Rook endgames are commonly encountered and understanding their fundamental principles is essential. In this instance, our focus will be on employing a tactical maneuver known as deflection to secure a win.
The first example was composed by André Chéron, a French chess player and endgame studies composer, in 1944. Both kings are located close to the pawn, so White must find a way to prevent the black rook from checking the white king, while the pawn cannot stay without protection:
The second study was composed by David Gurgenidze, a Georgian chess player, organizer and author of many studies. This time, White will use the rook to build “deflection bridges” to allow their king to march to the pawn: