lichess.org
Donate

Are doubled rooks always advantageous?

I recently had and OtB game which I won, after an apparently unnecessary endgame. The opponent then pointed out I should have doubled my rooks (at this point probably: lichess.org/fByNsAcJ#57).

I can see how that would be advantageous with the help of my bishop in this game. But I often can't see, at least during a game, what to do with doubled rooks.

In theory, other than when trying to promote or for the purposes of executing a concrete plan, are there cases when doubled rooks are a disadvantage? If the answer is no, I suppose I should always double them, subject to the above exceptions; do you?

Thanks for any thoughts.
Two rooks on the 7th is very strong, ANYTHING additional normally is the instant k.o.

Imagine RR + humble pawn on h6 (f6): Rg7+, Rh7+, Rag7+, Rh8#.

So, with the bishop it should be a quick finish.

In your case Rdd7, takes on g7, Bh6/Bh6 and mate.
In my admittedly limited experience, two rooks up on the 7th row usually means curtains for the defending king. Although not always; come on, if chess were easy, we would just learn the formulae and all be competing for world champion.
Together they're stronger than a Queen, which is in most cases sufficient for suffocating the enemy king or alternatively lure him into a death trap.

This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.