Answers.Body: <p>You wouldn't <em>want</em> to place the rook in front of the queen at b4. Because it can be captured by the pawn on a5.</p>
  
  <p>Even if you do want to, you <em>can't</em> move the rook in front of the queen (or anywhere else), because it is pinned to your king by the queen.</p>
  
  <p>It's fortunate that <code>Rb4</code> was an illegal move, because it would have been a big mistake. </p>
  
  <p>You should, instead, move the king to e3, unpinning it, and bringing it closer to your pawns.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-09-02T19:30:26.057Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-09-03T18:54:14.160Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2012-09-03T18:54:14.160Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tom Au
Answers.Body: <p>The Rook on c4 is pinned against the your King by the black Queen. Thus you can't move it without exposing your King to the Queen's wrath.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2012-09-01T12:37:54.590Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2012-09-01T12:37:54.590Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Body: <p>I was playing chess this afternoon on my mac, as human vs computer. In the position below:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN "6k1/5pp1/2p3bp/pqP1P3/2R3P1/PPQ5/4K3/8 w - - 0 24"]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I tried to place the Rook in front of Black's Queen (b4), but this action was blocked and the Rook remained in the same place. Later I completed the game by making another move.</p>
  
  <p>Why is this so? Why can't I place the Rook in front of Black's Queen? Please explain this.</p>
  
Tags: <rules><queens><rooks>
Title: Why can't I place the rook in front of the queen?
ThreadText: # Why can't I place the rook in front of the queen?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2012-09-01)
  
  I was playing chess this afternoon on my mac, as human vs computer. In the position below:
  
  ```
  [FEN "6k1/5pp1/2p3bp/pqP1P3/2R3P1/PPQ5/4K3/8 w - - 0 24"]
  
  ```
  
  I tried to place the Rook in front of Black's Queen (b4), but this action was blocked and the Rook remained in the same place. Later I completed the game by making another move.
  
  Why is this so? Why can't I place the Rook in front of Black's Queen? Please explain this.
  
  **Tags:** rules, queens, rooks
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2012-09-01. Score: 17 | Accepted answer
  
  The Rook on c4 is pinned against the your King by the black Queen. Thus you can't move it without exposing your King to the Queen's wrath.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2012-09-02. Score: 11
  
  You wouldn't *want* to place the rook in front of the queen at b4. Because it can be captured by the pawn on a5.
  
  Even if you do want to, you *can't* move the rook in front of the queen (or anywhere else), because it is pinned to your king by the queen.
  
  It's fortunate that `Rb4` was an illegal move, because it would have been a big mistake.
  
  You should, instead, move the king to e3, unpinning it, and bringing it closer to your pawns.
  
  
  ---
  
  