page_title: Rook (chess)
section_title: Starting place and moving
hierarchical_section_title: Rook (chess) / Starting place and moving
caption_attribution_description: Chess piece - White rook, Staunton design
context_page_description: A rook is a piece in the board game of chess. Its name derives from its name in the old IndoArabic game. Each player starts the game with two rooks. When recording games, it is shortened to R, and when printed a figurine is used.
context_section_description: 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.
caption: A Staunton pattern rook
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