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 Open vs closed games....www.thechesswebsite.com Youtube video on open/closed games: www.youtube.com The terms open and closed game refer to the physical pawn structure of an opening. If the center is blocked, this is referred to as a closed game. If the center is not blocked with pawns then the game is an open one. Different opening may tend toward being closed (such as the French Def 1.e4e6) or tend towards being open (such as the Sicilian), but there are both open and closed variations of many (if not all) openings including the above examples. Many players prefer an open vs closed game or vice versa, so if you find that you have a preference then you will probably try to steer the game in the direction that you like whenever you have the chance, however you really cannot force someone to play a closed game if they do not want to. For example, many players who like closed games choose the french def when they have the black pieces, but if white does not like closed positions than he is likely to play the exchange variation where the pawns are traded off instead of blocking up the center. If, on the other hand, white likes a closed game then he will probably advance the e pawn to e5 at some point. In some versions of the french, virtually the entire board can be blocked up. Now as to how all of this affects the character of the game...In an open game, things tend to happen fast as pieces can easily move accross the board, this can lead to some embarrassingly short games if you overlook or misjudge your oponents attack. In a closed game things tend to brew more slowly since the pieces have more difficulty moving about the board. In a closed game pieces have to maneuver around the center which takes time, but if you overlook an attack it may be just as deadly, you just are slightly less likely to be caught by surprise (in my opinion). |
