Exploring the unexpected 4th rank rook lifts!
Creative play with Rooks rising to the occasionHappy holidays everyone!
In my previous article, we looked into tactical play involving unexpected back rank tactics. In this article I am investigating strategic play in the middlegame with the rook lift but with a twist. While rook lifts to the 3rd and 2nd ranks are common manoeuvres, I am focusing on rarer examples of Rook lifts to the 4th rank. These are relatively uncharted in literature and in practice. Let’s start by defining what a rook lift is:
Why does the noble rook only get to show off its vertical powers so late?
In many of my students games, the rooks are just hanging out on the back rank until the endgame, when they finally get to move up the board. But when that moment comes, no one is quite sure how to use them! They will just do a mass trade of heavy pieces and agree to a draw to avoid playing out that boring endgame that neither really wanted to play (who am I kidding, its also myself included).
But there are those audacious moments where the rook decides show off its vertical powers early in the game and brings a new kind of energy to the board. This is usually via the 3rd and 2nd ranks, not so much on the 4th rank.
3rd Rank Rook Lifts: The Assault
A classic example of this is in IQP (isolated queen pawn) positions or Pillsbury/Stonewall attacks in the white side, where a kingside rook lift to the 3rd rank is a common attacking theme. The rook rises above friendly pawns with clear scope of the enemy king and goes from spectator to superstar:
2rd Rank Rook Lifts: For development
Whereas 3rd rank rook lifts are often aggressively charged, there is also the more subtle 2nd rank rook lift. From games I’ve seen, this is mainly used for defensive or development purposes. In various openings, such as the Chebanenko Slav (with black) or Säemisch Nimzo-Indian (with white), the queenside rook might step up to the 2nd rank for quick development, thanks to queenside pawn advances freeing the rook from back rank confinement. It will later swing to the central files on the 2nd rank:
2nd rank Rook lift in the Chebanenko Slav
There is also the known “Reti plan”, where a 2nd rank rook lift is the start of a rearrangement of the major pieces- rook lift allows a queen end up in corner, pressuring the a1-h8 diagonal and the other rook double on the c-file. 2nd rank is of course far less aggressive than 3rd ranks rook lifts in nature, therefore is it also used for defensive purposes (think of 2nd rank defence of King):
2nd rank Rook lift in the Reti plan
4th Rank Rook Lifts: The multipurpose move
Now let’s venture into less-charted territory: rook lifts to the 4th rank. Why is this rarely seen? It’s not always easy to clear a path for this move, and the clumsy rook is often an easy target. But when it makes it to the 4th rank, it can completely shift the momentum. Let’s dive into some games I found that showcase these ambitious 4th rank rook lifts bringing unexpected dynamism and new opportunities to the position. I am presenting 2 examples I found in Grandmaster games, and one example from my own game.
First game is between Fischer vs Keres, Yugoslavia 1959. Black has a good position with active pieces but his Ra8 is not doing much. Instead of developing the rook on the back rank, Keres finds a 4th rank rook lift that completely takes over the game:
Some of the best moves are multipurpose moves. With Ra5, Keres activates his last undeveloped piece, at the same time threatens to triple down on c2 (with rooks in front). Furthermore he further cements his grip on e5 and keeps an eye to swing over to the kingside. All these points suggest that Ra5 is a much stronger move than a “conventional” development/tripling on the c-file with Rc8. All this is possible due to no pawn obstructions on the rank and the rook is not easily harassed by enemy fire.
In the second game I found, Alekhine vs Kmoch, San Remo 1930. Coming out of a standard IQP position with 2 minor pieces already exchanged, which is usually to blacks advantage. White is therefore looking for activity and attack. A rook has already been lifted to g3, but white is really missing a dark squared bishop for a crushing attack.
Alekhine simply lifts his second rook to the 4th rank! Here it is completely unobstructed, but its not a move most of us would have thought of. Even though a pair of pieces have again been exchanged, the double rooks provide too much firepower for black to handle, especially since blacks rooks are stuck on the queenside. I also noticed how Re4 again is a multipurpose move, as it also overprotects d4, which allows for whites knight to join the attack with Ne5.
The final game feature one of my own from the Black side, where I also go for a 4th rank rook lift. Is it obvious that I have taken inspiration from Fischer-Keres 1959 as well as the Reti plan? Chess is not about reinventing the wheel, it’s about taking known ideas and weaving them into your own play!
My Ra5 is again a multi-purpose move. A typical plan for white is causing chaos in Blacks queenside with a c4-c5 advance. Ra5 takes complete control of the c5 square as well as the entire rank. Just like Keres game, it is also not unrealistic for Ra5 to eventually play a role on the kingside via the 4th rank. Indeed, playing for a king side attack is the usual plan in these types of positions, but Ra5 just makes sure white doesn't have any play on the Queenside. And finally, I am giving myself an extra option by freeing up the a8 square for my Queen to put pressure on the a8-h1 diagonal as seen in the Reti plan. The rest of the game is full of tragi-comical blunders, but I thought the rook lift is worth showing!
Conclusion:
4th rank rook lifts might be rare and unconventional. But when the rook does rise to the occasion—whether it’s controlling critical squares, adding pressure, or swinging to the kingside— it’s almost always with a clear and versatile impact. In all three games we've explored, the 4th rank rook brings new dynamics to the position and can shift the momentum of the game. Its a multipurpose move, due to how much is going on usually on the 4th rank. Don’t overlook these moments—the rook doesn’t have to stay tethered to the back rank. Your noble rook is anything but vertically challenged in the middlegame!
If you enjoyed this article, please check out my blog at chessinprogress.com for adult improvers, where I cover many similar topics. For instance check out my article on Spicy ways to develop your Queen.
Happy holidays!
