open file
English
 | a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | |
| 8 |  |  | | |  | | | | 8 |
| 7 |  |  | | |  | | | | 7 |
| 6 | | | | | | | | | 6 |
| 5 | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 4 | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 3 | | |  | | | | |  | 3 |
| 2 | | | | | | | | | 2 |
| 1 | | | | |  | | | | 1 |
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | |
The rook on the e-file (marked with crosses) is on an open file since there are no pawns on it. The rook can move to any square on the file, uninhibited by pawns.
Noun
open file (plural open files)
- (chess) A file with no pawns of either color on it.
Hypernyms
- file
Coordinate terms
- half-open file
- closed file
Further reading
