Table Of ContentRook Endings
GrigorLevenfish8t
y VasSimlyys lov
TranbsPylh aiJtl.ei dpB ooth
B. TBa.t sforLdt d London
-
Contents
Preface ?
1 Introduction
9
71rl �in ofthlnolr. 12
Kine randoo k11. k inf andr ook 13
2 Rooka nd'pa11w.n r ook 15
Dcfmding king rutrai.ns thl ;o-i•s adtJanu 15
Pawnon 7th: ltis tntnil o ff r8
Pawnon fi.th: U.,is cu tojf 22
Pawn on Sth:lcMg is cut oJf 27
Pawnon 41h,3 randd 2nd r1111iu: 4ing is ot'UIf f4f;mu 6-1' ffOR."11.au aek 32
&ok's pawn
48
3 Rooka ndt wo11. rook 64
C"'*ctd .Ppwns �
Dil""1Mled potllM 74
4 Rooka ndo ne11. rooka nd one 85
5 Morep awns 93
R.ookOR d two 11.nNJ k and 0111 93
&ok and� fl.ro ok andt wo;r ook and tM# fl,ro ok 11114 two;r ook and
. tJvN I>.r oo/c and tMU 118
6 Numeroupsa wns 139
Powns tm °"'wing 1gg
Extra MJtsi4I pauld jJdwn 150
One ;awn ad� and 6«ur posilion. �
M aleriaJ ef}"'1liJy posilitmat fll/JJantog1 176
wilJr
lruaffttimJ � aallfJftta,1 t86
SlighposiJUmotJ ad.11anlflld 192
7 Conclusion 212
Bibliography H t
Indeoxf Names 222
PREFACE
Good endgamet echniilqlesu seen tiaflo anry plawhoy er wishcoes attathien
heitlglho fc hessmas tery. Iti so nlcyo mparatirvaerleytl hya gtam es are won
int hem iddlegamaen dt heonn la.iy ar esulotfs erimoiu!st aonk eit hep arto f
theo pponentIn. a significgarneattleryn umbero fc ases iti st he endgame
whicphr ovteso b et hes ceneo fa fierce strugglteo r ealiaz smeal l advantage
buiulpti nt hec oursoef t hoeper unga ndm iddlegamTeh.e en dgamea ettsh e
task ofco nverting thi3 intao d ecisivaed vantoargfo,er t hed efence,t het askof
renderingi niatd equThea tes.t rongmastStte rs of thepas t-PhilidSort,e inicz,
ChigoriLana,e r.R ubinsteiCna.p ablanAclae,k hine-wcallr ouet standing
� ont heen dgame.
Thea ppraiosfaa plo otionis oneo ft heb asice leme·no tsfan y chessg ame,
dctt'tmining aa itd ocs thes trateganyd thtaec ticsto be adoptBeudt.h owof ten.
Mn with strongp layetrhseimportan, t moment of transitifornom middle·
game toe ndgamep roves bet oas twnbling·b·lWhocekt!h eqru eem shoubel d
exchangedor whethseorl uati sonh oubel ds oughitn c omplicawtihoenst,h aer
one pawn advantaigses ufficietnowt i ni nt her ooken dingt halti esah ead
thescare problemwsh icfhr equentarlisey int hcoursee of a game,b utw hiciht
it difficuflotar n yp laywerh od oes noth avaen a dequatemman co do fen dgame
techniqtuoes olvTeh.e a ttitutdhee,re foroef,ce rtaihni.gh er-gradpelda yers
that' ifi tc omest oan endinhgom,e analywsiisl sele me througcan h'be
shownt obe naivteosa, y thel caltl. ,"
Anyc onecmte thodo ft eachchesisn g alsdoem ands 6nt ;Of altlhe s tudy
ofsi mple positwiiotnsah mi.al l number of pieces paanwrl:s-d. on.t heboard .
Studyienngd gamaeic quaitnhtebes gi nnerw itthh es pecificp ropertieosf th e
pieces and pawruian d witthh ew ayt heiyn terTahcets .t udoyfen dingso ught,
tbetefotreo,p recedteh ea nalysoifso peningsan d complicatmiedd dlegame
pmitions. Statisticsc ullefd rom numeroust ournamenrtse veatlh aroto k
endincgosm pri5s0pe er centof alenld games,a ndi ti sf ort hisr easotnh aat
studoyft hem iso fg reaptr activcaallu e.
Thiwso rkdoe sn otp roviad ceo mplecoutrsee onr ooke ndinsgusc;ah bo ok
woulndee dt obe thrtiemees as lonWge. h avrees tricotuersde lvteoes xam ining
thmeo stty pirocaolk e ndinagnsdt hoset haatr meo softten meti np ractice.
Thea pparents impliociftr.yoo ke ndinigsds ece ptivEev.e nt heanal ysis ol
endinwgsi tohn eo rt wop awm isf afrro ms implas et,h er eadweri lcolm e to
8 Prefau
rc:alizc. and requiaresl ootfh ard Andt hien vestiofg coamtpiloni cated
work.
endinwghser teh earer neu merpoawwns dcman m mao wlrdgofe t hsei mple
endgamepm itiotnsow hitchh emya ybe reduciedn s ubsequepnlta y.
Attemptsh avbeeen madet oformu latgee nemraatlh ematrulesi caflo r
rooke ndinp( thfei ve-stqhueoraeremsof Cherona ndo thersb)u,tt h ese have
proved
W11Ucccssful.
In thper esenwortk we have apptrhoacsehu edb jfrecotma d iffearnengtl e.
Finwet c onsiruddeirm entposairtyi onisnw hitchhme e thofod a chietvhieng
wionr drawb aseodn n atulroagli.mc oavlesT .a ctifciesanslesar eon ly
the ii
poinoteudwt h erree anl�l.y Bya g radaunadsl y stematiinccr eofa se
material we aniavteroo k endingst worow imtohrp ea wm;a tthe samtei me
weh avsoueg htt hroughout tod emonstrattehr ee lationship between the
positieoiwninedns and simpenldeirn Ag lsa.r nguem beorfthese basenidci ngs
arexame ined herefo rt hfeirs tt ime.
Inthe Mai chapwete rh avsumem arizedo nt hbeas iosf t hmea terial
discussed thfeu ndamepnrtianlc iples ttohbe a fotll owed ouignhp tl aying
rook endgTahmesese.p rincwililp lseervse as guide-liinnal les the
manoeuvring anwildl ma ke thceh oicofe t hceor reclti ne foerast ihreeer a der.
Tos avsep atceh feo lloswiignhnsag v beeen used:
± White"W ins
� Black wina
=Draw
!S tn>nmgo ve
? Weak move
For convenientchesC'. u perisori diesu suarlelresenpy ted byt hWeh ite
pieces, with thc:xece ptiofon e xamples t&oma ketno urnamanendt sma tch
games.
INTRODUCTION
1
Byr ook endingwse m ean positionst os impltoify ap awn endinagn d
where a kinangd a rook, woirt when tin fort heex changoefr ooks.
withopuatwn sc,o mbalitke f orcaesn d L.. RxP!
whereal lo thepri ecesare off the 2RxR PxR+
board.E ndinwghse rbeo tshi dhesa ve 3KxP K-N2
twor ooks are called double-rook 4K-B5 K-R3
endingansd aren otd isctmedin the 5K-Kf KxP
presentw orkB.y t heexc hangeo fon e 6K-Q4 K-Nf
paiorfr ookst hetyr anspose rioonkt o 7 K-M K-Bf
endings. 8KxP K-K3t
Casesc anar ise inr ook endings 8 ...K -K4w oulldose becauofs e
wheronee sidoeffer s or forcesth e 9 K-85.
·exchangeof rookst husr educing the9 K-N5 K-Q.2
game to ap awn ending. Wseh aglilv e 10K-N6 K-Bl
several exam ples. Draw.
The pmitiionDn i ag1.w as meti n Int heg amet he,,plaacytctu9a lly
theg ame Alekhinc-Ret(iV iennaag reone dt hder �aaft er 3• ••K -N2.
1922).
Rub�iem
Reti, thapo auwng hd ownd,ec ided
2
Reti
J
Cohn
InD i.ag. 2 (Cohn-RubiSnts tein,
Alekhine Petenburg1 909Whi)te, should have
Blactkop lay playeldP -84p,r event.i.n.g R -
JO
K.R.5. Int hacaset hecould have Thepos itioin nD iag3. i sfr om
coun teodn dra wing thgea meB.u tS teiniu:-NGewun sYboerrg1k,8 90 .
Cohn thoutghhtat thp ea wn ending
woulbde t hes implesto few nay Gunsbe rg
suriWnhgi ttehd er aawn pdla yed:
3
1ll -Q.Bl? ll x ll
2 Kxll K-B31
A.R ubinstae griena.et xpe rto n
thee ndgame, ansa ttatratsc k on
WhitKeR'Pst hat decisive.
proves
3K-Q2 K-N4
tK-1<2 K-ll5
5K-Bl K-ll6
6K-Nl P-K4
kingb ecomep inned
The White has
dowtnothe defeonftce h e and Steinitz
KR.P
isp oweesrsl agaithen stg athering
K-sipdaews nt ormb yB lack. Black threatens toh idhise king
K-lll P-QJ'tl4 frocmh ecksa npdl a.y. R.- KNB+.
1
8K-Nl P-B4! K-Rd6oes noptr otWehcitta eg ainst
9K-lll P-N4 thtihsr ebaecta uosf•e• •P -N4! So.
10K -Nl P-Kll4 hem usgti vueph irsoo kf otrh ReP ,
11K -lll P-K.N5 takteh pea wonn N 6 andt rayn d
12 P-K4 BPxP savhei m.seblyfa dvancibniowngs
13 P x K.P P-ll5 RPAs.. ap relimmienasaurrWeyh ite
K-Nl P-N6l chectksh Bel akcikn fgru thaewra y
14
15RPxP PxP from WthhietR eP .
Whitree sigsnisn,ce atheft er 1. K-86
.•
exchaonngK eN3 hel oshesi KsP . 2 ll-IU+ K-B7
Simpliifynitnaog p awne ndiinng 3K xP ll-N8+
thicasse turneodu tto bea fatal4 K -B7 P-RB=(l
mistake. 5llx(l llxll
A comm onp attoernfp laiynr ook 6P -RS ll-Kll8
endinisg! w heonn sei diesf orced to 1 K-N6 ll-N8+
givueph irsoo kf oar f aard vanced8 K -B6 ll-KRB
passepda wnw,h ilmsanta gaittn gh e 9K-N6 K-86
same timteo w inp awns ont he 10P -ll6 K-B5
oppossiitodefethe boarTdh.er esult 11P -ll7 K-K4
iasn e ndionfrg o ovk.o noer s everal12 K-N1
pawns. AndW hitseec urtehedd raw.
nexttw oe xamplsehsow Gunsberg, chmet he
The however,
thaevte ni n WoCrhladm pionswhriopnr go uftoehr i ksi nHge.c �uld
matcshuesc ehn dings wereh asvowemo enast fiomlesl ows:
playiend tely. 1. K-Q4l
accura ••
lntrodw:tion II
2ll -ll5+ K-B3 4P-N7 P-Bf
31\-1\6+ 5P-N8=Ql\ xQ
No better is3 K x RP- N8+ 61\xl\ P-B5
4 K-87P -R8=Q5 RxQ RxR 7K-Q.5 P-B6
6 P-RR5- KR87 K-N6K -Q2 8K-K4 P-B7
8P -RK6- K29 P -RK7- 81. 91\-KB8 K-N6
3.•• K-N2 10K-K3 Roigns.
41\xRP l\xl\
5KxP K-B2 Botvinnik.
6P-ll5 K-Q.2
K-1<2 5
1 P-1\6
8 P-1\7 l\-N7+
9K-ll6 K-B2l
10P-R8=N+K -B3
UK-1\7 1\-NI
andB lacwinsk.
Bogolyubov
Levefni sh
The positioni nD iag5.w as met
in Lcvcnfish-8ot(vLiennniinkg rad
193W7h)i.twon e byg iviunpgh is
K8P so ast og ethis passed pawn
movinmgo req uickHley a.c curately
calculatth.aedth isr ook would be
ablet o cope with8 lackp'assse d
pawn.
1l\ -N6+ K-.82
Alckhinaeg ainsBotg olyubov 2P -N4 l\-K8+
(matchI !n 9)fo rcethed advanofce 3K -Q.4 l\-KB8
biapawn. 4K -KS .l\ -K8+
11\-Q.Nl ll-Q6+ 5K -Q.6 1\-KS
·2K -86 1\-Q.l. fiP-N5 l\xP
3P-N6 K-N5? 7ll -B6t Resigns.
An instruecrtirvoeIr tw. as essentialT hermei ghhta vfeo llow7e .d••:
top revetnhteW hiteki ngfr om lateRr -QN58P -NP6- N(48 K-83
.•.
approachtihneKg 8 P3: . •. K-K5!9 K -85+9)K -8P7- N51 0P -N7
4 P-NP7- 845 P-N=8Q RxQ P-N161 P -N8=QRQx 1 2K xR,
6R xRP -85 7 K-8P5- 868 RandB laclkose sb ecauseh iksi ngcu ti s
KB8 K-K69 K-P8-48 J7O K -83 off fromt hep awn. 7R -8se6rv ed
K-K7 1R1- K8K+- Q8,a ndd ra�. twop urpoaicstp: r ovidtedh eW hite
12 lnlr� •
king with sheltfrero m checks along R.-86+ K3- 84R -85+ 4 K-BS
thefile , and cutit o ftfh eB lackikn g R-84+ 5 K-N6 R-83+ 6 K-R.7
OD a rank. R-82 7 R-K8 White wina .
2Jl:....u+
6 Otherwise 2;• . K-N3 with an
eascb:ya w.
2 KxR
•••
3P -Nl=Q.+ K-R2
Blacnko wd raws by transferring
his rook toK 83 or KR.3I.ft heB lack
pawn hadsto od atK N3,t heen ding
woulhda vbeee n wonf oWrh ite.
The above C'Xa1Jl ple3 showco n
vincintglhya tb eforset udyirnoogk
endintgsh er eader shoulda cquaint
himself twhiept rhi ncipofl pesa wn
InD iag6.w eh avae ne xample of a endingsa nde ndinofg sr ook v.p awna
rook endingtr a�ing into aann d queen.v .r ook and pawn. A
endinofg q ueenv .R +P .E ndinofgs detailaenda lyofsi tah eeee ndini.sg s
thitsy phea veb eenq uitofet enm et in containiend I. L. Rabinovich,
tournamenptr actice. ENb¥iJ, • abridgbedy oneo ft he
1P -N7 R-B2! authoinn � diµ N�hitt"'-U�
After l. •. R-87+ 2 K-83 chik(hChm for B1gitwrs}.
THE PROPER.TJES OFTHE ROOK
Sincteh el eadirnogl e tihneg ames ranksS.o t haitn t heo peningan d the ·
discussienthd e presebnootk isp layedm iddlegaomnee t riest op lacet he
by ther ook,i two ulbde u seffuilr osft rooks ono peno rh alofpe·n filesa,n d
all usf otor acquaionutr selwviest h iC ar ookp enetrates and oowpne nfil e
itss pecifipcr operties,i tsco hesrs ttoh e7 thrank wheret heraer e
'physiognaosmi ytw' e,r e. enemyp awns,this will usuallleya d
The rook isa long-rapnigeece l,i ket om aterigaali ns.I n thee ndgame,
theq ueeann dt heb ishoBpu.tu nlikew henm ostof thep iecesa ndp awns
themi tsd egreofe m obilidtocsy not haveb een exchangedo ff' and the
depenudpo n wherieti.s ont heboard . board cle�df ort her ook toco me
Itc ontrjousltst hes ame nwuber of intaoc tioints,v alue increa!C. For
squares f(r o1m4Q ) R I as itd oesexam plei,nt hetn iddlegaa biniaeh op
fromt hece ntrals quarKe4 . The andk nighatr es trongeth.anr a rook
centraliztahtaito ni ncreases tanhde psacwonp;be u ti ne ndgam.es a rook
oft heo thepri ecesh as noi nfluencean d pawn are often nQ weaker than
on· theef fectivoeftn hesesr ook. a biahoanpd knight.
A roonkee dss pace-opefilens and Workinagl onag file a rook can
•Abrecoomm ended is Yu. Awrb�kh, Eumtiol .&lpnt .Knllflllldp (Papm.on).
