Basic Rook Endings

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

    Ke1

    Kc1

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:

    Rc8

    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?

    This is a draw

    Black wins

10. White to play and...

    White wins after 1.Kg6

    1.Ra6 wins

    1.Ra8 wins

    This is a draw

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

    1...Ra8 draws

    Black's lost no matter what he plays