In our basic endgame lessons we explored one of the most important Rook endgames one can know: the Philidor Position (click HERE for that article). We saw that it offers the key to defending a pawn down Rook and pawn versus Rook endgame. However, what if a Philidor goes bad and one isn’t allowed to use the key – dominate the rank and stop the enemy King from advancing – idea?

WHITE TO MOVE AND CAUSE BLACK PAIN

This is a diagram from the above-mentioned article on the Philidor. There Black had the move and played 1…Rh6!, drawing easily. However, what if White has the move? In that case 1.Rg6! prevents the key defensive maneuver and forces Black to adopt a “plan B.” Of course, if you don’t know “plan B” then you are, to put it mildly, screwed. Let’s play a few moves and see what might transpire:

1.Rg6! Kd7

Black doesn’t see what’s coming, but soon he’ll have to show his stuff or face certain doom.

2.Ra6!

So Black’s King wasn’t safe after all. Now the threat of Ra7+ forces a reaction.

2…Rh1

Best. If you intend to check the enemy King, try to put as much distance between your Rook and his King as possible. We’ll see why this is important later in this article.

3.Ra7+ Ke8 4.Kd6!

THE START OF A MULTI-QUESTION TEST

Our key position. This is where you must have a preexisting knowledge of the saving idea or you’ll almost certainly go down in flames. Since 4…Rh6+? 5.e6 is clearly horrible, and 4…Rd1+? 5.Ke6 Kf8 (in our Philidor Position article, we saw that laying passively on the back rank via 5…Rd8 fails to 6.Rh7) 6.Ra8+ Kg7 7.Ke7 has White rushing towards the creation of a winning Lucena (click HERE for a discussion of the Lucena Position), Black is forced to pass a multi-question test to survive!

4…Re1!

Question one: correct! What does this do? 4…Re1 makes it hard for White to advance his pawn, as you’ll see in a moment.

5.Ra8+ Kf7

The point of 4…Re1 is now clear: White can’t play 6.e6+ due to 6…Rxe6+. Since Black now threatens to make an immediate draw, White must step back and move to the previous position.

6.Ra7+ Ke8 7.Ke6

BLACK TO PLAY : PART TWO OF THE “TEST”

 The threat isn’t subtle – Black must take immediate measures against Ra8 mate.

7…Kf8!

This is known as going to the “short side.” The idea is that Black is leaving far more distance on the left for future lateral checks with his Rook (without his King getting in the way). Remember: when you check a King with your Rook, you always like to have as much distance between your Rook and the enemy King as possible.

Going to the wrong (long) side gives White more chances: 7…Kd8? 8.Ra8+ Kc7 9.Re8 Rh1 10.Ke7 Rh7+ 11.Kf6 Rh6+ 12.Kg5 and Black’s Rook wishes it were farther away from White’s King (as it would be if it were checking from the other side of the board).

8.Ra8+ Kg7 9.Kd6

BLACK TO PLAY: PART THREE OF THE “TEST”

9…Kf7!

Again showing the strength of 4…Re1. Now the e-pawn is again stuck and …Rd1+ is threatened, chasing the White King away from the action. Far worse was 9…Rd1+? 10.Ke7 when White is again getting perilously close to setting up a winning Lucena Position (the defender must avoid this at all costs!).

10.Ra7+

White repeats the position again and sets up a completely different kind of test for his opponent.

10…Ke8 11.Ke6 Kf8 12.Ra8+ Kg7

We’ve been here before, but now White tries a different idea.

13.Re8

BLACK TO PLAY: PART FOUR OF THE “TEST”

Now “passing” doesn’t work: 13…Re2? 14.Kd7! when 14…Kf7 fails to the simple 15.e6+. How can Black defend?

13…Ra1!

After 13…Ra1 we can see long distance checking at work. Black threatens to set up a pure, easily drawn Philidor Position by 14…Ra6+ 15.Kf5 Kf7 and the game is as good as over.

14.Rd8

BLACK TO PLAY: PART FIVE OF THE “TEST”

White is hoping for 14…Ra6+ 15.Rd6. But Black doesn’t have to be so accommodating.

14…Re1!

Back to our key idea! White can’t make progress and, since Black has demonstrated his understanding of this endgame, the game can be agreed drawn.

LESSONS FROM THIS ARTICLE:

* A detailed knowledge of the Lucena and Philidor positions is a virtual must if you want to understand the position in this lesson!

* Don’t let the opponent get a Lucena Position!

* If your King is in front of the enemy pawn and you must move it to one side or the other, move it to the SHORT side so your Rook can have unencumbered checking distance.