The method, move by move
Building the bridge
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Win
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Step through the moves with the arrows, or click a move.
Lesson 1 of 5
The Lucena Position: Building a Bridge
Rook and pawn against rook, with your pawn on the seventh and your king in front of it. The win is a technique: cut the defending king off, put the rook on the fourth rank, walk the king out, and block the last check.
The Lucena position is the most important winning position in rook endings. The attacker's pawn is on the seventh rank with the king in front of it, the defending king is cut off from the pawn, and the defender's rook checks from the side. The pawn will queen if the king can only get out of the way, but every time it steps out, the rook checks it.
The solution is called building a bridge. The attacking rook goes to the fourth rank, the king walks out towards the defender's rook, and when the checks run out of room the rook steps in between and blocks. Then the pawn queens.
Every result in this lesson comes from a tablebase, so "wins" and "draws" are exact. You get the checklist of three conditions, each with a move that keeps the win and one that throws it away, the method move by move, and four positions to solve.
The idea
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The position
White's king is on b8, in front of the pawn on b7. Black's rook on a2 is ready to check the king as soon as it steps out. First, White cuts Black's king off from the pawn.
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The bridge
After 1.Rd1+ Ke7 2.Rd4 the rook stands on the fourth rank. The king will walk out towards the b-file and, when Black's checks reach the fourth rank, the rook blocks them.
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The last check is blocked
With the king on b5, 7.Rb4 blocks the check. Black can only take the rook and lose to the recapture, or let the pawn queen.
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.The rook goes to the fourth rank
The rook has to be far enough from the king to block a check without being taken. The fourth rank (or the fifth) works; a rook higher up has no room to block.
It works
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2.Rd4Win
The rook goes to d4, ready to block on b4 or c4 later. White wins.
It fails
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2.Rd6Draw
On d6 the rook is too close: it cannot block the checks in time, and the position is only a draw.
The engine prefers Rd4 (Win).
2.Block only when the king is next to the rook
The rook blocks the check when the king stands next to the blocking square, so that the rook is protected. One move too early, it is just taken.
It works
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7.Rb4Win
The king on b5 protects b4, so 7.Rb4 closes the b-file. White wins.
It fails
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4.Rc4Draw
With the king on c7, the rook on c4 is unprotected, and 4.Rc4? only draws.
The engine prefers Kb6 (Win).
3.The king walks towards the rook
The king comes out on the side of the defender's rook, towards the rook on d4, so that the checks run out of room on the fourth rank.
It works
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5.Kc6Win
5.Kc6 keeps walking towards the rook on d4. White wins.
It fails
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5.Kc5Draw
5.Kc5? looks just as natural, but it throws the win away: the tablebase says draw.
The engine prefers Kc6 (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.
2cYour turn
Each position has one best move. Find it, then check the solution.
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Exercise 1
White to move. The rook is on the fourth rank. What now?
Show solution
3.Kc7
3.Kc7! The king steps out at once. Black's checks will be met by the king walking towards the rook, and then by the bridge.
The Lucena position, after 2…Ra1.
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Exercise 2
White to move. Black checks from c1.
Show solution
4.Kb6
4.Kb6 walks towards the b-file. Blocking with 4.Rc4? is too early: the rook is unprotected.
The Lucena position, after 3…Rc1+.
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Exercise 3
White to move. Black checks again from c1.
Show solution
6.Kb5
6.Kb5 brings the king next to b4, where the rook will block the next check.
The Lucena position, after 5…Rc1+.
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Exercise 4
White to move. Black checks from b1. Finish the job.
Show solution
7.Rb4
7.Rb4! blocks the check with the rook, protected by the king. The bridge is complete and the pawn queens.
The Lucena position, after 6…Rb1+.
From history
A misnamed position
The position is named after Luis Ramírez de Lucena, but it does not appear in his book of 1497. The earliest known discussion is in Alessandro Salvio's Il Puttino of 1634, which credits Scipione Genovino; the name seems to come from a misattribution in an 1880 edition of the Handbuch des Schachspiels.
Take these into your games
Cut the king off
First drive the defending king at least one file away from the pawn with a rook check.
Rook to the fourth rank
Put the rook on the fourth (or fifth) rank, far enough from your king to block a check later.
Walk towards your rook
Step out with the king and, under the checks, walk towards your rook.
Block when protected
Block the last check with the rook only when the king stands next to the blocking square.
When you defend
Keep your king close to the pawn, and check from as far away as possible: the defending technique is known as the Philidor position.