King & Two Rooks vs King
EndgameCheckmate TechniqueGoal: checkmate
The position
| ♚ | |||||||
| ♖ | |||||||
| ♖ | |||||||
| ♔ |
White to move and win by checkmate. This is a technique you need to know cold: once you have the method, it works every time.
The idea
Two rooks against a lone king is the easiest of the basic checkmates. It is called the ladder (or lawnmower) mate, because the rooks take turns checking and push the king down the board one rank at a time.
How to do it
- Place one rook on a rank next to the king's rank to cut him off, and keep it far enough away along the rank that he cannot attack it.
- Check with the other rook on the next rank. The king can only step back.
- Repeat: the rook that gave check now stays, and the other rook checks on the next rank.
- Continue until the king reaches the edge; the last rook check is checkmate.
Common mistakes
- Putting a rook next to the king, where it can be captured.
- Keeping both rooks on the same file or rank as the king, so he escapes between them.
- Checking from the side, which lets the king run back.
Remember
Keep the rooks on different ranks and well away from the king, and check one after the other.