The rook and pawn versus rook endgames are very important to study because these are the simplest versions of the very frequent occurring rook endgames.
Let’s have a look at the diagrams below. All these positions are a win for White, but do you know why?
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This lesson will explain a part of this KRP-KR endgame.
As indicated above the starting postion of the diagram below is a winning postion for White even if it is Black’s turn to move. Note that Black’s king is unable to approach the white pawn.
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Endgame |
45.Kc4 The king has to approach Black’s rook and has to move to the next ranks in order to enable to push the pawn ahead.
45… Rc8+ 46.Kb5 and the king also has to be able to continue moving to the next rank without positioning itself in front of the pawn.
46… Rd8 47.Kc5 The king is still able to defend the pawn. Look at the white rook. It’s only purpose seems to be to cut off the black king.
48… Rd8 49.Rd1! This is the moment we have been waiting for. Note the distance of Black’s king to the pawn and the the distance of the white pawn to the sixt rank. 49... Kf6
( 54.Re1 is also winning. In general a pawn on the fifth rank and an opposing king that is cut off enables you to win unless the pawn is a rook pawn. 54... Ra2 55.d6 and on the sixth rank it is even better. 55... Ra7+ 56.Kc8 Ra8+ 57.Kb7 Ra2 58.d7 Rb2+ 59.Kc7 Rc2+ 60.Kd8 Rg2 61.Rc1 Rg8+ 62.Kc7 Ke5 63.d8=Q Rxd8 64.Kxd8 )
54… Ra2
( 54… Kf7 55.Kd8 Kf8 56.Rf1+ Kg7 57.d7 Rd2 58.Rf4 Kg6 59.Ke7 Re2+ 60.Kd6 Rd2+ 61.Ke6 Re2+ 62.Kd5 Kg5 63.Rc4 Kf6 64.d8=Q+ )
( 62… Rc2+ 63.Kb3 Rg2 64.d8=Q and White wins. For example by 64... Rg3+ 65.Kc4 Rg4+ 66.Kc5 Rf4 67.Rd5 Rf2 68.Qg8+ Ke7 69.Re5+ Kf6 70.Qg5+ Kf7 71.Re7+ Kf8 72.Qg7# )
In the next lesson I have added some (rather similar) diagrams that correspond with a draw.
March 27th, 2009 at 3:29 am
I am very grateful to have this training lesson! Thank you!