Exercise 5.1Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
5
Practical Rook Endgames · Kapilash Chess Academy
The a-Pawn and the Vancura Position
The most common rook ending
In this lesson you will learn
- Why rook endings with an a-pawn are so often drawn
- The Vancura position: attacking the pawn from the side
- Why the defending king belongs on g7 or h7
- The skewer trick that the defender must know
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.
5.1 Rook in Front of the a-Pawn
The most frequent rook ending in practice has White's rook in front of a passed a-pawn and Black's rook behind it or beside it. Because the a-pawn is on the edge, the white king cannot easily shelter it, and Black has many drawing chances.
Diagram 5.1White to move
Example 5.1 · The Vancura position
Black's rook on f6 attacks the a6-pawn from the side, and the king stays on g7.
This is the Vancura position, a theoretical draw (confirmed by endgame tablebases, even though engines without tablebases often think White is better). The rook on f6 attacks the pawn from the side, so White's rook must stay on a8. If the pawn goes to a7, Black's rook moves behind it with ...♖a6, and the black king on g7 covers h7 and g8, so White has no skewer. If White's king comes to support the pawn, Black's rook checks it from behind.
Diagram 5.2Black to move
Example 5.2 · Get behind the pawn
White's rook is on the b-file and the a-pawn has reached a6. Black's king is far away on f8.
1...♖a3! puts the rook behind the pawn, exactly as the Tarrasch rule says. Then the black king walks to the queenside. A rook behind a rook pawn ties down the white rook in front of it.
The skewer trickNever let your king stand on the seventh rank on f7 or e7 when White's rook is on a8 and the pawn on a7: ♖h8 followed by a8=♕ is the classic skewer. Keep your king on g7 or h7.
Remember
- Rook in front of the a-pawn: the defender has good drawing chances.
- Vancura: attack the pawn from the side, king on g7/h7.
- When the pawn reaches a7, put your rook behind it.
- Beware the skewer with ♖h8 and a8=Q.
Exercises · Lesson 5
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 5.2Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.3Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.5Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.6Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.7Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.8Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.
Exercise 5.9Find the move
Black to move
Black to move and draw.