[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1782.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5k2/6r1/4Q3/8/8/8/8/7K b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "13"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

{A queen wins against a solitary rook. The cases when a king cannot escape from checks in view of a stalemate or a loss of a queen are exceptions.} 1... Rh7+ {[%mdl 4]} 2. Kg2 Rg7+ 3. Kf3 Rf7+ 4. Kg4 (4. Ke4 Re7) 4... Rg7+ 5. Kf5 Rf7+ 6. Kg6 Rg7+ 7. Kh6 (7. Kf6 Rg6+ $1) 7... Rh7+ $1 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1777.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1k6/1r6/2K5/Q7/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "13"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

{White's pieces are ideally placed. Now he should cede the necessity to move to his opponent by means of a triangular maneuver by the queen.} 1. Qe5+ {[%mdl 1]} Ka7 {(or Ka8)} 2. Qa1+ Kb8 3. Qa5 $1 {Zugzwang! The rook must abandon the black king. As a result, it inevitably becomes a victim of a double attack.} Rb1 (3... Rh7 4. Qe5+ Ka8 5. Qa1+ Kb8 6. Qb1+) 4. Qd8+ Ka7 5. Qd4+ Ka8 6. Qh8+ Ka7 7. Qh7+ {and 8 Qxb1. The methods in this elementary example (zugzwang, triangulation as a tool for passing the obligation to move, and double attack) are standard for almost all queen-versus-rook endings, with or without pawns. If the defender's king is standing in the center, the stronger side gradually drives him to an edge of the board to create mating threats. However this mission is not elementary, since the rook may sometimes be placed far away from the king without fear of being lost immediately.} 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2R5/2P5/K7/2k5/8/8/8/2q5 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "11"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

1. Rd8 $1 {[%mdl 4096]} (1. Rh8 $2 {loses after} Qa3+ 2. Kb7 Qb2+ 3. Ka7 Qb6+ $1 ({But surely not} 3... Qxh8 $2 4. c8=Q+ Qxc8 $11 {Stalemate.}) 4. Ka8 Qxc7 5. Rh5+ Kc4 6. Rh4+ Kc3 7. Rh3+ Kc2 $19 {and checks are exhausted.}) 1... Qh6+ 2. Kb7 Qb6+ 3. Ka8 $1 Qxc7 4. Rd5+ Kb6 {The king can be forced to go to the 6th rank only when the white rook is on the d-file.} ({There si no use in} 4... Kc4 5. Rd4+ {etc.}) 5. Rb5+ (5. Rd6+ {is also good.}) 5... Ka6 6. Rb6+ $1 {with stalemate or perpetual check.} 1/2-1/2

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1933.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "0-1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/4k3/4P3/8/3K4/4R3/8/7q b - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "17"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

{It is good for White to keep his king on the lower ranks. He would have had no problems if his king were standing on e2; then Black could not create a zugzwang. With White on move, a draw can be achieved by means of 1 Kd3! Qd1+ 2 Kc3!. An important position of reciprocal zugzwang. After 2...Kf8 (2...Qd5 3 Kc2 is useless) 3 e7+ Ke8 4 Re4 Qf3+ 5 Kd4 Qb3 6 Re3 Qc2 7 Re4 White is out of danger. However with Black on move, the evaluation differs. He manages to press White's pieces out, by means of zugzwang, closer to the pawn, which means closer to the black king. The king then joins the queen at an appropriate moment with decisive effect.} 1... Qb1 $1 {[%mdl 4]} 2. Kc3 (2. Kd5 Qa2+ 3. Ke5 Qb2+ 4. Kf4 Qf2+ {loses even faster.}) 2... Qd1 $1 {The familiar zugzwang position has arisen, but this time with White on move.} 3. Re4 (3. Kc4 Qc2+ 4. Kd4 Qd2+) 3... Qf3+ 4. Kd4 Qb3 $22 5. Ke5 ({If} 5. Re3 {then} Qc2 $1 6. Re4 Kd6 $1 7. Ke3 (7. e7 Qd2+ 8. Kc4 Qd5+) 7... Kd5 $19 {After the king move, a similar finale happens on the other wing.}) 5... Qb2+ 6. Kf4 (6. Kd5 Qc3 $22 7. Re5 Qd3+ 8. Kc5 Qd6+) 6... Qf2+ 7. Kg4 (7. Ke5 Qf6+ 8. Kd5 Qc3 $22) 7... Qg2+ 8. Kf4 Kf6 $1 9. Ke3 (9. e7 Qf2+ 10. Kg4 Qf5+) 9... Kf5 $19 0-1

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/5ppk/3P3p/8/7q/2P5/5PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "23"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

{I would like to mention here that in multi-pawn endings with a far-advanced passed pawn being supported by the rook from behind, a queen, when it must block the pawn, can be even weaker than a rook.} 1. d7 Qd8 2. Rd1 Kg8 3. c4 Kf8 4. c5 Ke7 5. c6 f5 $2 ({Black could probably save the game after} 5... Qa5 $1 { d8} 6. Rd3 ({The transition to the pawn endgame via} 6. d8=Q+ $2 {is unfavorable for White, the rook has no e1-square.} Qxd8 7. Rxd8 Kxd8 $19) 6... Qe1+ 7. Kh2 Qe5+ 8. g3 Kd8 9. Re3 Qh5+ 10. Kg1 Qd1+ $11 {with a perpetual check.}) 6. Re1+ Kf7 7. Rc1 $1 Qc7 8. g3 $1 (8. Rd1 $2 Ke7 9. Re1+ Kf7 10. Re8 (10. g3 Qd6 $1 $11) {is premature in view of} 10... Qf4 $1 11. d8=Q (11. Re1 Qd2) (11. g3 Qc1+ 12. Kh2 Qf1) 11... Qc1+ 12. Re1 (12. Kh2 Qf4+) 12... Qxe1+ 13. Kh2 Qxf2 $11 {and White cannot escape from checks (M. Dvoretsky).}) (8. Kf1 $1 {is equivalent.}) 8... f4 9. Rd1 Ke7 (9... Qd8 10. c7) 10. Re1+ Kf7 11. Re8 Qxc6 12. d8=N+ $1 1-0

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1777.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1Q6/3pk3/4r3/5K2/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "2"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

1. Qh8 Rc6 $11 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1777.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Black "Queen vs Rook Endgames"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/4k3/3p4/4r3/5K2/3Q4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "57"]
[EventDate "1938.??.??"]
[SourceVersionDate "2023.11.17"]

{If the black pawn is a central or a bishop pawn and stands on the 5th or 6th rank, Black is lost. White's plan consists of the following stages: 1) To occupy squares behind the pawn, with the help of zugzwang, and drive the black king out to d5 where he will obstruct his own rook. 2) To cross the 5th rank with his king. 3) To break through with the king to the e-file and the pawn.} 1. Qh7+ {[%mdl 1]} Kd8 ({Both} 1... Kf8 $2 2. Qd7) ({and} 1... Ke8 $2 2. Qc7 {are hopeless.}) ({In case of} 1... Ke6 $6 2. Qc7 Rc5 3. Qd8 {White's mission becomes easier than after the text move.} Re5 4. Qe8+ Kd5 (4... Kf6 $2 5. Qd7 Rd5 (5... Re6 6. Qc6 Kf7 7. Qb7+ Kg6 8. Qc7 Kf6 9. Qd7 $22) 6. Ke4 Re5+ 7. Kd4 Re6 8. Kd5 $18) 5. Qc8 {transposes into the main line.}) 2. Qf7 $22 Kc8 ({This is better than} 2... Re7 $2 3. Qg8+ Kd7 4. Kf5 $18) (2... Rc5 3. Qe6 Kc7 4. Qe7+ Kc6 5. Qd8 Re5 6. Qc8+ Kd5 7. Qa8+ Ke6 8. Qe8+ Kd5 9. Qc8 $1 {transposes into the main line.}) 3. Qa7 Kd8 (3... Rc5 $2 4. Qe7) 4. Qb8+ Kd7 5. Qb7+ Kd8 6. Qc6 $1 Ke7 7. Qc7+ Ke6 8. Qd8 Kd5 ({The same is} 8... Rf5+ 9. Kg4 Re5 10. Qe8+ Kd5 11. Qc8 $18) 9. Qc8 $5 {The first stage ends successfully. Black is in zugzwang and he is forced to give way to the white king because 9...Rh5? loses immediately.} ({A. Chéron recommended} 9. Qd7 $5 Re4+ (9... Kc5 10. Qb7 $1 {} Kd4 (10... Re2 11. Qa7+ Kd5 12. Qa8+ Kc5 13. Qa5+ Kd4 14. Qb4+) 11. Qc6 Rd5 12. Kf3 $1 Ke5 (12... Rf5+ 13. Kg4 Rd5 14. Kf4 $22 $18) 13. Ke3 Rc5 (13... Rd1 $2 14. Qc3+) (13... Ke6 $2 14. Qc4 Ke5 15. Qe4+) 14. Qe8+ Kf6 (14... Kf5 15. Qf7+ Ke5 16. Qe7+ Kd5 17. Qe4#) 15. Qd7 Rd5 16. Ke4 Rd1 17. Qg4 $18 {K.Salvioli} (17. Qf5+ $5 Ke7 18. Qg5+ {M.Dvoretsky})) 10. Kf5 Re5+ 11. Kf6 Re4 (11... Kc5 12. Qb7 $1) 12. Qb5+ Kd4 13. Qb4+ $1 (13. Qc6 {A.Cheron} d5 14. Qb5 Re3 15. Qb4+ Kd3 16. Qc5 d4 17. Kf5 Re2 (17... Re1 18. Qb5+ Ke3 (18... Kd2 19. Qb4+) 19. Qe5+) 18. Qa3+ Kd2 (18... Kc2 19. Qa2+ Kd3 20. Qb3+) 19. Kf4 Kc2 (19... Re3 20. Qb2+ Kd3 21. Qb3+ Kd2 (21... Ke2 22. Qc2+ Ke1 23. Qc4 Rh3 24. Kg4) 22. Qc4 Rd3 23. Ke4 $18) 20. Qa2+ Kd3 21. Qb3+ Kd2 22. Qc4 $1 d3 23. Qd4 $1 (23. Qc5 Kd1 24. Qc3 d2 25. Qf3 Kc1 $1 26. Qc3+ Kb1 27. Qb3+ Kc1 28. Qc4+ Kd1 29. Kf3 Re7 30. Kf2 Re8 31. Qa4+ Kc1 32. Qc6+ Kb2 $11 {B.Guretzky_Cornitz 1864}) (23. Qb4+ Kc2 24. Kf3 $18 {G.Lisitsyn}) 23... Kc2 (23... Re8 24. Qb2+ Kd1 (24... Ke1 25. Qb5 $1 Rd8 26. Ke3 Kf1 27. Qf5+) 25. Qb5 $1 Rd8 26. Ke3 Kc2 27. Qc5+ Kd1 28. Qb6 $18) 24. Kf3 Re1 25. Qc4+ Kd2 26. Qb4+ Kd1 27. Qb2 $1 Re2 28. Qc3 Rd2 29. Qc4 $1 (29. Ke3 Re2+ 30. Kxd3 $4 Re3+ $11) 29... Ke1 30. Qb4 $1 $18 {A.Cheron}) 13... Kd5 14. Qd2+ Kc5 15. Qc3+ Kd5 16. Qd3+ {See the main line}) 9... Re4+ (9... Rh5 $2 10. Qa8+ Kd4 11. Qa4+ $18) (9... Re7 10. Qg8+ $1 { f5} (10. Kf5 Rf7+ 11. Kg6 (11. Kg5 $1 {M.Dvoretsky}) 11... Rf4 {A.Cheron})) ({If} 9... Kd4 {then} 10. Qc6 Rd5 {and, according to C. Salvioli} 11. Kf3 $1 Ke5 (11... Rf5+ 12. Kg4 Rd5 13. Kf4 $22) 12. Ke3 Rc5 $8 13. Qe8+ Kf6 (13... Kf5 14. Qf7+ Ke5 15. Qe7+) 14. Qd7 Rd5 15. Ke4 $18) 10. Kf5 Re5+ 11. Kf6 {The second stage is also fulfilled.} Re4 ({Both} 11... Re1 12. Qb7+ Kc5 13. Qc7+ Kd5 14. Qa5+) ({and} 11... Re2 12. Qa8+ Kd4 13. Qa4+ Kc5 14. Qa3+ {lose rapidly.}) 12. Qc3 $1 {A neat method that stems from B. Guretzky-Cornitz (1864).} ({Philidor analyzed a slightly slower process:} 12. Qf5+ Re5 13. Qd3+ Kc5 14. Qd2 $1 Kc6 (14... Re8 15. Qa5+) (14... Re4 15. Qc3+ Kd5 16. Qd3+ Rd4 17. Qb5+ Ke4 18. Ke6 $18) 15. Qd4 Kd7 16. Qc4 Rc5 (16... Kd8 17. Qc6) (16... Re7 17. Qa4+ Kd8 18. Qa8+) (16... Re3 17. Qa4+ Kd8 18. Qa8+) (16... Re8 17. Qa4+ Kd8 18. Qb5) (16... Ra5 17. Qb4 $1 Rc5 18. Qb7+ Rc7 19. Qb5+ Rc6 20. Kf7 Kc7 21. Ke6) 17. Qf7+ Kc6 18. Ke7 Re5+ 19. Kd8 Rc5 20. Qd7+ Kd5 21. Ke7 Rc6 22. Qf5+ Kc4 23. Kd7 Rc5 24. Qe4+ { :d6+- A.Philidor}) ({While the computer prefers} 12. Qb7+ Kd4 13. Qc6 d5 14. Qb6+ Kd3 (14... Kc4 15. Kf5 $22 $18) 15. Qc5 d4 16. Qa3+ Ke2 (16... Kc4 17. Qc1+) (16... Kc2 17. Qb4) 17. Qb2+ Ke3 18. Qc1+ Ke2 19. Qc2+ Ke3 20. Kf5 Rf4+ 21. Ke5 d3 22. Qc5+ Kf3 23. Qc6+ Ke3 24. Qh6 $18) 12... Re6+ (12... Re5 13. Kf7 $1 {}) 13. Kf7 Re5 14. Kf8 $1 {Zugzwang again. Black must let the white king cross the e-file.} Re4 (14... Ke4 15. Qc4+ Kf5 16. Qd3+ Ke6 17. Ke8 $18) (14... Re6 15. Qb3+ Ke5 16. Kf7 Rf6+ 17. Ke7 $18) 15. Qd3+ Rd4 ({Or} 15... Ke5 16. Ke7 d5 17. Qg3+ Rf4 (17... Kd4+ 18. Kd6 Kc4 19. Qg2 Rd4 20. Qc2+) (17... Kf5+ 18. Kd6 d4 19. Qd3 Kf4 20. Kd5) 18. Qe3+ Re4 19. Qg5+ Kd4+ 20. Kd6) 16. Qf5+ Kc4 17. Qc2+ Kd5 18. Ke7 Ke5 19. Kd7 Rd5 20. Qe2+ Kf4 21. Kc6 Rd4 22. Kb5 Kf5 23. Qe3 Re4 24. Qd3 Ke5 25. Kc6 Rd4 26. Qe3+ Re4 27. Qg5+ Ke6 28. Qg6+ Ke5 29. Qxd6+ $18 {The identical plan brings success against a black pawn on d5. With the pawn on d4, Black also loses. If the pawn stands on c6 or c5, White wins too, although his task is even more complicated.} 1-0