Basic Rook Endings
By I.M. Javier Gil
Have you assimilated basic rook endings?
1. What would you play here as white?
Kc1
Ke1
Rh3
Rh8
2. What would you play as white?
Rh1
3. It's black to play here. Choose one of the following:
Kd7
Rg6
Kb7
Kb5
4. It's white to play, what's the result?
This is a draw
White wins
5. What would you play here as white?
Rh5
Rc8
Kc2
6. What name do you associate with the following position?
Philidor
Vancura
Lucena
Greta Garbo
7. What would you play here as black?
Kf8
Kh6
Kg6
Kf6
8. It's white to play here, choose one of the following:
Rc7
Both 1.Rc8 and 1.Rc7 win
Both 1.Rc8 and 1.Rc7 only draw
9. Black to play here, what should be the result?
Black wins
10. White to play and...
White wins after 1.Kg6
1.Ra6 wins
1.Ra8 wins
11. What would you play here as black?
1...Rc6
1...Rf1
1...Re1
1...Rc8
12. Choose one of the following:
1.Kb3
1.Rh3
Both draw
13. Black to play here, choose one of the following:
1...Rc8 draws
1...Rc8 loses
14. Black to play here
1...Ra8 draws
1...Kg8 draws
Black can draw with either move
15. Black to play here
1...Kf8 draws
1...Rc2 draws
Black's lost no matter what he plays