Many people understand that a boat is an outdated word. It can mean not only a sailing and oaring vessel for moving along rivers and seas, but also a fairly significant figure in chess. It is about her and will be discussed. Her features of movement on the board, the level of value, participation in certain maneuvers and some other points will be considered.
Where did the modern name come from?
The history of chess is measured in thousands of years, so during the entire life of the game, many transformations were made. Over the years, the rules, names and shapes of the pieces have changed. A rook is a boat among the ancient Slavs with the ability to sail and row along the sea or river. Pieces of this shape can be seen on the chessboard in some museums.
However, in the European version, a boat is a tower resembling a heavy fortress. Over time, I had to come to some common denominator. Therefore, the figure of the sailboat ceased to be used on the chessboard. The form has changed, but the name has been preserved. In connection with the changes introduced, the figure is sometimes called a round.
Approximatevalue and striking power
The pawn has the most limited number of move variations. When measuring the comparative strength and significance of figures, it is used as an equivalent. With the help of a special table, the player can determine the approximate value and potential capabilities of the rook. This ratio is not absolute, since positions change a lot during the game.
As for the striking force, it means the ability of a piece to attack a certain number of squares, being in different positions.
| Shape name | Value | Impact force | ||
| In the corner | In the central part | On the edge | ||
| Pawn | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Elephant | 3 | 7 | 13 | 7 |
| Horse | 3 | 2 | 8 | 3-4 |
| King | 3-4 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Rook | 5 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Queen | 9-10 | 21 | 27 | 21 |
The table shows that the rook is the second most valuable piece with universal attacking abilities. She is able to effectively inflict damage on the enemy regardless of position. The shift of the rest of the pieces to the perimeter of the board significantly reduces the potential for attack.
Starting position and allowed moves in the game
On the chessboard, the rooks are placed at the corners. In front they are covered by pawns, and from the side by horses. You can move them only horizontally or vertically, if there are no obstacles in the way in the form of other figures (ours or others). This explains the versatility of rooks on the playing field.
If there is an opponent's piece on the way, it can be captured. The rook is then installed in its place. Quite often, this piece strikes a decisive blow, which largely determines the outcome of the game. It is especially dangerous for the opponent when there is a threat of a checkmate, when the king is directly on the eighth diagonal.
Participation in castling
It must be remembered that the rook is the only piece interacting with the king. She takes part in a special move called castling. With this variant, it is possible to swap the king and rook on one side or the other. When making other moves, it is allowed to move no more than one piece.
When castling, the king is transferred to the second cell in one direction or another, after which the round is placed for him. Moving to the left islong way and to the right on the short way. Regardless of the type of castling being performed, the king moves first anyway.
You can make a simultaneous move only once in the entire game, subject to certain conditions:
- The king and rook must remain in their starting position. If a move was made by at least one piece, then castling is impossible. However, when moving one rook, it is allowed to move in the opposite direction.
- There must not be a single figure between the figures. For example, to carry out long castling, you will have to remove the knight, bishop and queen from the path. On the other hand, only the two figures listed first interfere.
- The king, when castling, should not be hit by an opponent's piece or be in such a situation. If he has already been put in check or is only threatened, then it is not allowed to make a move in the game.
- The king also must not cross the squares that are attacked by other people's pieces.
In other cases, castling is possible. When used correctly, it allows you to move the king away from the central part of the board, thus providing the greatest security, as well as improve the position of the rook for active actions in the attack. In most cases, both opponents make a simultaneous move per game, but it is not mandatory.
Final part
Even for a novice player, it becomes clear that in chess the rook is a significant piece that can decide the outcome of the game. Her participation in castling opens wideopportunities to protect the king and further offensive actions. However, everything depends on the situation on the chessboard and the ability to use this piece in game actions.
