The Rook

This document covers the basic moves of the Rook and Rook strategies.

SteveB

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8,2,4,16,32,4,2,8,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,129,129,129,129,129,129,129,136,130,132,144,160,132,130,136|7,7,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,7,0,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,0,0,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,0,7,0,0,yellowhl.png,R|The rooks(♖,♜)are placed at the corners of the board.
||0,0,0,0,32,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,8,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,0,136,0,0,0,0,0,160,0,0,0|0,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,1,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,0,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,3,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,4,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,5,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,7,3,0,targetmove.png,0,3,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,4,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,1,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,4,6,2,1,targetattack.png,0,4,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,5,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,7,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,6,0,0,yellowhl.png,R|The rook moves any number of squares on either the horizontal files or vertical rows.

Here the white rook can cover the whole board.

Rooks can not jump over pieces.  They capture by occupying the square of their target.  And they are blocked by their own pieces, as shown here with the black rook.||0,0,8,0,32,0,0,8,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,129,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,0,129,0,0,129,0,0,0,0,0,129,129,136,0,0,0,160,0,0,136|1,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,3,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,4,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,0,2,0,0,yellowhl.png,R|Rooks are very strong when placed on an open file.

In general, rooks are stronger than bishops or knights (which are called minor pieces) and are considered greater in value than either of those pieces by nearly two pawns but less valuable than two minor pieces.

Two rooks are generally considered to be worth slightly more than a queen. Winning a rook for a bishop or knight is referred to as winning the exchange.

Rooks and queens are called heavy pieces or major pieces, as opposed to bishops and knights, the minor pieces.||0,0,8,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,32,0,0,0,0,0,8,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,129,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,0,129,0,0,129,0,0,0,0,0,129,129,136,0,0,0,160,0,0,136|0,2,0,0,green_f.png,0,2,2,0,0,green_f.png,0|Doubling the rooks or putting two rooks on the same file makes for a very strong combination.||0,0,8,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,32,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,1,1,0,0,0,0,129,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,0,129,0,0,129,0,8,0,0,0,129,129,136,0,0,0,160,0,0,136|1,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,3,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,4,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,0,2,1,targetattack.png,0,6,0,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,3,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,4,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,5,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,6,2,1,targetattack.png,0,6,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,2,0,0,yellowhl.png,R|Rooks on the seventh rank can be very powerful as they attack pawns that can only be defended by other pieces, and they can restrict the enemy king to its back rank.||0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,0,0,32,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,1,129,0,0,0,129,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,8,0,0,0,8,129,136,0,0,0,160,0,0,136|0,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,1,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,3,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,4,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,0,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,1,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,3,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,4,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,5,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,2,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,2,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,4,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,5,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,7,2,1,targetattack.png,0,6,7,3,0,targetmove.png,0,7,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,6,6,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,0,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,1,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,2,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0,3,6,3,0,targetmove.png,0|A pair of rooks on the player's seventh rank is often a sign of a winning position.

Rooks are most powerful towards the end of a game when they can move unobstructed by pawns and control large numbers of squares.

The rook is a very powerful piece to deliver a checkmate.

A king and a rook is sufficient material to checkmate an opposing lone king (see basic checkmate training), thus the rook's distinction as a major piece above the knight and bishop.||8,2,4,16,32,4,2,8,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,129,129,129,129,129,129,129,129,136,130,132,144,160,132,130,136|7,7,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,7,0,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,0,0,0,0,yellowhl.png,R,0,7,0,0,yellowhl.png,R|History of the Rook:

In the medieval shatranj, the rook symbolized a chariot. The Persian word rukh means chariot.

Persian war chariots were heavily armored, carrying a driver and at least one ranged-weapon bearer, such as an archer. The sides of the chariot were built to resemble fortified stone work, giving the impression of small, mobile buildings.

However, in the West the rook is almost universally represented as a walled turret. Another possible explanation is that rooks represent siege towers.

Rooks usually are similar in appearance to small castles or keeps, and as a result a rook is sometimes called a "castle" . This usage was common in the past but today it is rarely used, except in the expression "castling."
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theville Premium Icon - 06:11 PM December 26, 2015

Working together rooks in my view can be just as powerful as a single queen. In the opening phase, players should "connect" their rooks as soon as possible!