Queen vs Rook Endgame
Recently, I have been watching videos by Derek Grimmell on youtube on Queen vs Rook endgame and would like to summarize them in a single post here.
Q: What do we really need to know about Queen vs Rook endgames?
A: A library of positions and how to handle them.
Q: What to do if we are not in these 'library' positions?
A: The defender should try 4 things in the priority order:
1. Attack the King
2. If not possible, then attack the queen
3. If even that is not possible, reunite their own King and Rook
4. And if they were already united, then advance towards center.
The Attacker should try in the priority order
a. Prevent defender from achieving both King and Rook in the center
b. Restrict the King and Rook towards the corner even more.
Here is the Library of positions.
Position 1: Harassment Defense
Key things to remember:
1. Queen likes b5 square.
2. It tries to head there through checks.
3. Once queen is ideally placed, the King tries to to b2 square.
4. The end positions are "end of harassment" ... we will be in some other position where harassment is impossible.
Position 2: Javelin Position
There is always the threat of "microwave mate" ...
The key to progress is diagonals to threaten forks.
In the final position there is a "triple threat".
Position 3: 3rd rank defense
In the third rank defense, to arrive at the key position, Queen takes away a central square, and the king takes up the opposition. Defender rook tries to stay on the square of the color opposite of the attacker's king's square.
Position 4: 3rd rank defense (harder)
This is the one that you should play as defender, because the attacker might have practiced against computer and this one is trickier than the computer moves.
Position 5: Cage - Straight
Position 6: Cage - Diagonal
Position 7: Cage - Middle of Board
Position 8: Diagonal Position
Position 9: Distant Cage
Position 10: Central Cage
Position 11: Wishbone Position
Convert the wishbone into Thorn. If the king is on the edge, pivot the position and then create thorn.
Position 12: Rosette - Opposite - 3rd rank Position
Check - create a wishbone, convert wishbone to thorn.
Position 13: Rosette - Opposite - 2nd rank Position
Position 14: Rosette - Adjacent - Queen cuts off kings - Position
Position 15: Rosette - Adjacent - kings adjacent position
Q: Why is Queen and Rook endgame hard?
A: Because it needs a lot of specialized knowledge but seldom occurs (1 in 1000 games).
