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An Introduction to Chess Strategy for the Novice PlayerExploiting Open and Half Open FilesPart II In
Part I of this
article we talked about open files and their role in positional chess.
This week we are going to expand the discussion to include semi-open files,
as well as methods for opening a file and attacking a semi-open file. Once
the minor pieces have been developed and posted to their best available
squares, the opening has been completed. The posting of the rooks to their
best squares generally signifies the start of the middle game.
The diagram above is a position from the Exchange Variation of the
French Defense. Popular in the 19th century, it is not seen as much in
modern chess because of White’s inability to take advantage of the open
e-file. The symmetrical pawn structure tends to lead to equality, and while
Black must be careful, there are other lines in the French that are more
attractive to White. The general rule on opening a file is not to open it
until you can control it. In the following game, White uses an outpost for
his Knight on e5 to seize control of the file he has opened.
Here the idea is to occupy the semi-open files with your rooks and put as
much pressure as you can on the pawn. Nimzowitsch called this concept
restraint. Once the pawn had been restrained, the strategy is to weaken it,
usually through the concept of a “minority attack” which will lead to
significant weaknesses in your opponent’s pawn structure. Using your control
of the semi-open file, the idea is exploit the weak pawns and either win
one, or cause your opponent’s game to buckle somewhere else. One of the most
common examples of the minority attack is in the Exchange Variation of the
Queen’s Gambit Declined. This variation is very popular because it avoids a
lot of the complications of other variations such as the Cambridge Springs,
the Manhattan, or Lasker’s Defense. Here is an example from Venice 1950
between A. Kotov (he of Think Like A Grandmaster fame and Ludek Pachman, a
Czech grandmaster who also wrote many fine books, including Modern Chess
Strategy. 1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 0–0 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 a6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Re8 10.0–0 c6 11.Qc2 Nf8 Black has plenty of resources on the Black side of the Exchange Variation. It was moves like this that encouraged me to begin looking at e4 12.a3 g6 13.b4 Ne6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.a4
The beginning of the minority attack. 15...Ng7 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 Bf5 18.Bxf5 Nxf5 Black is trying to trade off pieces to ease the burden of defending his position. 19.bxc6 bxc6 Black now has a backward c-pawn. White must now restrain it, and then destroy it to convert his advantage into a win. 20.Na4 Rc8 21.Qc5 Nd6 22.Nd2 Re7 23.Rb1 Rb7 24.Rxb7 Nxb7 25.Qa7 Nd6 26.Qa6 Qc7 27.Rc1 Bd8 28.Nc5
The Knight is blockading the backward c-pawn. The fact that it is on a white square makes it difficult for black to defend. 28...Qa5 29.Qd3 An exchange of Queens would have eased Black's position somewhat. 29...Qb5 30.g3 White creates a luft, or breathing space for his King. 30...Bb6 31.Rb1 Qxd3 32.Nxd3 Ba5 33.Nb3 Still restraining the backward c-pawn and attacking the bishop at the same time. 33...Bd8 34.Nbc5 Be7 35.Nd7 Rc7 36.Nb8 Nc4 37.Ra1 Rc8 38.Nd7 Rc7 39.Ra8+ Kg7 40.N7e5 Nxe5 41.Nxe5 Bd6 42.Nd3 Kf6
The critical error! Kotov thought that h5 was the correct move here, while Pachman thought it was f5. 43.g4 This prevents h4 and prepares g5, which has the effect of fixing the h-pawn at h7 and making the bishop "bad". (Euwe and Kramer) 43...Ke6 44.Kg2 Rb7 45.Re8+ Re7 46.Rh8 f6 47.h4 Rb7 48.Kf3 Rf7 49.Re8+ Re7 50.Rd8 Ra7 51.Nc5+ Ke7 52.Rc8 Bxc5 53.dxc5 Kd7 54.Rh8 Ke6 55.Rd8 Ke7 56.Rd6 Ra6 57.g5 fxg5 58.hxg5 Kf7 59.Kg3 Ke7 60.f3 Ra3 61.Kf4 Ra4+ 62.Ke5 Ra3 63.Rxc6 Rxe3+ 64.Kxd5 Rd3+ 65.Ke4 Rc3 66.f4 Rc1 67.Rc7+ Kd8 68.Rxh7 Rxc5 69.Rf7 [69.Rf7 Rc6 70.Ke5 Rc5+ 71.Kf6 Rc6+ 72.Kg7 Rd6 73.Rf6]
1–0 In closing, let’s look at some general principles with regard to controlling open files. First, occupying a file does no good unless you can gain control of the file and hold on to it. In order to do this, make sure that you don’t make an exchange that is going to open a file unless you are in a position to gain control of that file with your rooks and possibly with your Queen as well. If you aren’t able to gain advantage from opening the file, then you have to make suitable preparations, so that when you do open it, your heavy pieces are in a position to control it while your minor pieces are able to occupy or control strategic squares down the file. Be aware of the type of openings that you are playing and the formations that result from those openings. This will enable you to prepare for the type of play that will occur and allow you to adjust your style accordingly. |
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