Queen vs rook
Queen versus rook is a win, but only with exact technique, and a rook plus the right pawn can build a fortress. Learn to break the defended rook and to recognize the holds.
19 positions to play
Rook versus Queen: Ponziani's Perpetual
Black to play and draw
Philidor's Position: Winning Queen versus Rook
White to play and win
Two Protected Squares, No Zugzwang
White to play and draw
The Rook Pawn on the Seventh: Only One Protected Square
White to play and win
The Rook Pawn on the Sixth: A Break-in That Wins Nothing
White to play and draw
A Central Pawn on the Sixth Is Lost
White to play and win
The Knight Pawn on the Sixth: The King Stays Behind It
White to play and draw
Why the Knight Pawn Holds and the Central Pawn Does Not
White to play and draw
Defending Rook and Knight Pawn: King in Front Is Allowed
Black to play and draw
The Extra Pawn That Loses the Draw
White to play and win
A Passed Pawn and Still No Zugzwang
White to play and draw
The King on the Seventh Changes the Verdict
White to play and win
Adjacent Pawns: Walk the King to g7
Black to play and draw
The Queen Sacrifice That Breaks the Wall
White to play and win
Queen vs Rook
White to play and win
The Fortress: Rook and Pawn vs Queen
White to play and draw
Queen vs Two Rooks
White to play and draw
Rook & Knight Hold vs Queen
Black to play and draw
Rook & Bishop Hold vs Queen
Black to play and draw
Learn the theory
The written method behind these positions: what to aim for, the exact moves, and the traps that lose a won ending.
Practice endlessly
Once you know the model, drill an endless stream of fresh, tablebase-verified variations of the same pattern.
