Closed Game Consequences

For reviewing the annotated games I pulled out Euwe & Kramer's The Middle Game from my dusty archives and added the following to my checklists from the course. For what it's worth, the generalizations are still valid despite being published 50 years ago. Anybody have any others?

Closed Formations
- General Objective is to open a file for the Rooks
- It is usual to push the pawns forward in a broad front, the phalanx strategy
- If these flank pawns lose their mobility the result is always a serious positional disadvantage. Such a position can be compared to a bird with a broken wing, still trying to fly.

QP Forward
From White's point of view, he has the choice of two alternatives to open a file c2-c4, b2-b4, c4-5, or with f4.
- f4 has the drawback that e5 becomes an excellent square for Black pieces and White has a permanent weakness at e4.
- Even if White prepares f4 by g3 the weakness at e4 persists unless White prepares the advance e5, for example by doubling of Rooks on the e-file.
From Black's point of view he can open a file by:
- f5 followed by fe, opening the f-file, or f4 followed by g5, g4 subsequently opening the g-file.
- the alternative c6 leaves the Black d6 weak
Broad conclusion is White's best chances are on the Queen-side and Black's the King-side.

KP Forward
Arising primarily from the French, Black can and should pay c5 right in the opening.

Did you notice how I used the word "Consequences"?

I like the bird with a broken wing analogy. These things tend to make it easy to remember :-)

Thanks!

I started to do the month two 1.d4 openings this morning. Lo and Behold, there's where the comments to the annotated games are!