How to use an open file in chess Part-2

A few days ago, we published the first part of the lesson “How to use an open file in chess?” by IM Boroljub Zlatanovic. If you missed it, you can watch it now here.

Today, we have published the second part of the video lesson. This time, Boroljub will explain the advantage of having an open file and how to use it effectively with an illustrative example – a game played between Evgeny Sveshnikov and Yuri Balashov.

There might be some instances where you will have to choose between two files to open it. Indeed, having the right open file is important, too.
chess rookAdditionally, this game also shows the importance of the organization of your pieces during an attack and the Rook Shift (transferring rook from one file to another).

Therefore, it can be said that this lesson has a mixture of topics you can learn from. :) You can watch the video lesson below:

Now let’s have a little summary of the lesson:

Key points

  • How to dominate that open file?
  • Organization of your pieces during an attack
  • Kingside attack
  • Bishop pair advantage
  • Good knight vs bad bishop
  • Rook Shift – transferring rook to an active open file
  • Converting your positional advantage into material advantage

Author information
IM Boroljub ZlatanovicIM Boroljub Zlatanovic

Boroljub Zlatanovic is a Serbian International Master and professional chess trainer. He became a FIDE Master, and in 1995 was Youth Champion of Serbia and a member of the national youth team. He was a two-time champion of the University of Belgrade and won 10 Serbian Open Chess Tournaments.

P.S. Did you enjoy these two lessons of IM Boroljub Zlatanovic on “Open Files”? Did you learn something new? Please, write your thoughts in the comments below. :)

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How to use an open file in chess?

Basically, an open file is one with no pawns of either colour on it. And a file with pawns of only one colour (either White or Black) is called as a half-open file.

The strategy behind an open file

Most chess players know that a common strategic objective for a rook or queen on an open file is to reach its seventh or eighth rank. Controlling the seventh rank is generally worth at least a pawn, as most of the opponent’s pawns will usually reside there.
open file chesscBut the question is: how to obtain an open file OR how to use it effectively?

That’s why IM Boroljub Zlatanovic has prepared a video lesson for you. He will teach you with an illustrative example – a game played between Rudlof Maric and Tigran Petrosian in the year 1970.

You can watch the video lesson below:


Let’s summarise what you would have learnt from this lesson:

Key points

  • How to hold an open file?
  • How to dominate that open file?
  • Weak squares
  • Playing with initiative
  • The advantage of active pieces with an open file
  • What is the best piece(s) to occupy an open file?
  • Prophylaxis

Author information
IM Boroljub ZlatanovicIM Boroljub Zlatanovic

Boroljub Zlatanovic is a Serbian International Master and professional chess trainer. He became a FIDE Master, and in 1995 was Youth Champion of Serbia and a member of the national youth team. He was a two-time champion of the University of Belgrade and won 10 Serbian Open Chess Tournaments.

P.S. Have you ever implemented this strategy (open file) in your games? Feel free to write in the comments below and discuss.

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The power of the bishop pair in chess Part-2

In the previous article, we published the first part of the lesson “The power of the bishop pair in chess”. In that lesson, you would have learnt about how to realise the advantage of the bishop pair, transfer your material advantage into a positional advantage and lots more. If you missed it, you can find it here.
Bishop Pair
Today, IM Boroljub Zlatanovic has prepared the second part of the video lesson for you. This time, it’s with a remarkable game played by Vsevdod Rauzer in the Soviet Union in 1936.

We already know that the bishop pair is a very powerful weapon. In this second part, you will understand the ‘real power’ of the bishop pair – two bishops in the centre of the board, controlling a large number of squares and building the foundation for a huge advantage.

You can watch the video lesson below:



Let’s summarise what you would have learnt from this lesson:

Key points

  • How to obtain a bishop pair (forcing your opponent to exchange his bishop(s))
  • How to avoid the exchange of your bishop for your opponent’s knight?
  • How to use your bishop pair effectively to paralyse your opponent’s pieces?
  • The power of centralized bishops
  • How to block your opponent’s pieces?
  • A pawn storm combined with a bishop pair advantage
  • and lots more

Author information
IM Boroljub ZlatanovicIM Boroljub Zlatanovic

Boroljub Zlatanovic is a Serbian International Master and professional chess trainer. He became a FIDE Master, and in 1995 was Youth Champion of Serbia and a member of the national youth team. He was a two-time champion of the University of Belgrade and won 10 Serbian Open Chess Tournaments.

P.S. Did you enjoy these lessons from IM Boroljub Zlatanovic? What are your impressions of them? Please write in the comments below and let us know what you think.

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The power of the bishop pair in chess

The bishop, by itself, is a powerful piece. However, its value is more than doubled when another bishop is added to it. When two bishops are sweeping the board, nothing is safe from their malevolent eyes.

The bishop pair is a very powerful weapon, since two bishops working together can control many squares from a distance, creating possibilities for tactics and multiple attacks. It’s no wonder that chess coaches usually teach their students to keep their bishop (or not to exchange it for their opponent’s knight). :)
Bishop PairSo how POWERFUL is a pair of bishops? To answer this question, our guest coach IM Boroljub Zlatanovic has prepared a video lesson for you.

He will teach you about the bishop pair advantage with an illustrative example – a game played by Mikhail Botvinnik in which he showed his amazing tactical and strategic skills.

You can watch the video lesson below:


Let’s summarise what you would have learnt from this lesson:

Key points

  • How to obtain the bishop pair (forcing your opponent to exchange his bishop(s))
  • What kind of positions favour the bishop pair?
  • How to realize the advantage of the bishop pair?
  • How to transfer your material advantage into a positional advantage?
  • and lots more

Author information
IM Boroljub ZlatanovicIM Boroljub Zlatanovic

Boroljub Zlatanovic is a Serbian International Master and professional chess trainer. He became a FIDE Master, and in 1995 was Youth Champion of Serbia and a member of the national youth team. He was a two-time champion of the University of Belgrade and won 10 Serbian Open Chess Tournaments.

P.S. I hope you enjoyed yet another instructive lesson from our guest coach Boroljub Zlatanovic. Have you ever won a game through the advantage gained by the bishop pair? If so, please write in the comments below. :)

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