The Philidor position
The key defensive draw in rook endgames: hold the sixth rank, then harass from behind.
The Philidor position is the antidote to the Lucena. In rook-and-pawn versus rook, if the defending side can reach the Philidor setup, the game is a draw even against perfect play.
The recipe has two steps: first, place your rook on the sixth rank to cut off the attacking king before the pawn reaches the sixth. Second, once the pawn advances to the sixth, switch the rook to the back rank and harry the enemy king with checks from behind. The checks force the king to get in the way of the pawn, stopping its advance.
Many players know Lucena but not Philidor. Learning both makes you dangerous from both sides of rook endings.
Examples
Black plays Re6 - the Philidor defensive setup
Black places the rook on the sixth rank (Re6) while the pawn is only on the fifth. This cuts the White king off. Now if White pushes e6, Black switches to back-rank checks: the rook moves to e8+, forcing the king to shelter behind its own pawn. The position is a theoretical draw.
If White advances - Black switches to back-rank checks
If White pushes e6, Black immediately moves the rook to the e-file and starts giving check from behind: Ke8+ Ra8+, Kd7 Ra7+, and so on. The White king cannot advance without blocking its own pawn. The position is a theoretical draw - the Philidor defense works.
Key terms
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