CHESMAYNE
its now or never supernatural
Rook :RO
VII (the Chariot) in the Tarot deck of cards. Hebrew letter: Cheth. It signifies
the field and its enclosure which is both boundary/enclosure and
protection. Enclosed
within a vehicle like a crab.
It is balanced four square, stable and yet mobile. The Moon rules the sign of Cancer, the crab.
The charioteer wears lunar crescents on his shoulders. Sanskrit: ‘ratha’
(chariot). ROs
are best on open files and ranks. At the beginning
of a game, move them to
the center where you will have created open files with mp moves. RO1
and RO2 on the same file are known as ‘doubled-ROs’ (:do-RO) and strong, as they support one another. They are very strong on open files where
they are not blocked by mps and have extra strength on rank-7 where they can trap the opposing KI on the back rank. On a clear
board, the RO commands 14 cells (D-Array).
Below Left: the RO may move to all of the red cells/squares marked
Below Right: the RO cannot move past PA2 on Rank-02
Below Left: the RO can capture B-PA4 on cell/square E06
Below Right: the RO can capture all
of the B-PAs
The RO has the same capturing power as the QU, forward, backward and laterally (sideways), but
cannot take any MP/mp diagonally. RO1 and RO2
seldom have much scope for action in the early part of the game.
When the board is thinned out, no time should be lost in bringing them
into the fight. Endeavour to double
your ROs (:do-ROs) by placing them on the same file. In this position they sustain each other and
their power will be equal to a QU. If
your opponent tries to gain control of a file with B-RO1 it is better to defend A-RO1 with A-RO2 than to capture B-RO1 or remove
A-RO1. If you can place a RO on your
opponent’s 7th rank this MP can attack the PAs that are unmoved (in the ISP) quite easily and compel your adversary to lose
time defending them. The main reason for moving KT1, KT2, BS1, BS2 and QU1 from the back rank is that they retard
RO1 and RO2. At the beginning
of the game these MPs are
inactive (activate them!). Many games
are lost before RO1 and RO2 are brought into play. Ship (Rook): symbol
of journey and passage.
The ranks and
files are the domain of RO1 and RO2, which can move as far as desired across
empty cells up, down or across the board in a straight
line. On an empty board RO1 or RO2,
whatever cell they are on, thus have a choice of 14 cells to which they may
move (8 x 8 board), 7 on the vertical line of cells through their own
cell and 7 on the horizontal line.
Beginners often move mp-01 or mp-08 two cells, planning to get RO1 or RO2 into
play via A03 or H03. This is a very bad
idea for two reasons. One is that your
opponent need only unblock BS1 on BS2 on whose diagonal A03 or H03 is located to make it inaccessible to RO1
or RO2. The other is that RO1 or RO2 do
not belong on the open board as long as they can be chased by the mps of your
adversary. Not only does repeatedly
moving RO1 or RO2 lose developing tempo, but RO1 or RO2 may not find a safe place at
all. The proper way of developing RO1
and RO2 is by castling (%K, %Q) in order to let them cooperate with each
other. They can then be placed on rank-1 in files in which they may be able to invade the enemy’s
territory or in which they may be useful in supporting an advanced MP
or mp. Also, when protecting each other on rank-1,
they are in a position to contest the control of an open file which your
opponent prepares to seize with a RO.
Many medieval buildings are known as castles or tombs of Digenis. The Indian dawn-god Aruna
is described as a charioteer of the sun. See
‘Argil’, ‘Argot’ and ‘Auriga.’ When the QUs are exchanged early in a game it is better to move the KI to F01, bring the ROs into
play, instead of castling, because there is less danger to your KI who may
become a valuable auxilary during the remainder of
the game. It is not prudent to advance
your PAs on the side that the KI has castled.
Rook – RO
- Castle. The RO is known by
different names in differing countries:
The RO
may move any number of cells vertical or horizontal.
Advice on Developing
your ROs, Level-1
ROs should be left
on the
