Hi all,
I'm looking for more "known" positions than the ones listed above. Is there an index or directory somewhere which has a list of these types of positions?
Thanks!
If you don't know what I'm talking about, this is probably the first thing you should be looking into.
well just a guess...maybe the old standby "MCO" Modern chess openings...it is a book with many editions and has most openings covered. I am still working with the 11th editon , with descriptive notation.:]
philidor and lucena positions are endgame theory, not opening
well there is the phiildor opening ...I remember reading about lucena...perhaps you can help me remember him...was he a great player from the past who excelled in end game? ...anyway ruben fine has a good book on end game called "basic chess endings" you may find something there
Those are the two most important positions (or position types rather) in endgames with rook and pawn against rook specifically, and in practical endgame theory overall.
Knowing them is highly recommended and will net many points. It very high return for a relatively low investment in time.
The Lucena position is when the (attacking) pawn is on the 7th rank and the king is in front of it. It is a win in most cases.
Lucena was a chess player in the 15th (!) century. He wrote the earliest still surviving book about chess.
The Philidor position is when the defender has the king in front of opponent's pawn and the rook on the third rank. It is often a draw.
Philidor was the strongest chess player in the 18th century. Known for the clichee "pawns are the soul of chess". As you say there's an opening (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6) named after him.
The only other positions with proper names I can think of is the Saavedra position and the Vancura position. Also there is a Prokes maneuvre, which comes about from a specific position.
All from simple rook and pawn endgames.
There is a Philidor position in several endgames, for the record, such as the Q vs. R ending.
Hi all