Strategy
Open files for rooks
Rooks need elbow room
The idea
Rooks come alive on open files — files with no pawns on them. A rook on a closed file does almost nothing; the same rook on an open file controls the entire board. After the opening, look for places where pawn trades have cleared a file, and shift your rooks there.
Example 1 of 1
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
The d- and e-files are open. Whoever gets a rook there first dominates.
2
Try it
Your move
Occupy the open d-file with your rook.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h