Rook Endgames Are Not Won Until They Are Won
Sometimes, Rook endgames are very tricky. Yet, they are so prevalent. Why is that? My theory is that Rooks are the most likely piece to remain on the board because they start out in the corner. So naturally, they are the last pieces to "get out there", and potentially be swapped off.
This is from (as of this writing) my most recent 30|0 game on Chess.com. I won. I thought, once I got the Rook endgame up a pawn, with the outside passed b-pawn, it went smoothly. Until I checked the game report...
Yup, I was smooth sailing, except for two frisk moments where I apparently blundered a draw.
So... uh... what did end up happening? 
Here is the first moment:
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So yeah ... 50... Rb8?? was clearly rushed. But after that, we played on, and my opponent was forced to sacrifice his Rook for my passed b-pawn, simplifying into a winning King + Rook vs. King + pawn endgame. It is winning, but it does require some technique, especially if you're under 1400.
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Man, what a bummer that would have been! Also, a good lesson if you're on the defensive side of a losing endgame. Your opponent might slip up, so it's important to keep your guard up all the time.
I hope you enjoyed the post more than I enjoyed blundering Rook endgames! 
Feel free to interact in the comments. My next OTB tournament will be this coming Saturday in Houston. I will probably write a post leading up to it between now and Thursday, and obviously, I will let you know how the tournament went.
Also, if you have read this far, then first of all, good for you! Secondly, I'm looking for some practice games. If you're 1700+ rapid/blitz, and play the Ruy Lopez as White, and you're interested in some practice games as well, please send me a DM
That's all for now, have a blessed day!
