13
votes
Understanding Carlsen's resignation in the rook and pawn endgame vs MVL
Intuitive plan
Notice that black's last check is pushing the white king one row away from their passed e-pawn. Once black promotes the b-pawn, white will have to give up the rook for it. After which ...
- 12k
13
votes
Accepted
White to play and win - only moving the rook once
This is a simple one.
You can't make progress once the K's are opposed and thus the only solution is outflanking.
[FEN "k7/8/8/8/8/8/8/K1R5 w - - 0 1"]
1. Ka2 Ka7 {is the human approach} (1....
- 520
12
votes
Accepted
Not in stalemate, but why is this a draw?
The game ended because of the 50-Move-Rule.
From Wikipedia:
The fifty-move rule in chess states that a player can claim a draw if no capture has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last ...
- 810
12
votes
Accepted
Only Rook endgame!
Is it possible to win (black or white) in this position?
Of course it is. Both black and white have mating material. They each have a rook but a victory for either of them would require the opponent ...
- 94.5k
11
votes
Accepted
Drawn R+2P vs R endgame
I don't know the game you have in mind, but the following is one example of such a drawn position in this ending (as can be verified with a tablebase query):
[fen "8/8/1r4kP/6P1/2R2K2/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"...
- 23.4k
10
votes
Rook ending with single distant passed pawn
This should be a draw as far as I know and the first step is to get behind the pawn with your rook. Now if black pushes the pawn to the second rank it is an easy draw, because he can never move the ...
- 19.2k
10
votes
Understanding Carlsen's resignation in the rook and pawn endgame vs MVL
In short, the plan you proposed is possible, but it is just too slow, even if black allows it, which is not mandatory. If black permits it, here is a simple win that, although I checked it with a ...
- 32.4k
10
votes
Accepted
Is this endgame drawn after the rook sacrifice?
Let's note the following: 1.Rxc2 and 1.Kxf4 and 1.Rd8+ are equally good, since they all draw. If we ignore 1.Rd8+ for now, 1.Rxc2 is clearly at least as good as 1.Kxf4 in the position, since it drives ...
- 7,978
8
votes
Is this endgame position a draw?
While the accepted answer gives the correct evaluation of the position and a useful link, I think it is important to detail a little bit more the strategy in this interesting rook endgame.
First of ...
- 15.8k
8
votes
White to play and win - only moving the rook once
Since it can't be analyzed with an engine, I made it so :-) I hope you agree that this setting keeps the relevant restriction (the wR only moves once):
[FEN "8/p7/rp6/rp6/pP6/R7/8/K6k w - - 0 1&...
- 15.4k
7
votes
Accepted
Could White have won this double rook endgame?
48.Kf6 should be winning. After say 48...a2, white goes h4-h5-h6 and something involving ...Rh1, Rxa2 Rxh6+, Kg5 followed by Re2 will lead to the Lucena position.
Much earlier on, I believe 31.Kg3 is ...
- 1,433
7
votes
Drawn R+2P vs R endgame
Two connected pawns usually win, but with a+b pawns, there are some positions which are drawn. I do not know which game you're referring to, but here are some examples:
[fen "8/8/8/3k4/pr6/4R3/1p6/...
- 24.8k
7
votes
Accepted
How defend against rooks in 7th rank?
In general, prophylaxis can be used to prevent the rooks getting on the 7th. This is the preferred defense; common challenging moves are to contest open columns with your own rooks, or to guard the ...
- 196
7
votes
Why is this king and two passed pawns vs. king and rook endgame not drawable?
There is no absolute result for this type of endgame-it all depends on the position of the pieces. In fact, any result is possible.
Objectively, this particular position with black to move is a loss-...
- 3,796
7
votes
Endgame technique: How to win with rook + g and h pawn vs rook?
As we can see from the other answers, there are two things you should avoid: 1) The pawns getting blockaded. 2) Your king getting cut off from the pawns.
It is not the only way to win, but as a ...
- 8,996
7
votes
Why is the f7-g6-h5 pawn complex so important for black in rook endgames?
So just why is that f7-g6-h5 setup so important?
Compare the two pawn structures below, one on the kingside where Black has achieved the f7-g6-h5 structure and one on the queenside where White has ...
- 94.5k
7
votes
Accepted
How to win a rook endgame with two extra pawns-4 vs 2 general plan
My plan was to keep the Black rook on the 5th or 4th rank to cutoff
the White king and advance the h and g pawns. But then what?
Your plan is a bad one.
The general rule in rook and pawn endgames is:
...
- 94.5k
7
votes
Is this endgame drawn after the rook sacrifice?
After Rxc2 Kxc2 Kxf4 we reach the below position, which is a tablebase draw.
The plan for White is really simple: queen the h-pawn (White can give up the rest of the pawns).
Black king is too far away ...
- 11.6k
7
votes
A difficult rook ending
This answer is intended to expand upon my comments, and give some concrete lines. Let's discuss the position as I (mistakenly) first thought it was presented:
[fen "R7/6p1/P3p1k1/7p/8/6PP/r7/4K3 ...
- 7,978
6
votes
Is there an online database for the endgame KRPPKRP?
All of the Syzygy tablebases are available here: https://syzygy-tables.info/
These cover all endgames up to 7-man, and provide WDL (win-draw-loss) and DTZ (distance to zeroing move) data. Syzygy ...
- 1,679
6
votes
Understanding Carlsen's resignation in the rook and pawn endgame vs MVL
While it may appear that White can whisk around Black's rook and promote, there is a indeed problem that you have missed: Black can promote first!
White's king is currently in check from Black's rook,...
- 17.1k
6
votes
How does b4 fix pawns in this rook endgame?
It definitely prevents Black from playing ...c5, at least temporarely. I wouldn't say Black pawns are "fixed" though. Anyway, isn't Re7 a much stronger move?
- 16.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Ulf Andersson vs Robert Huebner 1981 rook endgame: the mistake here is Rd8 right?
The mystery is easily solved if you just follow a few alternatives with the engine. The point is simply that if White comes to b4, the Rc5 gets another protection. This means that after exd5 Rxd5, ...
- 15.4k
6
votes
Can a rook and King checkmate a bare King without zugzwang?
Of course not. This is Basic Endgames 101. The main principle lies in forcing the lone king back by getting the opposition. If the lone king can pass then the stronger side can never get the ...
- 94.5k
5
votes
Accepted
How do you know whether to trade one of the rook pairs in an endgame?
One question to ask is "am I behind or ahead?" If I have some winning edge, it's best to simplify. If I'm behind, it's better to complicate the position.
After that, the question has both tactical ...
- 294
5
votes
Is this endgame position a draw?
This is a very late answer, but if you check 7-piece Lomonosov tablebases, it shows the original position is a draw.
Here is a link to the proof.
- 916
5
votes
Accepted
Should white go for piece-a-piece or two rook endgame?
Black has an extra bishop and two extra pawns. Black is completely and easily winning, and white can't do anything really constructive.
Black's easiest way to win is to promote a pawn to queen and ...
- 27.7k
5
votes
How does black ensure a draw in this R+3P vs. r+2p endgame with all pawns on the same side?
The following explanation is for the general 3 vs 2 pawns on one side situation, which does apply also to this game. Of course the situation is the same whether the pawns are on the a-c files or on f-...
- 20.7k
5
votes
Not in stalemate, but why is this a draw?
You most likely played 50 moves without a capture or a pawn move. This is called the 50-move rule, which results in a draw.
Check back to around move 28. You should see the last capture/pawn move ...
- 19.8k
5
votes
Why is the f7-g6-h5 pawn complex so important for black in rook endgames?
This is a very common rook endgame at higher levels, and it is considered very important to know how to defend it at the 2000-rating level and above, and maybe even a little lower.
The answer as to ...
- 32.4k
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