9/15/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies, and sometimes being one or even two pawns up is not enough to win. But despite their drawish tendencies rook endings can be very sharp and full of hidden tactics. Especially, if both sides have far advanced passed pawns.

8/18/2020 – The "bodycheck" is the most important pattern in the endgame rook against pawn. The term, of course, is borrowed from the game of hockey and it describes the situation when one king takes away an important square from the other king.

8/4/2020 – Far advanced connected passed pawns are often very dangerous in the endgame.

7/7/2020 – In the endgame the king often gets active – after all, when only a few pieces remain on the board mate is less likely. However, the king often still needs protection from checks and attacks. But sometimes it can use enemy pawns as an "umbrella" to run for shelter.

6/9/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies and that should be reason enough to be very careful when you have a rook ending on the board - even if you think you are clearly better.

5/26/2020 – "All rook endings are drawn," is a well-known witticism that is obviously wrong but indicates that it is often difficult to win rook endings that seem to be winning. However, it is also difficult to defend rook endings - unless you know what you are doing.

4/28/2020 – "All rook endings are drawn" is a well-known witticism that highlights the fact that rook endings indeed have high drawish tendencies. In fact, even being one or two pawns up does not guarantee a win. However, the diagram position is definitely not a draw. How can Black win?

3/24/2020 – Rook endings have drawish tendencies. However, precision is required.

2/25/2020 – Usually, the rook endgame with f- and h-pawn is a draw but the side with the pawns has good chances to win when the defending king is cut off on its back rank.

1/14/2020 – Stalemate can cause trouble. Black can win in the diagram, but not straightforwardly.

7/2/2019 – In the endgame, kings should get active. But sometimes it is not clear which way the king should take to make the most of its activity.

4/9/2019 – Rook endings are difficult to win and difficult to draw. The following position is a typical example.

4/5/2019 – The Shamkir Chess 2019 in the memory of GM Vugar Gashimov has a rest day, and so we remember the tournament's namesake. 27-year-old Vugar Gashimov left us on January 11th, 2014. Above his grave is a picture of a position from his game against Daniel Stellwagen from the European Team Championship 2009. What exactly was so special about the game that it deserved a place in Gashimov's grave? Indulge in the drama and excitement of October 30th 2009 and get to know about the most thrilling game of Vugar Gashimov's life. Gashimov's contribution to the game of chess has been mammoth. A tribute to the great player by IM Sagar Shah.

3/19/2019 – Umbrellas are useful, in real life and in chess. In chess endgames pawns often work as an umbrella and protect the king from checks by the enemy rook.

3/3/2019 – This week, JON SPEELMAN takes a gander at the games of an Indian junior rated 1628. The Agony is a London System that turned into a difficult rook endgame. Send in your own games! Jon can always use more material from readers. If your games are selected for the Agony column, not only will you get free detailed commentary of your games by one of chess’s great authors and instructors, and former world no. 4 player, but you also win a free three-month ChessBase Premium Account!

1/22/2019 – Some endgames contain surprising possibilities to save seemingly lost positions. And sometimes these possibilities are not difficult to find — because there are hardly any alternatives left. Black to play and draw...

1/1/2019 – It was Dr Tarrasch who formulated this famous principle and though there are, of course, exceptions and positions in which the rook is better placed on the side of the pawn, in rook endings this is still a very good rule of thumb.

8/14/2018 – Rook endings are often drawn. Theoretically. In practice even drawn endgames usually require a lot of precision.

7/24/2018 – Rook endings require precision, rook endings with passed pawns even more. And precision sometimes requires to make moves that seem to be counter-intuitive, paradoxical, like retreating when you want to advance.

6/19/2018 – Opening, middlegame, endgame — according to classical teachings these are the three parts of a chess game. In the opening and in the middlegame the king better hides, in the endgame, it can get active. But modern teachings stipulate that there is a fourth phase of the game — in which king safety is key again.

6/12/2018 – "All rook endings are drawn" is a well-known and obviously wrong witticism. In fact, even drawn rook endings are not always drawn.

5/16/2018 – The ninth game of the Women's World Championship match between reigning World Champion Tan Zhongyi and challenger Ju Wenjun ended in a draw. Before the tenth and final game Ju now leads 5-4 and Tan must win the tenth game to reach a tie-break. However, Tan was lucky to get this chance. Because in game nine she was again on the verge of defeat. | Photo: Gu Xiaobang

2/6/2018 – "All rook endings are drawn", is an often quoted witticism. However, things are not that simple. In fact, a lot of rook endings are won — provided the side that has an advantage knows what to do with this advantage. Which, of course, is easier said than done.

11/21/2017 – Usually it is good and fun to snatch the pawns of the opponent in an endgame. But sometimes the pawns of your opponents are your biggest help. Then you should think twice before snatching them!