If you know how to use your rook, it can be a very powerful chess piece. The rook should be moved to open files where pawns can’t block it from moving. It is on open files that the rook is most powerful, as it is then able to control the center of the board.
It’s great to have one rook on open files, but best if both can be used in this way. If only one rook has an open file on the chess board, move it forward and allow the second rook to follow. This is called “doubling rooks.”
Once you have control of an open file with a rook, it is easier to penetrate your opponent’s position. Let’s say that both White and Black are in an even position and it is Black’s turn. Black moves onto the open file on the chess board. White cannot move his rook to counter because Black would capture it. Therefore, it is impossible for White to move onto the open file and Black can show its strength by moving to attack White’s pawns. By Mary Alward.