Rook against pawn: holding on is lesson 2 of 6 in Endgame 4: Rook against pawn and the Lucena, an endgame course suited to players rated around 1200 (improving players). With the king next to its pawn, the pawn's side can often hold, but only with precise king moves. It has 6 interactive exercises: 6 calculated lines from real positions. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What you practise
Black to move: hold the draw. (3 positions)
White to move: hold the draw. (3 positions)
Worked examples
Black to move: hold the draw. 1...b3 2.Rb6 Kc3 3.Ke4 Kc2. Only b3 holds: king and pawn together are too much for the rook to win. This is a draw (checked with endgame tables). After Kd5 the position would be lost.
White to move: hold the draw. 1.Kb6 Kc3 2.Kc5 Rb2 3.b6. Only Kb6 holds: king and pawn together are too much for the rook to win. This is a draw (checked with endgame tables). After Ka6 the position would be lost.
More in Endgame 4: Rook against pawn and the Lucena
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