---------------------------------------
8 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | #K |
|---------------------------------------|
7 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
6 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | ^K |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | ^R |
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
3 |    |    |    | #B |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
2 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
1 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
---------------------------------------
A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H

Diag. 46.

1.  R-Q5, B-B5 (or R2); 2.  R-Q8ch, B-Kt1, and Black is stalemate unless the Rook leaves the eighth Rank.  Any outside square which is not of the same colour as that of the Bishop is dangerous for the King.  Imagine the pieces in Diagram 46 shifted two squares towards the centre of the board, as in Diagram 47, and White wins with

          1.  R-QKt5 B-R5
          2.  R-Kt8ch B-K1
          3.  R-R8

The Bishop is lost, as it is Black’s move.

In endings of Rook against knight, the weaker side loses, where the Knight is cut off from his King.

For instance, in Diagram 48, 1.  R-Q5!  In this “oblique opposition” the Rook takes four of the Knight’s squares:  1. ...  Kt-K8; 2.  K-B5, Kt-B7; 3.  K-K4, Kt-R6 (Kt-Kt5?; 4.  R-Kt5ch! wins the Knight).  In this ending there is always a fatal check at some point, and the position in the

---------------------------------------
8 |    |    |    |    |    | #K |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
7 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
6 |    |    |    |    |    | ^K |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    |    |    |    |    | ^R |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
3 |    | #B |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
2 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
1 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
---------------------------------------
A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H

Diag. 47

diagram is not in any way a chance win. 4.  K-Q3, K-B2; 5.  R-QR5, Kt-Kt8; 6.  R-R1, and wins.

---------------------------------------
8 |    | #K |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
7 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
6 |    |    |    |    |    |    | ^K |    |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    |    | ^R |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|