Beat the Back-Rank King

White to play and win

All 96 rook endgames positionsFollow the full curriculum (free)