Three Types of Positions - FM Dalton Perrine

There are three primary types of positions in chess and it is very important to know which type of position you are in throughout your games. One type of position may have completely different ideas from another type of position, and understanding the type of position better than your opponent can be a key factor to winning the game. Also, certain openings create specific types of positions, and recognizing these positions will give you a deeper comprehension of opening plans and propel you to a stronger level of play.

What are these three types of positions that we are talking about? They are closed, open and semi-open positions. Each type of position comes with its own possible plans and speed with which you need to execute these plans. Failing to follow these guidelines can cause you to fall into difficult situations that your opponent will have a much easier time capitalizing on. Each type of position has key differences from the other types, and we’ll break these down right now. This article will talk about the generalities of each position and future articles will go over each position in more detail.

First is the closed position

A closed position is defined as a position with a locked pawn center and typically very few (if any) pawns have been traded. This position requires a lot of maneuvering with pieces, trying to get them to their most effective squares. The knights are also valuable in these positions, because they are able to hop over locked pawns. In addition, there is a big emphasis in pawn movement.

This is done in order to attack pawn chains, trade off pawns and open the position, create open files and to attack with pawn storms. The speed with which these plans are done does not need to be fast. This is because in a closed position things usually cannot be changed quickly. There are typically not too many tactics to watch out for, because neither you nor the opponent can easily jump into each other’s position because of the locked pawn center and less freedom of piece movement. So, you have more free time to carry out your plans.

Second is the semi-open position

A semi-open position is defined as a position with very few or no locked pawns and typically 1 or 2 pawns may have been traded. Most play in semi-open positions will revolve around pieces and pawns in combination with each other.

This position does require a bit of care with regards to tactics, because they are more likely due to the increased freedom of movement each side has with their pieces. This also means that the speed with which you try to accomplish your plans usually needs to be a bit quicker, too. However, there is still usually time for some piece maneuvering to be done.

Third is the open position

An open position is defined as a position with no locked pawns and typically 3 or more pawns have been traded. The vast majority of play in open positions will involve pieces with a lot less emphasis on pawns because they are in shorter supply. These types of positions are usually full of tactical ideas, because piece movement is at its highest at this point.

Bishops are very valuable because their diagonals are wide open to be used effectively. There are fewer pawns on the board to block the pieces, which allows them to move much more freely. Because of this, the speed with which you try to accomplish your plans needs to be quick or immediate. There is not much time to devote to multi-move piece maneuvering, because our opponent can use their piece mobility to launch their own attack if you are not careful.

Now that we understand each type of position in general, what kind of specific things are possible in one of them? The next article in this series will look specifically at closed positions and we’ll get a deeper understanding of that type of position.

Closed Positions

A closed position is defined as a position with a locked pawn center and typically very few (if any) pawns have been traded. This type of position plays much differently from the other two types of positions (semi-open and open) and it is important that you understand how to effectively play in this situation. We will talk about three factors involved in each of the position types and go into detail on each of them. The three factors we will cover are the plans with the position, the speed with which you need to act, and the pieces that are most effective.

Plans:
In closed positions, many available plans can be carried out. Closed position plans involve a lot of pawn breaks and maneuvers. One option is pushing pawns and trading them in order to open files and give your pieces more freedom to move. You can also try to trade off your bad pieces for your opponent’s good pieces.

In the position to the right, we see that Black has a bad bishop on e7 blocked behind his c5, d6 and e5 pawns. In order to trade off this bad bishop, he can play 1…Bg5! This forces a trade of Black’s bad bishop for White’s good bishop. This is a very good situation for Black, because he would still have his good bishop and White would be left with only his bad bishop.

Speed:
Speed is not a big factor in closed positions. This is because there is a lot less worry about your opponent’s pieces jumping into your side of the board and threatening your king. The locked pawns make this difficult to do quickly, so maneuvering your pieces and using pawn breaks are the better plans. There is no rush to do anything when a position is locked up. You can use your time effectively by slowly improving your position and placing your pieces on their best squares, followed by an eventual breakthrough or attack on your opponent’s king.

Pieces:
The most effective pieces in closed positions are knights. They are preferable to bishops because they have a much easier time moving around when there are locked pawns. Locked pawns are very bad for bishops and their diagonals. Bishops will be stuck behind the locked pawns while the knights are free to jump over them.

In the position to the right, we see that White’s knight can move around the position freely. He can jump into Black’s side of the board by playing Nd2-b1-a3-c2-b4-a6-c5. It’s a long route, but because of the closed position Black cannot do much to stop this plan. On the other hand, Black’s bishop is completely locked in behind his pawns. There are no available diagonals for his bishop to use and it is very ineffective.

Semi-Open Positions

A semi-open position is defined as a position with very few or no locked pawns and typically 1 or 2 pawns may have been traded. This position has characteristics of both the closed and open positions but is different from each of them in a few ways. The three factors that we will cover with this position are the plans possible, the speed with which you need to act, and the pieces that are most effective.

Plans:
A wide variety of different plans are available in semi-open positions. A larger emphasis is placed on piece movement, but pawn pushes still carry some weight. Pawn pushes can be used to gain space and control key squares, but this should always be used in connection with strengthening our pieces. Having strong diagonals for our bishops, far advanced outposts for our knights, and good control of areas of the board is very important.

In the position to the right, we see that the White d-pawn and Black c-pawn have been exchanged. We are in a Sicilian style position and White’s plan here could be to position his pieces on good squares and attack the d-pawn. This could be done by 1.Rd1, 2.b3, 3.Ba3, 4.Nb5 and Black could have some problems with defending the pawn. White’s pieces would be placed optimally, and he would enjoy a nice advantage if he could carry out that plan.

Speed:
Speed is slightly more of a factor in semi-open positions due to the extra piece mobility each side has. Going back to the position on the right, White has a good plan in place and a series of moves he can play, but Black can change the position a bit by playing 1…Nc6 and attacking the white Queen. Once White moves his Queen, then Black is able to make his own move and can try to change the position to be in his favor instead. Each side must act with some urgency when choosing their plans and moves in a semi-open position.

Pieces:
There is no one most effective piece in a semi-open position. It all depends on the specific situation on the board. Sometimes the rooks can be most effective if they can control a central open file. Other times, a knight will be terrific if it can get to a far advanced outpost. At other times a bishop will be the best piece if it is on a terrific long diagonal. Looking again at the position on the right, both light square bishops are good, facing off against each other on the long diagonal. White’s rook will be well placed on the d-file and a black rook will be placed well on his c-file. The knights are also able to attack the center effectively too.

Open Positions

An open position is defined as a position with no locked pawns and typically 3 or more pawns have been traded. This position is the complete opposite of a closed position and different from the semi-open position as well. Understanding the differences and how they change the layout of the game will help you to play much better in this kind of position. The three factors that we will cover with this position are the plans possible, the speed with which you need to act, and the pieces that are most effective.

Plans:
There are a few different plans possible in an open position. The main emphasis of these positions is piece mobility. Because of the lower number of pawns on the board, there is less of a focus on pawn pushes. If you have better placed pieces and more open space for them than your opponent does, then you are usually in a favorable situation. For this reason, maximizing your pieces is a strong plan.

In the position to the right, we see an open position where both sides have pieces placed in active spots. However, White can now begin a plan of maximizing his pieces even more by switching his attack to the kingside: 1.Bc1 Qb8 2.Rg5! — attacking on the kingside quickly, something that Black is not prepared to deal with.

Speed:
Speed is a huge factor in these types of open positions. With piece mobility being a big focus in the position, using your pieces to move all over the board quickly will be very important. Looking again at the position on the right, we see that each of the moves that White played in the sequence were all attacking moves that forced Black to respond, not letting Black start his own maneuvering. 1. Bc1 attacked the queen, 2. Rg5 threatened, and 3. Qxf6 forces a defense by Black. White was able to improve his piece placement with a gain of tempo, something that helps him immensely in an open position where time is of the essence.

Pieces:
The most effective piece in open positions is the bishop. This is because, with the lower number of pawns on the board, there are more open lines and diagonals. A bishop can be sitting in one corner of the board, and suddenly jump to the other corner of the board if it’s on an open diagonal. Back with the position on the right, White’s bishop is sitting all the way back on b2, but is exerting tremendous pressure on the black kingside because there are no pawns in the way of the diagonal. When there are fewer pawns on the board, then rooks are also more powerful, because their lines are not closed down either.

WATCH THESE VIDEOS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON POSITIONAL CHESS:
-“Positional Chess Guide” – GM Damian Lemos
-“Play Positional Chess Like a Grandmaster” – GM Damian Lemos