Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 1600

10 rook endgames rated between 1600 and 1799, averaging 1627. 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 1600-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1600 is one that players around 1600 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 1600

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 1611a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1611 · White to play after a4
    Show solution

    e5+ Kxe5 d6 Rb2 Rxb2

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 1603h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1603 · Black to play after Re3
    Show solution

    Kd4 Rxd3+ Kxd3

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 1627a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1627 · White to play after Kg8
    Show solution

    Kh6 Rb1 Ra8+ Rb8 Rxb8#

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 1606h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1606 · Black to play after Kc4
    Show solution

    Rxa4 Rxa4 b5+ Kc3 bxa4

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 1609h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1609 · Black to play after g4
    Show solution

    g5+ hxg5 fxg5+ Kf5 Rxe3

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 1607h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1607 · Black to play after h7
    Show solution

    Rh4+ Kg2 Rg4+ Kf2 Rxg1 h8=Q c1=Q

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 1701h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1701 · Black to play after Ke3
    Show solution

    Rxc3+ Rxc3 d4+ Kd2 dxc3+

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 1616h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1616 · Black to play after Kb2
    Show solution

    Kd3 Re5 Rg1 Rxf5 Rxg2+

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 1658a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1658 · White to play after Rxf3
    Show solution

    Rxh5+ Kg4 f5

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 1632h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1632 · Black to play after e6
    Show solution

    g3+ Kh3 Rb1 Kh4 Rh1#

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 1600 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1600 is one that players rated around 1600 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1627, so they suit 1600-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.