With King and Rook

Checkmating with a rook alone is not as easy as checkmating with a queen alone, but it employs the same Box methodology. The best way is to slowly push your opponent back to the edge of the board again, but this time you’ll want to maintain opposition before pushing the opponent’s king.

Opposition involves both kings being 1 square apart, essentially staring at each other daring them to step forward, but they can’t!

Watch King and Rook in Action!

Steps to Checkmate

Checkmating with a rook alone is not as easy as checkmating with a queen alone, but it employs the same Box methodology.

The rook pushes the king back with check, and the white king controls the squares it can move forward. You will want to continue to achieve this formation until the king is on the edge of the board.

When the king moves close to the rook, it must move to the other side of the king, as far away as possible. — When the king moves close to the rook, it must move to the **other side of the king, as far away as possible**.

If the defending king tries to get sneaky by going back and forth (this can sometimes trip up beginner players) then you’lll want to remember to skip a move where possible, as above.

Skipping a move, or marking time, is a chess term that is used when you want to force your opponent into a bad position (zugswang).

Continue forcing the king to the edge until checkmate is delivered.

White must “mark time” again by moving to the other side while the black king runs to the very corner of the board.

Once on a8, it must move backwards to the only square, b8, where the rook finishes the game with the final horizontal check.

When in opposition, you deliver check from the side with your rook.

Be sure to remember that your rook won’t be able to protect itself as easily as a queen. Always make sure your rook is protected or has a nice amount of checking distance from the king.