When the defending rook operates from the «long side» (the part of the board further from the pawn), it has room enough to check from a safe distance. The enemy king can neither approach the rook nor hide from the checks - the result is a draw.
Here White has the king on c3, a pawn on c4 and the rook on d1; Black has the king on e6 and the rook on h8. Black to move, and it is a draw (per the tablebases): the rook on the distant h-file checks the white king indefinitely and keeps him from helping the pawn.
The short-side/long-side rule: the defending king should go to the «short» side and the rook operate from the «long» one, where there is more room to check. This saves a great many rook endings.
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Openings, endgame positions and breakthrough studies - the set-up appears on the board.
The weaker side's rook goes to the long side of the board and checks from far off: the enemy king can neither approach it nor take shelter.
The rook should defend from the side with more files to the edge of the board - at least three, otherwise the enemy king walks up to it easily.
On the short side, next to the opponent's pawn: it gets in the way of the advance and helps hold the draw.
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