k Welcome to Knackie's Tactics Training. The examples are based on material of a Hungarian Chess School. They have been revised using Fritz and a bit of Knackie's brain.
15
k The 7th Lesson features the theme 'Opening / Closing Files'.
12
k While opening files for the heavy pieces is a common idea, closing files is much rarer and thus very surprising.
15
k Let's first see a few examples of the more common theme 'Opening files'.
10
k Example 1: Siegers vs Amilibia, Correspondence 1973
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen r1b2bQ1/p3k1pp/8/3n4/4p3/7P/PPPP1qP1/R1BK3R
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Siegers
1
bname Amilibia
1
k Watch how black freed the 8th rank for his rook and opened the d-file to mate the white king.
20
c8g4
h3g4
d5e3
d2e3
a8d8
k There it is.
6
c1d2
f2d2
k mate
5
k Example 2: Letelier vs Smyslow, Havanna 1967
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 8/5k2/p3pp2/2B5/1P1P2p1/5bPp/1r3P2/5RK1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Letelier
1
bname Smyslov
1
k Here's an example of former World Champion Smyslov.
12
k The position looks more like a dull endgame, but Smyslov found a better opportunity...
15
k 45 seconds...
6
45
a6a5
k Throwing away a pawn?
8
b4a5
h3h2
k Another pawn...
7
g1h2
b2b8
k That's it! The rook comes around the corner to the h-file, mating the white king. ( Rb8-h8-h1 )
16
k White resigned.
7
k Example 3: Benko vs Jenei, Budapest 1949
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen r2r4/1b3pk1/5qp1/pP1p3p/2pN3P/3nP1P1/PQR2PB1/3R2K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Benko
1
bname Jenei
1
k Do you see how white wins material?
10
k 50 seconds...
6
50
d1d3
k opening the c-file ...
8
c4d3
k So, what was white's idea?
15
d4e6
k This nice move forces black to play fxe6, thus opening the 7th row.
14
k Black cannot move his king because of QxQ.
10
f7e6
k White now uses the freshly opened c-file and 7th row:
12
c2c7
k Black loses his Queen.
12
k Example 4: Rautenberg vs Schlenker,  1948
3
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2r4k/rR2b2p/5p1B/3Bp3/q1Pn2b1/P5P1/7P/2Q1NR1K
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Rautenberg
1
bname Schlenker
1
k How did white launch a mating attack?
10
k 75 seconds...
6
75
f1f6
k This fine move opens the 7th row for white's Rb7. It also frees the g5-square for the white queen.
19
k Let's first look at what happens if black tries to get rid of the Rb7:
14
a7b7
c1g5
k Threatening mate on g7 ...
8
e7c5
k Black's rook b7 now defends the square g7.
10
f6f8
k This move frees the e5-h8 diagonal for white's Queen.
12
c8f8
g5e5
b7g7
e5g7
k mate
5
k Let's go back to the game.
8
back 8
k Black took the Rf6.
7
e7f6
k Now comes the crucial point of the combination:
15
c1g5
k That looks nice. If black takes the queen there follows:
13
f6g5
h6g7
k mate!
5
back 2
k So black tried:
7
g4f3
h1g1
a7b7
g5f6
b7g7
f6g7
k mate
5
k Example 5: Wexler vs Bronstein,  1973
10
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 4r1k1/3n1pbp/p2p1np1/rp1P4/2q1PP2/1RN3B1/1PQ1B1PP/4R2K
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Wexler
1
bname Bronstein
1
k Here is a more difficult example of the great tactician Bronstein.
14
k 75 seconds...
6
75
f6e4
k What is this?! The black queen is hanging ...
11
e2c4
e4g3
k The e-file is opened.
7
h2g3
e8e1
h1h2
a5a1
k Threatening mate on h1.
8
g3g4
a1c1
c2f2
b5c4
b3b7
k It seems black has not achieved very much, but...
12
g7c3
b2c3
e1h1
h2g3
c1c3
k White loses his queen.
8
k Example 6: Tietz vs Judd, Karlsbad 1898
10
bsetup
1
bsetup fen r2q1n1k/1p5p/2p1p1p1/1b6/5BN1/6P1/4r1PK/1RR3Q1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Tietz
1
bname Judd
1
k Before switching to the 'closing files' theme, let's view a last example of 'opening files'.
18
k This example from the last century is surely one of the greatest pieces of tactics ever played.
18
k You get 90 seconds to try to figure out some of the ideas...
13
90
b1b5
k Hmm.. white opens the c-file.
9
c6b5
k So, why did white open the c-file?
20
c1c8
k No, not a mouseslip :-))
5
k Let's first see what happens if black plays QxR:
12
d8c8
g1d4
h8g8
g4h6
k mate!
8
back 4
k Now we will see what happens if black tries RxR instead:
13
a8c8
k What is the drawback of this move?
15
g1a1
k The square a1 isn't protected anymore!
10
e6e5
a1e5
e2e5
f4e5
h8g8
g4h6
k mate!
8
back 8
k So, black cannot take the rook. Therefore, he tried:
12
d8d5
k What was white's next blow?
20
g1a1
k Ooops! Can't black take the queen now? Let's see:
12
a8a1
c8f8
h8g7
f4h6
k mate!
8
back 4
k So instead of taking the queen, black tried:
11
e6e5
k And now, white did not play Qxa8?? Qxg2 mate :-(( , but:
13
f4e5
k Black cannot answer with Rxe5 here, because white then answers with RxRa8, and the black rook at e5 remains pinned and is lost.
20
k Therefore, black played:
8
d5e5
k What is white's next move?
15
k of course not QxRa8 Qh5+ -/+, but:
9
c8f8
h8g7
f8f7
k If black doesn't take the rook, there follows:
16
g7g8
g4h6
g8h8
a1a8
e5e8
f7f8
e8f8
a8f8
back 8
g7f7
g4e5
k White takes the Queen with check and then wins the rook a8. Black resigned.
15
k Example 7: Kaminski vs Osznosz , USSR 1968
10
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 1r1r2k1/p4p1p/bqp1pbp1/4N3/4BP2/1PQ1R3/P1P3PP/R5K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Kaminski
1
bname Osznosz
1
k We now switch to the opposite theme 'Closing Files'.
12
k While the reason for opening files is obvious, it is hard to figure out what closing files could possibly achieve.
21
k Let's start with an easy example: The white Re3 is pinned. How did black exploit this?
25
d8d3
k Black closes the 3rd rank, thus cutting off the queen from protecting the Re3.
20
k White resigned, as he loses material. 
10
k Example 8: Reti vs Bogoljubov,  1924
10
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 3r1bk1/ppq3pp/2p5/2P2Q1B/8/1P4P1/P6P/5RK1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Reti
1
bname Bogoljubov
1
k Here is a famous example from the New York 1924 Tourney:
12
k Black seems to defend well, but Reti found a nice manoeuvre to exploit black's back rank.
17
k 40 seconds...
6
40
h5f7
g8h8
k Ok, now the Bf8 is protected only once, but unfortunately it is not attacked anymore.
17
k How did Reti proceed?
15
f7e8
k This fine move closes the 8th row. The square f8 is attacked twice, but not protected anymore.
18
k As black cannot find two defenders in one move, he resigned.
13
k Example 9: Csahojan vs Turkvenisvili, USSR 1971
11
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 3Q4/p7/7p/5b2/2P1p1P1/1Rq4k/P2p1P2/6K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove black
1
bsetup done
1
wname Csahojan
1
bname Turkvenisvili
1
k Black seems completely lost here, as his Queen is pinned.
13
k Can black get rid of his trouble?
9
k 45 seconds...
6
45
c3d3
k Here we see one of the most common reasons for closing a file: freeing the way for a passed pawn.
18
k If white now plays RxQ there follows:
10
b3d3
e4d3
k d2d1Q cannot be prevented.
12
back 2
k So, white tried:
7
d8d3
e4d3
b3b1
f5g4
k d2d1Q follows. White will lose his rook, so he resigned.
12
k Example 10: Tarrasch vs Consulting Team, Naples 1914
12
bsetup
1
bsetup fen 2r3r1/3q3p/p6b/Pkp1B3/1p1p1P2/1P1P1Q2/2R3PP/2R3K1
1
bsetup wcastle none
1
bsetup bcastle none
1
tomove white
1
bsetup done
1
wname Tarrasch
1
bname ConsultingTeam
1
k In the last example we follow Tarrasch, who was well known as a chess teacher.
11
k In this example, he found a very instructive idea.
12
k 60 seconds...
6
60
k Note that the definsive tasks of black's Rc8 and Qd7 are clear-cut:
14
k The rook c8 defends against Rxc5+ ...
10
k and the Qd7 defends against Qb7+.
9
k Tarrasch's next move disturbs the coordination of black's pieces.
20
e5c7
k This move shows a key tactical technique.
10
k White places a piece right into the crossway of black's defensive files ( 7th rank: cutting off the queen  and  c-file: cutting off the Rc8 )
25
k Let's see what happens if black plays RxB now:
11
c8c7
k Remember: the role of the Rc8 was to defend c5, so white plays:
14
f3b7
k Forcing the rook to take over the Queen's task of protecting b7.
17
c7b7
c2c5
k mate
5
back 4
k In the game, black tried:
8
d7c7
k Remember: it is the queens task to protect b7, so Tarrasch logically replied:
16
c2c5
k Forcing the Queen to take over the Rook's task of protecting c5.
13
c7c5
f3b7
b5a5
c1a1
k mate
5
k You should try to remember the technique used in this example: Placing a piece into the crossway of two defensive files.
20
k That's all folks, i hope you enjoyed the Lesson.
11
k These and many more examples can be downloaded in Chessbase or Pgn-Format at http://webplaza.pt.lu/public/ckaber
21