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Chess Endgames

Chess Puzzle No. 296: A black pawn races to promote: can White stop it in time?

Posted on 22 October 2026 by Delphine D.

22
Oct

In this rook and pawn endgame, Black has just pushed their pawn to e2, one step from promoting. White is to move: can they halt this pawn before it becomes a queen?

EndgameIntermediateWhite to play

White to play and win

Puzzle: Lichess open database (CC0) · Pieces: Cburnett, Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

See the solution explained

Re7 places the white rook on the seventh rank, lurking behind the black pawn, and leaves Black seventeen possible replies.

Black pushes anyway with e1=Q, turning the pawn into a queen.

Rxe1 lets the white rook capture that freshly promoted queen, bringing the position back to a simple rook-and-pawn duel.

Remember the key idea: in a rook endgame, placing your rook behind the opponent's passed pawn lets you capture the new queen the moment it promotes. A vital resource to know in passed-pawn endgames.

Fancy playing this puzzle on a real board? Discover our complete chess sets, with matching board and pieces.

Delphine D.

Delphine D. is the lead writer of the editorial team at Le Palais des Échecs, a shop specialising since 2008 in wooden chess sets, chessboards and backgammon sets. Her guides draw on the shop's hands-on experience: more than 5,000 customers advised and a catalogue built around the woods that make beautiful sets. Pale, very fine-grained boxwood set against ebony or rosewood for the pieces; maple, walnut and mahogany for the boards; palisander, olive wood or burr wood for exceptional models. Choosing a set for a child, a wedding or retirement gift, comparing woods, having a board engraved: she helps every reader find the set that suits them. Find out more about Delphine D. and the editorial team - Facebook - Pinterest - Youtube