Watch
Step 1 · The plan in four moves
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPP1B1PP/R2Q1R1K b - - 2 10…Rc8: the rook takes the half-open file and looks at c3 and c2. Bf3 guards e4. …Nxd4 Bxd4 …Bc6: the bishop joins the pressure on e4 and the file is Black’s. From here …Qc7 or …b5 keeps pushing.
The line: 10…Ra8-c8 11.Be2-f3 Nc6xd4 12.Be3xd4 Bd7-c6
Decide
Step 2 · Which file?
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPP1B1PP/R2Q1R1K b - - 2 10The pawn trade happened on move three. Look at the files.
Which file is half-open for Black, and what does a rook see there?
Quick check
- The c-file: a rook on c8 sees c3 and c2
- The d-file
- The e-file
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: The c-file: a rook on c8 sees c3 and c2 — Yes. Black’s c-pawn is gone and White’s c2 pawn is still there. A rook on c8 sees c3 and c2, and every exchange on d4 opens the file further.
- The d-file — The d-file is half-open for White, not Black: Black’s d6 pawn still stands on it.
- The e-file — Both e-pawns are still there; the e-file is closed.
Your move
Step 3 · Take the file
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPP1B1PP/R2Q1R1K b - - 2 10Kh1 was a quiet move. Take the file.
Hint: The c-file is half-open. Which piece belongs on it?
The move: 10…Ra8-c8
10…Rc8. The rook is on its file, looking at c3 and c2. Next come …Nxd4 and …Bc6, and the pressure turns toward e4.
Also good here
10…Nc6xd4— Also fine: the exchange first, …Bc6 and …Rc8 next.10…a7-a6— Also fine: …a6 prepares …b5 and keeps b5 from White’s knights; …Rc8 follows.
Why not another move?
10…Nf6xe4— …Nxe4?? Nxe4 and there is no …d5 fork this time: no white bishop stands on c4 to be hit. A knight for nothing. What follows:11.Nc3xe410…Qd8-a5— …Qa5 walks into Ndb5: the queen is exposed and d6 needs care.10…e6-e5— …e5? Ndb5! hits d6, and after …exf4 Bxf4 the d6 pawn is a target for the rest of the game.
Watch
Step 4 · White guards e4
White to move
2rq1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPP1B1PP/R2Q1R1K w - - 3 11White guards e4 with the bishop. Your plan continues: the knight on d4 is the next target.
The reply: 11.Be2-f3
Your move
Step 5 · Clear the file
Black to move
2rq1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1BB2/PPP3PP/R2Q1R1K b - - 4 11Your own knight on c6 stands in the bishop’s way and in the rook’s path down the file. Exchange it on d4, and see what follows.
Hint: The d4 knight is in the way. Trade it, then …Bc6.
The move: 11…Nc6xd4
11…Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc6. The bishop joins the pressure on e4, the file is Black’s, and White’s pieces are tied to defending the centre.
Also good here
11…a7-a6— Also fine: …a6 first, the exchange next.11…b7-b6— Also fine: …b6 is a solid waiting move and keeps the exchange in reserve.
Why not another move?
11…Qd8-a5— …Qa5 Nb3 and the queen is hit with a gain of time: the plan was the exchange, not the queen.11…Nc6-a5— Playable, but the knight on a5 is offside and e5! hits your f6 knight at once.
Your move
Step 6 · Order matters
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPPQB1PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 10A different move order: White’s queen already stands on d2 and f4 is in. Is …Rc8 right this move, or does something come first?
Hint: Before …Rc8, ask what Ndb5 would hit. If d6 is loose, exchange first.
The move: 10…Nc6xd4
10…Nxd4. First the exchange: with the d4 knight traded there is no Ndb5 to hit d6. …Bc6 comes next, then …Rc8 with d6 safe. Order matters.
Also good here
10…a7-a6— Also fine: …a6 takes b5 away from the knight first; …Rc8 next.
Why not another move?
10…Ra8-c8— Playable, but premature: Ndb5! hits d6 twice, by the knight and the queen on d2. You must spend a move on …Ne8, …d5 or …Be8, and the rook move has gone to waste. What follows:11.Nd4-b510…e6-e5— Playable, but …e5 gives up d5 for the rest of the game.
Decide
Step 7 · Why not now?
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NPP2/2N1B3/PPPQB1PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 10Same board, one question.
Why was …Rc8 premature here when it was right before?
Quick check
- With the queen on d2, Ndb5 and then Rad1 put real pressure on d6
- The rook is needed on the a-file
- The c-file is closed
Show the correct answer
Correct answer: With the queen on d2, Ndb5 and then Rad1 put real pressure on d6 — Yes. With the queen on d2, Ndb5 hits d6 and the a1 rook can join on d1 at once: after …Ne8, …d5 or …Be8, White keeps the pressure. Before, the queen on d1 kept that rook off the d-file, and the same Ndb5 could be met calmly with …Be8. So here the d4 knight is exchanged first; then the rook comes.
- The rook is needed on the a-file — The rook has no job on the a-file. The problem was d6.
- The c-file is closed — The c-file is just as open as before. The difference is the pressure on d6.
On your own
Step 8 · On your own
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bppbp/2np1np1/8/2BNP3/2N1BP2/PPPQ2PP/2KR3R b - - 6 10The Dragon, and White has castled on the queenside. The half-open c-file now points straight at the king. Choose Black’s move.
Hint: Where does the half-open file lead now?
The move: 10…Ra8-c8
10…Rc8. The file aims at c3 and the king behind it. …Ne5–c4 and …Qa5 follow, and every exchange on c3 opens the king.
Also good here
10…Nc6-e5— Also a main line: the knight heads for c4 first; …Rc8 comes next.
Why not another move?
10…Qd8-a5— Playable, but it brings the queen before the rook. Take the half-open file first with …Rc8; …Qa5 can come later.10…Nc6xd4— …Nxd4 Bxd4 and White’s bishop lands on the long diagonal aimed at your king. Keep the knight; it is going to e5 and c4.10…a7-a6— Too slow: the file is open now, and …a6 attacks nothing.10…b7-b5— …b5? Bxb5: the pawn was unprotected, because your own knight on c6 blocks the bishop on d7. What follows:11.Bc4xb5
A quick refresher
In the app this position is not part of the lesson itself: it comes back later, as a review, to check that the idea stuck.
Your move
Same plan, Taimanov order
Black to move
r2q1rk1/pp1bbppp/2nppn2/8/3NP3/2N1B3/PPPQBPPP/R4R1K b - - 7 10Back in the Scheveningen structure by a Taimanov move order. Kh1 again. Same plan.
Hint: The c-file is half-open and d6 is safe. Take the file.
The move: 10…Ra8-c8
10…Rc8. The rook takes the file; …Nxd4 and …Bc6 follow.
Also good here
10…Nc6xd4— Also fine: the exchange first.10…a7-a6— Also fine: …a6 and …b5 gain space; the rook comes next.
Why not another move?
10…Nf6xe4— …Nxe4?? Nxe4: no fork, no bishop on c4, just a knight gone. What follows:11.Nc3xe410…Qd8-a5— …Qa5? Nxc6 Bxc6 Nd5! forks the queen and the e7 bishop: …Qd8 Nxe7+ and the bishop pair goes with a gain of time. What follows:11.Nd4xc6 Bd7xc6 12.Nc3-d5
What you learned
Rook to c8 as soon as d6 is safe. Trade on d4 first when Ndb5 would hit d6.
In your next game
In the Scheveningen or Taimanov set-ups, castle, play …Bd7, then …Rc8. Follow with …Nxd4 and …Bc6 against e4. Before …Rc8, check whether Ndb5 hits a loose d6 pawn; if it does, exchange on d4 first.