Rook vs Bishop Endgame - How to draw it without thinking!

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This endgame is notoriously hard to hold on anything below GM level. I read somewhere that it’s won 60% of the time! I wasn’t able to check that information, but it’s remarkable it true.
The reason is that the defensive technique for rook versus bishop endgames is very complicated. And, more importantly, because the rook is a tricky piece and falling for double threats of mate and losing the bishop is always in the air.
One practical reason that makes these endgames hard for the defender is the fact that keeping your king in the center is often very perilous, and can lead to problems.
It is therefore necessary for the king to hide in the “correct” corner. That is the easiest way to draw.
The correct corner is the one OPPOSITE to the color of your bishop. So, if you have a dark squared bishop, you want your king on a8 or on h1, and vice versa.
#chess

[@vrebds2484]

10:33 🤔🤯😱 After that Ke8 , Ra7 is winning!! How ever the theory is clearly understood✔️ 🌟 Go to the right corner 🌟 don't move your bishop from those 4 square (and that 2 diagonal) which cutting off the opponent King

[@droctowiz5968]

Ra7 ...Bd8 no ?

[@vrebds2484]

​@@droctowiz5968 after Bd8 White can do Ra8 and pin the bishop ... black have no other move than give up the bishop by Kf8... After, white captures the bishop winning is easy....

[@HereWasDede]

10:44 Ke8 Ra7! threatens mate and bishop Bd8 Ra8 kf8 rxd8. not a draw right?

[@mikhails5483]

Awesome content! Just a minor suggestion- if you show games, can you please put the name of the players/date/venue on the screen, so that it's easier to search if ever? Thank you!

[@malcolmc2466]

In the position Magnus lost (at 16:45) it seems the only drawing move is the counter-intuitive Kh6, going towards the wrong corner. it is more complicated then it seems. E.g, If Bd6 (which seems natural) you lose because of the same technique as in the first position of the video. The bishop will be forced away from the safe squares behind the two kings after Rc6 is played. Perhaps these positions are not so simple after all. (It is weird that your engine shows Bd6 at 18:20, but if you play through the moves Bd6 loses.) Any other bishop move will eventually allow a double threat.

[@Greg-uq8ng]

Agreed. Stephan's advice is good for weaker players. But it is an oversimplification of this endgame, in which there are many examples of high rated players losing.

[@nisarg411]

Yes you are right bro.. Its not so easy as he shows...

[@nisarg411]

Stephan's engine is an idiot..😂

[@grandpy7924]

17:08 Ba3 blunder. Rc3 : Be7 Rh3 : Bh4 Rh2 : Kh6 Rxh4 Check

[@malarzzjanowa5005]

GrandPy he says it in 18:00

[@shreyupalley1767]

17:44

[@dougveganparadisebuilder5808]

Can you do a knight vs rook endgame? I lost with the knight but I can't find good information on how I could have drawn and your explanations are very instructive .

[@miomio7864]

Hello Stejepan, I started playing chess 2 years and 3 months ago and I got addicted just like you. My goal is it to become GM one day just like you! I already easily got 1500 DWZ and my coach and my opponents all agree that I would have around 1700 without the pandemic. I spend around 3-4 hours per day playing chess and now I want to use your channel to improve even more. Because I'm "only" 16 years old I don't have school because of Corona I have more than enough time to play chess! What do you think about watching all your videos beginning with the first one...?or do you have any other advices to improve my chess especially with your channel as fast as possible? You could be client of a coach for me! 🙏 By the way this endgame I studied one year ago and already managed to win a game with the rook against a bishop against a 1800 player:) Great video as always!

[@garybennett6138]

Another first class piece of content. Thank you.

[@VaSavoir2007]

At 17:15, Bh4 does not work, since white juns wins with Rh2, Rh1 or Kf4, followed by capturing the bishop. I see you point this out later.

[@danielcarpenter5250]

Thanks again. Great illustration.

[@jahoneluv4681]

Time of video (17:10) Ba3 also loses if Rc3...and the bishop goes to e7. 1.Rh3+ Bh4 2.Rh1 (waiting move and now the king has to move)...3. Rxh4!

[@slartibartfastm9714]

17:05 ba3 does losses!. 1. ... Ba3 2. Rc3 Be7 3. Rc7 Bg5 4. Rh7+ Bh6 5. Rh6 and the rook eat the sniper next move ... Ups, you pointed later

[@coinparadise1]

This is what i needed right now,i really enjoyed it. Thanks

[@denami8993]

thank you for the video, I have lost this endgame in the past as well...

[@sharansivadas3678]

Hi. I think there is no need to voluntarily go to the correct corner, as far as you know how to remain in the centre.

[@TymexComputing]

Very important knowledge - to remember :) - at some other game i have found that the knight near your king is also quite a good defender of your King against the rook - it can gain you a draw :)

[@ender99370]

Thank you for all your videos. Keep it up bro! GOD BLESS!

[@GeneralBlorp]

Zugzwang would be a great name for a Tuxedo colored kitty 😻

[@burnsyy9119]

I did watched this and even did a study on lichess but it's amazingly hard to find the right sequence of moves when tested. You just have to hope the bishop blunders into a fork.

[@LalinduSathmina]

thanks

[@girishvaddi5203]

Hey Stjepan, my name is Girish. This is my first time commenting. I liked your endgame videos a lot, but I have some trouble with knight vs rook endgame. Could u make a video next Thursday on this endgame. I find knights kind of tricky in the endgame, especially when Alekseenko lost to Anish Giri in the Candidates tournament. If u could make a video next week, it would be great. But u don't have to do it next week. Thank u

[@ΔημητρηςΝίκου-υ5λ]

10 33 time, if rook f7 check and king d8, they don't draw. Rook a6, bishop b6 and now rook a8 check, bishop d8 forced, and now you loose a tempo, for example rook b8 and you win the bishop.. Isn't that right?

[@ΔημητρηςΝίκου-υ5λ]

By the way, congrats for your work. Is really useful, I watch your videos the last month that I started to play chess and you really helped me a lot with my training.

[@TymexComputing]

So the "right corner" is simply a corner of a different color :)

[@paralleluniverse99]

Hey, Hanging Paws. For next videos, try to set the 'kosal' piece set there on lichess. Way better :)

[@ezekielvannoy8392]

André Vieira ew, Riohacha, Tatiana and a couple of others are way better

[@paralleluniverse99]

@@ezekielvannoy8392 A matter of opinion, of course. Personally, I find both you mentioned dreadful lol

[@ezekielvannoy8392]

lol ok

[@yosua0]

6:05 why can’t you just play bf4 as black preventing the double thread?

[@Abhishek-tx7nv]

Kf5 discovered check

[@rizka7945]

16:48 "I think there are only two moves that lose" In reality, there are NINE losing moves. Kh6 (running towards g7) was the only move Magnus could have drawn with! For instance after ...Ba3?? .Rc3 Be7 .Rh3+ Bh4 white puts black in zugzwang and wins the bishop with Rh1 or Rh2. There were other mistakes, too throughout the video. There was way too much convincing how easy this is to defend. It's not immensely difficult, but you MUST think. You are going to need more modest attitude Stjepan to keep improving.

[@Joel-co3xl]

You're right. Clicking around with tablebase after Bd6 is very interesting, White has lots of tricks including double threats, discovered checks (rook on fifth rank and bishop going too close to king), and skewers & pins along g-file.

[@MrCosinuus]

No streams? I hope I didnt scare you to much with the positions I proposed to analize.

[@Kuumin]

analize

[@KW-vm5fc]

Finally, an endgame that is instructional. :-)

[@adityapaul6361]

Thanks to fulfill my request sir 😊

[@quality_9597]

Guys he didnt blunder ke8 ra7, listen carefully from 1:40-1:50 he says as we will see.... and he shows us the blunder

[@DzFarid]

Ba3 loses because after Rc3 Be7 Rh3+ Bh4 Kf4 you lose your bishop. Edit: sorry i wrote this comment before getting to the part where you correct yourself. Thanks for the vid great series!

[@md.zahurulislam8611]

Nice video

[@kierowcabombowca5247]

10:35 WHAT ?!? Easy draw 🙂? Don't think so. Ra7 and you either lose bishop or move it let's say Bb6 Ra8+ Bd8 Rb8 and you lose the bishop and the game.

[@MrIqbalMogal]

Sir qeen vs rook other videos plz

[@Richard_Buurstra]

Already done

[@NikolayDimitrov-i6q]

Stjepan thanks for the video but the title is so misleading. No one can ever play chess without thinking. You either think or lose :)

[@pierinochiara2379]

Hai voglia?