Chess Lovers ♟️ · by Amelia Hughes · 2026-10-30
Lucena and Philidor: did learning these two rook endgames actually win you points?
Every endgame book says the Lucena (building a bridge to win) and the Philidor (third-rank defence to draw) are the two rook endings you must know, since rook endgames are the most common type in practice. I finally drilled them properly this month and already saved a half point with the Philidor in a club game. Did these actually come up for you over the board, and what endgame would you put third on the must-know list?
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