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An Introduction to Chess Strategy for the Novice Player

Exploiting Open and Half Open Files

Part 1

One of the more interesting concepts in positional chess involves open, half open and closed formations. A formation is classified based on the pawn structure and the whether a file is open, i.e. has no pawns blocking it. A semi-open or half open file has one pawn blocking it while a closed file is blocked by both pawns. Depending on the game, the formation may change as it progresses. Control of file will often decide the outcome of a game. This is because the side that controls the file has a natural invasion route for their pieces down the file. But seizing an open file is not easy, as your opponent can often trade off the heavy pieces and create a drawn position or even a lost end game for you!

As with so many aspects of chess theory, Paul Morphy and Wilhelm Steinitz defined the theory of the open file; Morphy through his play and Steinitz through his play and his writings. Controlling an open file was one of those “little advantages” that Steinitz, and later Tarrasch, used to write about in their manuals. Those manuals taught generations of chess players positional theory and shaped the modern game.

One of the things that Steinitz made clear was the importance of controlling the open file. Control in this instance means the ability to keep your opponent from trading off the heavy pieces, and leaving the file in your control. Typically, this is done through doubling the rooks on the open file, and in some cases, “tripling” on the file with your Queen. This can have the effect of forcing your opponent into “passive” defense, since if the rooks are able to penetrate to the seventh rank, the attack or the transition into the end game will almost always be favorable for you and result in a won game. If your opponent is able to challenge you on the open file, the “heavy” pieces will be exchanged and you may very well find yourself with a drawn position or worse - a lost game if he has other advantages that come into play after the exchange of pieces. Open games often revolve around the control of open files in the center and openings like the Center Game. Here is an interesting example from David Bronstein’s 200 Open Games:

Bronstein - N.N [C22]
[click here for an interactive board]
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 The Center Game. This is an opening that doesn't get a lot of respect in the opening manuals. This doesn't bother David Bronstein though! 3...Nc6 4.Qa4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d5 Black's plan, if he has one, is to clear away the center pawns and attempt to equalize through a series of exchanges. 6.Bg5 This pin is very uncomfortable and threatens to win the d-pawn or the Knight. 6...dxe4 7.Nxe4 Qe7 Black pins the knight. Both the e file and the d file are now open! 8.0–0–0 Bronstein castles and offers a piece in the process. A word of advice here in simul play; if a grandmaster offers you piece, there is a good chance that bad things are about to happen to you! 8...Qxe4

Black expects Qxe4, Nxe4 with the double threat of Nxf2 and Nxg5. White has other ideas! 9.Rd8+ Kxd8 10.Qxe4 if Ke7, Qxe4. In both variations White wins a Queen for a Knight and a Rook plus an attack, so Black resigns.

Bogoljubow,E - Janowski,D [D26]
New York New York (7), 03.1924
[click here for an interactive board]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 e6 5.Bxc4 c5 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.0–0 Be7 8.Qe2 0–0 9.Rd1 Qc7 10.a3 a6 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.b4 Be7 13.Bb2 Bd7 14.Rac1 Rac8 15.Bd3 Rfd8 16.Ne4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Be8 18.Nd4 Qb6 19.Qf3 Ne5 20.Bxh7+ Kxh7 21.Qh5+ Kg8 22.Qxe5 Bf6 23.Qh5 Ba4 24.Re1 Qd6 25.h3 Bc2 26.Qf3 b5 27.Qe2 Ba4 28.Qf3 Rc4 29.Ba1 Rdc8 30.Rb1 e5 31.Ne2 Bc2 32.Rbc1 Be4 33.Qg4 Bb7 34.Rxc4 Rxc4 35.f4 Qd2 36.Qg3 Re4 37.Bc3 Qd5 38.Bxe5 Rxe3 39.Qg4 Bxe5 40.fxe5 Rxe5 41.Kh2 Qd2 42.Qg3 f6 43.h4 Bd5 44.Qf2 Bc4 0–1

Bogoljubow,E - Lasker,Ed [C60]
New York New York (14), 03.1924
[click here for an interactive board]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Qf6 4.Nc3 Nge7 5.d3 Nd4 6.Nxd4 exd4 7.Ne2 c6 8.Ba4 d5 9.0–0 g6 10.b4 Qd6 11.a3 Bg7 12.Bb2 b5 13.Bb3 c5 14.bxc5 Qxc5 15.Rc1 0–0 16.c3 dxc3 17.Nxc3 d4 18.Nd5 Qd6 19.f4 Nxd5 20.Bxd5 Rb8 21.Rc6 Qd8 22.Qb3 Bb7 23.Rc5 Qd6 24.Qc2 Rfc8 25.Rc1 Bf8 26.Bxd4 Qxf4 27.Rf1 Bxc5 28.Bxc5 Qe3+ 29.Bxe3 Rxc2 30.Bxf7+ Kg7 31.Bb3 Rc7 32.Bf4 Rbc8 33.Be6 Re7 34.Bxc8 Bxc8 35.Rc1 Bb7 36.Rc7 Kf7 37.Rxe7+ Kxe7 38.Bd2 Ke6 39.Kf2 Kd6 40.Ke3 Kc5 41.Ba5 Bc8 42.Bd8 Bd7 43.Ba5 g5 44.Bc3 h5 45.Bd4+ Kd6 46.Bxa7 h4 47.Bd4 Ke6 48.Bc3 Kf7 49.d4 Kg6 50.d5 Bc8 51.Ba5 Bd7 52.Bd8 h3 53.gxh3 Bxh3 54.Kd4 Bd7 55.e5 Kf5 56.e6 Be8 57.Bxg5 1–0

Kasparov,G - Petrosian,T [E11]
Bugonjo, 1982
[click here for an interactive board]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.g3 Bxd2+ 6.Qxd2 0–0 7.Bg2 d5 8.0–0 dxc4 9.Na3 c5 10.dxc5 Qxc5 11.Rac1 Nc6 12.Nxc4 Qe7 13.Nfe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Nd5 15.Rfd1 Nb6 16.Qa5 g6 17.Rd3 Nd5 18.e4 Nb6 19.Bf1 Re8 20.Rdd1 Rf8 21.a3 Kg7 22.b3 Kg8 23.a4 Rd8 24.Qc5 Qxc5 25.Rxd8+ Qf8 26.Rxf8+ Kxf8 27.Rc7 f6 28.Ng4 1–0