Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 1000

10 rook endgames rated between 1000 and 1199, averaging 1100. Each position below is from a real game, with the solution given underneath — so you can check yourself immediately rather than guessing whether you were right.

Rook endgames are the most common endgame in chess and the least intuitive. Activity beats material more often here than anywhere else — a rook on the seventh is frequently worth a pawn or more.

These are pitched at 1000-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1000 is one that players around 1000 solve about half the time, so if you are getting most of these you should move up a band.

Solving from a page is good for pattern recognition but not for tracking progress. The rated puzzle trainer serves puzzles matched to your own rating and adjusts as you solve, and the Mistake Trainer builds puzzles from positions you actually got wrong in your own games.

Rook Endgame puzzles rated 1000

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 1143a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1143 · White to play after Ra5
    Show solution

    g7 Rxf7+ Rxf7

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 1151h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1151 · Black to play after c6
    Show solution

    Rg5+ Kb4 Kxb6

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 1064h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1064 · Black to play after Kb8
    Show solution

    Rg8#

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 1091h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1091 · Black to play after Kd6
    Show solution

    h2 Rb1 g4 Rh1 g3

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 1080h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1080 · Black to play after Ke2
    Show solution

    Rb2+ Kd1 Ra1#

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 1102a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1102 · White to play after Kg4
    Show solution

    Rg3+ Kh5 Rxh3+ Kg5 Rxh8

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 1019h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1019 · Black to play after Ra1
    Show solution

    Rb1+ Rxb1 axb1=Q+

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 1106h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1106 · Black to play after a6
    Show solution

    g5+ Kh5 Rxh3#

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 1055a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1055 · White to play after e4
    Show solution

    d4#

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 1191a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1191 · White to play after Re3
    Show solution

    Rxe3 Kxe3 Kxh5 Kf3 Kh4

Train rook endgame puzzles at your rating →

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Frequently asked questions

What is a rook endgame in chess?

Rook endgames are the most common endgame in chess and the least intuitive. Activity beats material more often here than anywhere else — a rook on the seventh is frequently worth a pawn or more.

What does a puzzle rating of 1000 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1000 is one that players rated around 1000 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1100, so they suit 1000-rated players.

Are these rook endgame puzzles free?

Yes. Every puzzle on this page, including its solution, is free to view with no account. The rated trainer that tracks your progress and serves puzzles matched to your rating is part of Chess Ramp Premium.