Chess Endgames: Checkmating with a Rook

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IM David Pruess explains how to checkmate with a King and Rook vs lone King, touching on important chess concepts such as Zugzwang and Waiting Moves along the way.

[@lc-ii9ii]

I'm here after stalemating a game where I was chasing my opponent's lone king for about FOUR MINUTES!

[@crozolrebeu]

Me too 😢

[@gaz2251]

On the plus side I had 0.1 seconds on the clock when stalemate was called.

[@sueaekula9612]

@@gaz2251 exact same I was only pre-moving and I drawed if I won I would have became 1500

[@saifkrid8705]

Lmao same 😂😂😂😂

[@junwei8480]

@@gaz2251 nice you got lucky

[@benholeman3537]

Just played the best game of my life and it ended with a draw because I couldn’t remember how to mate with a rook and king

[@TheYT_Watcher]

Literally just did this also. 😡

[@pesimusdux]

same here 🤬

[@suf1an658]

Same

[@juliussamelo1008]

Same 😆

[@ilyassnejjar6195]

Same !

[@fishyjja]

this is why chess has the longest learning curve, such a simple maneuver yet u wouldn't know about it unless u take the time and learn

[@ricasiogaming7873]

Facts I’ve been on this for hours now

[@lesterdelacruz6135]

i also noticed that. probably because chess doesn't have any markers like in video games where if you will throw a grenade there will be a marker on where it will be thrown, as a beginner you need to have a visual memorization of how the king and rook checks/checkmate.

[@blazer7731]

@@lesterdelacruz6135 i find that the fact that there are four sides to chose from messes with my brain because although the pattern is the same each time, it confuses my mind seeing it from a different angle

[@ballisticdan9135]

This is the first chess lesson I have ever studied. Hooked now hungry for more.

[@viktorvondoom9119]

​@@ballisticdan9135are you still playing?? If so, how much did your rating change in the last 5 months?

[@Zalgo-u7n]

Thankyou, only if i had watched this video before drawing couple of games

[@fireboylegendplayz2400]

Same 😂

[@junwei8480]

bruh

[@rimkhoder4396]

Same lol

[@imcontemptwithlife4155]

It’s the same for everyone dude. Ur not special

[@rimkhoder4396]

@@imcontemptwithlife4155 he didn't say he was special Why are you so pressed and mad?

[@MissTinlite]

When i was a beginner i thought it was so difficult to checkmate with the king and rook, but now im an intermediate and i realised it was so easy.

[@1462ff]

being playing chess for years and still find this difficult...this explains well. its the waiting move i have been going wrong in....

[@junwei8480]

bruh I knew this when I played for months

[@erik4488]

@@junwei8480 so you're just on this video to flex?

[@junwei8480]

@@erik4488 no

[@alexanderdebie2828]

@@junwei8480 well yes

[@trent797]

Load it up against a computer and try it 10 times in a row. You'll definitely figure it out. The hardest part is the waiting move.

[@umashrivastava3151]

So waiting move is what I was missing.😮 Thanks a lot.

[@jerryrivers681]

WIth all respect to you, Mr. David Cruz. You are a highly skilled chess player as an international champion. Your rook-king checkmate vs rook lesson is very useful. Thank you.

[@10B111H]

IM David Pruess

[@BelegaerTheGreat]

*I love how systematic this is, thank you!*

[@trollify2851]

After so many attempts I've finally mastered the way of check mating with only a rook and the king

[@orricemagee872]

I had this unique situation today and couldn’t figure it out. It was an opponent I’ve been trying to defeat for a while now. So mad I didn’t have this knowledge beforehand.

[@FreepercussionX0X]

I want to thank you for this video! I watched this one yesterday right before I went to sleep. This morning in the train back from school, I played a game against a random person and it so happened that this exact pattern came up (queen instead of rook). I could follow the pattern step by step from memory, which resulted in a victory, which would otherwise probably have turned out in a stalemate!

[@alexio6205]

Thanks, it seemed impossible before i watch your video, now it's easy :)

[@ricardoperez8879]

Just did this for the first time against an opponent who thought a draw was inevitable. Should have seen his face when i mated him. Thanks for the lesson!

[@mateoprendi6354]

Amazing 😄😄❤

[@diljeetsinghnarwal]

Great lesson! Just won an almost drawn match using this :)

[@trucid2]

Ah, to be ELO 400 again!

[@riseshine3177]

@@trucid2 are u dumb?!

[@ZorLink21]

3:19 an alternative winning pattern is 1: Rd7, Kf8 2:Re7, Kg8 3:Ke6, Kf8 4:Kf6, Kg8 5: Rf7, Kh8 6: Kg6, Kg8, 7: Rf6, Kh8 8: Rf8#

[@junwei8480]

???

[@ZorLink21]

@@junwei8480 it’s another way to mate

[@junwei8480]

@@ZorLink21 I know but why are you saying this

[@ZorLink21]

@@junwei8480 what if people Are not used to the tactic used in this video but instead are used to this one

[@chopin6087]

I only had a rook and king left. This helped a lot. I checkmated my opponent.

[@clebs1261]

cheater

[@omarhuda4997]

@@clebs1261 no way he watched this video and play that game at the same time, he would have ran out of time

[@NioJPlays]

@@omarhuda4997 you must be new to any online chess website. There's games over 20 minutes as well as correspondence games that give you over a day to move

[@omarhuda4997]

@@NioJPlays haha isn't that cheating to watch a video on how to do a rock endgame while you are at the rook endgame

[@mkaxiii772]

I’m around 1100 elo. I can checkmate with a rook any day. But I was playing a mini blitz tournament with time control. Had less than 10 seconds on my clock and this checkmate feels so tough

[@kaykayesJr]

Lichess user lmaoo

[@michaelduha]

Three stalemates finally figured I'd look it up. So much easier then I expected

[@Lordmewtwo151]

Been in a couple of games where I ended up in King and Rook versus king, and I stalemated/drew the game both times. King and Queen is easier because the queen covers the diagonals. My instinct is that you have to find a way to get the opponent's king in one of the corners, the problem is how do you deliver the mate and protect the rook. For a hypothetical example, the opponent's king is on a1, your king is on b3, and your rook is on b2, and it's you to play. If you move the king, that is a stalemate, but playing Ra2+, and the king could run to b1. Maybe move the rook to, for example, c2, and the king would have to move to b1. Now in that position, Rb2+ and the king could shuffle back to a1 or run to c1. With a queen, the opposing king can't run to the diagonal. If in this hypothetical example, the rook was on c2 and the position I described was otherwise identical, Rc1 is #. The problem is I don't know how to maneuver the pieces so that such a position is ensured.

[@prathamagarwal6635]

A suggestion: KEEP it SHORT and CRISP

[@usama.nasar18]

Best Chess video. Very simply explained. Looking forward to watch more videos from this guy.

[@edisonlian-homes]

who came here after a draw with a King Rook

[@GowronSaves]

been ages since I was in this position, nice to be reminded how to checkmate this way.

[@sentryogmixmaster]

that would be a great option. an option to 'Pass' when it's your turn and not move any piece.

[@Kevinmf98]

I'm here after drawing with 20 seconds on the clock, thanks, this will be very handy!

[@jonwill]

Excellent; thank you.

[@lucassantana6993]

been trying to take chess seriously for a whole year and i didn't know exactly how to mate in this position up to this point. thank god that changed

[@Avrelianvs]

Patience is important and i never realised it , thanks!

[@jeyking1179]

this video is so useful for me, after watching this now I can handle the situation.

[@isaac_glover]

I always get a draw because I can’t checkmate my opponent because I don’t know how lol

[@Justin-tw6lx]

Lost one of my best games at this end game from the 50 move rule draw. Immediately watched this video and I hope to never have that happen again now.

[@liborkundrat185]

Am I guaranted to get the checkmate earlier before it's draw by 50 moves.

[@chaitanyamohan4164]

Libor Kundrát surely if you play right.

[@flashstar1234]

Yes 100% of the time. In fact I doubt that even in the worse position you can start with you can probably checkmate in like 25 moves if you play the right moves

[@Epidombe]

Why is this guy a better teacher than my college professors

[@maximilianomonzon9882]

I almost loose a game by time for not knowing how to force the check mate with a tower and the king. The tables save me. Thanks for the explanation.

[@2000Dannyboy]

When you’ve only got a minute left, trying to remember how to do this is so fucking stressful!

[@ΟθειοςμουοΓιωργος]

thank you very much

[@anirudhmukherjee3721]

Very nicely explained !!

[@vatsalpurohit3933]

What was the knight thing he mentioned at 7:52 Is he trying to say that if that knight like pattern appears on the board you do a waiting move? Because I usually miss waiting move in this checkmate

[@bgbear4668]

yeah hes saying just be in that position where you are a knight move away, force him to the top of the board, put your king a knight move away with the rook defending the middle like in that shot, then once you can, put your king two spaces below the other king and move your rook up

[@bgbear4668]

to answer your question, that IS the waiting move

[@vatsalpurohit3933]

@@bgbear4668 Got it..thanks man!

[@synesthetically]

Pruess is such a great teacher.

[@x3tr3yo37]

I'm right now in this situation whith a 1500 bot I'm really happy that I finally beat it.

[@ismaelherrera8777]

Stalemated a game like this. Thank you for helping ensure that never happens again!

[@David-eu1ms]

Thank you for taking it step by step.

[@MtsManicTSling]

you are brialliant thanks mate.

[@matthewchacon2625]

Check mate

[@sanju200100]

Wow! I didn’t know this was possible. I drew so many games thinking no way I can win.

[@AyubKhan-je1tm]

Really nice and precise !

[@ianjohnson171]

This only works if your opponent doesn't know what they're doing and voluntarily puts themself on the back rank and in front of your king instead of just moving back and forth in the middle

[@Wog10795]

If your opponent truly knows how to use his pieces properly, then it is game over for you, unless they blunder!

[@_dinesh]

Nicely explained.!!! Thank you so much! you're so smart.

[@muhammadsaifaanshaik8329]

For some reason, i just randomly learnt how to do it the other way

[@Pennywise-o8m]

Thank you I needed this so much

[@andrewyounes3489]

very educative

[@tusharsrivastava3523]

Just drew a game by 50 move rule, lol forgot what to do after getting him to last rank

[@walterstraub150]

Very helpful. Thank-you

[@guntherhofer1424]

excellent explanation, thank you

[@saifkrid8705]

Dude thank you ! I got frustrated because i just drawed a game just like that and i felt dumb lol . But now it will never be a draw again 😈

[@idontno0]

This video was way longer than it needed to be.

[@NHCH]

i wish i saw this video 12 mins ago

[@mikemcknight1295]

very nice explanation!

[@MusicAddicted555]

Great stuff, thank you!

[@Epsa_]

So it’s the same with what you do with a Queen, keep pushing them down each rank

[@meraldlag4336]

You can also checkmate with queen by sandwiching your queen between the kings, so long as the king is on the back row

[@flatearthtruth1298]

Yeah, umm...It's a really good idea to NOT do that.

[@Haha-if9qf]

You can force the king to the back way easier and way easier to checkmate

[@masonbeglarian9029]

This was really helpful I will never draw a game with a king and rook now thank you!

[@ritzreyes5933]

I searched for this just to see what it's called. It's how I beat most of the first bots.

[@morrom4195]

Best explanation, thank you

[@Seanderson3]

i just found myself in this scenario and after chasing my opponent's king around for 34 moves, i offered a draw

[@dolvinsekharmtm5712]

Nice explanation. Thank you.🙂

[@gautamraman438]

Wow wow wow....very well explaied sir....very much thank u🤩🤩🤩🤩

[@Nandenayo3_animation]

Ultimately

[@justzxchh2720]

I see why i always mess up now i never ever play a waiting move to get whatever that word was, so it always draws

[@rabidman3]

thank you, i almost got a draw but thankfully i found this video

[@azervejzovic8413]

THANKS! Now my girl won't stand a chance in the endgame!

[@iciclez3zas]

im here because i missed a mate in 1 with a rook and king

[@stewie_griffen3597]

What happens if they just move their king back and forth to try and draw

[@TJHeezy]

i'm here after not stalemating but being drawn into a repitition

[@elliotmueller8989]

i pretty much played a 100% accuracy game 28 brilliant moves no mistakes and then i forgot how to checkmate with a rook and king

[@yashesvisharma4810]

I played like 20 moves of just king and rook vs king and it became a stalemate 😢. But now I know what to do next time

[@rhyssdeacon1845]

great video I could never do this but this video explained it very well hopefully should lead me to more wins in this postion instead of a draw

[@Brucelee-pv6uf]

U biild a piece of art

[@tonisonja2790]

Thank you very much !!!

[@RICHIEPACMAN]

Watching this video in anticipation that my game ends with me having king rook 😅 thanks for this

[@fatihaksu1830]

I couldn't manage the checkmate with a rook 3 times. So i am here

[@conebonegdm465]

I keep drawing with bots 💀

[@DanielMedina-d1m]

We were chasing each other with our kings and rooks and we ran out of moves getting a draw 😅

[@imamomwifedaughter]

Thank you!

[@laurasanchez7105]

As an 800 player I just DREW a game. I had a bishop and a rook, and all he had was a king. I couldn't figure out for the life of me how to mate him, I kept trying to protect both pieces as both the rook and bishop could be taken by his king in one move. I could have just moved my rook out of the way and let him take the bishop. But we were both low on time, so I panic moved my pieces and he took my rook, so it was a draw due to insufficient material lol

[@nikitaedell]

i just stalemated with bishop, rook, knight and queen

[@laurasanchez7105]

@@nikitaedell Damn how did you make it to the end of the game with all of those pieces left 😂 I'm impressed

[@nikitaedell]

@@laurasanchez7105 i started playing chess today, i just recently learned how to checkmate with a rook or queen still traying to figure out how with 2 bishops or other pieces i lost with all thos pieces out of time 😭

[@laurasanchez7105]

@@nikitaedell Lol my "best" checkmate is king and queen

[@Nandenayo3_animation]

I am trying to learn how to rook checkmates but while this time writing the English words in this video And that way I am learning two things at the same time 😅 thanksss

[@크레파스]

0:20 he sacrificed the ROOOOOOOK

[@oregano3312]

I just stalemated cos I refused to sacrifice my knight when I could have just used this technique with my rook and king…

[@leeonpiano]

Im practicing this now and I’m literally failing every time. The black King keeps moving south and it throws everything off for me and I can’t get him to move up. This is so frustrating!!!

[@atokamurray3263]

I came here after my opponent couldn't checkmate me after 50 moves forcing a draw😂

[@gurhanweyrah3930]

I came here after my opponent failed to checkmate me with his rook and king.

[@yt-1161]

Doesn't matter how the constellation is, I can checkmate him between 17-20 moves

[@hyperboytkl1077]

This is where i made the biggest mistake of my life i'm certain i will probably regret for i long as i live. I lost 1000 pesos (usd equivalent of about 20 dollars here in the Philippines) in a bet with my friend . Like myself he too was a novice player although i had a better advantage over him in experience and gameplay. So to be fair i gave him a little handicap. The deal was if he wins or even draws with me one game he gets a 1000 bucks. The result? A painful draw! I failed to checkmate him with one rook and one king which was my only remaining pieces till i ran out of time! 😭 Often in other games i always find myself blundering this move. 😞

[@jackholmes1017]

1 minute on the clock to win. Drew on time.

[@RaviGhai]

Well created and presented , but note please, David, @ 6:20 "you are maintaining the rook in the ROW (viz # 4) that you want," and not the FILE ... thanks

[@frankegileira878]

Is there any particular reason to why you don't use the box method

[@voidsoul7871]

Getting to this video after getting a draw with this situation 😅

[@natepinto444]

Thank you

[@nothingness653]

i was just in this position and i had to draw

[@butterpecan077]

if only i watched this video sooner 😭😭😭

[@drwillfulneglect]

i lost a game against boxbox's bot to the 50 move rule bc i didnt know king and rook mates