The rook is a major piece in chess, moving any number of squares horizontally or vertically. It's considered one of the most powerful pieces due to its ability to control long files and ranks, making it particularly strong in open positions.

Watch as the white rook demonstrates its movement pattern. Notice how it can move along ranks (horizontal rows) and files (vertical columns), but cannot jump over other pieces. In this position, the black pawns block the rook's path, showing how pieces can limit a rook's mobility.

Rooks become especially powerful in the endgame, where they can control entire ranks to cut off enemy kings or support passed pawns. They're also unique in chess as the only piece that can perform a special move called "castling" with the king - a crucial move for king safety and rook activation in the opening phase of the game.