Answers.Body: <p>To understand this strategem, I advise you to study the other &quot;hypermoderns&quot;, especially Reti and Breyer who popularized fianchetto. There is even a &quot;model&quot; game by Reti, who lets the opponent build an impressive center, pesters it with Bb2 and Qa1 and then tears it to pieces. Dug it up for you: <a href="https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1102103" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1102103</a> Analyze it!</p>
  
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Answers.CreationDate: 2023-10-16T08:27:20.967Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2023-10-16T08:27:20.967Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Hauke Reddmann
Body: <p>I have read from Nimzowitsch over and over again how one could use a file as the basis of a restraining operation. All those who know his work know what I speak of, but good players at all levels understand the principle. Even if a given player does not know how to describe the strategic and tactical theme quite as a scholar they use the idea in everyday play game after game.</p>
  <p>As for myself, I understand the concept at least on an intellectual level. But the writer had another line in mind that serves the same purpose namely the diagonal. Instead of a rook taking up a post against an enemy mobile pawn roller whether it be a central majority or a majority on the flank. The most dangerous in the opening and middle game is the mobile center. It has a crushing effect if one has not had time to occupy the semi-open file with a rook against the candidate along with other moves aimed at retarding the dreaded expansion. Of course, this tactic works against any majority forming the basis of a blockade. Well, that's pretty easy to see if one sets up an example.</p>
  <p>But how does one go about achieving a similar goal based on the bishop as the main actor(birth of the flank openings)is the bishop? Here is where I think the rubber starts to hit the road in chess understanding because I still can't put my finger on exactly what that means in terms of how the other pieces arrange themselves to cooperate with the restraining bishop but according to the author restriction is too passive by itself and must be combined with even the smallest amount of threat based on the given line. If it is a file then the aggressive action should stay local and centralized. But if one is restricting on the diagonal the action is on the opposite wing.</p>
  <p><strong>My question is basically how do the other pieces and pawns cooperate with the bishop in the double duty of discouraging an enemy advance all the while menacing the enemy flank at the same time?</strong></p>
  <p>The author only recommends that aggressive action must combine with the defense. But he gives me too much credit to just compare to the vertical line and come up with a correct idea of how that particular scenario is to be handled. We have a whole bunch of so-called hypermodern openings that guys use day in and and out. My intuition tells me if I am correct the flank openings are based on this germ cell idea of Nimzowitsch(or he first put it into intelligible writing), that most players like me find themselves at sea when playing a flank opening against good resistance.</p>
  <p>I'm asking for one of you strong players who understands the concept could help me get it. And if the procedure is truly something one should understand it should help a lot of players out playing flank openings at the very least and against them.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2023-10-16T01:52:09.440Z
Comments.Text: I just asked how one is to understand flank opening based on the use of the bishop along the open line for defensive purposes. i'm out
Comments.UserDisplayName: Achbiter
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2023-10-16T04:50:01.677Z
Comments.Text: Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Community
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2023-10-18T04:08:43.103Z
Comments.Text: i'm just asking how one sets up his pieces to use a bishop to discourage mobility and as the basis of attack.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Achbiter
Tags: <strategy><positional-play><bishops><defense>
Title: Nimzowitsch and the defensive theory of open lines
ThreadText: # Nimzowitsch and the defensive theory of open lines
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2023-10-16)
  
  I have read from Nimzowitsch over and over again how one could use a file as the basis of a restraining operation. All those who know his work know what I speak of, but good players at all levels understand the principle. Even if a given player does not know how to describe the strategic and tactical theme quite as a scholar they use the idea in everyday play game after game.
  
  As for myself, I understand the concept at least on an intellectual level. But the writer had another line in mind that serves the same purpose namely the diagonal. Instead of a rook taking up a post against an enemy mobile pawn roller whether it be a central majority or a majority on the flank. The most dangerous in the opening and middle game is the mobile center. It has a crushing effect if one has not had time to occupy the semi-open file with a rook against the candidate along with other moves aimed at retarding the dreaded expansion. Of course, this tactic works against any majority forming the basis of a blockade. Well, that's pretty easy to see if one sets up an example.
  
  But how does one go about achieving a similar goal based on the bishop as the main actor(birth of the flank openings)is the bishop? Here is where I think the rubber starts to hit the road in chess understanding because I still can't put my finger on exactly what that means in terms of how the other pieces arrange themselves to cooperate with the restraining bishop but according to the author restriction is too passive by itself and must be combined with even the smallest amount of threat based on the given line. If it is a file then the aggressive action should stay local and centralized. But if one is restricting on the diagonal the action is on the opposite wing.
  
  **My question is basically how do the other pieces and pawns cooperate with the bishop in the double duty of discouraging an enemy advance all the while menacing the enemy flank at the same time?**
  
  The author only recommends that aggressive action must combine with the defense. But he gives me too much credit to just compare to the vertical line and come up with a correct idea of how that particular scenario is to be handled. We have a whole bunch of so-called hypermodern openings that guys use day in and and out. My intuition tells me if I am correct the flank openings are based on this germ cell idea of Nimzowitsch(or he first put it into intelligible writing), that most players like me find themselves at sea when playing a flank opening against good resistance.
  
  I'm asking for one of you strong players who understands the concept could help me get it. And if the procedure is truly something one should understand it should help a lot of players out playing flank openings at the very least and against them.
  
  **Tags:** strategy, positional-play, bishops, defense
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: I just asked how one is to understand flank opening based on the use of the bishop along the open line for defensive purposes. i'm out  
  > **username_1**: Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking.  
  > **username_0**: i'm just asking how one sets up his pieces to use a bishop to discourage mobility and as the basis of attack.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2023-10-16. Score: 4 | Accepted answer
  
  To understand this strategem, I advise you to study the other "hypermoderns", especially Reti and Breyer who popularized fianchetto. There is even a "model" game by Reti, who lets the opponent build an impressive center, pesters it with Bb2 and Qa1 and then tears it to pieces. Dug it up for you: <https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1102103> Analyze it!
  
  
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