Rook endgame chess puzzles
20 rook endgame puzzles from real games, ordered from easy to hard. Each has a hint and the full solution.
What is a rook endgame in chess?
Rook endgames are the most common endgames in practice. Active rooks, cutting off the king and positions like the Lucena and Philidor decide them.
How to spot a rook endgame
Put your rook behind passed pawns, keep it active, and cut the enemy king off along a rank or file. Look for checks that win the opponent’s rook with a skewer.
Learn it first: Practical rook endings
Rook endgame chess puzzles
Puzzle 1: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 39... c4.
Puzzle rating 555
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, epaulette mate, rook endgame
Show solution
40. Rf5#
FEN: 8/3r4/3P1p2/3R2p1/2p1pkP1/7P/5P2/5K2 w - - 0 40
Puzzle 2: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 48... e4.
Puzzle rating 684
Hint
Theme: skewer, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
49. Rd7+ Ke6 50. Rxd2
FEN: 8/p1R5/1p5p/1P1k2p1/P3p3/6P1/3r1PK1/8 w - - 0 49
Puzzle 3: Black to move and mate in 2
Black to move and mate in 2. The opponent just played 29. Rc8.
Puzzle rating 798
Hint
Theme: mate in 2, back-rank mate, rook endgame
Show solution
29... Rb1+ 30. Rc1 Rxc1#
FEN: 1rR5/3Pkppp/4p3/3p4/8/8/P4PPP/6K1 b - - 1 29
Puzzle 4: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 95. Kg4.
Puzzle rating 887
Hint
Theme: rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
95... Rg1+ 96. Kf3 Rf1+ 97. Ke3 Rxf4
FEN: 8/8/8/4k3/5RK1/8/8/r7 b - - 24 95
Puzzle 5: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 27... Rd7.
Puzzle rating 958
Hint
Theme: X-ray attack, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
28. Rf8 Rxe7 29. Rxe8+ Rxe8 30. Rxe8+
FEN: 2k1r3/ppprP3/6p1/7p/8/8/P5P1/4RRK1 w - - 1 28
Puzzle 6: White to move and mate in 1
White to move and mate in 1. The opponent just played 54... Kh6.
Puzzle rating 996
Hint
Theme: mate in 1, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
55. Rh4#
FEN: 6R1/8/7k/4rp2/1R6/5r2/3K4/8 w - - 21 55
Puzzle 7: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 57. Re6+.
Puzzle rating 1169
Hint
Theme: promotion, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
57... Rxe6 58. fxe6 e2 59. h6 e1=Q
FEN: 8/8/k3Rp2/P3rP1P/K7/4p3/8/8 b - - 3 57
Puzzle 8: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 46. Rg5.
Puzzle rating 1181
Hint
Theme: quiet move, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
46... a4 47. Rxh5 a3 48. Re5 a2
FEN: 8/8/8/p5Rp/1r5P/1k3PK1/8/8 b - - 2 46
Puzzle 9: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 59... Kg1.
Puzzle rating 1347
Hint
Theme: promotion, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
60. Rb6 Rxb6 61. Kxb6 Kf1 62. b8=Q
FEN: 8/1PK5/5R2/8/8/6p1/8/1r4k1 w - - 4 60
Puzzle 10: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 48. Rg7.
Puzzle rating 1397
Hint
Theme: promotion, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
48... h2 49. Rxg2 h1=Q
FEN: 4K3/p5R1/8/2P5/7k/7p/P5p1/8 b - - 1 48
Puzzle 11: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 42. h6.
Puzzle rating 1584
Hint
Theme: clearance, promotion, advanced pawn
Show solution
42... Rg1+ 43. Kf2 a1=Q
FEN: 8/6p1/R6P/4k1P1/8/5PK1/p7/r7 b - - 0 42
Puzzle 12: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 65... Rf8.
Puzzle rating 1715
Hint
Theme: rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
66. Rb3+ Kc5 67. Rb8 d1=Q+ 68. Kxd1
FEN: 5r2/P7/8/8/1k6/7R/2Kp4/8 w - - 4 66
Puzzle 13: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 57... Rxe4.
Puzzle rating 1801
Hint
Theme: intermezzo (zwischenzug), rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
58. Rxa3+ Kxa3 59. Rxe4
FEN: 8/8/5pK1/5P2/4r2P/pkr5/R3R3/8 w - - 0 58
Puzzle 14: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 54. d7.
Puzzle rating 1966
Hint
Theme: defensive move, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
54... b2 55. Rh1 a4
FEN: 6k1/3P3p/2K2P2/p5PR/8/1p1r4/8/8 b - - 0 54
Puzzle 15: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 50. Rd6.
Puzzle rating 2023
Hint
Theme: X-ray attack, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
50... d2 51. Rxd2 Rxd2
FEN: 8/2kr4/3R4/2p1P2p/2p2K1P/2Pp1PP1/8/8 b - - 9 50
Puzzle 16: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 46. Kc5.
Puzzle rating 2151
Hint
Theme: X-ray attack, quiet move, promotion
Show solution
46... h3 47. Rb3 Rh8 48. c7 h2 49. Rh3 h1=Q 50. Rxh1 Rxh1
FEN: 6r1/8/1RP1pk2/2K2p2/5P1p/8/1P6/8 b - - 1 46
Puzzle 17: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 38... f4.
Puzzle rating 2324
Hint
Theme: deflection, capturing the defender, rook endgame
Show solution
39. Rb5 Ra3 40. Rf5+ Ke7 41. Kxg5 Rxh3 42. Rxf4
FEN: 8/8/r4k2/6pK/5pP1/7P/1R6/8 w - - 0 39
Puzzle 18: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 32... Rbxd7.
Puzzle rating 2398
Hint
Theme: rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
33. Rxd7+ Rxd7 34. Rxd7+ Kxd7 35. g4
FEN: 3r4/3rkp2/pp3p2/4p2p/1PP4P/2KR4/P5P1/3R4 w - - 0 33
Puzzle 19: Black to move and win
Black to move and win. The opponent just played 50. Kd6.
Puzzle rating 2442
Hint
Theme: quiet move, rook endgame, endgame tactic
Show solution
50... g5 51. Rc6 Re3
FEN: 8/6p1/3K3p/4r3/5kP1/2R4P/8/8 b - - 9 50
Puzzle 20: White to move and win
White to move and win. The opponent just played 53... Kg4.
Puzzle rating 2619
Hint
Theme: quiet move, advanced pawn, rook endgame
Show solution
54. Rh1 Re2 55. h7 Re8 56. Rg1+ Kf5 57. Rg8 Re1+ 58. Kxb2
FEN: 8/8/7P/8/5pk1/7R/1p3r2/1K6 w - - 1 54