A rook (♖ ♜,borrowed from Persian رخ rokh, Sanskrit roth, "chariot") is a piece in the strategy
board game of chess. Each player starts with two rooks, one in
each of the corners nearest their own side. In algebraic notation, white's
rooks start on a1 and h1, while black's rooks start on a8 and h8.
The rook moves horizontally or vertically, forward or back, through any number of unoccupied squares, as shown in the diagram
below. Like other pieces, it captures by occupying the square on which an enemy piece stands. The rook also participates, along
with the king, in a special move called castling.
History
Originally, the rook symbolized a chariot. The Persian word rokh means chariot, and the corresponding pieces in Oriental chess games such as
xiangqi and shogi have names meaning chariot. Persian War
Chariots were heavily armoured, 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, causing terror on the
battlefield. However, in the West, the rook is almost universally represented as a fortified tower. One possible explanation is
that when the game was imported to Italy, the Persian rokh became the Italian word rocca, meaning fortress. Another possible explanation is that rooks represent
siege towers. Rooks are usually made to look like small castles, and as a result, a rook is
sometimes called a "castle", usually by non-players and those new to the game. This usage was common in the past ("The Rook, or
Castle, is next in power to the Queen" —Howard Staunton, 1847) but today it is rarely, if ever, used in the literature or among players, except in reference to
castling. (Here, "castle" is a verb referring to a move, not a noun referring to a
piece.)
Strategy
In general, rooks are stronger than bishops or knights and are consequently considered about two pawns greater in
value. Winning a rook for a bishop or knight is referred to as winning the
exchange. Two rooks are generally considered to be worth slightly more than a queen. Rooks and queens are called heavy pieces or major pieces, as opposed to bishops and
knights, which are called minor pieces (see Chess piece point value).
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The white rook may move to any square with a
white dot. The black rook may move to any square marked with a black dot or capture the white pawn.
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In the opening, the rooks are undefended by other pieces, so it is usually desirable to unite one's rooks on the first
rank by castling and clearing all pieces except the king and rooks from the first
rank. In that position, the rooks protect each other, and can easily move to threaten the most favorable files.
A common goal with a rook is to place it on the first rank of an "open" file, i.e. one unobstructed by pawns of either player,
or a "half-open" file, i.e. one unobstructed by friendly pawns. From this position, the rook is relatively unexposed to risk but
can control every square on the file. If one file is particularly important, a player may advance one rook on it, and move the
other behind, doubling the rooks.
A rook on the seventh rank (the opponent's second rank) is usually very powerful, as it threatens the opponent's unadvanced
pawns and hems in the enemy king. Two rooks on the seventh rank are often enough to force victory, or at least a draw by
perpetual check. These rooks are sometimes colloquially referred to as "pigs on the
seventh", because they often threaten to "eat" the opponent's pieces or pawns.
Rooks are most powerful towards the end of a game, where they can move unobstructed by pawns and control large numbers of
squares. They are somewhat clumsy at restraining enemy pawns from advancing towards promotion, unless they can occupy the file
behind the advancing pawn. By the same token, a rook best supports a friendly pawn towards promotion from behind it in the same
file.
Symbology
In heraldry, chess rooks are often used as charges. Unlike a real chess rook, they are
conventionally shown with two outward-curving horns. This is because they would otherwise appear to be castle towers, since there
is no proportion on a coat of arms. This charge is always blazoned "chess rook" so as not to be confused with the bird of that name; it is also not to be confused with the zule, a
similar-looking object with two outward-curving horns at both top and bottom.
In Canadian heraldry, the chess rook is the brisure of the fifth daughter.
See also
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