Rook and Pawn Versus Rook Endgame - Terminology

Terminology

• In the following discussion and positions, assume that the side with the pawn is White. White will be attempting to win and Black will be attempting to draw.

• Ranks are counted from that player's side of the board. Thus, "the rook's third rank" would be the third rank counting from that player's side of the board. The ranks for the white pieces correspond to the ranks in algebraic notation, whereas the ranks for the black pieces are reversed.

• In these positions with one pawn, the pawn's file divides the board into a short side and a long side, in which the long side consists of more files than the short side.

• A pawn is referred to by the file on which it stands: a rook pawn is on the a- or h-file, a knight pawn is on the b- or g-file, a bishop pawn is on the c- or f-file. A central pawn is a queen pawn or a king pawn, on the d- or e-file.

• When designating a position as a win or a draw, optimal play by both sides is assumed.