Which rook move is best?
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I think Ne2 is a better move than either rook move.
But if I had touched a R I would want to play Rac1 and later Rfd1. (two open files) Since the B on d2 can't unleash any important discoveries, if White plays Rfd1 immediately Black doesn't have to move his Q necessarily. But after Rac1 the threat to win one of Black's loose pieces is real.
Great question. This is something that I run into all the time.
The f rook is a tad more active than the a rook, so I would think that it's better to bring over the a rook to d1.
Also, if you bring over the f rook to d1, you are blocking in the a rook quite a bit.
In this particular position though, you can see that the black bishop and knight on the c file are both undefended. I didn't look very deep, but you might be able to play Nb5 right away.
Might be better to consider bringing the rook over to the c file instead. I would do that with the a rook probably.
GreenCastleBlock wrote:
I think Ne2 is a better move than either rook move.
But if I had touched a R I would want to play Rac1 and later Rfd1. (two open files) Since the B on d2 can't unleash any important discoveries, if White plays Rfd1 immediately Black doesn't have to move his Q necessarily. But after Rac1 the threat to win one of Black's loose pieces is real.
I did not consider that move! This game continued with this:
13. h3? Bb7 14. Rfd1 Qe7 15. Rac1
But I did not see the possibility of that discovered attack. It was more to serve the purpose of a position where my rooks are not developed and I want to develop them. I'm sure I have a better example somewhere, but I was too lazy to find it.
Oct 18, 2016
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#5
Often there is little difference either way. Considerations would be both offensive (which file is more likely to open, leave your rook on that file) and defensive (which pawn might come under attack, leave your rook there). But here the discovered attack dominates the position as GCB pointed out.
Here's another position that doesn't have hanging pieces. As far as I know. I just made this up.
I think I need to rethink this question lol
Oct 18, 2016
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#8
For your new position the computer (ELO 3200) wants you to put a rook on d1 but doesn't care which one. See my earlier note about how to choose and that those ideas don't amount to much here so in cases like this the worst thing you can do in OTB play is waste your time trying to decide which rook is better. Save that time for decisions that are more critical.
Definitely Rfd1 is the more natural move here. White's B on e2 is poorly placed in this structure and wants to be located on f1 where it doesn't interfere with other pieces and can watch over the g2, h3 squares. One way of defending White's Kside position is with Bf1, h3, Kh2, Ng1, g3 which overprotects the sensitive h3 square before driving out the invader. This is slow, but much better than chopping on f4 which brings Black's Bg7 to life.
Clavius wrote:
For your new position the computer (ELO 3200) wants you to put a rook on d1 but doesn't care which one. See my earlier note about how to choose and that those ideas don't amount to much here so in cases like this the worst thing you can do in OTB play is waste your time trying to decide which rook is better. Save that time for decisions that are more critical.
Awesome - thanks so much for this response!
as a safety first consideration when all other factors are equal leave the rook near your king near your king
T_H_E_Dude wrote:
as a safety first consideration when all other factors are equal leave the rook near your king near your king
There's other pieces to defend the king. It's probably good to at least keep one rook on the back rank though. Read GreenCastleBlock's response - Bf1 can defend well.
ephemeron-17 wrote:
T_H_E_Dude wrote:
as a safety first consideration when all other factors are equal leave the rook near your king near your king
There's other pieces to defend the king. It's probably good to at least keep one rook on the back rank though. Read GreenCastleBlock's response - Bf1 can defend well.
but your advice, while good, misses the fact that advice was asked not on that particular board set up but as a general principle .my advice was as to consider king safty when ALL OTHER considerations are equal. generally speaking the advice is sound yet you are specificly correct in the given example
T_H_E_Dude wrote:
as a safety first consideration when all other factors are equal leave the rook near your king near your king
The rook is not meant to be a defender of the king. That is the job of the pawns in front of the king, and the knight on f3/f6.
Dec 7, 2016
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#15
Very intresting question. I would place the A rook on c1 and F rook on d1 but Ne2 is much better than both moves :)
Dec 7, 2016
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#16
In second position the F rook is better off on d1. It will only SLEEP on any other square!
My coach said it's mostly better to bring the castled rook to the open file since it will leave more options for other one. But since you are gonna double on d file it does not matter which one you land on d1.Both take 3 moves. Computers don't understand those type of positions
Apr 25, 2017
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#18
Nothing will be going on for a rook on the e though h files... so of course the rook on f1 should not go to one of those squares... and Rad1 would force the f1 rook to do this, so Rad1 is a bad move.
OP you were rated 1900 daily... I know daily ratings are inflated but come on, this is like a beginner level question.
T_H_E_Dude wrote:
as a safety first consideration when all other factors are equal leave the rook near your king near your king
It's the opposite. When your king is under attack it's very often a liability to have a rook on f1/f8. In preparation for defense, you should move that rook away.
