The Open Center

In this article, I will talk about the Open Center. We are in the presence of an open center when there are no pawns in the central files. In this type of position, the most important thing is the activity of the pieces.

Normally, the center is attempted to be controlled first, and once this is achieved, other sides of the board will be attacked. These are very dynamic positions, so never stop making threats when you are playing an open center position.

The positioning and speed of the pieces in this part of the board will be crucial in determining the outcome of the game. In these situations, there is a lot of tension between the pieces, so piece exchanges must be very well evaluated.

Let's take a look to the following positions to understand these ideas better:

I hope you have enjoyed these positions. If, after studying this material, you feel like continuing the study of open centers, I recommend taking a look at games from the romantic era. Players like Morphy and Anderssen can provide you with the opportunity to enjoy beautiful games full of attack patterns that will remain impressed in your memory.

Thanks for your time and see you soon again!