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Rooks on open files

Put your rooks where no pawns block them.

Intermediate · Strategy · 19 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine. With games of Gukesh D, Viswanathan Anand, Divya Deshmukh, Praggnanandhaa R, Humpy Koneru, Arjun Erigaisi.

Step 1

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The position

Rooks love open files, files with no pawns on them. From an open file a rook can travel all the way into the opponent's camp. Take the open file before your opponent does, and double your rooks on it if you can.

Step 2

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The position

Gukesh D vs Vincent Keymer, WR Chess Masters 2023, Dusseldorf. Gukesh from Chennai became the youngest undisputed World Champion in 2024, at just 18. Gukesh D plays White here. Look at the rook on b1: what can it do?

Step 3

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The position before the moves

Moves: 34.Rd1

Gukesh D moves the rook to the open d-file.

From the game Gukesh D – Vincent Keymer, WR Chess Masters 2023, Dusseldorf .

Step 4

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The position before the moves

Moves: 34.Rd1 Rxc3 35.Rd6 Kf7 36.Rxa6 b4 37.Rb6

The moves: 34.Rd1 Rxc3 35.Rd6 Kf7 36.Rxa6 b4 37.Rb6. Watch how the position develops: Gukesh D keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Gukesh D – Vincent Keymer, WR Chess Masters 2023, Dusseldorf .

Step 5

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The position

Viswanathan Anand vs Boris Gelfand, 10. Tal Mem 2016, Moscow. Viswanathan Anand became India's first grandmaster in 1988 and was World Champion five times. Viswanathan Anand plays White here. Look at the rook on c2: what can it do?

Step 6

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The position before the moves

Moves: 40.Rd2

Viswanathan Anand moves the rook to the open d-file. It attacks the rook on d8.

From the game Viswanathan Anand – Boris Gelfand, 10. Tal Mem 2016, Moscow .

Step 7

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The position before the moves

Moves: 40.Rd2 Ra8 41.Kd4 Bd7 42.Kc3 Ke7 43.f4

The moves: 40.Rd2 Ra8 41.Kd4 Bd7 42.Kc3 Ke7 43.f4. Watch how the position develops: Viswanathan Anand keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Viswanathan Anand – Boris Gelfand, 10. Tal Mem 2016, Moscow .

Step 8

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The position

Divya Deshmukh vs Sw Soumya, 19th Asian Continental w, Delhi 2022. Divya Deshmukh from Nagpur won the FIDE Women's World Cup in 2025, at 19, and became a grandmaster. Divya Deshmukh plays White here. Look at the rook on h1: what can it do?

Step 9

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The position before the moves

Moves: 38.Re1+

Divya Deshmukh moves the rook to the open e-file. It gives check.

From the game Divya Deshmukh – Sw Soumya, 19th Asian Continental w, Delhi 2022.

Step 10

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The position before the moves

Moves: 38.Re1+ Kd5 39.Rf1 Ke4 40.Nc5+ Ke5 41.Nd3+

The moves: 38.Re1+ Kd5 39.Rf1 Ke4 40.Nc5+ Ke5 41.Nd3+. Watch how the position develops: Divya Deshmukh keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Divya Deshmukh – Sw Soumya, 19th Asian Continental w, Delhi 2022.

Step 11

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The position

Valery Skatchkov vs Praggnanandhaa R, Titled Arena May 8th 2021. Praggnanandhaa from Chennai became a grandmaster at 12 and reached the World Cup final in 2023. Praggnanandhaa R plays Black here. Look at the rook on f8: what can it do?

Step 12

♚︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♚︎♟︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 28...Re8

Praggnanandhaa R moves the rook to the open e-file.

Step 13

♚︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♞︎♟︎♟︎♞︎♚︎♟︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 28...Re8 29.Rb2 h5 30.Rb7 Ne4 31.Rb4 Re6

The moves: 28...Re8 29.Rb2 h5 30.Rb7 Ne4 31.Rb4 Re6. Watch how the position develops: Praggnanandhaa R keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

Step 14

♚︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♚︎♜︎
The position

Mariya Muzychuk vs Humpy Koneru, WCh Women 2015, Sochi. Humpy Koneru is one of India's greatest players and twice Women's World Rapid Champion. Humpy Koneru plays Black here. Look at the rook on c8: what can it do?

Step 15

♚︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♚︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 43...Re8

Humpy Koneru moves the rook to the open e-file.

Step 16

♚︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♜︎♚︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 43...Re8 44.Rh7+ Kg8 45.Rag7+ Kf8 46.Rd7 Re1+

The moves: 43...Re8 44.Rh7+ Kg8 45.Rag7+ Kf8 46.Rd7 Re1+. Watch how the position develops: Humpy Koneru keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

Step 17

♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♚︎♜︎
The position

Arjun Erigaisi vs A Puranik, 40th TCh-IND 2020, Ahmedabad. Arjun Erigaisi from Warangal became only the second Indian, after Anand, to cross a 2800 rating. Arjun Erigaisi plays White here. Look at the rook on f1: what can it do?

Step 18

♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♚︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 34.Rd1

Arjun Erigaisi moves the rook to the open d-file.

From the game Arjun Erigaisi – A Puranik, 40th TCh-IND 2020, Ahmedabad .

Step 19

♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♚︎♜︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 34.Rd1 Kf8 35.Kg4 Kg7 36.Rd7 Kf8 37.Rc7

The moves: 34.Rd1 Kf8 35.Kg4 Kg7 36.Rd7 Kf8 37.Rc7. Watch how the position develops: Arjun Erigaisi keeps the advantage. Now try it yourself: press Practice and play this position against the engine.

From the game Arjun Erigaisi – A Puranik, 40th TCh-IND 2020, Ahmedabad .

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