Background
He was born and died in Prague.
He was born and died in Prague.
In 1951 he published a collection of studies "Kniha šachových studií". His 1,159 endgame studies, as listed in Harold van der Heijden"s database, rank fourth among all composers. The is a tactic in chess that enables a rook to draw against two advanced pawns in a chess endgame.
Prokeš composed an endgame study in 1939 which illustrated the for the first time.
The solution begins:
1. Kg4 e2
2. Rc1+ Kd4
3.
Kf3 d2
But White forces the draw with:
4. Rc4+! Kd3
5. Rd4+! Kxd4
6.
Kxe2 Kc3
7. Kd1 Kd3 stalemate
The idea is, that by vacating the c1-square on the fourth move, White"s rook prevents Black"s pawn from capturing on c1.
The white king is then able to reach the d1-square, stopping the pawn. The position after 6.Kxe2 is drawn (see King and pawn versus king endgame).