In short: For White, the rank where Black's pawns start; for Black, the second rank. A rook there attacks the pawns from the side.
The seventh rank is counted from your own side. For White it is the rank where Black's pawns start. For Black it is the second rank, where White's pawns stand. A rook that gets there does two things at once.
- It attacks the pawns from the side. Pawns protect each other diagonally forward, not sideways, so they are hard to defend from there.
- It shuts in the king. If the king is still on the back rank, it can't move forward.
Two rooks on the seventh rank
With two rooks on the seventh rank it often gets even worse for the defender. They protect each other, eat pawns and can give mate. In English they are sometimes called pigs on the seventh, because they eat everything they can reach.
The way to the seventh rank almost always goes via an open file. You will find mates on the back rank among the checkmate patterns.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the seventh rank so strong?
That is where your opponent's unmoved pawns stand, and they are hard to protect from the side. A rook there also often keeps the king shut in on the back rank.
Does it work for Black too?
Yes. For Black it is the second rank, where White's pawns start.
Updated October 31, 2026