Open Files (Progress in Chess)

This is a wonderful book! Using the open file as a point of departure, it weaves chess strategies into a synthetic whole. The authors, Uhlmann and Schmidt, (U-S), more than confirm what were first articulated by Aaron Nimzowitsch in his highly acclaimed treatise,  My System (Chess Classics) , that open files are highways that the major pieces - queens and rooks - ply with glee on their way to occupying the seventh rank or eighth or sixth. The side that controls open files prepares requisite entry points for its major pieces by clearing the files of challenges from the opposing side which plays to block them with pawns or minor pieces - bishops and knights - protected by their own pawns in outposts. When establishing a blockade is not possible, U-S advice the defender to protect weak squares on the open file on its side of the board. Though first-come-first-served is not a license to control open files, the first or only side to double rooks on them is usually successful. U-S show one creative ways of doubling rooks or tripling them, with queens, on open files.Barring pawn weaknesses, if the open file is the central strategic theme in a position, U-S teach readers how to exploit the Dominant Open File! From the creation of the file, usually using pawn levers or battering rams, through employing techniques of play that bear a cause and effect relationship with the open file, to arriving in the promised land, the seventh rank, U-S selected edifying games, overwhelmingly complete games, to illustrate their lessons. Many sections are devoted to how the side that controls an open file can convert it to other strategic advantages or deploy tactical fireworks owing to that control. Especially here, the book is adequately annotated for the positional player.U-S demonstrate the strong kinship shared by the open file with the half-open file. They substantiate the points GM Michael Stean made in his spectacular book,  Simple Chess: New Algebraic Edition , about this relationship. In Stean's chapter on half-open files, he wrote about how Capablanca and Alekhine loved to play hoards of Queen's Gambits because they naturally yield minority attacks from half-open files. Similarly, he attributes minority attacks, to the popularity of the Sicilian Defense which is played in about one quarter of all master and grandmaster games today. The suggestion is that those who like to play in open and half-open files do choose their openings accordingly. A cursory examination of the Index to Openings in U-S's book reveal six openings to be those most likely to yield a preponderance of open and half-open files. Alphabetically, they are the English Opening, French Defense, King's Indian Defense, Queen's Gambit Declined, Ruy Lopez and the Sicilian Defense. Similarly, from the Index of Players whose games U-S used, the top six are Alekhine, Karpov, Polugaevsky, Portisch, Smyslov and Uhlmann. Study their games.A few typos include: p. 26, 30. ... Rf8- b8, the rook was on h8; p. 73, comment after White's move 19 should read, `After this, White has the c-file firmly under control;" p. 78, comment after White's move 37 should read "The pin on the c3 rook is deadly;" p. 98, 22. Bh4xe7 should be 22. Bg5xe7; p. 132, Game 90, 15. Qd1-a4+ Kf8-e7 should be 15. Qd1-a4+ Ke8-e7, as a queen on a4 cannot check a king that has not moved on f8; p. 148, 28. ... Ra8-f8, the rook was on b8, not a8. Otherwise, this book was scrupulously edited and bound to last. I recommend it highly for all players below Master strength! (This review was prepared by Dr. Kasumu Salawu.)

This is a great book! The quality of the games is exceptional. The analysis is exactly to the point with verbal explanations without being overwhelming. After you finish reading this book you definetely become a much better player and you never miss a chance to take advantage of an open file. A must buy!!!

I liked this book a lot; it does explain how open files come about and how to exploit them in a game

Thorough, comprehensive and lucidly illustrated, Uhlmann and Schmidt have provided the first, and perhaps last, treatise on the topic of open files. The book is especially noteworthy for its use of call out boxes in each game. These "assessments," which the authors use at critical junctures, note the strengths and weaknesses for both sides and the intended planning factors. Very worthy of repeated study and highly recommended.

Quite elementary but very good. It shows standard example where a rook (two rooks) is (are) using an open file. The most interesting is the part showing when rook/rooks cannot use an open file: for me it has been illuminating.Unfortunately some pages were missing. The seller provides a reimbursement.