Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 1400

10 rook endgames rated between 1400 and 1599, averaging 1455. 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 1400-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1400 is one that players around 1400 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 1400

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 1475a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1475 · White to play after f5
    Show solution

    h6 Kf4 h7

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 1445a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1445 · White to play after Kg4
    Show solution

    Rg6+ Kf3 Rxg3+ hxg3+ Kg1

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 1410a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1410 · White to play after b4
    Show solution

    g6 Rh2+ Kg5 Kb5 g7

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 1427h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1427 · Black to play after Rg8+
    Show solution

    Kf6 Ke8 Ra8+ Kd7 Rxg8

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 1520a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1520 · White to play after Rxb7
    Show solution

    Rxb7+ Kxb7 Kg3 Kb6 Kxg4

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 1421a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1421 · White to play after Rb6
    Show solution

    a7 Ra6 Rc8+ Kg7 a8=Q

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 1476a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1476 · White to play after Kd3
    Show solution

    Rxe4 a3 Ra4 Kc3 Rxa3+

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 1446a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1446 · White to play after Kd4
    Show solution

    Rd2+ Kc3 Rb3#

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 1457h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1457 · Black to play after Kg7
    Show solution

    Rg8+ Kxg8 Kxf6 Kf8 Kg5 Ke7 Kxh5

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 1474h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1474 · Black to play after Kg6
    Show solution

    Rb6+ f6 Rc6

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 1400 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1400 is one that players rated around 1400 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1455, so they suit 1400-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.