Rook (chess) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chess pieces |
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King |  |
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Queen |  |
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Rook |  |
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Bishop |  |
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Knight |  |
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Pawn |  |
A rook (from Persian رخ rokh) is a piece in the board game of chess. Its name derives from its name in the old IndoArabic game (see History of chess). Each player starts the game with two rooks. When recording games, it is shortened to R, and when printed a figurine is used.
Starting place and moving
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In chess notation, the white rooks start on the a1 and h1 squares, and the black rooks start on the a8 and h8 squares.
The rook moves forward or back on the files through any number of squares without other pieces on them, and sideways on the ranks. This is shown in the diagram below. Like other pieces, it captures by going into the square on which an enemy piece stands.
The rook and king also take part in a special move called castling.
Images for kids
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Antique Indian Mughal Chess Elephant made from Sandalwood representing the Rook.
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19th-century illustration of a siege tower, which the rook may be intended to represent
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The berserker used as a rook in the Lewis chessmen
See also
In Spanish: Torre (ajedrez) para niños
