The Lucena position is a won rook endgame: your pawn on the seventh, your king on its promotion square, and the enemy king cut off by your rook. Building a bridge with the rook wins it.
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Every rook endgame with an extra pawn aims for it. The king cannot step out at once, because the enemy rook checks from the side. The bridge, your rook on the fourth rank, blocks those checks.
How to do it
- 1Cut the enemy king off from the pawn with your rook.
- 2Put your rook on the fourth rank.
- 3Walk your king out towards the checks, then block a check with the rook beside your king.
For your level
Pawn on the seventh, king in front, enemy king cut off: put your rook on the fourth rank. Then walk your king out and block the last check with the rook.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 1
Which white pawn has no friendly pawn on either neighbouring file?
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Common mistakes
- Pushing the pawn to the seventh before the enemy king is cut off.
- Walking the king out before the rook is on the fourth rank, so the checks never stop.
Questions
- What is building a bridge in chess?
- The winning method in the Lucena position. The rook goes to the fourth rank, the king walks out towards the checks, and the rook blocks the last check next to its king.
- What if the enemy king is not cut off?
- Then the defender can usually reach the Philidor position and draw. Cutting the king off is what turns the extra pawn into a win.