Questions tagged [closed-position]

A closed position is one in which the pawn structure on the board is such that there are few open lines for the maneuvering of pieces.

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Is this position winnable for white if black just shuffles?

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/p7/Pp1p1p1p/1PpPpPpP/2P1P1P1/8/8/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"] If black were to just shuffle the rook between h8 and h7 until white makes a capture or puts a piece on a square ...
Hank's back rank's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
131 views

How do we exactly establish if a position/center is "open" or "closed"?

The question is closely related to this one, but not exactly the same, since in that question the topic is addressed perhaps more from a computer science point of view. During my chess studies I ...
ela's user avatar
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1 answer
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Can White win this middle game?

I played a game that ended with a draw and this is the end position: [FEN ""] [startply "119"] 1. e4 f6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. f4 Nd7 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 Qc7 8. Bd3 a6 9. a3 ...
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2 votes
2 answers
176 views

What are the benefits of having a space advantage in a closed position?

I notice that in my closed games when I find myself with an advantage in space, I have more mobility for my pieces and thats all good but once I reach this position I'm never really able to find a ...
randomlad's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
345 views

When and where is it a good idea to make a pawn break in a closed centre position?

I've read that you want to make pawn breaks by advancing your pawn on the file next to your most advanced pawn in these closed centre positions. What exactly is the reason behind this. Is it just to ...
randomlad's user avatar
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1 answer
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Why is b3 a blunder?

[FEN "r2q2nr/p3kppp/3bp3/2p2b2/Bn1P4/1P2PN2/4NPPP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 13"] I dont see whats wrong in b3 I am making some space to bring black bishop into game attacking nb4
Shreyash Talpade's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
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How to play around outposts?

[Title "The knight on f5"] [FEN "1r1qr1k1/2pb1pp1/2np1n1p/ppb1p3/4P2N/2PP2NP/PPB1QPP1/R1B1K2R b KQ - 5 13"] I recently played a Blitz game that perfectly underlines my biggest weakness: I don't know ...
postnubilaphoebus's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
400 views

To what extent is the openness/closedness of positions determined by white? By black?

Say I am playing as white and I strongly prefer closed positions while my opponent strongly prefers open positions. To what extent do I have control over this? Will the game more likely end with a ...
Zuriel's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
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Does White have any feasible way to break through this position?

I recently played as Black in a 1+0 blitz game on Lichess in which the below position was reached. [FEN ""] 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. d4 d5 4. e5g Nfd7 5. f4 Nb6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. O-O g6 9. Bxc6 ...
Rewan Demontay's user avatar
17 votes
3 answers
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Bad Stockfish evaluation

This is the study [fen "3B4/1r2p3/r2p1p2/bkp1P1p1/1p1P1PPp/p1P4P/PPBK4/8 w - - 0 1 "] As you can see, Stockfish gives an absolute decisive win for black, though it is clearly a draw!! Check it out ...
William Kinaan's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
292 views

Short and long term plans in a closed game in the Sicilian Defense

Today, I have played a game as Black. I reached this position, with Black to play: The position, as you can see, is closed. The truth is that I had difficulty finding a plan here, considering the ...
Maths64's user avatar
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20 votes
6 answers
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Assessing an early c4 against white's Stonewall structure

I made a horrible decision as black in a game, and I do not understand why it's incorrect. [fen "rn2kb1r/pp2pppp/1q3n2/2pp4/3P1P2/2PQPN2/PP4PP/RNB1K2R b - - 0 1"] I played c4, Stockfish considers ...
Alex Lulu's user avatar
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10 votes
9 answers
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How to determine if a position is open or closed in a "rigorous" fashion?

I am creating a set of chess positions to be used [as a data set] for a project. It's based on supervised machine learning, but I need to have labeled data (see more italicized text below) before any ...
PartyLovingHermit's user avatar
3 votes
5 answers
6k views

How to play in a Closed Position?

In lower level chess matches I often find myself in closed positions where black and whites knights are restricted, bishops can't be used for attack, and rooks are locked behind your pawn structure. ...
TheAutomaton's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
5k views

Pros and Cons for black in Queen's Gambit Accepted

I'm a beginning chess player and still learning the opening. If white's first move is 1.d4 and black counters with d5 (closed or semi-closed games), and white's second move is c4 bringing the Queen's ...
Kiel's user avatar
  • 349
3 votes
4 answers
577 views

Why is closing the center by White generally considered a concession?

Why is closing the center by White generally considered a concession? I mean, pushing e4-e5 when there are Black Pawns on d5 (and e6), or pushing d4-d5 when there are Pawns on e5 (and d6), is often ...
A. N. Other's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Closed Sicilian Problem if Black Fianchettoes His Light-Squared Bishop

Help! Please. After Bb7, I often play f4, followed by g4-g5 and h5. But the Bishop at b7 always gives me problems because it seems that my position after playing f4 will be too open after Black ...
user1764381's user avatar
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2 answers
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Reversed Sicilian - What's wrong with my plan?

I played this game in a tournament and lost. [fen ""] [StartFlipped "1"] 1.c4 e5 {Starting the reversed sicilian} 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6. Nf3 Nge7 7. O-O O-O 8. Rb1 h6 {Finished the ...
user1764381's user avatar
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11 votes
2 answers
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Why is the f6 pawn break in Advanced French so important for black?

I am new to the French (so forgive me if the question seems elementary). I've just come across the pawn break ...f6 for black in the French advance variation, and I find the pawn break quite dubious ...
Brass2010's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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Is there any transposition available in between QGA and other openings?

I'm a chess player with ELO 1600. Now I'm trying to learn transpositions in chess. QGA is my favorite opening as white. But most of the time black chooses Queen's Gambit Declined. So now I'm trying to ...
ManirajSS's user avatar
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10 votes
1 answer
3k views

Exact definition of a blocked pawn

What exactly is a blocked pawn? Is it a pawn with any of the opponent pieces in front or does it have to be an opponent pawn? Will the pawn be considered blocked if it can capture? Add any other ...
bytefire's user avatar
  • 245
35 votes
18 answers
45k views

The London System: Can it be broken?

I've faced the London System several times so far, and just don't know what strategy to adapt against it (I exclusively play Nf6 in response to 1.d4). I'm a highly tactical player, so I try following ...
chubbycantorset's user avatar
25 votes
4 answers
21k views

What is a pawn break?

I did some research (Google), but it still unclear to me on exactly what a pawn break is. I was reading this question: The theory of pawn breaks It is about the theory of pawn breaks, but before I ...
xaisoft's user avatar
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17 votes
2 answers
7k views

The theory of pawn breaks

Does there exist a theory of pawn breaks? Of course, there exists a theory of static pawn structure and good bishops; but I was thinking of rooks rather than bishops, and of aggressive pawns that ...
thb's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
252 views

What openings are closed and defensive?

Which openings would be regarded as leading to a closed position and being defensive? Specifically, openings that would be drawish, even against stronger players, but there is still always a ...
xaisoft's user avatar
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