Rook and Pawn Versus Rook Endgame - Zugzwang

Zugzwang

There are exactly 209 positions of reciprocal zugzwang among rook and pawn versus rook endgames. All of them were tabulated and published. The full list is available online. Some of the zugzwangs are easy to understand (see position at the middle); some requires up to 54 moves to win. The position at left is a position that could have occurred in the 1961 game between Viacheslav Kalashnikov and the young Anatoly Karpov. White to move in this position draws, but Black to move loses. Karpov's 49th move in the actual game avoided the zugzwang and the game was drawn (Károlyi & Aplin 2007:22).

Kalashnikov vs. Karpov, analysis position
a b c d e f g h
8

8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
After alternate 49th move for Black. Mutual zugzwang: White to move draws, Black to move loses.
Easy to understand zugzwang (Haworth № KRPKR-00025)
a b c d e f g h
8

8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
White to move draws, Black to move loses.
The longest to win zugzwang in this type of endings (№ KRPKR-00149)
a b c d e f g h
8

8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h
White to move draws, Black to move loses in 54 moves.

Read more about this topic:  Rook And Pawn Versus Rook Endgame