Chess lessons › Chess endgames
The Vancura position
Against a rook in front of an a-pawn, attack the pawn from the side and check the king away from it.
The idea
Attack the a-pawn from the side and check the king away from it.
- White’s rook on a8 stands in front of the a-pawn.
- Black’s rook on f6 attacks the pawn from the side.
- The king on b5 guards the pawn, so Rf5+ checks it away.
In a game: Against a rook in front of an a-pawn, attack the pawn from the side and check the king off it.
How the lesson begins
White has a rook and an a-pawn against a rook. White’s rook stands in front of the pawn, on a8, and guards it along the a-file. If the rook leaves the a-file, the pawn falls, so White needs the king to come and protect the pawn.
Black’s rook on f6 attacks the pawn from the side, along the sixth rank, and Black’s king waits on g7. This is the Vancura position, named after the Czech study composer Josef Vančura. The tablebase says it is a draw.
Find the move
White has played Kb5. Now the king protects the pawn as well, so White’s rook is free to leave a8. Black to move: only one move draws. Find it.
A hint
Do not let the king settle beside its pawn.
Show the answer
1... Rf5+
Rf5+. The rook checks along the fifth rank from far away, and the king has to leave b5. Every other move loses: if the king is allowed to stay beside its pawn, White’s rook leaves a8 and White wins.
In numbers
Positions to practise
64 positions in the study, every result proved by the tablebase: 30 are wins, 29 draws and 5 losses for the side to move, with best play on both sides.