How to draw with a pawn against a rook
Learn to save a pawn against a rook: keep your king next to the pawn, shoulder the white king away, and promote to a knight when a queen would be mated.
Back to the pawn
Your king is two steps from its pawn, and the rook stands behind it. Only one move keeps the draw.
Play Kc3: back to the pawn. Now the king defends it and guards d3 and d2, the squares in front of it. Kc3 Rd6
2. Rd6 Rd6: the rook stays behind the pawn.
Play d3: the pawn steps forward, and your king still guards it. d3 Kb5
3. Kb5 Kb5: the white king comes.
Play Kc2: your king goes ahead, next to the pawn's path, and guards d2 and d1. Kc2 Kc4
4. Kc4 Kc4: too late.
Play d2: one step from queening. d2
Now the pawn can't be stopped without giving up the rook for it: a draw. King and pawn together were too much for the rook.
Shoulder the king out
The rook checks from behind. Where your king steps decides the game: only one square keeps the white king out.
Play Kc4: forward, towards the white king. Your king stands in its way to the pawn. Kc4 Ka5
2. Ka5 Ka5: the white king tries to get past.
Play Kc3: keep your king between the white king and the squares in front of the pawn. Kc3 Rd7
3. Rd7 Rd7.
Play d3: the pawn moves on under the king's guard. d3
Your king stays a step ahead of the white one, and the pawn walks on. The rook alone can't stop them: a draw.
Promote to a knight
Your pawn on c3 is two steps from queening, and both kings are close. Look at the checks before you promote.
Play c2: forward, with your king near the queening square. c2 Kd4
2. Kd4 Kd4: the white king comes closer.
Play Kd2: next to the pawn, guarding c1. Kd2 Rh2+
3. Rh2+ Rh2+: a check.
Play Kd1: next to the pawn again. Kd1 Kd3
4. Kd3 Kd3: now a new queen on c1 would meet Rh1, checkmate.
Play c1=N+: a knight, with check. It stays next to its king, and the rook can't win it. c1=N+
A queen or a rook on c1 would have been mated by Rh1. The knight, next to its king, holds the draw.
Key ideas
- Your king belongs next to the pawn, beside it or diagonally in front of it. On its own, the pawn falls to the rook.
- Stand in the white king's way: keep your king between it and the squares in front of your pawn.
- When the rook checks from behind, step forward, towards the white king.
- Before you promote, look for a mate: if a new queen would be mated, a knight with check can save the draw.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the pawn alone: the rook takes it.
- Stepping away from the white king after a check: it walks around your king to the pawn.
- Promoting to a queen without looking: with the white king close, a rook check on the back rank can be mate.