How to checkmate with a rook
Learn the king and rook checkmate as a pattern you can repeat: fence the king off with the rook, face it with your king, and push it back one rank at a time.
Fence the king off
The whole mate is one pattern: the rook fences the king off, your king faces it with one square between them, and then the rook checks.
Bring your king up first. Play Kf2: if the black king comes to f4, the kings will face each other with one square between them. That is the opposition, and it only helps you when it is your move. Kf2 Kf4
1… Kf4 Black keeps its king as far from the edge as it can: f4 is the only square that stays on the 4th rank. But there it faces your king, and it is your move.
Opposition, and it is your move: the rook checks along the king's rank. Play Rd4+: your king guards e3, f3 and g3, so the king has to step back. Rd4+ Ke5
2… Ke5 The king steps back to the 5th rank and attacks your rook on the way.
Play Ke3: your king protects the rook and faces the black king again. The rook now holds the 4th rank like a fence. Ke3 Kf5
3… Kf5 Black has to move and keeps to the 5th rank, so it steps aside to f5. Going back to e6 or f6 would only bring it closer to the edge.
The king is locked above the 4th rank. It keeps to the 5th, right next to the fence, and steps aside when your king faces it.
Wait with the rook, then chase
Two more tools. When the kings are a knight's move apart and it is your move, pass the move with the rook. When the king runs along its rank, follow it.
The king is on f5, a knight's move from yours, and it is your move. A check would let it out, so pass the move. Play Ra4: the rook stays on the 4th rank, far from the king. Ra4 Kg5
4… Kg5 Black won't go to e5: there it would face your king with you to move, and the rook would check. So it runs the other way, to g5.
Chase it. Play Kf3: your king follows along the 3rd rank. Kf3 Kh5
5… Kh5 Again it keeps out of the opposition: on f5 it would face your king with you to move. It runs on to the edge, h5.
Follow again. Play Kg3: now the king has nowhere left to run on the 5th rank. If it comes back to g5, the kings face each other with you to move. Kg3 Kg5
6… Kg5 To stay on the 5th rank, the king had to come back to g5, right opposite your king.
Opposition, and it is your move: check. Play Ra5+: the king has to go back to the 6th rank. Ra5+ Kf6
7… Kf6 The king steps back to f6, towards the centre, as far from the edge as it can.
One rank gone. The king is on the 6th now, again right next to the fence.
The 6th rank: the same pattern
Repeat the cycle: face the king, pass the move with the rook when you need to, follow it when it runs, and check when the kings face each other with you to move.
The king is on f6. Face it. Play Kf4: that is the opposition, but this time it is Black's move, so no check yet. Kf4 Kg6
8… Kg6 Black has to move and steps aside to g6. Now the kings are a knight's move apart.
A knight's move apart, your move: pass it with the rook. Play Rb5: it keeps the 5th rank and stays far from the king. If the king comes back to f6, it faces your king with you to move. Rb5 Kh6
9… Kh6 Black sees the check coming and doesn't go back to f6. It runs to the edge, h6.
Follow it. Play Kg4: on the 6th rank the king's only square now is g6, right opposite yours. Kg4 Kg6
10… Kg6 To stay on the 6th rank, the king had to come back to g6, opposite your king.
Opposition, and it is your move. Play Rb6+: the king goes back to the 7th rank. Rb6+ Kf7
11… Kf7 The king steps back to f7, towards the centre and towards your rook.
The 6th rank is gone too. Same moves, one rank higher.
The 7th rank: a long chase
Once more, one rank higher. This time the king runs across the whole board: keep the rook out of its way and follow it.
The king is on f7. Face it. Play Kf5: opposition, with Black to move. Kf5 Ke7
12… Ke7 Black has to give up the opposition and steps aside to e7, towards the centre and towards your rook.
A knight's move apart, your move: pass it with the rook. The king is heading for your rook on b6, so take it to the other side. Play Rh6: it still holds the 6th rank, far from where the king is going. Rh6 Kd7
13… Kd7 Black stays out of the opposition: on f7 it would face your king with you to move. It runs on to d7.
Chase it. Play Ke5. Ke5 Kc7
14… Kc7 It keeps running, to c7.
Follow it. Play Kd5. Kd5 Kb7
15… Kb7 It runs on to b7, close to the edge. Your rook on h6 is far out of its reach.
Play Kc5: if the king comes back to c7, the kings face each other with you to move. Kc5 Ka7
16… Ka7 Black avoids c7 and hides on the edge, a7.
Play Kb5: now the king has nowhere left to run on the 7th rank. Kb5 Kb7
17… Kb7 To stay on the 7th rank, the king had to come back to b7, opposite your king.
Opposition, and it is your move. Play Rh7+: the king goes to the last rank. Rh7+ Kc8
18… Kc8 The king goes to c8, towards the centre.
The king is on the edge. The same pattern now gives mate.
Mate on the edge
On the last rank the check with the kings facing each other is mate. Watch for stalemate in the corner.
The king is on c8. Face it. Play Kc6: opposition, with Black to move. Kc6 Kb8
19… Kb8 Black has to move and steps aside to b8, towards the corner.
A knight's move apart, your move: pass it with the rook. Play Rg7. If the king comes back to c8, Rg8 is mate. Rg7 Ka8
20… Ka8 Black stays away from c8, where Rg8 would be mate, and runs into the corner.
Follow it. Play Kb6. Careful: Rb7 instead would be stalemate, the king on a8 would have no move. Kb6 Kb8
21… Kb8 That was the only move left: the king comes out to b8, opposite your king.
Opposition, and it is your move: on the edge the same check is mate. Play Rg8: checkmate. Rg8#
Checkmate. Every rank went the same way: face the king, wait with the rook, follow it when it runs, and check when the kings face each other on your move.
Key ideas
- The rook cuts the king off along a rank. The king can never cross it.
- Bring your king opposite the enemy king with one square between them: the opposition.
- Kings in opposition and your move: check along the king's rank, and it has to step back one rank.
- Kings a knight's move apart and your move: pass the move with a quiet rook move along the fence, far from the king.
- If the king runs along its rank, follow it with your king.
- Repeat rank by rank. On the edge the same check is mate.
Common mistakes
- Checking when the kings don't face each other: the king can step forward and the fence is gone.
- Leaving the rook next to the enemy king without protection.
- Moving the rook off the fence rank, so the king can cross it.
- Taking the king's last square in the corner without check: stalemate.