What is a rook in chess?

A rook is a chess piece that represents a castle. It is one of the six types of pieces used in the game of chess and is typically represented by a tall, rectangular piece with a flat top. Each player starts with two rooks placed in the corners of their back rank.

A rook can move along a straight line horizontally or vertically, any number of spaces until it reaches the edge of the board or is blocked by another piece. A rook is also capable of capturing an opponent’s piece by moving to the space it occupies.

Rooks are one of the strongest pieces in the game, with a point value of five points. They are often considered “heavy pieces” along with the queen, as they have the ability to control many squares on the board and can be used to launch devastating attacks on an opponent’s position.