Day 782: Rook endgame
Target rating: 1673
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. Mate in 3: queen to f5 (d3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
2. Mate in 3: queen to f7 (g7)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
3. Mate in 3: pawn to f7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
4. Mate in 3: pawn to g4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
5. Mate in 3: king to h1 (g1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
6. Mate in 3: queen to a8 (g2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
7. Mate in 3: pawn to h6Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
8. Mate in 3: rook to d5 (d1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
9. Mate in 3: pawn to f7 (f6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
10. Mate in 3: bishop to c6 (h1)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
Core set
11. Mate in 3: rook to e6 (e5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
12. Mate in 2: rook to d4 (e4)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
13. Win the hanging rook on e8Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
14. Rescue the king to d7Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
15. Winning blow: king to f4 (f3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
16. Winning blow: rook to b1 (a1·8)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
17. Winning blow: rook to h3 (h6·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
18. Attack on the uncastled king: rook to c1 (a1·5)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
19. Winning blow: queen to h6 (c1·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
20. Winning blow: rook to b3 (a3·6)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
21. Winning blow: rook to g1 (d1·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
22. Winning blow: queen to e3 (e2·3)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
23. Winning blow: queen to e2 (d3·2)Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
24. Fork: queen to f8Analysis
White to move — find the best continuation
25. Fork: rook to e5 (f5·3)Analysis
Black to move — find the best continuation
Challenge
Review
Day complete — every puzzle solved. See you tomorrow!
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