The Nimzo Indian Rook Lift

I'd like to show a rook life concept, which is thematic in the Nimzo Indian. But you can re-use this theme in other openings for sure.

In order to attack the White king, Black after playing f7-f5, brings the rook to f6. Then the rook could go to g6 or h6. This is a rook lift. You could say you get the rook over to g6 or h6, so it could be called a "rover", a rook over sequence.

Let's see how Hou Yifan, former world champion, used this idea

in this game, she started with ..Qe8, a mysterious move. 

Position after 12..f5

Now it all makes sense. The Black Queen will go to g6 or h5, and the rover is also possible: Rf8-f6 followed by Rg6 or Rh6.

White has played too passively, lets see the position after  21..Rh6!

Black is targetting the h2-pawn. There is no real defense against the ferocious attack, started with 6..Qe8!?.

Let's see the end

Now https://www.chess.com/member/nigelshort GM Nigel Short has used the same manoeuver

the rook lift or rover to g6/h6.

A similar theme can be found in the Bb4+ line ( Bogoljubov defense)

Here's a famous example at top GM level

The next position looks familiar, doesn't it ?