Exercise 11.1★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
11
Attacking the King · Yatish Chandra Shukla
Open Files and Rook Lifts
Bringing the heavy pieces
In this lesson you will learn
- Why rooks need open files to join an attack
- The rook lift: ♖e3–g3 and ♖f3–h3
- Doubling rooks, and the queen in front of the rook
- Mates along the edge of the board
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
11.1 Rooks Need Lines
Rooks are powerful attackers, but at the start of the game they are hidden behind their own pawns. They join an attack in two ways: along a file that has been opened by exchanges or pawn sacrifices, or by lifting the rook along its third or fourth rank and swinging it across to the king's side.
An open file next to the enemy king — the g-file or the h-file — is a highway for the attacker. With a rook on it and the queen joining, mates like those of Chapter 2 appear all the time.
11.2 The Rook Lift
The rook lift is the attacker's way of using a rook while the files are still closed. A rook on e1 goes to e3 and then to g3 or h3; a rook on f1 goes to f3 and then to h3. On g3 or h3 it attacks g7 or h7 directly and often supports a queen mate.
NoteA lifted rook works best when the third rank is clear and the opponent cannot easily attack the rook with a minor piece. Check the squares e3, f3, g3 and h3 before you lift.
LessonIf your rook is not taking part in the attack, ask: can it reach the king along an open file, or can it lift along the third rank?
11.3 Worked Examples
Cover the text below each diagram and find the best move before reading on.
Diagram 11.1White to move
Example 11.1
White to move. How should the attack continue?
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♖d8+ ♖e8 2.♖xe8+ ♔h7 3.♖h8#
Diagram 11.2White to move
Example 11.2
White to move. How should the attack continue?
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♖e8#
Diagram 11.3Black to move
Example 11.3
Black to move. How should the attack continue?
Find the key move.
Solution. 1...♖e1+ 2.♕xe1 ♕xe1#
Diagram 11.4White to move
Example 11.4
White to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♗f6+ ♔xg8 2.♖c8+ ♘d8 3.♖xd8# — the final position is a back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Diagram 11.5White to move
Example 11.5
White to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1.♖b8+ ♔g7 2.♗e5+ f6 3.♖g8# — the final position is a rook check that the king can neither escape nor block.
Diagram 11.6Black to move
Example 11.6
Black to move. Find the mate.
Find the key move.
Solution. 1...♖h1+ 2.♕g1 ♖xg1# — the final position is a back-rank mate: the king is shut in on its first rank by its own pawns.
Remember
- Rooks join an attack along open files or via a lift on the third rank.
- An open g- or h-file next to the enemy king is a highway.
- Queen in front, rook behind: a battery that mates on the edge.
- Check that your lifted rook cannot be chased away.
Exercises · Lesson 11
Rooks on open files and lifted rooks are the heroes of these puzzles.
Exercise 11.2★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.3★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.4★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.5★★★ · Find the move
Black to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.6★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.7★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.8★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.9★★★ · Mate in 1
Black to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.10★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.11★★★ · Mate in 3
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.12★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.13★★★ · Find the move
White to move
Find the strongest move.
Exercise 11.14★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.15★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.16★★★ · Mate in 2
Black to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.17★★★ · Mate in 3
White to move
Mate in 3.
Exercise 11.18★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.19★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.20★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.21★★★ · Mate in 2
White to move
Mate in 2.
Exercise 11.22★★★ · Mate in 3
White to move
Mate in 3.
Exercise 11.23★★★ · Mate in 3
Black to move
Mate in 3.
Exercise 11.24★★★ · Mate in 3
Black to move
Mate in 3.