How the rook moves
A rook moves in a straight line: forward, backward, left or right, as many squares as it likes. It can't jump over pieces. It captures by landing on an enemy piece.
- Each player has two rooks, in the corners.
- A rook is worth about 5 pawns.
- The rook and king make the special move called castling.
Teach it
- DoPut a white rook on d4 and nothing else.
- Say“The rook drives in straight lines, like a car on a road. Up, down, left or right.”
- Ask“Can it go to f6?”
- Child“No, that is a diagonal.”
- DoPut a black pawn on d7.
- Ask“Can the rook take the pawn?”
- Child“Yes, it goes straight up and lands on it.”
Your turn!
Take all three black pawns with the rook.
Three quick questions
Can a rook move diagonally?
Can a rook jump over a piece?
How far can a rook move in one turn?
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Draw a dot on every square this rook can reach.
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Circle the piece the rook can capture.
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Which black knight can the rook capture?
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Can the rook capture the pawn in one move? In two?
Answers: Rook moves
- Every square on the a-file and the first row: 14 squares.
- The pawn on b4.
- The knight on e1. Its own pawn blocks the way up to b8.
- Not in one; in two: for example a7, then takes g7.
Questions parents ask
Is the rook called a castle?
Many children call it a castle, because it looks like a tower. Its name is the rook. Castling is a special move of the king and a rook.
How many rooks does each player have?
Two, one in each corner at the start.
Rules checked against FIDE Laws of Chess, taking effect from 1 January 2023 (Article 3.3) on . Found something to fix? Tell us on the contact page.