Choosing rooks to secure open files

I wanted to start a thread to discuss how to come up with some "default" criteria for how to choose which rook to move to an open (or half open) file.

Obviously, it varies by the position, but what are your criteria for deciding in the absence of some positional factor that makes the answer obvious?

Which rook do you play to d1, and why?  Do you think it's more likely you will want your rooks on d1 and e1 (or staying on f1), or d1 and c1?

I have my own thoughts on this, but I am interested to know how other people decide this, and I have asked many, including IM Pruess during a votechess game, and never come away with a consistent set of logic that is used to determine which rook to go with in various situations.

Feel free to post other games and talk about real positions.

The logic I am looking for can be compared to common wisdom about pawn captures, for example...

By default I would do the following on pawn captures:

- If the capture can avoid creating (or remove me from having) doubled pawns, then capture that way

- In the absence of the above, and other positional factors, capture towards the center

There should be the same kind of default logic people are using to decide which rook to move to open files.

I think it completely depends on the opponent’s pieces in this situation since there is only one open file. There is not any reason why I should choose to move one rook over the other because one needs to defend or defend in the future or seeing where a file will most likely be opened due to an impending pawn break from either side. The only reason I could possibly think of in this situation without seeing any of my opponents pieces is the possibility of a rook lift. I would move the f rook because the a rook could possibly be lifted via rc1 and rc3 but the c3 knight would have to be moved first. But I think that is of little importance because I don’t think I would waste 3 tempos to get that rook lifted but even that depends on this position because if the position is closed then I could probably afford using that much tempo to better the position of the rook. But it would probably be much easier and natural to just open another file for the rook but that also depends on the position. But I might not want to open another file because I control the only open file and that will suffice to get activity on the seventh or wherever. But that also depends on the position. So I think there isn’t really an answer to your question.

I'm not looking for a definitive answer, just sampling the logic people use to come their decisions in general, so thanks, that was good.

There is also a trivial reason for moving the f rook and keeping the a rook in its place. Which is that the a pawn would have only one defender once the a rook left (c3 knight) which could potentially be removed but the moving of the f rook would leave 2 defenders to the f pawn. One indirectly(the f3 knight which blocks along the file but I guess the pawn can still be attacked diagonally so the knight isn’t really a full defender) and one directly, the king which isn’t the best defender.

The big strategic question is this: does it make sense to double on the d- file? If so, short-term considerations determine which to move first, and it may not matter at all.

Thanks.  I guess for me, all else being equal (i.e. no particular positional factors my opponent's pieces or pawn structure call for), I make my decision based on these parameters in priority order:

- First consideration is for the open or half open files, and if there are 2, I will move the rooks such that they may both occupy such files without having to use an extra move.

- Second consideration is for the opponent's king, and I will tend to *not* move a rook that is aiming at the king or adjacent "mating net" squares over a rook that is not so aimed.

- Third consideration is my castled king, and I will tend to move the rook next the the king first, as it seems "undeveloped" behind my king's pawn cover...unless I am planning to push the pawn in front of it in the foreseeable future.  This may be a primarily human affectation .

- Lastly, I value the d/e files as slightly more important than the c/f files which are more important than the b/g files, etc. and I will tend to move the rooks appropriately.  So I will more often move a rook from one of the corners over one that is already closer to the center files.

Has anyone got any other rules of thumb they follow?

The pawn structure (both sides) usually determines where the breaks are likely to happen, which files can be opened, and where play/counter play will happen. But there can be ideas to switch which files are open also.

Very generally, I use the King's rook for f/e/d files and Queen's rook for a/b/c (but sometimes d if e/d are open/half open).

I'm probably thinking hard before developing the Queen's rook to the e-file (with the other on f1) unless the f-file is useful.

Pretty much like your post #7