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rook and pawn ending.

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Phantom_of_the_Opera

A few weeks OBT I reached an endgame similar to the diagram I posted.  My oppenent allowed me to draw the game, but I am not convinced he played it teh best way.  Is this endgame a win for black, or a draw? thanks!

CoffehCat

 This is looking very close to the drawn Philidor position (see the wikipedia article for general principles); with the general rule of thumb being that the if the king controls the queening square of the opponent, then it is usually drawn - I'd say, at first sight, that this does look extremely draw-ish.

CoffehCat

 That's why I said almost ;) {also, for the OP's benefit, the position was said to only resemble this one -- in the game it might have been possible to force the classical position}.

Here there is no hiding from the checks without advancing up the board or crossing the third rank (the latter allowing Kd3). So, in the former case, the pawn is forced to advance - after the rook drops back to the fourth rank - and then we're in Philidor territory with checks from behind the pawn allowing its capture; (even should the rook return on the queen-side, Black's own cannot defend the pawn alone).

Phantom_of_the_Opera

thanks for the feedback!  I guess its more complicated than I thought at first.  

Zigwurst

This is an easy draw, just shuffle your pieces back and forth basically.