Forums

How NOT to Play Rook Endings

Sort:
ThrillerFan

I go from dead lost after 33 moves to having checkmated the Black King after 47 moves.  If you want to know how NOT to play Rook Endings, don't do what Black does here!

ThrillerFan vs. vlaicuaurel | Analysis - Chess.com

tygxc

'Endings of one rook and pawns are about the most common sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so often, few have mastered them thoroughly.
They are often of a very difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in reality extremely intricate.' - Capablanca

Chess16723
While these endings seem simple, there are many cases in which the side with the extra material can get a worse position and be forced to settle for a draw or maybe even lose. Removing material advantage creates even more interesting positions, and these endgames are truly the hardest to master and only a few know how to play them well. As Capablanca pointed out in his exceptional book Chess Fundamentals, all the world champions were (and still are today!) very good in their endings, especially rook endings.
Chess16723
Sorry, did not realise the post in #2 and basically said the same thing…
Also my last post gave me participant award for some reason, interestingly…
ItsHegelTime
ThrillerFan wrote:

I go from dead lost after 33 moves to having checkmated the Black King after 47 moves. If you want to know how NOT to play Rook Endings, don't do what Black does here!

ThrillerFan vs. vlaicuaurel | Analysis - Chess.com

I don't think that this is a very good example, black just blundered on move thirty-three; rd2+ followed by e2, d3 and rd1, would have easily won the game.

In general, when using a game as an example, it should demonstrate some general positional principle that can be applied to our own games. But in this case, black just made tactical errors, from which no general principles can be derived.

I guess, you could argue that the game demonstrates the importance of black's central pawn formation, but there are better examples of this, and black almost certainly was aware of this principle.

ThrillerFan
ItsHegelTime wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:

I go from dead lost after 33 moves to having checkmated the Black King after 47 moves. If you want to know how NOT to play Rook Endings, don't do what Black does here!

ThrillerFan vs. vlaicuaurel | Analysis - Chess.com

I don't think that this is a very good example, black just blundered on move thirty-three; rd2+ followed by e2, d3 and rd1, would have easily won the game.

In general, when using a game as an example, it should demonstrate some general positional principle that can be applied to our own games. But in this case, black just made tactical errors, from which no general principles can be derived.

I guess, you could argue that the game demonstrates the importance of black's central pawn formation, but there are better examples of this, and black almost certainly was aware of this principle.

Basically you just confirmed what I said, and notice the title days how not to play rook endings. I mentioned white is dead lost after his 33rd move, and yes, from there, to game's end, Black's play is atrocious, starting with his 33rd move, as you point out.

Basically, Black figured grabbing another pawn was more important than his trump, the advanced and passed central pawns.

ItsHegelTime
ThrillerFan wrote:
ItsHegelTime wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:

I go from dead lost after 33 moves to having checkmated the Black King after 47 moves. If you want to know how NOT to play Rook Endings, don't do what Black does here!

ThrillerFan vs. vlaicuaurel | Analysis - Chess.com

I don't think that this is a very good example, black just blundered on move thirty-three; rd2+ followed by e2, d3 and rd1, would have easily won the game.

In general, when using a game as an example, it should demonstrate some general positional principle that can be applied to our own games. But in this case, black just made tactical errors, from which no general principles can be derived.

I guess, you could argue that the game demonstrates the importance of black's central pawn formation, but there are better examples of this, and black almost certainly was aware of this principle.

Basically you just confirmed what I said, and notice the title days how not to play rook endings. I mentioned white is dead lost after his 33rd move, and yes, from there, to game's end, Black's play is atrocious, starting with his 33rd move, as you point out.

Basically, Black figured grabbing another pawn was more important than his trump, the advanced and passed central pawns.

Yeah, but my point is that the mistake isn't very instructive. I'm pretty sure that they just didn't see that d4 was hanging.

I think that we can agree to disagree here; the only reason why I made my comment was to give some constructive criticism, in case you were showing this game for instructive purposes. If that's the case, then your classical games are far more instructive, and interesting, than some random blitz game.

If, on the other hand, you posted this to showcase a nice a save from a lost position, that's fine, but then, my criticism isn't relevant.

putshort
The hardest are double rook endgames because they can be so powerful when coordinated, 10 points vs a Queen at 9 points. But it’s real difficult to get them that way so everything is on fire and chaotic.
putshort
It’s weird how black got in front of his pawns like that.
ThrillerFan
ItsHegelTime wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:
ItsHegelTime wrote:
ThrillerFan wrote:

I go from dead lost after 33 moves to having checkmated the Black King after 47 moves. If you want to know how NOT to play Rook Endings, don't do what Black does here!

ThrillerFan vs. vlaicuaurel | Analysis - Chess.com

I don't think that this is a very good example, black just blundered on move thirty-three; rd2+ followed by e2, d3 and rd1, would have easily won the game.

In general, when using a game as an example, it should demonstrate some general positional principle that can be applied to our own games. But in this case, black just made tactical errors, from which no general principles can be derived.

I guess, you could argue that the game demonstrates the importance of black's central pawn formation, but there are better examples of this, and black almost certainly was aware of this principle.

Basically you just confirmed what I said, and notice the title days how not to play rook endings. I mentioned white is dead lost after his 33rd move, and yes, from there, to game's end, Black's play is atrocious, starting with his 33rd move, as you point out.

Basically, Black figured grabbing another pawn was more important than his trump, the advanced and passed central pawns.

Yeah, but my point is that the mistake isn't very instructive. I'm pretty sure that they just didn't see that d4 was hanging.

I think that we can agree to disagree here; the only reason why I made my comment was to give some constructive criticism, in case you were showing this game for instructive purposes. If that's the case, then your classical games are far more instructive, and interesting, than some random blitz game.

If, on the other hand, you posted this to showcase a nice a save from a lost position, that's fine, but then, my criticism isn't relevant.

Well, the primary point being made is when winning, don't just try to grab more fruit simply because it is hanging. I see lower players do it all the time. They will grab some meaningless pawn, like a black pawn on a7 or a white pawn on a2, and not focus on winning. To them, being up 7 in material is better than being up 4. The point is to focus on the win, not the material count.

chessterd5

Or the draw, not the material count. Same related principle depending on the position if that is all it holds.

MajumdarRishi

Remember not to blunder the rook It's one of the mistakes I face commonly.