Quick answer
Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is an endgame technique: Lucena bridge-building. Work from the first evidence position for Cut-Off King in Rook Endings, and begin by testing Kf8.
Begin from Kf8 in 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7 b - - 3 2. Count the material, king routes, promotion squares and reserve tempi before applying a theoretical rule. The evidence answer is: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kf8.
In the Cut-Off King in Rook Endings example, notice: side Black; pieces White pawn c7, Black king g7, Black rook h7, White king c4, White rook a1; legal first moves Kf8, Kg8, Kh8, Kh6, Kg6, Kf6, Kf7, Rh8. This material report is evidence for the board shown here, not a checklist for every encounter with the idea.
Material and result question
The first evidence board tests Lucena bridge-building; the second board tests Lucena bridge-building. When a recorded line exists, board A starts from direct FEN setup while board B starts from direct FEN setup. Cross-check wording on the Chess Wiki and on the Endgames hub. Then compare Material Values with Checking From Behind, Lucena Position, Philidor Position around the conversion move order.
The two inventories make the distinction concrete. A contains side Black; pieces White pawn c7, Black king g7, Black rook h7, White king c4, White rook a1; legal first moves Kf8, Kg8, Kh8, Kh6, Kg6, Kf6, Kf7, Rh8; B contains side Black; pieces Black king h8, White pawn c7, Black rook f7, White king d5, White rook a4; legal first moves Kh7, Kg7, Kg8, Rf8, Rg7, Rh7, Rf6, Rf5+. Compare the side to move before comparing the labels in the context of the active rook before the pawn push.
Topic dossier for this page and board pair r1:8 | r2:2P3kr | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:2K5 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:R7 / r1:7k | r2:2P2r2 | r3:8 | r4:3K4 | r5:R7 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:8: start with the conversion move order; then test the active rook before the pawn push; keep a reserve pawn move separate from the side-to-move tempo; use the defender's fortress setup as the transfer check; and reserve the pawn's promotion square for the exception.
Conversion or defense plan
On the first board, calculate Kf8 after Kf8 and write down the opponent's best reply around the conversion move order. On the second board, calculate Kh7 after Kh7 and check the active rook before the pawn push. Separate the practical conversion question from the result question; side to move and one checking distance can change the conclusion. In this case the useful condition is the pawn's promotion square.
Key claim: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is illustrated here by Lucena bridge-building; the first concrete test is Kf8. The board anchor is 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7; the example is intentionally narrower than the topic label and should not be generalised without checking the surrounding position..
Practical boundary: To answer “What exact king, pawn, and move-order conditions decide cut-off king in rook endings, and how should each side play them?”, compare the recorded setup with Kh7 and the opponent's reply. The decision is useful only when the stated condition survives that concrete test on board 7k/2P2r2/8/3K4/R7/8/8/8. The evidence records No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication and the second board signature r1:7k | r2:2P2r2 | r3:8 | r4:3K4 | r5:R7 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:8. The false-positive test is whether a reserve pawn move appears without the side-to-move tempo, so the conclusion is useful only when the stated condition survives that concrete test.
Evidence positions
example-1: Lucena bridge-building
Show answer
Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kf8.
Why this position is here: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is represented by Lucena bridge-building. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7 b - - 3 2
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this cut-off king in rook endings position?
Answer cue: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kf8. The first candidate to test is Kf8. Replay Kf8 on board anchor 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
example-2: Lucena bridge-building
Show answer
Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kh7.
Why this position is here: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is represented by Lucena bridge-building. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 7k/2P2r2/8/3K4/R7/8/8/8; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 7k/2P2r2/8/3K4/R7/8/8/8 b - - 3 2
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this cut-off king in rook endings position?
Answer cue: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kh7. The first candidate to test is Kh7. Replay Kh7 on board anchor 7k/2P2r2/8/3K4/R7/8/8/8 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
example-3: Lucena bridge-building
Show answer
Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kh7.
Why this position is here: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is represented by Lucena bridge-building. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 7k/2P3r1/RK6/8/8/8/8/8; no opening history is inferred from the diagram.
FEN: 7k/2P3r1/RK6/8/8/8/8/8 b - - 3 2
Question: What is the first concrete decision in this cut-off king in rook endings position?
Answer cue: Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: use the king's shelter and a checking-distance bridge before advancing the pawn. Candidate line: Kh7. The first candidate to test is Kh7. Replay Kh7 on board anchor 7k/2P3r1/RK6/8/8/8/8/8 and write down what changes after it.
Evidence boundary: No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication.
Reading the line
Read the first example (id example-1) as a complete record: continuation Kf8, source tablebase. This is a direct FEN setup with board anchor 8/2P3kr/8/8/2K5/8/8/R7; no opening history is inferred from the diagram. If A does not expose Lucena bridge-building, correct the evidence before relying on the prose.
Read the second example (id example-2) separately: continuation Kh7, source tablebase. Its feature is Lucena bridge-building; inventory side Black; pieces Black king h8, White pawn c7, Black rook f7, White king d5, White rook a4; legal first moves Kh7, Kg7, Kg8, Rf8, Rg7, Rh7, Rf6, Rf5+. Compare what changes between Kf8 and Kh7.
Boundary cases
The main mistake to avoid with Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is applying a remembered endgame rule while ignoring side to move, king placement or an unverified result. In A, the missing condition must be located in r1:8 | r2:2P3kr | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:2K5 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:R7 after Kf8; in B, test it against r1:7k | r2:2P2r2 | r3:8 | r4:3K4 | r5:R7 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:8 after Kh7.
For Cut-Off King in Rook Endings, the first board's evidence boundary (after Kf8) is No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication. The second board's evidence boundary for Cut-Off King in Rook Endings is No tablebase outcome is asserted by this generated record; verify the exact FEN before publication. If a trusted source or careful calculation changes the conclusion around the defender's fortress setup, update both the evidence record and this article.
Practice from a real game
play the position for both sides, record the critical tempo, and verify the exact FEN against the cited tablebase before publication. Start with A's side to move and r1:8 | r2:2P3kr | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:2K5 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:R7; record two candidates, the reply to Kf8 and the correction. Repeat with B's side to move and r1:7k | r2:2P2r2 | r3:8 | r4:3K4 | r5:R7 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:8; the changed board tests transfer rather than diagram memory.
After the drill, compare your notes with Checking From Behind, Lucena Position, Philidor Position through the side-to-move tempo. Keep A's rejected alternative beside B's chosen line Kh7; this shows whether the conclusion survived a new board signature.
Sources and scope
Sources for Cut-Off King in Rook Endings: Syzygy tablebase verification reference, 1chess.online editorial scope. Source ids are tablebase, original-analysis. Primary evidence hook: tablebase. Comparisons and practice notes are editorial. Evidence revision: 2026-08-remediation-r2.
Scope note for board pair r1:8 | r2:2P3kr | r3:8 | r4:8 | r5:2K5 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:R7 / r1:7k | r2:2P2r2 | r3:8 | r4:3K4 | r5:R7 | r6:8 | r7:8 | r8:8: this page does not claim that Kf8 is an engine principal variation, that an exact endgame result is verified when the evidence says it is not, or that a tool output replaces human calculation. The conclusion is limited to the recorded boundary and the exception a reserve pawn move.