Day 353: Rook endgame
Target rating: 1051
Lesson of the day
The rook endgame is the most common of all: rooks and pawns on the board. Its first law is activity — a rook behind a passed pawn beats a rook passively babysitting one. The sign of a correct plan is that your rook is attacking something, not guarding something. The typical error is locking your rook into defense: it is often better to give up a pawn and keep your rook and king active.
Warm-up
1. Winning blow: bishop to f6 (e7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Winning blow: king to c4Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Winning blow: knight to c4 (d2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Winning blow: rook to d6 (d1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Winning blow: queen to g2 (h3·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Winning blow: queen to c4 (f4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Winning blow: knight to e4 (c5·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Winning blow: rook to h2 (h1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Winning blow: bishop to g2 (e4·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to h4 (f2·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Winning blow: king to e3 (f2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Winning blow: rook to d7 (g7·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
13. Deflection: rook to e6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
14. Winning blow: rook to d7 (d8·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: rook to a6 (a2·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to a5 (b4·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Mate in 2: queen to d8 (b6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Mate in 2: queen to b7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Attack on the uncastled king: knight to e6 (c5·18)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Mate in 2: queen to g6 (h5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Fork: rook to g3 (h3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Mate in 2: rook to h1 (h2)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
23. Attack on the uncastled king: queen to c5 (c1·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: knight to g3 (e2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Mate in 2: deflection on h1Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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