Vaisser's Defence on the g-File

White to play and draw, after Vaisser

Black's pawns are less advanced than in Smyslov's game, which looks like good news and is not. Your rook can never reach h8 here, so Smyslov's method is unavailable. Vaisser found the replacement: the king tucks in on h3 and the rook holds the g-file.

New to this ending? Learn the method first: Rook Endgames

No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.

Vaisser's Defence on the g-File

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

Waking the engine…

The theory

Same-wing rook endings a pawn down are usually held, but the standard method does not always exist.

When Smyslov's method fails. Smyslov's defence meets a king penetration down the h-file by getting the rook to h8. Here the rook simply cannot get there, so a new idea is needed.

Vaisser's defence. Play Kh3, tucking the king in behind the h-pawn, and bring the rook to the g-file: g3, then g1 and g2. The rook screens the king from checks and holds the file the black king wants to use.

In this drill only Kh3, Kg3 and Ra3 hold. Everything else loses.

Keep going

Self-Propelled Pawns Against a Counter-Runner

White to play and draw

One Tempo for the a-Pawn

Black to play and draw

The Same Position, One Tempo Better

White to play and win

All 83 rook endgames positions Follow the full curriculum (free)