Rook endgames

About rook endgames

In a rook endgame only kings, rooks and pawns are left on the board. Rook endgames come up more often than any other kind, so they're well worth knowing.

An old rule of thumb says the rook belongs behind the passed pawn, whether it's yours or your opponent's. An active rook is almost always better than a passive one, even if it costs a pawn.

Tactics in rook endgames are often about skewers along the ranks, checks from the side and pawns that can't be stopped. The puzzles here show how quickly a calm endgame can be decided.

How the puzzles work

There are 150 puzzles here. Choose a level above the board. Within each level the puzzles get harder and harder, and when you come back you pick up where you left off.

Your opponent makes the first move, then it's your turn. If you get stuck, Hint shows which piece to move, and Show the solution plays the rest. The theme only shows once the puzzle is done, but here you already know what you're looking for.

In Puzzle training you get puzzles in this theme at your own level, and see how you're doing in each theme.

More puzzles

• Mate in one
• Mate in two
• Mate in three
• Fork
• Pin
• Skewer
• Discovered attack
• Double check
• Sacrifice
• Deflection
• Attraction
• Hanging piece
• In-between move
• Back-rank mate
• Smothered mate
• Promotion
• Endgame
• Pawn endgames
• Zugzwang

The puzzles come from Lichess, fetched on October 2, 2026.

Updated November 6, 2026