Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 1800

10 rook endgames rated between 1800 and 1999, averaging 1851. 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 1800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 1800 is one that players around 1800 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 1800

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 1821a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 1 · rated 1821 · White to play after Rxb4
    Show solution

    c6 dxc6 d7

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 1808h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 1808 · Black to play after gxf5
    Show solution

    gxf5+ Ke5 Re3#

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 1810a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 1810 · White to play after Kg7
    Show solution

    Rc7+ Kh8 f6

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 1800a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 4 · rated 1800 · White to play after Rd6
    Show solution

    f5+ gxf5 gxf5+ Kd7 Rxd6+ Kxd6 Kg4

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 1857h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 1857 · Black to play after d5
    Show solution

    b3 f5 Rb1

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 1802h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 1802 · Black to play after Kc4
    Show solution

    Rd4+ Kb5 Rxa4 Kxa4 Kd6

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 1954h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 7 · rated 1954 · Black to play after Re8
    Show solution

    Rh3+ Kg2 Rxh7

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 1854h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 8 · rated 1854 · Black to play after Ke8
    Show solution

    Rxg7 Kd8 Rg4 Rb1 Rxc4 Kc7 Rb4

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 1932h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 9 · rated 1932 · Black to play after Kf3
    Show solution

    Rxh3+ Rxh3 g4+ Kf2 gxh3

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 1873h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 10 · rated 1873 · Black to play after Rxc5
    Show solution

    Rb1+ Kf2 d2

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 1800 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 1800 is one that players rated around 1800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 1851, so they suit 1800-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.