Philidor Position: chess endgame

Keep the king out, then check from behind.

In the Philidor defense, the defending king blocks the pawn’s advance and the rook holds the third rank from the defender’s side. Once the pawn advances to that rank, switch to checks from behind. This method applies to the right rook-and-pawn position, not every ending a pawn down.

• Keep the attacking king from advancing past the rook’s rank.
• Wait until the pawn advance removes shelter from checks.
• Keep enough distance for effective checks from behind.