Exercise 10.1Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
10
Practical Rook Endgames · Kapilash Chess Academy
Rook against Knight
Keep the knight close
In this lesson you will learn
- Why rook against knight is usually a draw
- Why the knight must stay close to the king
- How the attacker separates king and knight
- Avoiding the edge of the board
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
10.1 Together They Hold
Rook against knight is usually a draw if the defending king and knight stay close together and away from the corners. If the rook manages to separate them, the knight is often trapped or the king is mated.
Diagram 10.1Black to move
Example 10.1 · King and knight together
Black's king and knight stand side by side in the centre.
Black keeps the king next to the knight. The rook cannot attack the knight without the king defending it, and checks achieve nothing. This is the drawing method: stay compact and stay in the centre.
Diagram 10.2Black to move
Example 10.2 · Bring the knight back
Black's knight on g7 is far from its king. The rook is ready to separate them.
1...♘e6+! brings the knight towards the king with check, gaining time. A few moves later king and knight stand together again. When your knight drifts away, bring it back with checks if you can.
Remember
- Rook vs knight is usually a draw.
- Keep the knight next to the king.
- Stay away from the edge and the corners.
- A separated knight is often lost.
Exercises · Lesson 10
Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine: exactly one move keeps the best result. Find it and play it on the board.
Exercise 10.2Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 10.3Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 10.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 10.5Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 10.6Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 10.7Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.