Here we are already in week four of chess summer school. We are currently looking at rook and pawn endings, the bread and butter of good players. This very typical position is a draw, and there are several ways to hold the draw here. However, if you’re short of time for thinking, what’s the best and most direct move to guarantee the draw?

Solution:

The simple way is to remember the old rule—keep your rook on your own third rank so the opponent’s king can’t pass, and as soon as your foe pushes the pawn to your third rank, drop the rook back to check the king from behind as there is now no place for that king to hide: 1...Ra6 2.e6 Ra1 and it’s a draw!

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