Rook's Move
How it works
Rook’s Move is a 2-player game. Here's how to play:
- Players take turns moving a rook on a chessboard.
- On each turn, the rook can move any number of spaces down or to the left, but not up or to the right, and not diagonally.
- The player who moves the rook onto the bottom left square of the board wins.
Could you beat an expert at this game if the rook starts on square f5 and you go 1st? Could you beat an expert no matter where the rook starts if you're allowed to choose whether to go 1st or 2nd?
In this activity, students work together to figure out how to beat a facilitator who is an expert at the game. First, they try to beat the facilitator when the rook starts on square f5 and they go 1st. If they are able to do this, then they try to figure out how to beat the facilitator with the rook starting on other squares, with the ultimate goal of being able to beat the facilitator no matter where the rook starts if they're allowed to choose whether to go 1st or 2nd. If there is time, they can also explore the same game with a chess king or queen instead of a rook.
Why we like this activity
- It’s fun! Students enjoy playing the game and figuring out how to beat an expert.
- It helps to develop algorithmic reasoning.
- It helps to develop game-theoretic reasoning.
It requires students to engage in mathematical habits of mind:
- Using logic and finding and using strategies to beat an expert.
- Looking for patterns and making and testing predictions when trying to figure out when it's better to go 1st or 2nd.
- It has a low floor and a high ceiling: Students can start playing the game by trial and error, but figuring out how to beat an expert is more challenging!
This activity was developed in collaboration with the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival.