The Rook

The Rook looms at the outer corners of the kingdom. At the start of the game, the Rook likes to sit still, biding its time. The other pieces dread the moment when it will rattle to life, for Rooks have wheels, and this powerhouse piece is one of the swiftest and most devastating on the chessboard.

The white and black rooks are located at squares a1, h1 and a8, h8 - as illustrated in the diagram.

Starting Position

Some people like to call the Rook a “castle”, but actually a Rook is used to build a castle for the King. At the end of the game, the Rook really shines, gobbling up pawns and creating lightning checkmates on Kings foolish enough to stay in their castle with no guards.

The Rook can move as far as it needs to, in a straight line, in any direction.

How it Moves