Grivas on The Prokeš  Manoeuvre (1)

by Efstratios Grivas
4/8/2025 – The ‘Prokeš Manoeuvre’ is a tactic that enables a rook to draw against two advanced pawns in an endgame. It is a very important endgame scheme that will allow you to draw in desperate-looking positions, or win when the defence can be overcome. Take a look at this position. Would you be able to draw with white? And how would you do it? Let international trainer Efstratios Grivas explain everything.
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Ladislav Prokeš (7 June 1884 – 9 January 1966) was a Czech chess master and one of the most prolific composers of endgame studies in chess. He was joint Czech Champion in 1921 and played for the Czech Olympiad team in 1927, 1928, and 1930. He was born and died in Prague.

While Prokeš was strong tournament player, it is his chess compositions that gained him fame. In 1951 he published a collection of studies ‘Kniha šachových studií’. His 1,159 endgame studies, as listed in Harold van der Heijden's database, rank fourth among all composers. In 1939 Prokeš composed an endgame study which illustrated the ‘Prokeš Manoeuvre’ for the first time:

Study 1 - Prokeš Ladislav 1939
White to play and draw

To get into the mood, why don't you try to draw the above position against the attack of the diagram. You have to play accurately to hold. The full solution, is given here:

Study 1 - Prokeš Ladislav 1939
White to play and draw

This time the diagram will not play against you, and you can analyse with full engine support. It looks like Black will prevail, but White is just back in time: 

1.Kg4! e2. After 1...d2, White defends with 2.Kf3 Kd3 3.Ra1! e2 4.Ra3+ Kc2 5.Ra2+ Kc1 6.Ra1+ Kb2 7.Kxe2 =.

2.Rc1+ Kd4. 2...Kb3 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rb1+! Kc2 5.Kxe2 =, or 2...Kd5 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc5+! Kxc5 5.Kxe2 =.

3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc4+! The saving resource! 4...Kd3 5.Rd4+! Kxd4 6.Kxe2. The idea is, that by vacating the c1-square on the fourth move, White's rook prevents Black's pawn from capturing on c1. The white king is then able to reach the d1-square, stopping the pawn. The position after 6.Kxe2, is drawn.

6...Kc3 7.Kd1 Kd3 ½-½.

Study 2 - Prokeš Ladislav 1947
White to play and draw

A simple position, where White should be a bit careful. 1.Rf1! 1.Kd2? Kd4! -+, would be a disaster for White! 1...g2 2.Ke1! Ke4 3.Kf2! gxf1Q+ 4.Kxf1 and a draw, as Black cannot get the opposition. ½-½.

Study 3 - Prokeš Ladislav 1946
White to play and win!

But here the black king is one square away, so White can prevail! 1.Kd2! 1.Rf1? g2 =, wouldn't be what White had wished for... 1...f2 1...g2 2.Ke3 +-. 2.Rd1! That's the tactical idea which wins! 2...Ke5. 2...g2 3.Ke2+ Ke5 4.Kxf2 +-. 3.Ke3. And as the black pawns have been stopped and will be captured, Black loses. 1-0.

Are you ready to test yourself? Try winning the following position against the diagram:

Test 1
White to play and win

You can study the solutions to the above positions, annotated by me, in the replayer.

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 It looks like Black will prevail, but White is just back in time. 1.Kg4! e2 After 1...d2 , White defends with 2.Kf3 Kd3 3.Ra1! e2 4.Ra3+ Kc2 5.Ra2+ Kc1 6.Ra1+ Kb2 7.Kxe2= . 2.Rc1+ Kd4 (D)
2...Kb3 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rb1+! Kc2 5.Kxe2= , or 2...Kd5 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc5+! Kxc5 5.Kxe2= . 3.Kf3 d2 4.Rc4+! The saving resource! Kd3 5.Rd4+! Kxd4 6.Kxe2 The idea is, that by vacating the c1-square on the fourth move, White's rook prevents Black's pawn from capturing on c1. The white king is then able to reach the d1-square, stopping the pawn. The position after 6.Kxe2, is drawn. Kc3 7.Kd1 Kd3 ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Study 1-Prokes,L-½–½1939Diagram
Study 2-Prokes,L-½–½1947Diagram
Study 3-Prokes,L-1–01946Diagram
Example 1-Rook vs. Pawns-1–02024Diagram

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Coming soon: part two of my Prokeš tutorial 

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Efstratios (30.03.1966) is a highly experienced chess trainer and chess author. He has been awarded by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) the titles of International Chess Grandmaster, FIDE Senior Trainer, International Chess Arbiter and International Chess Organiser.
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