Cut, walk, mate
The mate, move by move
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Win
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Lesson 2 of 4
King and Rook Against King
The rook cuts the enemy king off on the edge, your king walks over, and the rook mates when the two kings face each other. Keep the rook out of the king's reach, and never take its last square away without check.
King and rook against king is always a win, and with the rook's side to move the mate takes at most sixteen moves. The rook cannot do it alone: it cuts the enemy king off along a rank or file, and your king has to come close enough to take away the squares in front of it.
The basic mate comes on the edge: the enemy king on the edge, your king facing it two squares away, and the rook checking along the edge. While your king walks over, keep the rook far from the enemy king, where it cannot be attacked, and watch out for stalemate.
Every result in this lesson comes from a tablebase. You get three conditions, each with the move that keeps the win and one that throws it away, the mate move by move, and four positions to solve.
The idea
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The cut
After 1.Ra7 Black's king is cut off on the back rank: the rook guards the whole seventh rank.
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The king walks over
The rook stays on the seventh rank, far from Black's king, while White's king walks up the board.
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The mate
The basic mate: the kings face each other on b6 and b8, and the rook checks along the back rank.
Before you play it: the checklist
Each condition with two positions: one where it holds and the move works, one where it is missing and the same move fails. The number is Stockfish's evaluation after the move, from the attacker's side.
1.Keep the rook out of reach
When the enemy king attacks the rook, move it far away along the same line, so the cut stays in place.
It works
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4.Rh7Win
4.Rh7! keeps the cut and moves the rook out of reach.
It fails
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4.Kb3Draw
4.Kb3? leaves the rook to be taken, and it is a draw.
The engine prefers Rh7 (Win).
2.Approach with the king
Once the cut is in place, the king does the work. Do not bring the rook back next to the enemy king.
It works
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10.Kc6Win
10.Kc6! comes closer. It is the fastest mate.
It fails
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10.Ra7Draw
10.Ra7? puts the rook where Black's king can take it, and it is a draw.
The engine prefers Kc6 (Win).
3.Mate, not stalemate
In the corner, a quiet rook move can take the king's last square away without check.
It works
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h1.Ra1#Win
1.Ra1#.
It fails
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h1.Rh7Draw
1.Rh7? takes a7 and b7 away without check: stalemate.
The engine prefers Ra1# (Win).
Move by move
Click a move or use the arrows. Under each note you'll find the defender's other choices and how to answer them. The number under the board is Stockfish's evaluation from the attacker's side.
1aeYour turn
Each position has one best move. Find it, then check the solution.
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Exercise 1
White to move. Find the fastest plan.
Show solution
1.Ra7
1.Ra7! cuts the king off on the back rank at once. Every other move is slower.
King and rook against king.
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Exercise 2
White to move. Black's king attacks the rook.
Show solution
4.Rh7
4.Rh7! keeps the cut, as far from the king as possible.
King and rook against king.
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Exercise 3
White to move. Find the fastest mate.
Show solution
9.Kd6
9.Kd6! follows Black's king along the sixth rank.
King and rook against king.
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Exercise 4
White to move and mate in one.
Show solution
12.Rh8#
12.Rh8#. The kings face each other, and the rook checks along the back rank.
King and rook against king.
From history
At most sixteen moves
Wikipedia's article on checkmate gives the basic rook mate: the defending king on the edge, the attacking king facing it, and the rook checking along the edge. With the rook's side to move, mate can be forced in at most sixteen moves from any position.
Take these into your games
Cut the king off
Use the rook to confine the enemy king to as few ranks or files as possible.
Rook far away
Keep the rook at a distance, where the enemy king cannot attack it.
The king does the walking
Bring your king towards the enemy king while the rook holds the cut.
Check when the kings face each other
The mate comes when the kings stand opposite each other and the rook checks along the edge.
Count the squares
Before a quiet rook move, make sure the enemy king still has a move.