How To Move The Rook in Chess?
28/05/2023 - Actualizado: 21/06/2023
Let's continue to know the chess pieces, today we will know the piece that dominates the open columns. I'm talking about the Rook that is represented in the books by an R or by this figure ♖♜ (depending on which side is the rook).
It is an unmistakable piece as it has the same shape as its name, it looks like a Rook like the one in the old castles.
Its numerical value is 5, being the second most powerful in the game.
Starting position of the Rook
The Rook always starts the game in the corners, next to the knights.
It is one of the pieces that together with the Queen are the last to move in the early phase of the game (opening). If we risk taking it out in the early game it is very likely that with less valuable pieces such as knights, Bishops or pawns our rook will be attacked.
How does the rook move?
The movement of the rook resembles the movement of a train, the Rook always moves in a straight line either forwards, backwards or sideways.
Something very important about the movement of the Rook is that regardless of its position on the board, it always controls the same number of squares, a total of 14 as shown in the following picture
This is always true when there are open columns and rows, lines where there are no rival pieces or our pieces that hinder them.
The role of the rook in chess
The Rook, like the queen, is a piece that shines when it is being occupied for attack, but it can also shine in distance defense, because of its great range of action, it is a very good defender of open lines where our opponent wants to put his own rooks or in lines where the enemy pieces want to enter.
The dream of the rook is to enter in the seventh row and if possible in the last or eighth row.
On the seventh row because this is the row where the pawns that defend the opponent's king are usually located.
On the eighth row because it is where the rival King finds refuge from our pieces, another reason is that it is much easier to attack the pawns from behind, once we force them to move there will always be a pawn that will be delayed, a pawn that becomes our target to capture.
Coordinate the tower
As we can see the Rook is very strong when it comes to open spaces, but to maximize even more this power we have to coordinate or support it with its sister, the other rook.
Once we manage to coordinate the Rooks we will have one of the best pairs of chess, the rooks together besides defending each other become a powerful attack weapon very difficult to defend since their power is doubled, the amount of squares they now control is doubled.
Their power is so great together that they are better than a lady, as long as they are working together. If the lady catches the two rooks separated and isolated, it is very likely that she will end up hunting them to finally capture them.
We have to remember that it is necessary to mobilize our Pawns to exchange them with the opponent's pawns in order to open the position.
Our objective with the two rooks is that both of them fulfill their dream (to enter in the seventh or eighth row) this is usually a great advantage that will end up transforming into an easy victory for us.
Do you know the name of the checkmate that can be given with only one rook?
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