Defensive Rook Maneuvers in Chess
The rook is a highly valued piece in chess. It is second in rank to the queen; third to the king. However, 2 rooks are often considered higher in value than a queen. Here is a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of rooks in chess.
Rooks travel horizontally and vertically, backward or forward, travelling numerous squares per move. Although powerful pieces in the game, initially they are vulnerable to attacks because two pieces next to them during initial set up—the knight and bishop—are virtually powerless to defend or support them. Hence, at the start of a game we should strategize to keep the two rooks close together defending the king. This can be done more easily through a move called "castling."
Castling is bringing a rook and the king together when the path between them in the opening set up has been cleared of chess pieces—a knight, bishop, and sometimes the queen. Castling is only valid when neither the king nor the rook has been moved. Once any of the two has been moved castling ceases as an option. In castling, the king moves a square towards the square where the rook was positioned, and the rook is placed beside the king where it faces the other rook position.
Rooks in chess, at the start, should often stay with the king, seldom performing support and assault missions. When many pieces are yet on the board, rooks are susceptible to traps. Thus, initially, they do "bodyguard duties" for the king, which they can perform with outstanding results, while other officials, like the queen, are busy demolishing enemy fortress for an assault. Later, when the board is cleared of too much pieces, the rooks may be sent out to help in the final assault. They can always go back immediately to the king to ward off any threat.
In the later stage of the game, rooks are excellent in hedging in the movements of the enemy king. Any square a rook occupies automatically establishes the whole column and row (or rank and file on the coordinates) as a limit the enemy king cannot go beyond. Thus, the simple strategy is merely to keep the limit narrowing and then check. It is possible to checkmate the enemy king with only a king and an ally rook.
Rooks in chess are very powerful pieces but we need to know their proper roles in the game. This enhances their performance potential on the board.