Queen vs Rook Endgame - How to win and how to fight for a draw.

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A new endgame episode is coming up every Thursday! To continue the series, I have decided to cover the absolutely essential endgames every tournament player must know.
In this video I have gone over the seemingly simple, but in practice very tricky endgame, queen and king versus rook and king.
I have covered the winning technique for the attacker in 4 simple steps, and I have gone over two most common and most efficient drawing techniques for the defending side.
#chess

[@JustARandomGuySurfing]

It's so hard i played in lichess against stockfish and i can't win. It's even harder than checkmate with knight and bishop

[@isaiasduarte7385]

I feel the same way.

[@czapla233]

checkmate with knight and bishop is easy because there is strategy which you can just learn and follow. rook vs queen is extremely hard because there is no repeatable strategy which will help you with getting philidorf position.

[@yusref5021]

I also cannot mate :(, is there any video which teach that properly ?

[@sourandbitter3062]

it's not common knowledge, amateurs always learn the Philidor position, but reaching it against perfect defense is very difficult. There's a whole KZbin playlist about it I came across a while ago. kzbin.info/aero/PLRdbvtd0qOHM5bTDgWrVyhCQrxtYnrfXV It's interesting, but I wouldn't spend much time on it, people don't play the computer defense and the KQ v KR endgame has a low probability of appearing, still much higher probability than KNB v K.

[@mohammedissaadchihabeddine8488]

It s as hard as check mating with two nights

[@skylerqt5550]

Please show us how to start in the middle of the board with queen vs rook vs stockfish and win in less than 50 moves.

[@UnknownString88]

Is it possible?

[@charlesfairchild3836]

@@UnknownString88yes

[@HangingPawns]

Interactive endgame lesson starts on twitch in 3 minutes! Link in the description. Viewers will suggest a position for analysis!

[@hugobackman7890]

You should maka a video on sicilian mengarini variation

[@MrCosinuus]

Queen versus Rook endgame: You insane. One of the most complicated endgames, way more complicated than checkmate with bishop and knight. Studying QvsR helped me a lot wining Rooks with my qeen in middlegames ;)

[@lenaweingraber4211]

Summary: Queen From the Philidor Position, all you have to do is find the fork. Third Rank Defense: Put your queen away from the enemy king so that you can fork on the longer diagonal once the king and rook get seperated. Slowly force the King towards the corner to the Philidor Position (or just win on the way). Second Rank Defense: Beware Stalemate while again forcing the king into the corner. Don't blunder. Rook Try to get into the Third Rank Defense and just wait from there, stay resilient for 50 moves. If you can't, do the same from the Second Rank. Always try to keep King and Rook together, and lookout for blunders that draw or even win the game if white is careless.

[@beri4138]

@@alexis34270 Obviously he means win if white blunders the queen. Use your brain.

[@nguyenhoaianh1797]

Thanks for your video! With some practice I have managed to play queen vs rook endgame.

[@Contakum]

This queen vs rook endgame is a nightmare. I studied it some, didn't really understand how to do it, and then found myself in just such a game with me having the queen. My opponent blundered away his rook and I managed to win but had he put up perfect defense there is very little chance I could have executed that endgame correctly. And I STILL don't completely understand how to do it !

[@TheJOVVA]

Best rook Vs queen video imo, thnx!

[@gerryjohnstone2100]

Very clear and useful guide to an extremely complicated task. Thank you.

[@proflaxis6968]

Derek Grimmell has an excellent course on Q v R. The best I have seen on The Web.

[@therealhardcase3844]

as if you know exacly what i need to lern next about the endgame. Thank you.

[@ezekielvannoy8392]

I was literally wanting to know about this exact endgame yesterday haha

[@240dc]

Great video. Thank you!

[@Freemoonminecraft]

I am so glad you did this video, I asked for one ages ago in the comments and people gave me grief as if I shouldn't have been asking

[@prince2132]

There is no straight forward method to solve queen vs rook endgame. I mean tackle any random position with perfect accuracy. The way to solve this is to reduce the initial position to next lowest distance to mate position. For example if the initial position is 10 moves to mate then the goal is to reduce it to mate in 9 moves position then to 8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and 1. If anyone interested to learn this step by step then check this kzbin.info/aero/PLVQF5gqzqrR4wXJsFGCqnZlJZatPenapD. In this you'll find compilation of puzzles for each distance to mate position. Currently up to 5 added.

[@isaiasduarte7385]

Amazing video!

[@dante350]

Great video Stjepan. Helpful as always. Do you think you could maybe cover the theory on the Black Knights Tango for d4 openings? Would be very much appreciated 🙏🙏

[@Guitare_picking]

Amazing work

[@andreymelnikov2814]

Thanks, really great video! I able to win stockfish L8 several times. But not always. So... I will practice again and try to use ideas from video.

[@scaptal]

Just failed to win this endgame up a queen, so here I am, thanks for the vids stephan

[@anotherdude4180]

Hi Stjepan, hi chess lovers! Queen vs Rook, what a nightmare! I tried to win it against Stockfish from random positions an guess what: I failed. It's not about basic checkmate, it is a full endgame, lots of things to know! Your explanation is a good example, but to really get through it I recommend Derek Grimmell and tons over tons of practice...nevertheless: The knowledege you spread is a HUGE GOODIE for us "normal" players!!! Thank you and stay healthy!

[@chuazw]

Nice video, appreciate the general principles. One question on the second rank defense (starting 15:44) - after 1. Qf5 Kd8 2. Qc5, Black has 2. ... Re6+. Doesn't this free Black up?

[@jonathanbernhard5418]

For everyone interested in learning this notoriously difficult endgame in detail - I've made a study covering everything you need to know, including some exercises to help you on the way. lichess.org/study/ZqgEdqxj I hope it'll be of use and that you'll gain something out of it! 😀

[@lucaslee2115]

Thanks 👍

[@blackbeltchess8197]

Referred by ‘chess goals’ to your video even though I found your video beforehand. They simplify how to get the King to the edge of the board.

[@chupapimunanyo2596]

If you try this practice on lichess with the queen against Stockfisch with the rook, I promise you, you will go insane mentally

[@KR-P]

Now add a pawn with the rook.

[@telin69]

Thanks for your videos! Very useful and well explained. I've been training on this endgame. One question: at 13:08 after King c6 what happen if black plays rook g6 ... I don't manage to figure it out !

[@saavedra29orig69]

I was going to ask the same. White doesn't win.

[@ToriYamazaki]

That's exactly what the tablebase says is best. And this is why learning this ending is so hard. Continuation: 1... Rg6+ 2. Kd7 Rg7+ 3. Ke8 Rg8+ 4. Kf7 Rc8 5. Ke7 Rc6 6. Kd7 Rh6 7. Qc7+ Ka8 8. Qf4 Rb6 9. Kc7 Rb7+ 10. Kc8... wins. Duh of course... sheesh.

[@seanohara9114]

I'm playing the computer now, and this video covers everything except what the computer is playing. For example, at 17:25 after Qf6+, computer is going Kg8 and I'm lost lol

[@dennismays5692]

Great practical video. ChessGoals sent me.

[@stevemansfield8530]

At 11:09 another way (after 1...Ra6) is 2 Qc4 Rf6 (...Rg6 also loses quickly after 3 Kb5+) 3Qc3 Rh6 (other moves lose quickly) 4 Kb5+ Kb7 5 Qg7+ fork. Other moves by Black also fall to forced forking sequences. For instance, after 4...Kb8 5 Qg3+ and there is a fork coming on g7.

[@ProfJohnStats]

Can you make a video and show how to solve a Fritz 13 Queen and Rook endgame? The black king is on e7 and the black rook on d7, the white king is on e5 and the white queen is on f5 and it is white to move. I cannot win this game. Thank you.

[@HonorOP]

13:10 why would the rook come back to b7 instead of checking on g6 and drawing?

[@stevemansfield8530]

THere is a KZbin as follows from Chess Goals which shows how to start with the defending side still in the middle of the board. URL kzbin.info/www/bejne/pWWXiKCYqd9lhNk&ab_channel=ChessGoals. That video strongly recommended transitioning to this Hanging Pawns video to see how to manage things once the defending side had been driven to the edge of the board.

[@Yornek1]

May 2024 comment, I followed those rules of thumb and checkmated stockfish in less than 30 moves!!! Thanks a lot @Hanging Pawns

[@fz25-darkrules37]

Thanks for the video ji....

[@patrickmoloney672]

@hanging pawns - At 16:39 doesn't Re6+ allow the 3rd Rank Defense for Black?

[@BJGunners]

yeah this is what engine plays but u still end up forking the rook with non obvious moves

[@khalilansari5786]

Thank you Sir. Lots of love from India

[@parthchaudhary366]

hi chess goals is recommended ur videos

[@dr.grogsaudiostories]

16:48 stockfish plays both Re6 + Kd7 here...

[@levia9753]

man i’m 1300 having so much trouble winning queen vs rook . is it just too hard to do against an engine? should i stop trying to beat an engine? thought it was clearly winning but i just spent like 45 minutes and couldn’t even win 1

[@andretheron8362]

The best online coach.

[@karimaziz573]

At 17:33, how do I win if the opponent plays KG8?

[@tiosom6293]

I able to push the enemy king to the backrank and rook to 2nd or 3rd rank but i dont know how to proceed, is veryhard, there a same position in rook sacrifices stalemate.

[@mitulcharak980]

At 13:08 the rook dont go to b7 instead it comes to g6 to check our king and it keep chasing the king Please help sir

[@sumting_wong_witya1029]

And here I was thinking this was an easy endgame. After I tried it in lichess against stockfish, I realized how tough this is.

[@daemonsoadfan]

so hard, but thanks for video

[@morrownow]

17:27 what if Kg8 which is what stockfish does 100% of the time?

[@leenaoleenatarun]

Hi Steven Thanks

[@paulmorphy6314]

It's not Steven. It's stjepan.

[@tatendaronaldbema9348]

@ChessGoals referred me here

[@Tradex420]

Any video on queen rook Vs queen rook?

[@briandwi2504]

If you need to know something, Stjepan is the man!

[@user-pc7yn8ee4b]

Can you beat him?: kzbin.infosxg86-UdIkI?si=8DoH5dH8VA03dhZv

[@shuaibahammed7293]

The second example the rook can block the check right

[@nomoreblitz]

This is appreciated, but it is still quite incomplete, isn't it? In addition to the 3 root positions identified here, I think there are at least 10 more progressive positions needed (each with a few different subvariations) before attempting to practice a random start position against an engine.

[@prince2132]

There is no straight forward method to solve queen vs rook endgame. I mean tackle any random position with perfect accuracy. The way to solve this is to reduce the initial position to next lowest distance to mate position. For example if the initial position is 10 moves to mate then the goal is to reduce it to mate in 9 moves position then to 8,7,6,5,4,3,2 and 1. If anyone interested to learn this step by step then check this kzbin.info/aero/PLVQF5gqzqrR4wXJsFGCqnZlJZatPenapD. In this you'll find compilation of puzzles for each distance to mate position. Currently up to 5 added.

[@particleonazock2246]

Thanks - Garry Fang

[@jeffdeez1]

I'm currently stuck on this endgame in lichess in the education tutorials.. I can only manage to draw a couple of ways. It's very hard to get the right geometry to fork the rook. I admit I am a noob, but this endgame ia killa vs the machine.

[@1998XBOX]

heard that an fm say that he also has trouble with that kzbin.info/www/bejne/nWS7pJSAbsuGmZo&ab_channel=ChesscomIndia 2:24. Does not necesseraly mean you are a noob.

[@andrewhudson870]

I'm trying to learn this but in the position at 13 mins and 9 seconds on the video stockfish does not go back to be, instead he starts checking the king, what to do then?

[@andrewhudson870]

B7

[@hirakdeka4933]

Great

[@josephojemuyiwa8914]

Stockfish refuses to get into the Philidor position, even with analysis there isn't a rhythm to the technique, just raw calculation all the way to the corner and if you make an inaccuracy you have to make 8 more perfect moves just to get back. when you get to the philidor position its easy but it seems so hard to get there.

[@bernardthefourth]

Ah this is a hard one.

[@Intuizon]

Chessgoals brought me here.

[@ELOFIDE-sb3qk]

Twitch stream?

[@ELOFIDE-sb3qk]

@Unsound Chess thanks

[@alonthekiller]

is it just a win for white if he has pawns on the board with the queen vs rook?

[@Kkaran8404]

If the side with the queen has a pawn then just give the queen for the rook after making sure the pawn can be queened and it is an easy game. And if the side with rook has pawns i have seen a win for the queen even against rook and two pawns tho it would be terribly difficult to win if defended properly

[@transcendentalnoob]

Chess goal sent me here

[@hilbertonfields]

hey please a series on Queens indian

[@divyam5935]

Came after nepo vs magnus draw lol

[@carloschu7127]

Chess Goals sent me here. 😂

[@gavinday5933]

At 13m09 Rb2 would be non-optimal, surely Rg6+ wastes more time. No?

[@TheResilientvinod]

Do we need chess board with pieces

[@vrebds2484]

I learnt an excellent end game idea here👌👍 #QUEENvsROOK What if my opponents also learnt from you 🤔😜 #3rdRankDEFENSE Thanks for the excellent content 🙏

[@sebastianshandy658]

No #were harmed

[@vrebds2484]

@@sebastianshandy658 I couldn't understand... please explain it...

[@Sebastian-jq7uc]

I cant sleep obsessed with this ending. So far this is the best video about it. But still far from complete. I guess it too complicated for a short video

[@Ashraf68224]

You should collaborate with agadmator you're both from croatia it will be fun.

[@wynlewis5357]

How would Carlsen do vs Stockfish if he had Q ? .. and how would he do with R ?

[@commentwarrior]

With R he would melt

[@gsp_admirador]

Helpful

[@TheGT0000]

3:45 actually king b8 not a8

[@uldiskurpnieks8189]

reffered by chess goals

[@daemonsoadfan]

lmao imagine the guy knows 3rd rank defense, you tryhard you manage to reach the 2nd rank defense, then you get tricked 16:11 and back to 3rd rank defense xD

[@bobbyb5710]

when you say lose the game you mean draw right?

[@executive]

Nice video. But I still can't do it. I suck.

[@markt9075]

16:42 "Ke8 is the only move." But Re6+ is also a move, and then what???

[@lollycopter]

Correct timestamp: 16:39 If Re6+, then Kb7 and keep inching your king towards them.

[@dimarcinho]

Comming from ChessGoals

[@jamesmcdonagh2331]

What you are playing is usually with other pieces together in conjuction with the play..this doesn't work because of this reason. the bigger play is been ignored. Misleading this .

[@Biskawow]

I wish someone would simply play pierce checkmate I challenge on lichess and show how they beat stockfish 14. because it didnt just move the king when third rank defense, it checked my king after queen moved and then moved the rook away again so I can't fork and then beck together... I am stuck, can't move. All the excercises until this one where easy to do for a begginer. All of youtube videos are made by people predicting defensive moves. Where can I find someone mating computer? (says "mate in 18 if played perfectly")

[@bobbyb5710]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6G2lJ6chNlnaaM why, the king can be chased away? Kc6 is a horrible move as you suggest.

[@MozartMartins]

Did a GM took almost 50 moves to win this final? This is sad to me...

[@MozartMartins]

I am still trying...

[@Novak2611]

3:47 not a fork

[@humanrightsadvocate]

ChessGoals 1.53K subscribers sent me here

[@sahilbaori9052]

So basically, queen and king is winning against rook and king

[@bed693]

(If the player with the queen knows what they are doing)

[@bekpamper7376]

No explanenation about how to force the king to the corner. So what's the point of this video if you don't explain everything?

[@builderphill1361]

Who's here from Magnus vs Ian 🙋

[@yiranchen2906]

I see Terra Mystica

[@HangingPawns]

Yup. My second favorite board game:D

[@nutritionandphysiology8023]

none of this makes any sense. I'm sure if you already understand how it works, you understand it. This is not explained well for someone trying to learn how to checkmate with queen vs rook. The concepts are not clear at all, or rather how to achieve those concepts.

[@Yornek1]

You have to practice to make sense of it.

[@Liwet.]

This video was NOT helpful. I don't know how to do #1 and #2 and therefore can't practice #3 and #4.

[@beri4138]

Truth is that this is just an incredibly difficult endgame.