Rook Endgame Chess Puzzles — Rated 800

10 rook endgames rated between 800 and 999, averaging 941. 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 800-rated players. Puzzle ratings work like player ratings: a puzzle rated 800 is one that players around 800 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 800

  1. Rook Endgame puzzle 1, rated 998h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 1 · rated 998 · Black to play after Kh3
    Show solution

    Rh6+ Kg4 Rg6+ Kf5 Rxg3

  2. Rook Endgame puzzle 2, rated 940h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 2 · rated 940 · Black to play after Kd2
    Show solution

    Rc2+ Rxc2 bxc2

  3. Rook Endgame puzzle 3, rated 973a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 3 · rated 973 · White to play after Kh5
    Show solution

    Rh1#

  4. Rook Endgame puzzle 4, rated 993h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 4 · rated 993 · Black to play after Kxa4
    Show solution

    Rxc4+ Rxc4+ Kxc4

  5. Rook Endgame puzzle 5, rated 991h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 5 · rated 991 · Black to play after Rf3
    Show solution

    Rxf3 Kxf3 Kc4 Ke4 Kb3

  6. Rook Endgame puzzle 6, rated 923h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
    Puzzle 6 · rated 923 · Black to play after a7
    Show solution

    g3+ Kg1 Ra1#

  7. Rook Endgame puzzle 7, rated 889a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 7 · rated 889 · White to play after Reg5
    Show solution

    Rc8+ Rxc8 Rxc8+ Kxc8 Kxg5

  8. Rook Endgame puzzle 8, rated 956a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 8 · rated 956 · White to play after Rc5
    Show solution

    f4+ Kg4 Rg6#

  9. Rook Endgame puzzle 9, rated 877a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 9 · rated 877 · White to play after Rc2
    Show solution

    g4+ Kh4 Rh6#

  10. Rook Endgame puzzle 10, rated 869a8b7c6d5e4f3g2h1
    Puzzle 10 · rated 869 · White to play after Rxb2
    Show solution

    Rh8+ Re8 Rxe8#

Train rook endgame puzzles at your rating →

Related puzzle sets

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 800 mean?

Puzzle ratings work like player ratings. A puzzle rated 800 is one that players rated around 800 solve roughly half the time. The puzzles on this page average 941, so they suit 800-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.