Originally posted by crazyblue
I think it's called the seasaw, though I don't know exactly why. One famous game it appeared in was Torre - Lasker, Moscow 1925. They have it in the database at http://www.chesslive.de in case you want to see (White's 25th move prepares the seasaw combination).
This particular tactic involving the rook may indeed be called a "seesaw" for obvious reasons... however the tactic called a "windmill", although similar in nature, originally involved a knight, which, instead of moving back and forth between the "pivot" and the other side of the board, moved back and forth from the "pivot" to each of its possible moves in turn, sucking up enemy pieces as it went, thus turning like a windmill. 😀
