The Center and the Wings
How the central and flank regions of the board shape strategy.
The Center and the Wings
How the central and flank regions of the board shape strategy.
The board is conventionally divided into the center and two wings. The center consists of the four squares e4, e5, d4, and d5. The kingside is the half of the board on which the kings begin (files e through h). The queenside is the half on which the queens begin (files a through d).
Central pawn structures
The pawns in the center define the character of the position more than any other feature. Five recognisable types recur across openings:
Open center — no central pawns remain. Long diagonals and open files dominate, and piece activity is paramount.
Closed center — central pawns are locked against each other. The wings become the natural theatre of play.
Fixed center — central pawns face each other without immediate tension. The position changes slowly.
Mobile center — one side has a pawn majority in the center able to advance.
Dynamic center — the central tension has not yet been resolved. The next central exchange will determine the structure.
A dynamic center with mutual tension
Board is interactive - move a piece
Play on the wings
When the center is closed or fixed, the action moves to the wings. A pawn chain that points toward a wing indicates the side on which to attack: the side whose pawns point kingside attacks on the kingside, and vice versa. Pawn breaks create open files for the rooks and weaken the opposing structure.
A well-supported piece stationed on an advanced square in enemy territory — an outpost — is the typical objective of wing play. An outpost on the fifth or sixth rank can be worth more than a pawn.
Tarrasch's rule
A general guideline, formulated by Siegbert Tarrasch, is that a flank attack is best met by a counter-attack in the center. A strong center restricts the opponent's pieces and makes a flank attack difficult to sustain.