Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 1200

10 rook endgames rated between 1200 and 1399, averaging 1309. 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 1200-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1200 is one that players around 1200 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 1200

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 1373a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1373 · White to play after Re4+
    Show solution

    Rxe4 fxe4 Kg4 Kf6 Kf4

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 1285h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1285 · Black to play after Kb4
    Show solution

    Rb5+ Ka3 Ra8#

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 1363h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1363 · Black to play after Rb8
    Show solution

    Rb3 Rxb3 Kxb3 Kg6 b1=Q+

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 1221h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1221 · Black to play after Rg8
    Show solution

    Ra1+ Kh2 Rh1#

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 1345h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1345 · Black to play after Kf2
    Show solution

    Rd1 Kxe2 Rxb1

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 1228a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1228 · White to play after Kg5
    Show solution

    f4+ Kf6 fxe5+

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 1264a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1264 · White to play after Ka7
    Show solution

    b6+ Kb8 Rd8#

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 1319h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1319 · Black to play after f4
    Show solution

    Ra5+ Kd4 Ra4 Rxa4 b1=Q

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 1361h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1361 · Black to play after b6
    Show solution

    Rh1#

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 1332h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1332 · Black to play after Rxg4
    Show solution

    Rb4+ Kf3 Rxg4 Kxg4 a5

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 1200 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1200 is one that players rated around 1200 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1309, so they suit 1200-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.