The bridge is lesson 2 of 3 in Rook endgames essentials, an endgame course suited to players rated around 1000 (improving players). With a rook and a pawn against a rook, the winning plan has a name in every chess book, but the idea is simple: build a bridge. It has 1 interactive exercise: 1 find-the-move puzzle. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
Your pawn is one step from a new queen, but your own king blocks it. Your rook cuts off the black king. The plan: move your rook to the 4th rank. Then step your king out. When Black runs out of checks, your rook blocks the last check like a bridge.
What you practise
The plan worked. Your king walked out, and Black checks again from d2. Now build the bridge.
Worked examples
The plan worked. Your king walked out, and Black checks again from d2. Now build the bridge. The bridge. The checks are over, and the pawn will become a queen.
chessGM