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diff --git a/33870.txt b/33870.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..794d8f1 --- /dev/null +++ b/33870.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6516 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Chess Fundamentals, by Jose Raul Capablanca + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Chess Fundamentals + +Author: Jose Raul Capablanca + +Release Date: October 18, 2010 [EBook #33870] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHESS FUNDAMENTALS *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Suzanne Shell, Jana Srna, +Keith Edkins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team +at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Illustration: JOSE R. CAPABLANCA] + +CHESS +FUNDAMENTALS + +BY + +JOSE R. CAPABLANCA + +_CHESS CHAMPION OF THE WORLD_ + + + + + +NEW YORK HARCOURT, BRACE & WORLD, INC. +LONDON: G. BELL AND SONS, LTD. + + * * * * * + + +COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY + +HARCOURT, BRACE & WORLD, INC. + +(c) 1949 BY OLGA CAPABLANCA + +_All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or +transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, +including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval +system, without permission in writing from the publisher._ + +_Seventeenth Printing_ + + + +PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + * * * * * + + +PREFACE + +_Chess Fundamentals_ was first published thirteen years ago. Since then +there have appeared at different times a number of articles dealing with +the so-called Hypermodern Theory. Those who have read the articles may well +have thought that something new, of vital importance, had been discovered. +The fact is that the Hypermodern Theory is merely the application, during +the opening stages generally, of the same old principles through the medium +of somewhat new tactics. There has been no change in the fundamentals. The +change has been only a change of form, and not always for the best at that. + +In chess the tactics may change but the strategic fundamental principles +are always the same, so that _Chess Fundamentals_ is as good now as it was +thirteen years ago. It will be as good a hundred years from now; as long in +fact as the laws and rules of the game remain what they are at present. The +reader may therefore go over the contents of the book with the assurance +that there is in it everything he needs, and that there is nothing to be +added and nothing to be changed. _Chess Fundamentals_ was the one standard +work of its kind thirteen years ago and the author firmly believes that it +is the one standard work of its kind now. + +J. R. CAPABLANCA + +_New York_ + +_Sept. 1, 1934_ + + * * * * * + + +LIST OF CONTENTS + + PART I + + CHAPTER I + + First Principles: Endings, Middle-game and Openings + + PAGE + + 1. SOME SIMPLE MATES 3 + + 2. PAWN PROMOTION 9 + + 3. PAWN ENDINGS 13 + + 4. SOME WINNING POSITIONS IN THE MIDDLE-GAME 19 + + 5. RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES 24 + + 6. GENERAL STRATEGY OF THE OPENING 25 + + 7. CONTROL OF THE CENTRE 28 + + 8. TRAPS 32 + + CHAPTER II + + FURTHER PRINCIPLES IN END-GAME PLAY + + 9. A CARDINAL PRINCIPLE 35 + + 10. A CLASSICAL ENDING 37 + + 11. OBTAINING A PASSED PAWN 40 + + 12. HOW TO FIND OUT WHICH PAWN WILL BE THE FIRST TO QUEEN 41 + + 13. THE OPPOSITION 43 + + 14. THE RELATIVE VALUE OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP 50 + + 15. HOW TO MATE WITH KNIGHT AND BISHOP 59 + + 16. QUEEN AGAINST ROOK 62 + + CHAPTER III + + PLANNING A WIN IN MIDDLE-GAME PLAY + + 17. ATTACKING WITHOUT THE AID OF KNIGHTS 68 + + 18. ATTACKING WITH KNIGHTS AS A PROMINENT FORCE 71 + + 19. WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK 75 + + CHAPTER IV + + GENERAL THEORY + + 20. THE INITIATIVE 77 + + 21. DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE 78 + + 22. THE FORCE OF THE THREATENED ATTACK 82 + + 23. RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE 89 + + 24. CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM THE SCENE OF ACTION 94 + + 25. A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED IN A SPECIMEN GAME 99 + + CHAPTER V + + END-GAME STRATEGY + + 26. THE SUDDEN ATTACK FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE 111 + + 27. THE DANGER OF A SAFE POSITION 120 + + 28. ENDINGS WITH ONE ROOK AND PAWNS 122 + + 29. A DIFFICULT ENDING: TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS 127 + + 30. ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS _v._ ROOK, KNIGHT AND PAWNS 138 + (A Final Example of preserving Freedom whilst + imposing restraint.) + + CHAPTER VI + + FURTHER OPENINGS AND MIDDLE-GAMES + + 31. SOME SALIENT POINTS ABOUT PAWNS 143 + + 32. SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS FROM A RUY LOPEZ + (showing the weakness of a backward Q B P; the + power of a Pawn at K 5, etc.) 146 + + 33. THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE" 150 + + PART II + + ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES + + GAME. + + 1. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED (MATCH, 1909) 159 + White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 2. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED (SAN SEBASTIAN, 1911) 163 + White: A. K. Rubinstein. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 3. IRREGULAR DEFENCE (HAVANA, 1913) 169 + White: D. Janowski. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 4. FRENCH DEFENCE (ST. PETERSBURG, 1913) 174 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: E. A. Snosko-Borovski. + + 5. RUY LOPEZ (ST. PETERSBURG, 1914) 181 + White: Dr. E. Lasker. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 6. FRENCH DEFENCE (RICE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT, 1916) 189 + White: O. Chajes. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 7. RUY LOPEZ (SAN SEBASTIAN, 1911) 197 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: A. Burn. + + 8. CENTRE GAME (BERLIN, 1913) 201 + White: J. Mieses. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 9. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED (BERLIN, 1913) 209 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: R. Teichmann. + + 10. PETROFF DEFENCE (ST. PETERSBURG, 1914) 215 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: F. J. Marshall. + + 11. RUY LOPEZ (ST. PETERSBURG, 1914) 221 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: D. Janowski. + + 12. FRENCH DEFENCE (NEW YORK, 1918) 225 + White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: O. Chajes. + + 13. RUY LOPEZ (NEW YORK, 1918) 231 + White: J. S. Morrison. Black: J.R. Capablanca. + + 14. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED (NEW YORK, 1918) 238 + White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J.R. Capablanca. + + * * * * * + + +{3} + +CHESS FUNDAMENTALS + +PART I + +CHAPTER I + +FIRST PRINCIPLES: ENDINGS, MIDDLE-GAME AND OPENINGS + +The first thing a student should do, is to familiarise himself with the +power of the pieces. This can best be done by learning how to accomplish +quickly some of the simple mates. + +1. SOME SIMPLE MATES + +EXAMPLE 1.--The ending Rook and King against King. + +_The principle is to drive the opposing King to the last line on any side +of the board_. + +[Illustration] {4} + +In this position the power of the Rook is demonstrated by the first move, +R - R 7, which immediately confines the Black King to the last rank, and +the mate is quickly accomplished by: 1 R - R 7, K - Kt 1; 2 K - Kt 2. + +The combined action of King and Rook is needed to arrive at a position in +which mate can be forced. The general principle for a beginner to follow is +to + +_keep his King as much as possible on the same rank, or, as in this case, +file, as the opposing King._ + +When, in this case, the King has been brought to the sixth rank, it is +better to place it, not on the same file, but on the one next to it towards +the centre. + +2...K - B 1; 3 K - B 3, K - K 1; 4 K - K 4, K - Q 1; 5 K - Q 5, K - B 1; +6 K - Q 6. + +Not K - B 6, because then the Black King will go back to Q 1 and it will +take much longer to mate. If now the King moves back to Q 1, R - R 8 mates +at once. + +6...K - Kt 1; 7 R - Q B 7, K - R 1; 8 K - B 6, K - Kt 1; 9 K - Kt 6, +K - R 1; 10 R - B 8 mate. + +It has taken exactly ten moves to mate from the original position. On move +5 Black could have played K - K 1, and, according to principle, White would +have continued 6 K - Q 6, K - B 1 (the Black King will ultimately be forced +to move in front of the White King and be mated by R - R 8); 7 K - K 6, +K - Kt 1; 8 K - B 6, K - R 1; 9 K - Kt 6, K - Kt 1; 10 R - R 8 mate. {5} + +EXAMPLE 2. + +[Illustration] + +Since the Black King is in the centre of the board, the best way to proceed +is to advance your own King thus: 1 K - K 2, K - Q 4; 2 K - K 3. As the +Rook has not yet come into play, it is better to advance the King straight +into the centre of the board, not in front, but to one side of the other +King. Should now the Black King move to K 4, the Rook drives it back by +R - R 5 ch. On the other hand, if 2... K - B 5 instead, then also +3 R - R 5. If now 3... K - Kt 5, there follows 4 K - Q 3; but if instead +3... K - B 6; then 4 R - R 4, keeping the King confined to as few squares +as possible. + +Now the ending may continue: 4...K - B 7; 5 R - B 4 ch, K - Kt 6; +6 K - Q 3, K - Kt 7; 7 R - Kt 4 ch, K - R 6; 8 K - B 3, K - R 7. It should +be noticed how often the White King has moved next to the Rook, not only to +defend it, but also to reduce the mobility of the opposing King. Now {6} +White mates in three moves thus: 9 R - R 4 ch, K - Kt 8; 10 R - any square +on the Rook's file, forcing the Black King in front of the White, K - B 8; +11 R - R 1 mate. It has taken eleven moves to mate, and, under any +conditions, I believe it should be done in under twenty. While it may be +monotonous, it is worth while for the beginner to practice such things, as +it will teach him the proper handling of his pieces. + +EXAMPLE 3.--Now we come to two Bishops and King against King. + +[Illustration] + +Since the Black King is in the corner, White can play 1 B - Q 3, K - Kt 2; +2 B - K Kt 5, K - B 2; 3 B - B 5, and already the Black King is confined to +a few squares. If the Black King, in the original position, had been in the +centre of the board, or away from the last row, White should have advanced +his King, and then, with the aid of his Bishops, restricted {7} the Black +King's movements to as few squares as possible. + +We might now continue: 3...K - Kt 2; 4 K - B 2. In this ending the Black +King must not only be driven to the edge of the board, but he must also be +forced into a corner, and, before a mate can be given, the White King must +be brought to the sixth rank and, at the same time, in one of the last two +files; in this case either K R 6, K Kt 6, K B 7, K B 8, and as K R 6 and +K Kt 6 are the nearest squares, it is to either of these squares that the +King ought to go. 4...K - B 2; 5 K - Kt 3, K - Kt 2; 6 K - R 4, K - B 2; +7 K - R 5, K - Kt 2; 8 B - Kt 6, K - Kt 1; 9 K - R 6, K - B 1. White must +now mark time and move one of the Bishops, so as to force the Black King to +go back; 10 B - R 5, K - Kt 1; 11 B - K 7, K - R 1. Now the White Bishop +must take up a position from which it can give check next move along the +White diagonal, when the Black King moves back to Kt 1. 12 B - K Kt 4, +K - Kt 1; 13 B - K 6 ch, K - R 1; 14 B - B 6 mate. + +It has taken fourteen moves to force the mate and, in any position, it +should be done in under thirty. + +In all endings of this kind, care must be taken not to drift into a stale +mate. + +In this particular ending one should remember that the King must not only +be driven to the edge of the board, but also into a corner. In all such +endings, however, it is immaterial whether the King is forced {8} on to the +last rank, or to an outside file, e.g. K R 5 or Q R 4, K 1 or Q 8. + +EXAMPLE 4.--We now come to Queen and King against King. As the Queen +combines the power of the Rook and the Bishop, it is the easiest mate of +all and should always be accomplished in under ten moves. Take the +following position: + +[Illustration] + +A good way to begin is to make the first move with the Queen, trying to +limit the Black King's mobility as much as possible. Thus: 1 Q - B 6, +K - Q 5; 2 K - Q 2. Already the Black King has only one available square +2...K - K 4; 3 K - K 3, K - B 4; 4 Q - Q 6, K - Kt 4. (Should Black play +K - Kt 5, then Q - Kt 6 ch); 5 Q - K 6, K - R 5 (if K - R 4, K - B 4 and +mate next move); 6 Q - K Kt 6, K - R 6; 7 K - B 3, K moves; 8 Q mates. + +In this ending, as in the case of the Rook, the Black King must be forced +to the edge of the board; only {9} the Queen being so much more powerful +than the Rook, the process is far easier and shorter. These are the three +elementary endings and in all of these the principle is the same. In each +case the co-operation of the King is needed. In order to force a mate +without the aid of the King, at least two Rooks are required. + + * * * * * + +2. PAWN PROMOTION + +The gain of a Pawn is the smallest material advantage that can be obtained +in a game; and it often is sufficient to win, even when the Pawn is the +only remaining unit, apart from the Kings. It is essential, speaking +generally, that + +_the King should be in front of his Pawn, with at least one intervening +square_. + +If the opposing King is directly in front of the Pawn, then the game cannot +be won. This can best be explained by the following examples. + +EXAMPLE 5. + +[Illustration] {10} + +The position is drawn, and the way to proceed is for Black to keep the King +always directly in front of the Pawn, and when it cannot be done, as for +instance in this position because of the White King, then the Black King +must be kept in front of the White King. The play would proceed thus: +1 P - K 3, K - K 4; 2 K - Q 3, K - Q 4. This is a very important move. Any +other move would lose, as will be shown later. As the Black King cannot be +kept close up to the Pawn, it must be brought as far forward as possible +and, at the same time, in front of the White King. + +3 P - K 4 ch, K - K 4; 4 K - K 3, K - K 3; 5 K - B 4, K - B 3. Again the +same case. As the White King comes up, the Black King must be kept in front +of it, since it cannot be brought up to the Pawn. + +6 P - K 5 ch, K - K 3; 7 K - K 4, K - K 2; 8 K - Q 5, K - Q 2; +9 P - K 6 ch, K - K 2; 10 K - K 5, K - K 1; 11 K - Q 6, K - Q 1. If now +White advances the Pawn, the Black King gets in front of it and White must +either give up the Pawn or play K - K 6, and a stale mate results. If +instead of advancing the Pawn White withdraws his King, Black brings his +King up to the Pawn and, when forced to go back, he moves to K _in front_ +of the Pawn ready to come up again or to move in front of the White King, +as before, should the latter advance. + +The whole mode of procedure is very important and the student should become +thoroughly conversant {11} with its details; for it involves principles to +be taken up later on, and because many a beginner has lost identical +positions from lack of proper knowledge. At this stage of the book I cannot +lay too much stress on its importance. + +EXAMPLE 6.--In this position White wins, as the King is in front of his +Pawn and there is one intervening square. + +[Illustration] + +The method to follow is to + +_advance the King as far as is compatible with the safety of the Pawn and +never to advance the Pawn until it is essential to its own safety_. + +Thus: + + 1. K - K 4, K - K 3. + +Black does not allow the White King to advance, therefore White is now +compelled to advance his Pawn so as to force Black to move away. He is then +able to advance his own King. + + 2. P - K3, K - B 3; 3. K - Q 5, K - K 2. + +{12} If Black had played 3...K - B 4, then White would be forced to advance +the Pawn to K 4, since he could not advance his King without leaving Black +the opportunity to play K - K 5, winning the Pawn. Since he has not done +so, it is better for White not to advance the Pawn yet, since its own +safety does not require it, but to try to bring the King still further +forward. Thus: + + 4. K - K 5, K - Q 2; 5. K - B 6, K - K 1. + +Now the White Pawn is too far back and it may be brought up within +protection of the King. + + 6. P - K 4, K - Q 2. + +Now it would not do to play K - B 7, because Black would play K - Q 3, and +White would have to bring back his King to protect the Pawn. Therefore he +must continue. + + 7. P - K 5, K - K 1. + +Had he moved anywhere else, White could have played K - B 7, followed by +the advance of the Pawn to K 6, K 7, K 8; all these squares being protected +by the King. As Black tries to prevent that, White must now force him to +move away, at the same time always keeping the King in front of the Pawn. +Thus: + + 8. K - K 6. + +P - K 6 would make it a draw, as Black would then play K - B, and we would +have a position similar to the one explained in connection with Example 5. + + 8...K - B 1; 9. K - Q 7. + +{13} King moves and the White Pawn advances to K 8, becomes a Queen, and it +is all over. + +This ending is like the previous one, and for the same reasons should be +thoroughly understood before proceeding any further. + + * * * * * + +3. PAWN ENDINGS + +I shall now give a couple of simple endings of two Pawns against one, or +three against two, that the reader may see how they can be won. Fewer +explanations will be given, as it is up to the student to work things out +for himself. Furthermore, nobody can learn how to play well merely from the +study of a book; it can only serve as a guide and the rest must be done by +the teacher, if the student has one; if not, the student must realise by +long and bitter experience the practical application of the many things +explained in the book. + +EXAMPLE 7. + +[Illustration] + +{14} In this position White cannot win by playing 1 P - B 6, because Black +plays, not P x P, which would lose, but 1...K - Kt 1, and if then 2 P x P, +K x P, and draws, as shown in a previous case. If 2 P - B 7 ch, K - B 1, +and White will never be able to Queen his Pawn without losing it. If +2 K - K 7, P x P; 3 K x P, K - B 1, and draws. White, however, can win the +position given in the diagram by playing: + +1 K - Q 7, K - Kt 1; 2 K - K 7, K - R 1; 3 P - B 6, P x P. If 3...K - Kt 1; +4 P - B 7 ch, K - R 1; 5 P - B 8 (Q) mate. + +4 K - B 7, P - B 4; 5 P - Kt 7 ch, K - R 2; 6 P - Kt 8 (Q) ch, K - R 3; +7 Q - Kt 6 mate. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 8.--In the above position White can't win by 1 P - B 5. Black's +best answer would be P - Kt 3 draws. (The student should work this out.) He +cannot win by 1 P - Kt 5, because P - Kt 3 draws. (This, because of the +principle of the "_opposition_" {15} which governs this ending as well as +all the Pawn-endings already given, and which will be explained more fully +later on.) + +White can win, however, by playing: 1 K - K 4, K - K 3. (If 1...P - Kt 3; +2 K - Q 4, K - K 3; 3 K - B 5, K - B 3; 4 K - Q 6, K - B 2; 5 P - Kt 5, +K - Kt 2; 6 K - K 7, K - Kt 1; 7 K - B 6, K - R 2; 8 K - B 7 and White wins +the Pawn.) + +2 P - B 5 ch, K - B 3; 3 K - B 4, P - Kt 3. (If this Pawn is kept back we +arrive at the ending shown in Example 7.) 4 P - Kt 5 ch, K - B 2; +5 P - B 6, K - K 3; 6 K - K 4, K - B 2; 7 K - K 5, K - B 1. White cannot +force his Bishop's Pawn into Q (find out why), but by giving his Pawn up he +can win the other Pawn and the game. Thus: + +8 P - B 7, K x P; 9 K - Q 6, K - B 1; 10 K - K 6, K - Kt 2; 11 K - K 7, +K - Kt 1; 12 K - B 6, K - R 2; 13 K - B 7, K - R 1; 14 K x P , K - Kt 1. + +There is still some resistance in Black's position. In fact, the only way +to win is the one given here, as will easily be seen by experiment. + +15 K - R 6 (if K - B 6, K - R 2; and in order to win White must get back to +the actual position, as against 16 P - Kt 6 ch, K - R 1 draws), K - R 1; +16 P - Kt 6, K - Kt 1; 17 P - Kt 7, K - B 2; 18 K - R 7, and White queens +the Pawn and wins. + +This ending, apparently so simple, should show the student the enormous +difficulties to be surmounted, {16} even when there are hardly any pieces +left, when playing against an adversary who knows how to use the resources +at his disposal, and it should show the student, also, the necessity of +paying strict attention to these elementary things which form the basis of +true mastership in Chess. + +EXAMPLE 9.--In this ending + +[Illustration] + +White can win by advancing any of the three Pawns on the first move, but it +is convenient to follow the general rule, whenever there is no good reason +against it, of _advancing the Pawn that has no Pawn opposing it_. Thus we +begin by-- + + 1. P - B 5, K - K 2. + +If P - Kt 3, P - B 6; and we have a similar ending to one of those shown +above. If 1...P - R 3; 2 P - Kt 5. + + 2. K - K 5, K - B 2; 3. P - Kt 5, K - K 2. + +{17} If 3...P - Kt 3; 4 P - B 6, and if 3...P - R 3; 4 P - Kt 6 ch, and in +either case we have a similar ending to one of those already shown. + + 4. P - R 5, + +and by following it up with P - Kt 6 we have the same ending previously +shown. Should Black play 4...P - Kt 3, then R P x P, P x P; P - B 6 ch with +the same result. + +Having now seen the cases when the Pawns are all on one side of the board +we shall now examine a case when there are Pawns on both sides of the +board. + +EXAMPLE 10.--In these cases the general rule is to _act immediately on the +side where you have the superior forces_. Thus we have: + +[Illustration] + + 1. P - K Kt 4. + +{18} It is generally advisable to advance the Pawn that is free from +opposition. + + 1. ........ P - Q R 4. + +Black makes an advance on the other side, and now White considers whether +or not he should stop the advance. In this case either way wins, but +generally the advance should be stopped when the opposing King is far away. + + 2. P - Q R 4, K - B 3; 3. P - R 4, K - K 3. + +If 3...K - Kt 3, then simple counting will show that White goes to the +other side with his King, wins the P at Q R 4, and then Queens his single +Pawn long before Black can do the same. + + 4. P - Kt 5, K - B 2; 5. K - B 5, K - Kt 2; 6. P - R 5, K - B 2. + +If 6...P - R 3; 7 P - Kt 6, and then the two Pawns defend themselves and +White can go to the other side with his King, to win the other Pawn. + + 7. K - K 5. + +Now it is time to go to the other side with the King, win the Black Pawn +and Queen the single Pawn. This is typical of all such endings and should +be worked out by the student in this case and in similar cases which he can +put up. {19} + + * * * * * + +4. SOME WINNING POSITIONS IN THE MIDDLE-GAME + +By the time the student has digested all that has been previously +explained, he, no doubt, is anxious to get to the actual game and play with +all the pieces. However, before considering the openings, we shall devote a +little time to some combinations that often arise during the game, and +which will give the reader some idea of the beauty of the game, once he +becomes better acquainted with it. + +EXAMPLE 11. + +[Illustration] + +It is Black's move, and thinking that White merely threatens to play +Q - R 6 and to mate at K Kt 7, Black plays 1 ... R - K 1, threatening mate +by way of R - K 8. White now uncovers his real and most effective threat, +viz.: + +1 ... R - K 1; 2 Q x P ch, K x Q; 3 R - R 3 ch, K - Kt 1; 4 R - R 8 mate. +{20} + +This same type of combination may come as the result of a somewhat more +complicated position. + +EXAMPLE 12. + +[Illustration] + +White is a piece behind, and unless he can win it back quickly he will +lose; he therefore plays: + + 1. Kt x Kt B - Kt 4 + +He cannot take the Kt because White threatens mate by Q x P ch followed by +R - R 3 ch. + + 2. Kt - K 7 ch Q x Kt + +Again if B x Kt; Q x P ch, K x Q; R - R 3 ch, King moves; R - R 8 mate. + + 3. R x Q B x R + 4. Q - Q 7 + +and White wins one of the two Bishops, remains with a Q and a B against a R +and B, and should therefore win easily. These two examples show the {21} +danger of advancing the K Kt P one square, after having Castled on that +side. + +EXAMPLE 13. + +[Illustration] + +This is another very interesting type of combination. Black has a R for a +Kt and should therefore win, unless White is able to obtain some +compensation immediately. White, in fact, mates in a few moves thus: + + 1. Kt - B 6 ch P x Kt + +Forced, otherwise Q X P mates. + + 2. Q - Kt 3 ch K - R 1 + 3. B x P mate. + +EXAMPLE 14.--The same type of combination occurs in a more complicated form +in the following position. {22} + +[Illustration] + + 1. B x Kt Q x B. + +If ...B x Kt; Q - B 3 threatens mate, and therefore wins the Q, which is +already attacked. + + 2. Kt - B 6 ch P x Kt + 3. R - Kt 3 ch K - R 1 + 4. B x P mate. + +EXAMPLE 15.--A very frequent type of combination is shown in the following +position. + +[Illustration] {23} + +Here White is the exchange and a Pawn behind, but he can win quickly thus: +1 B x P ch, K x B. (If 1...K - R 1; 2 Q - K R 5, P - K Kt 3; 3 Q - R 6, and +wins.) + +2 Q - R 5 ch, K - Kt 1; 3 Kt - Kt 5, and Black cannot stop mate at K R 7 +except by sacrificing the Queen by Q - K 5, which would leave White with a +Q for a R. + +EXAMPLE 16.--This same type of combination is seen in a more complicated +form in the following position. + +[Illustration] + +White proceeds as follows: 1 Kt x Kt ch (this clears the line for the B); +B x Kt (to stop the Kt from moving to Kt 5 after the sacrifice of the B); +2 R x B, Kt x R best; 3 B x P ch, K x B. (If 3..K - R 1; 4 Q - R 5, +P - K Kt 3; 5 B x P ch, K - Kt 2; 6 Q - R 7 ch, K - B 3; 7 P - Kt 5 ch, +K - K 3; 8 B x P ch, R x B; 9 Q - K 4 mate.) 4 Q - R 5 ch, K - Kt 1; +5 Kt - Kt 5, R - B 1; {24} 6 Q - R 7 ch, K - B 1; 7 Q - R 8 ch, Kt - Kt 1; +8 Kt - R 7 ch, K - K 2; 9 R - K 1 ch, K - Q 1; 10 Q x Kt mate. + +This combination is rather long and has many variations, therefore a +beginner will hardly be able to fathom it; but, knowing the type of +combination, he might under similar circumstances undertake and carry out a +brilliant attack which he would otherwise never think of. It will be seen +that all the combinations shown have for a foundation the proper +co-ordination of the pieces, which have all been brought to bear against a +weak point. + + * * * * * + +5. RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES + +Before going on to the general principles of the openings, it is advisable +to give the student an idea of the proper relative value of the pieces. +There is no complete and accurate table for all of them, and the only thing +to do is to compare the pieces separately. + +For all general theoretical purposes the Bishop and the Knight have to be +considered as of the same value, though it is my opinion that the Bishop +will prove the more valuable piece in most cases; and it is well known that +two Bishops are almost always better than two Knights. + +The Bishop will be stronger against Pawns than the Knight, and in +combination with Pawns will also be stronger against the Rook than the +Knight will be. {25} + +A Bishop and a Rook are also stronger than a Knight and a Rook, but a Queen +and a Knight may be stronger than a Queen and a Bishop. + +A Bishop will often be worth more than three Pawns, but a Knight very +seldom so, and may even not be worth so much. + +A Rook will be worth a Knight and two Pawns, or a Bishop and two Pawns, +but, as said before, the Bishop will be a better piece against the Rook. + +Two Rooks are slightly stronger than a Queen. They are slightly weaker than +two Knights and a Bishop, and a little more so than two Bishops and a +Knight. The power of the Knight decreases as the pieces are changed off. +The power of the Rook, on the contrary, increases. + +The King, a purely _defensive_ piece throughout the middle-game, becomes an +_offensive_ piece once all the pieces are off the board, and sometimes even +when there are one or two minor pieces left. The handling of the King +becomes of paramount importance once the end-game stage is reached. + + * * * * * + +6. GENERAL STRATEGY OF THE OPENING + +The main thing is to _develop the pieces quickly_. Get them into play as +fast as you can. + +From the outset two moves, 1 P - K 4 or 1 P - Q 4, open up lines for the +Queen and a Bishop. Therefore, theoretically one of these two moves must be +the best, as no other first move accomplishes so much. {26} + +EXAMPLE 17.--Suppose we begin: + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 + +This is both an attacking and a developing move. Black can now either reply +with the identical move or play + + 2. ........ Kt - Q B 3 + +This developing move at the same time defends the King's Pawn. + + 3. Kt - B 3 Kt - B 3 + +These moves are of a purely developing nature. + + 4. B - Kt 5 + +_It is generally advisable not to bring this Bishop out until one Knight is +out_, preferably the King's Knight. The Bishop could also have been played +to B 4, but it is advisable whenever possible to combine development and +attack. + + 4. ........ B - Kt 5 + +Black replies in the same manner, threatening a possible exchange of Bishop +for Knight with Kt x P to follow. + + 5. O - O + +an indirect way of preventing 5...B x Kt, which more experience or study +will show to be bad. At the same time _the Rook is brought into action in +the centre, a very important point_. {27} + + 5. ........ O - O + +Black follows the same line of reasoning. + + 6. P - Q 3 P - Q 3 + +These moves have a two-fold object, viz.: to protect the King's Pawn and to +open the diagonal for the development of the Queen's Bishop. + + 7. B - Kt 5 + +[Illustration] + +A very powerful move, which brings us to the middle-game stage, as there is +already in view a combination to win quickly by Kt - Q 5. This threat makes +it impossible for Black to continue the same course. (There is a long +analysis showing that Black should lose if he also plays B - Kt 5.) He is +now forced to play 7...B x Kt, as experience has shown, thus bringing up to +notice three things. + +First, the complete development of the opening has taken only seven moves. +(This varies up to ten or twelve moves in some very exceptional cases. As a +rule, eight should be enough.) Second, Black has {28} been compelled to +exchange a Bishop for a Knight, but as a compensation he has isolated +White's Q R P and doubled a Pawn. (This, at such an early stage of the +game, is rather an advantage for White, as the Pawn is doubled towards the +centre of the board.) Third, White by the exchange brings up a Pawn to +control the square Q 4, puts Black on the defensive, as experience will +show, and thus keeps _the initiative_, an unquestionable advantage.[1] + +The strategical principles expounded above are the same for all the +openings, only their tactical application varies according to the +circumstances. + +Before proceeding further I wish to lay stress on the following point which +the student should bear in mind. + +_Before development has been completed no piece should be moved more than +once, unless it is essential in order to obtain either material advantage +or to secure freedom of action._ + +The beginner would do well to remember this, as well as what has already +been stated: viz., _bring out the Knights before bringing out the Bishops_. + + * * * * * + +7. CONTROL OF THE CENTRE + +The four squares, K 4 and Q 4 on each side respectively, are the centre +squares, and control of these squares is called control of the centre. _The +control of the centre is of great importance._ No violent attack can +succeed without controlling at least two of these {29} squares, and +possibly three. Many a manoeuvre in the opening has for its sole object the +control of the centre, which invariably ensures the initiative. It is well +always to bear this in mind, since it will often be the reason of a series +of moves which could not otherwise be properly understood. As this book +progresses I shall dwell more fully on these different points. At present I +shall devote some time to openings taken at random and explain the moves +according to general principles. The student will in that way train his +mind in the proper direction, and will thus have less trouble in finding a +way out when confronted with a new and difficult situation. + +EXAMPLE 18. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 P - Q 3 + +A timid move. Black assumes a defensive attitude at once. On principle the +move is wrong. In the openings, whenever possible, _pieces should be moved +in preference to Pawns_. + + 3. P - Q 4 + +White takes the offensive immediately and strives to control the centre so +as to have ample room to deploy his forces. + + 3. ........ Kt - Q 2 + +Black does not wish to relinquish the centre and also prefers the text move +to Kt - Q B 3, which would be the more natural square for the Kt. But on +{30} principle the move is wrong, because it blocks the action of the +Queen's Bishop, and instead of facilitating the action of Black's pieces, +tends, on the contrary, to cramp them. + + 4. B - Q B 4 P - K R 3 + +Black is forced to pay the penalty of his previous move. Such a move on +Black's part condemns by itself any form of opening that makes it +necessary. White threatened Kt - Kt 5 and Black could not stop it with +4...B - K 2, because of 5 P x P, Kt x P (if 5...P x P, 6 Q - Q 5); +6 Kt x Kt, P x Kt; 7 Q - R 5, and White wins a Pawn and has besides a +perfectly safe position. + + 5. Kt - B 3 K Kt - B 3 + 6. B - K 3 B - K 2 + 7. Q - K 2 + +It should be noticed that White does not Castle yet. The reason is that he +wants to deploy his forces first, and through the last move force Black to +play P - Q B 3 to make room for the Queen as White threatens R - Q 1, to be +followed by P x P. Black's other alternatives would finally force him to +play P x P, thus abandoning the centre to White. + + 7. ........ P - B 3 + 8. R - Q 1 Q - B 2 + 9. O - O + +With this last move White completes his development, while Black is +evidently somewhat hampered. A simple examination will suffice to show that +White's position {31} is unassailable. There are no weak spots in his +armour, and his pieces are ready for any manoeuvre that he may wish to +carry out in order to begin the attack on the enemy's position. The student +should carefully study this example. It will show him that it is sometimes +convenient to delay Castling. I have given the moves as they come to my +mind without following any standard book on openings. Whether the moves +given by me agree or not with the standard works, I do not know, but at the +present stage of this book it is not convenient to enter into discussions +of mere technicalities which the student will be able to understand when he +has become more proficient. + +EXAMPLE 19. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 P - Q 3 + 3. P - Q 4 B - Kt 5 + +A bad move, which violates one of the principles set down, according to +which at least one Knight should be developed before the Bishops are +brought out, and also because it exchanges a Bishop for a Knight, which in +the opening is generally bad, unless there is some compensation. + + 4. P x P B x Kt + +4...P x P loses a Pawn. + + 5. Q x B P x P + 6. B - Q B 4 Q - B 3 + +If Kt - B 3; Q - Q Kt 3 wins a Pawn. + +{32} /* 7. Q - Q Kt 3 P - Q Kt 3 8. Kt - B 3 P - Q B 3 */ + +To prevent Kt - Q 5. + +[Illustration] + +Black, however, has no pieces out except his Queen, and White, with a +Bishop and a Knight already developed, has a chance of obtaining an +advantage quickly by playing Kt - Q 5 anyway. The student is left to work +out the many variations arising from this position. + +These examples will show the practical application of the principles +previously enunciated. The student is warned against playing Pawns in +preference to pieces at the beginning of the game, especially P - K R 3 and +P - Q R 3, which are moves very commonly indulged in by beginners. + + * * * * * + +8. TRAPS + +I shall now give a few positions or traps to be avoided in the openings, +and in which (practice has shown) beginners are often caught. {33} + +EXAMPLE 20. + +[Illustration] + +White plays: + + 1. P x P Kt x P + +Black should have recaptured with the Pawn. + + 2. Kt x Kt B x Q + 3. B x P ch K - K 2 + 4. Kt - Q 5 mate. + +EXAMPLE 21. + +[Illustration] + +{34} Black, having the move, should play P - K 3. But suppose he plays +Kt - K B 3 instead, then comes-- + + 1. B x P ch + +Kt - K 5 would also give White the advantage, the threat being of course if +B x Q; 2 B x P mate. Nor does B - R 5 help matters, because of 2 Q x B, +1... B - K 3 leaves Black with the inferior position. But White's move in +the text secures an immediate material advantage, and the beginner at any +rate should never miss such an opportunity for the sake of a speculative +advantage in position. + + 1. ........ K x B + 2. Kt - K 5 ch K moves + 3. Kt x B + +and White has won a Pawn besides having the better position. + +There are a good many other traps--in fact, there is a book written on +traps on the chess board; but the type given above is the most common of +all. + + * * * * * + + +{35} + +CHAPTER II + +FURTHER PRINCIPLES IN END-GAME PLAY + +We shall now go back to the endings in search of a few more principles, +then again to the middle-game, and finally to the openings once more, so +that the advance may not only be gradual but homogeneous. In this way the +foundation on which we expect to build the structure will be firm and +solid. + +9. A CARDINAL PRINCIPLE + +[Illustration] + +In the position shown above, White can draw by playing P - Kt 4 according +to the general rule that governs such cases, i.e. _to advance the Pawn that +is free from opposition_. But suppose that White, either because he does +not know this principle or because he {36} does not, in this case, +sufficiently appreciate the value of its application; suppose, we say, that +he plays 1 P - Q R 4. Then Black can win by playing 1... P - Q R 4, +applying one of the cardinal principles of the high strategy of chess-- + + _A unit that holds two._ + +In this case one Pawn would hold two of the opponent's Pawns. The student +cannot lay too much stress on this principle. It can be applied in many +ways, and it constitutes one of the principal weapons in the hands of a +master. + +EXAMPLE 22.--The example given should be sufficient proof. We give a few +moves of the main variation:-- + + 1. P - R 4 P - Q R 4 + 2. K - Kt 2 K - B 5 + (Best; see why.) + 3. P - Kt 4 P x P + (Best.) + 4. P - R 5 P - Kt 6 + 5. P - R 6 P - Kt 7 + 6. P - R 7 P - Kt 8 (Q) + 7. P - R 8 (Q) Q - K 5 ch + 8. Q x Q K x Q + +This brings the game to a position which is won by Black, and which +constitutes one of the classical endings of King and Pawns. I shall try to +explain the guiding idea of it to those not familiar with it. {37} + + * * * * * + +10. A CLASSICAL ENDING + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 23.--In this position White's best line of defence consists in +keeping his Pawn where it stands at R 2. As soon as the Pawn is advanced it +becomes easier for Black to win. On the other hand, Black's plan to win +(supposing that White does not advance his Pawn) may be divided into three +parts. The first part will be to get his King to K R 6, at the same time +keeping intact the position of his Pawns. (This is all important, since, in +order to win the game, it is essential at the end that Black may be able to +advance his rearmost Pawn one or two squares according to the position of +the White King.) + + 1. K - Kt 3 K - K 6 + 2. K - Kt 2 + +If 2 K - Kt 4, K - B 7; 3 P - R 4, P - Kt 3 will win. {38} + + 2. ........ K - B 5 + 3. K - B 2 K - Kt 5 + 4. K - Kt 2 K - R 5 + 5. K - Kt 1 K - R 6 + +The first part has been completed. + +[Illustration] + +The second part will be short and will consist in advancing the R P up the +K. + + 6. K - R 1 P - R 4 + 7. K - Kt 1 P - R 5 + +This ends the second part. + +[Illustration] {39} + +The third part will consist in timing the advance of the Kt P so as to play +P - Kt 6 when the White King is at R 1. It now becomes evident how +necessary it is to be able to move the Kt P either one or two squares +according to the position of the White King, as indicated previously.[2] In +this case, as it is White's move, the Pawn will be advanced two squares +since the White King will be in the corner, but if it were now Black's move +the Kt P should only be advanced one square since the White King is at +Kt 1. + + 8. K - R 1 P - Kt 4 + 9. K - Kt 1 P - Kt 5 + 10. K - R 1 P - Kt 6 + 11. P x P + +If K - Kt 1, P - Kt 7. + + 11. ........ P x P + 12. K - Kt 1 P - Kt 7 + 13. K - B 2 K - R 7 + +and wins. + +It is in this analytical way that the student should try to learn. He will +thus train his mind to follow a logical sequence in reasoning out any +position. This example is excellent training, since it is easy to divide it +into three stages and to explain the main point of each part. + +The next subject we shall study is the simple {40} opposition, but before +we devote our time to it I wish to call attention to two things. + + * * * * * + +11. OBTAINING A PASSED PAWN + +When three or more Pawns are opposed to each other in some such position as +the one in Example 24, there is always a chance for one side or the other +of obtaining a passed Pawn. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 24.--In the above position the way of obtaining a passed Pawn is to +advance the centre Pawn. + + 1. P - Kt 6 R P x P + If B P x P; P - R 6, + 2. P - B 6 P x B P + 3. P - R 6 + +and as in this case the White Pawn is nearer to Queen than any of the Black +Pawns, White will {41} win. Now if it had been Black's move Black could +play + + 1. ........ P - Kt 3 + 2. B P x P B P x P + +It would not be advisable to try to obtain a passed Pawn because the White +Pawns would be nearer to Queen than the single Black Pawn. + + 3. P x P P x P + +and the game properly played would be a draw. The student should work this +out for himself. + + * * * * * + +12. HOW TO FIND OUT WHICH PAWN WILL BE FIRST TO QUEEN + +When two Pawns are free, or will be free, to advance to Queen, you can find +out, by counting, which Pawn will be the first to succeed. + +EXAMPLE 25.--In this position whoever moves first wins. + +[Illustration] {42} + +The first thing is to find out, by counting, whether the opposing King can +be in time to stop the passed Pawn from Queening. When, as in this case, it +cannot be done, the point is to count which Pawn comes in first. In this +case the time is the same, but the Pawn that reaches the eighth square +first and becomes a Queen is in a position to capture the adversary's Queen +when he makes one. Thus: + + 1. P - R 4 P - K R 4 + 2. P - R 5 P - R 5 + 3. P - Kt 6 P x P + +Now comes a little calculation. White can capture the Pawn, but if he does +so, he will not, when Queening, command the square where Black will also +Queen his Pawn. Therefore, instead of taking, he plays: + + 4. P - R 6 P - R 6 + 5. P - R 7 P - R 7 + 6. P - R 8 (Q), and wins. + +The student would do well to acquaint himself with various simple endings +of this sort, so as to acquire the habit of counting, and thus be able to +know with ease when he can or cannot get there first. Once again I must +call attention to the fact that a book cannot by itself teach how to play. +It can only serve as a guide, and the rest must be learned by experience, +and if a teacher can be had at the same time, so much the faster will the +student be able to learn. {43} + + * * * * * + +13. THE OPPOSITION + +When Kings have to be moved, and one player can, by force, bring his King +into a position similar to the one shown in the following diagram, so that +his adversary is forced to move and make way for him, the player obtaining +that advantage is said to have _the opposition_. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 26.--Suppose in the above position White plays + + 1. K - Q 4 + +Now Black has the option of either opposing the passage of the White King +by playing K - Q 3 or, if he prefers, he can _pass_ with his own King by +replying K - B 4. Notice that the Kings are directly opposed to each other, +and the number of intervening squares between them is odd--one in this +case. + +The opposition can take the form shown above, {44} which can be called +actual or close frontal opposition; or this form: + +[Illustration] + +which can be called actual or close diagonal opposition, or, again, this +form: + +[Illustration] + +which can be called actual or close lateral opposition. + +In practice they are all one and the same. The Kings are always on squares +of the same colour, there is only one intervening square between the Kings, +and the player who has moved last "_has the opposition_." {45} + +Now, if the student will take the trouble of moving each King backwards as +in a game in the same frontal, diagonal or lateral line respectively shown +in the diagrams, we shall have what may be called _distant_ frontal, +diagonal and lateral opposition respectively. + +The matter of the opposition is highly important, and takes at times +somewhat complicated forms, all of which can be solved mathematically; but, +for the present, the student should only consider the most simple forms. +(An examination of some of the examples of King and Pawns endings already +given will show several cases of close opposition.) + +In all simple forms of opposition, + +_when the Kings are on the same line and the number of intervening squares +between them is even, the player who has the move has the opposition_. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 27.--The above position shows to advantage the enormous value of +the opposition. The {46} position is very simple. Very little is left on +the board, and the position, to a beginner, probably looks absolutely even. +It is not the case, however. _Whoever has the move wins._ Notice that the +Kings are directly in front of one another, and that the number of +intervening squares is _even_. + +Now as to the procedure to win such a position. The proper way to begin is +to move straight up. Thus: + + 1. K - K 2 K - K 2 + 2. K - K 3 K - K 3 + 3. K - K 4 K - B 3 + +Now White can exercise the option of either playing K - Q 5 and thus +passing with his King, or of playing K - B 4 and prevent the Black King +from passing, thereby keeping the opposition. Mere counting will show that +the former course will only lead to a draw, therefore White takes the +latter course and plays: + + 4. K - B 4 K - Kt 3 + +If 4...K - K 3; 5 K - Kt 5 will win. + + 5. K - K 5 K - Kt 2 + +Now by counting it will be seen that White wins by capturing Black's Knight +Pawn. + +The process has been comparatively simple in the variation given above, but +Black has other lines of {47} defence more difficult to overcome. Let us +begin anew. + + 1. K - K 2 K - Q 1 + +Now if 2 K - Q 3, K - Q 2, or if 2 K - K 3, K - K 2, and Black obtains the +opposition in both cases. (When the Kings are directly in front of one +another, and the number of intervening squares between the Kings is _odd_, +the player who has moved last has the opposition.) + +Now in order to win, the White King must advance. There is only one other +square where he can go, B 3, and that is the right place. Therefore it is +seen that in such cases when the opponent makes a so-called waiting move, +you must advance, leaving a rank or file free between the Kings. Therefore +we have-- + + 2. K - B 3 K - K 2 + +Now, it would be bad to advance, because then Black, by bringing up his +King in front of your King, would obtain the opposition. It is White's turn +to play a similar move to Black's first move, viz.: + + 3. K - K 3 + +which brings the position back to the first variation shown. The student +would do well to familiarise himself with the handling of the King in all +examples of opposition. It often means the winning or losing of a game. + +{48} EXAMPLE 28.--The following position is an excellent proof of the value +of the opposition as a means of defence. + +[Illustration] + +White is a Pawn behind and apparently lost, yet he can manage to draw as +follows: + + 1. K - R 1 ! + +The position of the Pawns does not permit White to draw by means of the +actual or close opposition, hence he takes the distant opposition: in +effect if 1 K - B 1 (actual or close opposition), K - Q 7; 2 K - B 2, +K - Q 6 and White cannot continue to keep the lateral opposition essential +to his safety, because of his own Pawn at B 3. On the other hand, after the +text move, if + + 1. ........ K - Q 7 + 2. K - R 2 K - Q 6 + 3. K - R 3 ! K - K 7 + {49} + 4. K - Kt 2 K - K 6 + 5. K - Kt 3 K - Q 5 + 6. K - Kt 4 + +attacking the Pawn and forcing Black to play 6... K - K 6 when he can go +back to Kt 3 as already shown, and always keep the opposition. + +Going back to the original position, if + + 1. K - R 1 P - Kt 5 + +White does not play P x P, because P - K 5 will win, but plays: + + 2. K - Kt 2 K - Q 7 + +If 2...P x P ch; 3 K x P, followed by K - K 4, will draw. + + 3. P x P P - K 5 + +and mere counting will show that both sides Queen, drawing the game. + +If the student will now take the trouble to go back to the examples of King +and Pawns which I have given in this book,[3] he will realise that in all +of them the matter of the opposition is of paramount importance; as, in +fact, it is in nearly all endings of King and Pawns, except in such cases +where the Pawn-position in itself ensures the win. + +{50} + + * * * * * + +14. THE RELATIVE VALUE OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP + +Before turning our attention to this matter it is well to state now that +_two Knights alone cannot mate_, but, under certain conditions of course, +they can do so if the opponent has one or more Pawns. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 29.--In the above position White cannot win, although the Black +King is cornered, but in the following position, in which Black has a Pawn, + +[Illustration] + +White wins with or without the move. Thus: + + 1. Kt - Kt 6 P - R 5 + +{51} White cannot take the Pawn because the game will be drawn, as +explained before. + + 2. Kt - K 5 P - R 6 + 3. Kt - B 6 P - R 7 + 4. Kt - Kt 5 P - R 8 (Q) + 5. Kt - B 7 mate + +The reason for this peculiarity in chess is evident. + +_White with the two Knights can only stalemate the King, unless Black has a +Pawn which can be moved._ + +EXAMPLE 30.--Although he is a Bishop and a Pawn ahead the following +position cannot be won by White. + +[Illustration] + +It is the greatest weakness of the Bishop, that when the Rook's Pawn Queens +on a square of opposite colour and the opposing King is in front of the +Pawn, the Bishop is absolutely worthless. All that Black has to do is to +keep moving his King close to the corner square. {52} + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 31.--In the above position White with or without the move can win. +Take the most difficult variation. + + 1. ........ K - R 7 + 2. Kt - Kt 4 ch K - R 8 + 3. K - B 1 P - Kt 4 + 4. K - B 2 P - R 7 + 5. Kt - K 3 P - Kt 5 + 6. Kt - B 1 P - Kt 6 ch + 7. Kt x P mate + +Now that we have seen these exceptional cases, we can analyse the different +merits and the relative value of the Knight and the Bishop. + +It is generally thought by amateurs that the Knight is the more valuable +piece of the two, the chief reason being that, unlike the Bishop, the +Knight can command both Black and White squares. However, the fact is +generally overlooked that the Knight, at any one time, {53} has the choice +of one colour only. It takes much longer to bring a Knight from one wing to +the other. Also, as shown in the following Example, a Bishop can stalemate +a Knight; a compliment which the Knight is unable to return. + +EXAMPLE 32. + +[Illustration] + +The weaker the player the more terrible the Knight is to him, but as a +player increases in strength the value of the Bishop becomes more evident +to him, and of course there is, or should be, a corresponding decrease in +his estimation of the value of the Knight as compared to the Bishop. In +this respect, as in many others, the masters of to-day are far ahead of the +masters of former generations. While not so long ago some of the very best +amongst them, like Pillsbury and Tchigorin, preferred Knights to Bishops, +there is hardly a master of to-day who would not completely agree with the +statements made above. {54} + +EXAMPLE 33.--This is about the only case when the Knight is more valuable +than the Bishop. + +[Illustration] + +It is what is called a "_block position_," and all the Pawns are on one +side of the board. (If there were Pawns on both sides of the board there +would be no advantage in having a Knight.) In such a position Black has +excellent chances of winning. Of course, there is an extra source of +weakness for White in having his Pawns on the same colour-squares as his +Bishop. This is a mistake often made by players. The proper way, generally, +in an ending, is to have your Pawns on squares of opposite colour to that +of your own Bishop. When you have your Pawns on squares of the same colour +the action of your own Bishop is limited by them, and consequently the +value of the Bishop is diminished, since the value of a piece can often be +measured by the number of squares it commands. While on this subject, I +shall also call attention to the {55} fact that it is generally preferable +to keep your Pawns on squares of the same colour as that of the opposing +Bishop, particularly if they are passed Pawns supported by the King. The +principles might be stated thus: + +_When the opponent has a Bishop, keep your Pawns on squares of the same +colour as your opponent's Bishop._ + +_Whenever you have a Bishop, whether the opponent has also one or not, keep +your Pawns on squares of the opposite colour to that of your own Bishop._ + +Naturally, these principles have sometimes to be modified to suit the +exigencies of the position. + +EXAMPLE 34.--In the following position the Pawns are on one side of the +board, and there is no advantage in having either a Knight or a Bishop. The +game should surely end in a draw. + +[Illustration] {56} + +EXAMPLE 35.--Now let us add three Pawns on each side to the above position, +so that there are Pawns on both sides of the board. + +[Illustration] + +It is now preferable to have the Bishop, though the position, if properly +played out, should end in a draw. The advantage of having the Bishop lies +as much in its ability to command, at long range, both sides of the board +from a central position as in its ability to move quickly from one side of +the board to the other. + +[Illustration] {57} + +EXAMPLE 36.--In the above position it is unquestionably an advantage to +have the Bishop, because, although each player has the same number of +Pawns, they are not balanced on each side of the board. Thus, on the King's +side, White has three to two, while on the Queen's side it is Black that +has three to two. Still, with proper play, the game should end in a draw, +though White has somewhat better chances. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 37.--Here is a position in which to have the Bishop is a decided +advantage, since not only are there Pawns on both sides of the board, but +there is a passed Pawn (K R P for White, Q R P for Black). Black should +have extreme difficulty in drawing this position, if he can do it at all. +{58} + +EXAMPLE 38.--Again Black would have great difficulty in drawing this +position. + +[Illustration] + +The student should carefully consider these positions. I hope that the many +examples will help him to understand, in their true value, the relative +merits of the Knight and Bishop. As to the general method of procedure, a +teacher, or practical experience, will be best. I might say generally, +however, that the proper course in these endings, as in all similar +endings, is: Advance of the King to the centre of the board or towards the +passed Pawns, or Pawns that are susceptible of being attacked, and rapid +advance of the passed Pawn or Pawns as far as is consistent with their +safety. + +To give a fixed line of play would be folly. Each ending is different, and +requires different handling, according to what the adversary proposes to +do. Calculation by visualising the future positions is what will count. +{59} + + * * * * * + +15. HOW TO MATE WITH A KNIGHT AND A BISHOP + +Now, before going back again to the middle-game and the openings, let us +see how to mate with Knight and Bishop, and, then, how to win with a Queen +against a Rook. + +With a Knight and a Bishop _the mate can only be given in the corners of +the same colour as the Bishop_. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 39.--In this example we must mate either at Q R 1 or K R 8. The +ending can be divided into two parts. Part one consists in driving the +Black King to the last line. We might begin, as is generally done in all +such cases, by advancing the King to the centre of the board: + + 1. K - K 2 K - Q 2 + +Black, in order to make it more difficult, goes towards the white-squared +corner: + + 2. K - Q 3 K - B 3 + 3. B - B 4 K - Q 4 + {60} + 4. Kt - K 2 K - B 4 + 5. Kt - B 3 K - Kt 5 + 6. K - Q 4 K - R 4 + 7. K - B 5 K - R 3 + 8. K - B 6 K - R 2 + 9. Kt - Q 5 K - R 1 + +The first part is now over; the Black King is in the white-squared corner. + +[Illustration] + +The second and last part will consist in driving the Black King now from +Q R 8 to Q R 1 or K R 8 in order to mate him. Q R 1 will be the quickest in +this position. + + 10. Kt - Kt 6 ch K - R 2 + 11. B - B 7 K - R 3 + 12. B - Kt 8 K - R 4 + 13. Kt - Q 5 K - R 5 + +Black tries to make for K R 1 with his King. White has two ways to prevent +that, one by 14 B - K 5, {61} K - Kt 6; 15 Kt - K 3, and the other which I +give as the text, and which I consider better for the student to learn, +because it is more methodical and more in accord with the spirit of all +these endings, _by using the King as much as possible_. + + 14. K - B 5 ! K - Kt 6 + 15. Kt - Kt 4 K - B 6 + 16. B - B 4 K - Kt 6 + 17. B - K 5 K - R 5 + 18. K - B 4 K - R 4 + 19. B - B 7 ch K - R 5 + 20. Kt - Q 3 K - R 6 + 21. B - Kt 6 K - R 5 + 22. Kt - Kt 2 ch K - R 6 + 23. K - B 3 K - R 7 + 24. K - B 2 K - R 6 + 25. B - B 5 ch K - R 7 + 26. Kt - Q 3 K - R 8 + 27. B - Kt 4 K - R 7 + 28. Kt - B 1 ch K - R 8 + 29. B - B 3 mate + +It will be seen that the ending is rather laborious. There are two +outstanding features: the close following by the King, and the controlling +of the squares of opposite colour to the Bishop by the combined action of +the Knight and King. The student would do well to exercise himself +methodically in this ending, as it gives a very good idea of the actual +power of the pieces, and it requires foresight in order to accomplish the +{62} mate within the fifty moves which are granted by the rules. + + * * * * * + +16. QUEEN AGAINST ROOK + +This is one of the most difficult endings without Pawns. The resources of +the defence are many, and when used skilfully only a very good player will +prevail within the limit of fifty moves allowed by the rules. (The rule is +that at any moment you may demand that your opponent mate you within fifty +moves. However, every time a piece is exchanged or a Pawn advanced the +counting must begin afresh.) + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 40.--This is one of the standard positions which Black can often +bring about. Now, it is White's move. If it were Black's move it would be +simple, as he would have to move his Rook away from the King (find out +why), and then the Rook would be {63} comparatively easy to win. We deduce +from the above that the main object is to force the Black Rook away from +the defending King, and that, in order to compel Black to do so, we must +bring about the position in the diagram with _Black_ to move. Once we know +what is required, the way to proceed becomes easier to find. Thus: + + 1. Q - K 5 ch + +Not 1 Q - R 6, because R - B 2 ch; 2 K - Kt 6, R - B 3 ch; 3 K x R. +Stalemate. (The beginner will invariably fall into this trap.) + + 1. ........ K to R 1 or to R 2 + 2. Q - R 1 ch K - Kt 1 + 3. Q - R 5 + +In a few moves we have accomplished our object. The first part is +concluded. Now we come to the second part. The Rook can only go to a White +square, otherwise the first check with the Queen will win it. Therefore + + 3. ........ R - Kt 6 + 4. Q - K 5 ch K - R 1 best + 5. Q - R 8 ch K - R 2 + 6. Q - Kt 7 ch K - R 1 + 7. Q - Kt 8 ch R - Kt 1 + 8. Q - R 2 mate + +(The student should find out by himself how to win when 3...R - Kt 8; +4 Q - K 5 ch, K - R 2.) {64} + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 41.--The procedure here is very similar. The things to bear in mind +are that the Rook must be prevented from interposing at Kt 1 because of an +immediate mate, and in the same way the King must be prevented from going +either to R 3 or B 1. + +EXAMPLE 42.--We shall now examine a more difficult position. + +[Illustration] {65} + +Many players would be deceived by this position. The most likely looking +move is not the best. Thus suppose we begin + + 1. Q - K 5 ch K - B 1 + 2. K - Kt 6 R - Q 2 + +The only defence, but, unfortunately, a very effective one, which makes it +very difficult for White, since he cannot play 3 Q - K 6 because of +3...R - Kt 2 ch; 4 K - B 6, R - Kt 3 ch draws. Nor can he win quickly by +3 Q - Q B 5 ch because 3...K - K 1, 4 K - B 6, R - Q 3 ch ! driving back +the White King. + +Now that we have seen the difficulties of the situation let us go back. The +best move is + + 1. Q - Kt 5 ch ! K - R 1 + +If K - R 2; 2 Q - Kt 6 ch, K - R 1; 3 K - R 6 ! + + 2. Q - K 5 ch ! K - R 2 best + 3. K - Kt 5 R - R 2 ! best + +If 3...R - Kt 2 ch; 4 K - B 6 leads to a position similar to those in +Examples 40 and 41. + + 4. Q - K 4 ch K - Kt 1 + 5. Q - B 4 ch K - R 2 + 6. K - B 6 R - K Kt 2 + 7. Q - R 4 ch K - Kt 1 + 8. Q - R 5 + +{66} and we have the position of Example 40 with Black to move. + +Let us go back again. + + 1. Q - Kt 5 ch K - B 1 + 2. Q - Q 8 ch K - Kt 2 + 3. K - Kt 5 R - B 6 + +The best place for the Rook away from the King. 3...K - R 2; 4 Q - Q 4, +R - Kt 2 ch; 5 K - B 6 would lead to positions similar to those already +seen. + + 4. Q - Q 4 ch K - B 1 + 5. K - Kt 6 + +5 Q - Q 6 ch, K - Kt 2; 6 Q - K 5 ch, K - B 1; 7 K - Kt 6 would also win +the Rook. The text move, however, is given to show the finesse of such +endings. White now threatens mate at Q 8. + + 5. ........ R - Kt 6 ch + 6. K - B 6 R - B 6 ch + 7. K - K 6 R - K R 6 + +White threatened mate at K R 8. + + 8. Q - B 4 ch + +and the Rook is lost. + +Note, in these examples, that the checks at long range along the diagonals +have often been the key to all the winning manoeuvres. Also that the Queen +and {67} King are often kept on different lines. The student should +carefully go over these positions and consider all the possibilities not +given in the text. + +He should once more go through everything already written before proceeding +further with the book. + + * * * * * + + +{68} + +CHAPTER III + +PLANNING A WIN IN MIDDLE-GAME PLAY + +I shall now give a few winning positions taken from my own games. I have +selected those that I believe can be considered as _types_, i.e. positions +that may easily occur again in a somewhat similar form. A knowledge of such +positions is of great help; in fact, one cannot know too many. It often may +help the player to find, with little effort, the right move, which he might +not be able to find at all without such knowledge. + +17. ATTACKING WITHOUT THE AID OF KNIGHTS + +[Illustration] {69} + +EXAMPLE 43.--It is Black's move, and as he is a Kt and P behind he must win +quickly, if at all. He plays: + + 1. ........ Q R - Kt 1 ! + 2. R - B 2 + +If, Q x Q, R x P ch; K - R 1, B - Q 4 and mate follows in a few moves. + + 2. ........ R x P ch + 3. K - B 1 B - B 5 ch + 4. Kt x B R - Kt 8 mate + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 44.--Black's last move was P - K 6, played with the object of +stopping what he thought was White's threat, viz.: R - Q R 5, to which he +would have answered Q - B 5 ch and drawn the game by perpetual check. +White, however, has a more forceful move, and he mates in three moves as +follows: {70} + + 1. R x P ch Q x R + 2. R - Q R 5 Black moves + 3. White mates + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 45.--White has a beautiful position, but still he had better gain +some material, if he can, before Black consolidates his defensive position. +He therefore plays: + + 1. R x Kt ! P x R + 2. B x P ch K - K 2 + +If Kt x B; R x Kt and Black would be helpless. + + 3. Q - R 7 ch K - K 1 + 4. Q x Kt ch K - Q 2 + 5. Q - R 7 ch Q - K 2 + 6. B - B 8 Q x Q + 7. R x Q ch K - K 1 + 8. R x R Resigns + +In these few examples the attacking has been done by Rooks and Bishops in +combination with the Queen. {71} There have been no Knights to take part in +the attack. We shall now give some examples in which the Knights play a +prominent part as an attacking force. + + * * * * * + +18. ATTACKING WITH KNIGHTS AS A PROMINENT FORCE + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 46.--White is two Pawns behind. He must therefore press on his +attack. The game continues: + + 1. Kt (B 5) x Kt P Kt - B 4 + +Evidently an error which made the winning easier for White, as he simply +took the Rook with the Knight and kept up the attack. Black should have +played: 1 ... Kt x Kt. Then would have followed: 2 Kt - B 6 ch, K - Kt 3; +3 Kt x B, P - B 3 (best); 4 P - K 5, K - B 2; 5 Kt x P, R - K 2; +6 Kt - K 4, and Black should lose.[4] + +{72} + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 47.--The student should carefully examine the position, as the +sacrifice of the Bishop in similar situations is typical, and the chance +for it is of frequent occurrence in actual play. The game continues: + + 1. B x P ch K x B + 2. Kt - Kt 5 ch K - Kt 3 + +Best. If 2...K - R 3; 3 Kt x P ch wins the Queen, and if 2...K - Kt 1; +3 Q - R 5, with an irresistible attack. + + 3. Q - Kt 4 P - B 4 + 4. Q - Kt 3 K - R 3 + +White finally won.[5] + +{73} + + * * * * * + +19. WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK + +We have so far given positions where the attacks were of a violent nature +and directed against the King's position. Very often, however, in the +middle-game attacks are made against a position or against pieces, or even +Pawns. + +_The winning of a Pawn among good players of even strength often means the +winning of the game._ + +Hence the study of such positions is of great importance. We give below two +positions in which the attack aims at the gain of a mere Pawn as a means of +ultimately winning the game. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 48.--Black is a Pawn behind, and there is no violent direct attack +against White's King. Black's pieces, however, are very well placed and +free to act, and by co-ordinating the action of all his pieces he is soon +able not only to regain the Pawn but to obtain the better game. The student +should carefully {74} consider this position and the subsequent moves. It +is a very good example of proper co-ordination in the management of forces. +The game continues: + + 1. ........ R - R 1 + 2. P - Q R 4 + +White's best move was P - Q Kt 3, when would follow Kt x B; 3 Q x Kt, +R - R 6 and Black would ultimately win the Q R P, always keeping a slight +advantage in position. The text move makes matters easier. + + 2. ........ Kt x B + 3. Q x Kt Q - B 5 + 4. K R - Q 1 K R - Kt 1 + +Black could have regained the Pawn by playing B x Kt, but he sees that +there is more to be had, and therefore increases the pressure against +White's Queen side. He now threatens, among other things, R x Kt P. + + 5. Q - K 3 R - Kt 5 + +Threatening to win the exchange by B - Q 5. + + 6. Q - Kt 5 B - Q 5 ch + 7. K - R 1 Q R - Kt 1 + +This threatens to win the Kt, and thus forces White to give up the +exchange. + + 8. R x B Q x R + 9. R - Q 1 Q - B 5 + +Now Black will recover his Pawn. {75} + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 49.--An examination of this position will show that Black's main +weakness lies in the exposed position of his King, and in the fact that his +Q R has not yet come into the game. Indeed, if it were Black's move, we +might conclude that he would have the better game, on account of having +three Pawns to two on the Queen's side, and his Bishop commanding the long +diagonal. + +It is, however, White's move, and he has two courses to choose from. The +obvious move, B - B 4, might be good enough, since after 1 B - B 4, +Q R - Q 1; 2 P - Q Kt 4 would make it difficult for Black. But there is +another move which completely upsets Black's position and wins a Pawn, +besides obtaining the better position. That move is Kt - Q 4 ! The game +continues as follows: + + 1. Kt - Q 4 ! P x Kt + 2. R x B Kt - Kt 5 + +{76} + +There is nothing better, as White threatened B - B 4. + + 3. B - B 4 ch K - R 1 + 4. R - K 6 P - Q 6 + 5. R x P + +And White, with the better position, is a Pawn ahead. + +These positions have been given with the idea of acquainting the student +with different types of combinations. I hope they will also help to develop +his imagination, a very necessary quality in a good player. The student +should note, in all these middle-game positions, that-- + +_once the opportunity is offered, all the pieces are thrown into action "en +masse" when necessary;_ and that _all the pieces smoothly co-ordinate their +action with machine-like precision._ + +That, at least, is what the ideal middle-game play should be, if it is not +so altogether in these examples. + + * * * * * + + +{77} + +CHAPTER IV + +GENERAL THEORY + +Before we revert to the technique of the openings it will be advisable to +dwell a little on general theory, so that the openings in their relation to +the rest of the game may be better understood. + +20. THE INITIATIVE + +As the pieces are set on the board both sides have the same position and +the same amount of material. White, however, has the move, and the move in +this case means _the initiative_, and the initiative, other things being +equal, is an advantage. Now this advantage must be kept as long as +possible, and should only be given up if some other advantage, material or +positional, is obtained in its place. White, according to the principles +already laid down, develops his pieces as fast as possible, but in so doing +he also tries to hinder his opponent's development, by applying pressure +wherever possible. He tries first of all to control the centre, and failing +this to obtain some positional advantage that will make it possible for him +to keep on harassing the enemy. He only relinquishes the initiative when he +gets for it some material advantage under such favourable conditions as to +make him feel {78} assured that he will, in turn, be able to withstand his +adversary's thrust; and finally, through his superiority of material, once +more resume the initiative, which alone can give him the victory. This last +assertion is self-evident, since, in order to win the game, the opposing +King must be driven to a position where he is attacked without having any +way of escape. Once the pieces have been properly developed the resulting +positions may vary in character. It may be that a direct attack against the +King is in order; or that it is a case of improving a position already +advantageous; or, finally, that some material can be gained at the cost of +relinquishing the initiative for a more or less prolonged period. + + * * * * * + +21. DIRECT ATTACKS _EN MASSE_ + +In the first case the attack must be carried on with sufficient force to +guarantee its success. Under no consideration must a direct attack against +the King be carried on _a outrance_ unless there is absolute certainty in +one's own mind that it will succeed, since failure in such cases means +disaster. + +EXAMPLE 50.--A good example of a successful direct attack against the King +is shown in the following diagram: + +In this position White could simply play B - B 2 and still have the better +position, but instead he prefers an immediate attack on the King's side, +with {79} the certainty in his mind that the attack will lead to a win. The +game continues thus:[6] + +[Illustration] + + 12. B x P ch K x B + 13. Kt - Kt 5 ch K - Kt 3 + 14. Q - Kt 4 P - B 4 + +Best. P - K 4 would have been immediately fatal. Thus: 14...P - K 4; +15 Kt - K 6 ch, K - B 3; 16 P - B 4 ! P - K 5; 17 Q - Kt 5 ch, K x Kt; +18 Q - K 5 ch, K - Q 2; 19 K R - Q 1 ch, Kt - Q 6; 20 Kt x P, K - B 3 (if +K - K 1, Kt - Q 6 ch wins the Queen); 21 R x Kt, Q x R; 22 R - B 1 ch, +K - Kt 3 (if K - Q 2 mate in two); 23 Q - B 7 ch and mate in five moves. + +{80} + + 15. Q - Kt 3 K - R 3 + 16. Q - R 4 ch K - Kt 3 + 17. Q - R 7 ch K - B 3 + +If K x Kt; Q x Kt P ch and mate in a few moves. + + 18. P - K 4 Kt - Kt 3 + 19. P x P P x P + 20. Q R - Q 1 Kt - Q 6 + 21. Q - R 3 Kt (Q 6) - B 5 + 22. Q - Kt 3 Q - B 2 + 23. K R - K 1 Kt - K 7 ch + +This blunder loses at once, but the game could not be saved in any case; +e.g. 23...B - K 3; 24 R x B ch, Kt x R; 25 Kt - Q 5 mate. + + 24. R x Kt Q x Q + 25. Kt - R 7 ch K - B 2 + 26. R P x Q R - R 1 + 27. Kt - Kt 5 ch K - B 3 + 28. P - B 4 Resigns + +EXAMPLE 51.--Another example of this kind: + +[Illustration] {81} + +In the above position the simple move Kt x P would win, but White looks for +complications and their beauties. Such a course is highly risky until a +wide experience of actual master-play has developed a sufficient insight +into all the possibilities of a position. This game, which won the +brilliancy prize at St. Petersburg in 1914, continued as follows:-- + + 21. B - R 4 Q - Q 2 + 22. Kt x B Q x R + 23. Q - Q 8 ch Q - K 1 + +If K - B 2; 24 Kt - Q 6 ch, King moves; 25 mate. + + 24. B - K 7 ch K - B 2 + 25. Kt - Q 6 ch K - Kt 3 + 26. Kt - R 4 ch K - R 4 + +If 26...K - R 3; 27 Kt (Q 6) - B 5 ch, K - R 4; 28 Kt x P ch, K - R 3; +29 Kt (R 4) - B 5 ch, K - Kt 3; 30 Q - Q 6 ch and mate next move. + + 27. Kt x Q R x Q + 28. Kt x P ch K - R 3 + 29. Kt (Kt 7) - B 5 ch K - R 4 + 30. P - K R 3 ! + +The climax of the combination started with 21 B - R 4. White is still +threatening mate, and the best way to avoid it is for Black to give back +all the material he has gained and to remain three Pawns behind. + +The student should note that in the examples given the attack is carried +out with every available piece, {82} and that often, as in some of the +variations pointed out, it is the coming into action of the last available +piece that finally overthrows the enemy. It demonstrates the principle +already stated: + +_Direct and violent attacks against the King must be carried _en masse_, +with full force, to ensure their success. The opposition must be overcome +at all cost; the attack cannot be broken off, since in all such cases that +means defeat._ + + * * * * * + +22. THE FORCE OF THE THREATENED ATTACK + +Failing an opportunity, in the second case, for direct attack, one must +attempt to increase whatever weakness there may be in the opponent's +position; or, if there is none, one or more must be created. It is always +an advantage to threaten something, but such threats must be carried into +effect only if something is to be gained immediately. For, holding the +threat in hand, forces the opponent to provide against its execution and to +keep material in readiness to meet it. Thus he may more easily overlook, or +be unable to parry, a thrust at another point. But once the threat is +carried into effect, it exists no longer, and your opponent can devote his +attention to his own schemes. One of the best and most successful +manoeuvres in this type of game is to make a demonstration on one side, so +as to draw the forces of your opponent to that side, then through the +greater mobility of your pieces to shift your forces quickly {83} to the +other side and break through, before your opponent has had the time to +bring over the necessary forces for the defence. + +A good example of positional play is shown in the following game: + +EXAMPLE 52.--Played at the Havana International Masters Tournament, 1913. +(French Defence.) White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: R. Blanco. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 3 + 2. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 P x P + 4. Kt x P Kt - Q 2 + 5. Kt - K B 3 K Kt - B 3 + 6. Kt x Kt ch Kt x Kt + 7. Kt - K 5 + +[Illustration] + +This move was first shown to me by the talented Venezuelan amateur, M. +Ayala. The object is to {84} prevent the development of Black's Queen's +Bishop _via_ Q Kt 2, after P - Q Kt 3, which is Black's usual development +in this variation. Generally it is bad to move the same piece twice in an +opening before the other pieces are out, and the violation of that +principle is the only objection that can be made to this move, which +otherwise has everything to recommend it. + + 7. ........ B - Q 3 + 8. Q - B 3 + +[Illustration] + +B - K Kt 5 might be better. The text move gives Black an opportunity of +which he does not avail himself + + 8. ........ P - B 3 + +P - B 4 was the right move. It would have led to complications, in which +Black might have held his own; at least, White's play would be very +difficult. The text move accomplishes nothing, and puts Black {85} in an +altogether defensive position. The veiled threat B x Kt; followed by +Q - R 4 ch; is easily met. + + 9. P - B 3 O - O + 10. B - K Kt 5 B - K 2 + +The fact that Black has now to move his Bishop back clearly demonstrates +that Black's plan of development is faulty. He has lost too much time, and +White brings his pieces into their most attacking position without +hindrance of any sort. + + 11. B - Q 3 Kt - K 1 + +The alternative was Kt - Q 4. Otherwise White would play Q - R 3, and Black +would be forced to play P - K Kt 3 (not P - K R 3, because of the sacrifice +B x P), seriously weakening his King's side. + + 12. Q - R 3 P - K B 4 + +White has no longer an attack, but he has compelled Black to create a +marked weakness. Now White's whole plan will be to exploit this weakness +(the weak K P), and the student can now see how the principles expounded +previously are applied in this game. Every move is directed to make the +weak King's Pawn untenable, or to profit by the inactivity of the Black +pieces defending the Pawn, in order to improve the position of White at +other points. + + 13. B x B Q x B + 14. O - O R - B 3 + 15. K R - K 1 Kt - Q 3 + 16. R - K 2 B - Q 2 + +{86} At last the Bishop comes out, not as an active attacking piece, but +merely to make way for the Rook. + + 17. Q R - K 1 R - K 1 + 18. P - Q B 4 Kt - B 2 + +A very clever move, tending to prevent P - B 5, and tempting White to play +Kt x B, followed by B x P, which would be bad, as the following variation +shows: 19 Kt x B, Q x Kt; 20 B x P, Kt - Kt 4; 21 Q - Kt 4, R x B; +22 P - K R 4, P - K R 4; 23 Q x R, P x Q; 24 R x R ch, K - R 2; 25 P x Kt, +Q x P. But it always happens in such cases that, if one line of attack is +anticipated, there is another; and this is no exception to the rule, as +will be seen. + +[Illustration] + + 19. P - Q 5 ! Kt x Kt + +Apparently the best way to meet the manifold threats of White. B P x P +would make matters worse, as the White Bishop would finally bear on the +weak King's Pawn _via_ Q B 4. {87} + + 20. R x Kt P - K Kt 3 + 21. Q - R 4 K - Kt 2 + 22. Q - Q 4 P - B 4 + +Forced, as White threatened P x K P, and also Q x P + + 23. Q - B 3 P - Kt 3 + +Q - Q 3 was better. But Black wants to tempt White to play P x P, thinking +that he will soon after regain his Pawn with a safe position. Such, +however, is not the case, as White quickly demonstrates. I must add that in +any case Black's position is, in my opinion, untenable, since all his +pieces are tied up for the defence of a Pawn, while White's pieces are free +to act. + + 24. P x P B - B 1 + +[Illustration] + + 25. B - K 2 ! + +The deciding and timely manoeuvre. All the Black pieces are useless after +this Bishop reaches Q 5. {88} + + 25. ........ B x P + 26. B - B 3 K - B 2 + 27. B - Q 5 Q - Q 3 + +Now it is evident that all the Black pieces are tied up, and it only +remains for White to find the quickest way to force the issue. White will +now try to place his Queen at K R 6, and then advance the K R P to R 5 in +order to break up the Black Pawns defending the King. + + 28. Q - K 3 R - K 2 + +If 28...P - B 5; 29 Q - K R 3, P - K R 4; 30 Q - R 4, R - K 2; 31 Q - Kt 5, +K - Kt 2; 32 P - K R 4, Q - Q 2; 33 P - K Kt 3, P x P; 34 P - B 4, and +Black will soon be helpless, as he has to mark time with his pieces while +White prepares to advance P - R 5, and finally at the proper time to play +R x B, winning. + + 29. Q - R 6 K - Kt 1 + 30. P - K R 4 P - R 3 + 31. P - R 5 P - B 5 + 32. P x P P x P + 33. R x B Resigns. + +Commenting on White's play in this game, Dr. E. Lasker said at the time +that if White's play were properly analysed it might be found that there +was no way to improve upon it. + +These apparently simple games are often of the most difficult nature. +Perfection in such cases is much more difficult to obtain than in those +positions calling {89} for a brilliant direct attack against the King, +involving sacrifices of pieces. + + * * * * * + +23. RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE + +In the third case, there is nothing to do, once the material advantage is +obtained, but to submit to the opponent's attack for a while, and once it +has been repulsed to act quickly with all your forces and win on material. +A good example of this type of game is given below. + +EXAMPLE 53.--From the Havana International Masters Tournament, 1913. (Ruy +Lopez.) White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: D. Janowski. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 Kt - B 3 + 4. O - O P - Q 3 + 5. B x Kt ch P x B + 6. P - Q 4 B - K 2 + 7. Kt - B 3 + +P x P might be better, but at the time I was not familiar with that +variation, and therefore I played what I knew to be good. + + 7. ........ Kt - Q 2 + 8. P x P P x P + 9. Q - K 2 O - O + 10. R - Q 1 B - Q3 + 11. B - Kt 5 Q - K 1 + 12. Kt - K R 4 P - Kt 3 + +{90} Black offers the exchange in order to gain time and to obtain an +attack. Without considering at all whether or not such a course was +justified on the part of Black, it is evident that as far as White is +concerned there is only one thing to do, viz., to win the exchange and then +prepare to weather the storm. Then, once it is passed, to act quickly with +all forces to derive the benefit of numerical superiority. + + 13. B - R 6 Kt - B 4 + 14. R - Q 2 R - Kt 1 + 15. Kt - Q 1 R - Kt 5 + +To force White to play P - Q B 4, and thus create a hole at Q 5 for his +Knight.[7] Such grand tactics show the hand of a master. + + 16. P - Q B 4 Kt - K 3 + 17. B x R Q x B + 18. Kt - K 3 + +Kt - K B 3 was better. + + 18. ........ Kt - Q 5 + 19. Q - Q 1 P - Q B 4 + +In order to prevent R x Kt giving back the exchange, but winning a Pawn and +relieving the position. + + 20. P - Q Kt 3 R - Kt 1 + +In order to play B - Kt 2 without blocking his Rook. + +{91} Black's manoeuvring for positional advantage is admirable throughout +this game, and if he loses it is due entirely to the fact that the +sacrifice of the exchange, without even a Pawn for it, could not succeed +against sound defensive play. + +[Illustration] + + 21. Kt - B 3 P - B 4 + 22. P x P P x P + +[Illustration] + +The position begins to look really dangerous for White. In reality Black's +attack is reaching its maximum force. Very soon it will reach the apex, and +then {92} White, who is well prepared, will begin his counter action, and +through his superiority in material obtain an undoubted advantage. + + 23. Kt - B 1 P - B 5 + 24. Kt x Kt B P x Kt + 25. Q - R 5 B - Kt 2 + 26. R - K 1 P - B 4 + +He could not play R - K 1 because of R x Q P. Besides, he wants to be ready +to play P - K 5. At present White cannot with safety play R x K P, but he +will soon prepare the way for it. Then, by giving up a Rook for a Bishop +and a Pawn, he will completely upset Black's attack and come out a Pawn +ahead. It is on this basis that White's whole defensive manoeuvre is +founded. + + 27. P - B 3 R - K 1 + 28. R (Q 2) - K 2 R - K 3 + +[Illustration] + +Now the Black Rook enters into the game, but White is prepared. It is now +time to give back the exchange. {93} + + 29. R x P B x R + 30. R x B R - K R 3 + 31. Q - K 8 Q x Q + 32. R x Q ch K - B 2 + 33. R - K 5 R - Q B 3 + 34. Kt - Q 2 + +R - B 5 ch might have been better. The text move did not prove as strong as +anticipated. + + 34. ........ K - B 3 + 35. R - Q 5 R - K 3 + 36. Kt - K 4 ch K - K 2 + +R x Kt would lose easily + + 37. R x B P P - Q 6 ! + +Very fine. White cannot play R B 7 ch because of K - Q 1; R x B, R x Kt +winning. + + 38. K - B 2 B x Kt + 39. P x B R x P + 40. R - Q 5 R - K 6 + +The ending is very difficult to win. At this point White had to make the +last move before the game was adjourned. + +[Illustration] {94} + + 41. P - Q Kt 4 ! R - K 5 + 42. R x P R x P + 43. R - K R 3 R x P + 44. R x P ch K - B 3 + 45. R x P K - B 4 + 46. K - B 3 R - Kt 7 + 47. R - R 5 ch K - B 3 + 48. R - R 4 K - Kt 4 + 49. R x P R x R P + 50. P - R 4 ch K - R 4 + 51. R - B 5 ch K - R 3 + 52. P - Kt 4 Resigns + +I have passed over the game lightly because of its difficult nature, and +because we are at present concerned more with the opening and the +middle-game than we are with the endings, which will be treated separately. + + * * * * * + +24. CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM THE SCENE OF ACTION + +Very often in a game a master only plays to cut off, so to speak, one of +the pieces from the scene of actual conflict. Often a Bishop or a Knight is +completely put out of action. In such cases we might say that from that +moment the game is won, because for all practical purposes there will be +one more piece on one side than on the other. A very good illustration is +furnished by the following game. {95} + +EXAMPLE 54.--Played at the Hastings Victory Tournament, 1919. (Four +Knights.) White: W. Winter. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. Kt - B 3 Kt - B 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - Kt 5 + 5. O - O O - O + 6. B x Kt + +Niemzowitch's variation, which I have played successfully in many a game. +It gives White a very solid game. Niemzowitch's idea is that White will in +due time be able to play P - K B 4, opening a line for his Rooks, which, in +combination with the posting of a Knight at K B 5, should be sufficient to +win. He thinks that should Black attempt to stop the Knight from going to +K B 5, he will have to weaken his game in some other way. Whether this is +true or not remains to be proved, but in my opinion the move is perfectly +good. On the other hand, there is no question that Black can easily develop +his pieces. But it must be considered that in this variation White does not +attempt to hinder Black's development, he simply attempts to build up a +position which he considers impregnable and from which he can start an +attack in due course. + + 6. ........ Q P x B + +{96} The alternative, Kt P x B; gives White the best of the game, without +doubt.[8] + + 7. P - Q 3 B - Q 3 + 8. B - Kt 5 + +This move is not at all in accordance with the nature of this variation. +The general strategical plan for White is to play P - K R 3, to be followed +in time by the advance of the K Kt P to Kt 4, and the bringing of the Q Kt +to K B 5 via K 2 and K Kt 3 or Q 1 and K 3. Then, if possible, the K Kt is +linked with the other Kt by placing it at either K R 4, K Kt 3, or K 3 as +the occasion demands. The White King sometimes remains at Kt 1, and other +times it is placed at K Kt 2, but mostly at K R 1. Finally, in most cases +comes P - K B 4, and then the real attack begins. Sometimes it is a direct +assault against the King,[9] and at other times it comes simply to +finessing for positional advantage in the end-game, after most of the +pieces have been exchanged.[10] + + 8. ........ P - K R 3 + 9. B - R 4 P - B 4 + +{97} + +[Illustration] + +To prevent P - Q 4 and to draw White into playing Kt - Q 5, which would +prove fatal. Black's plan is to play P - K Kt 4, as soon as the +circumstances permit, in order to free his Queen and Knight from the pin by +the Bishop. + + 10. Kt - Q 5 + +White falls into the trap. Only lack of experience can account for this +move. White should have considered that a player of my experience and +strength could never allow such a move if it were good. + + 10. ........ P - K Kt 4 + +[Illustration] {98} After this move White's game is lost. White cannot play +Kt x Kt P, because Kt x Kt will win a piece. Therefore he must play +B - Kt 3, either before or after Kt x Kt, with disastrous results in either +case, as will be seen. + + 11. Kt x Kt ch Q x Kt + 12. B - Kt 3 B - Kt 5 + 13. P - K R 3 B x Kt + 14. Q x B Q x Q + 15. P x Q P - K B 3 + +[Illustration] + +A simple examination will show that White is minus a Bishop for all +practical purposes. He can only free it by sacrificing one Pawn, and +possibly not even then. At least it would lose time besides the Pawn. Black +now devotes all his energy to the Queen's side, and, having practically a +Bishop more, the result cannot be in doubt. The rest of the game is given, +so that the student may see how simple it is to win such a game. {99} + + 16. K - Kt 2 P - Q R 4 + 17. P - Q R 4 K - B 2 + 18. R - R 1 K - K 3 + 19. P - R 4 K R - Q Kt 1 + +There is no necessity to pay any attention to the King's side, because +White gains nothing by exchanging Pawns and opening the King's Rook file. + + 20. P x P R P x P + 21. P - Kt 3 P - B 3 + 22. R - Q R 2 P - Kt 4 + 23. K R - R 1 P - B 5 + +If White takes the proffered Pawn, Black regains it immediately by +R - Kt 5, after P x B P. + + 24. R P x P P x P (Kt 6) + 25. B P x P R x P + 26. R - R 4 R x P + 27. P - Q 4 R - Kt 4 + 28. R - B 4 R - Kt 5 + 29. R x B P R x P + Resigns + + * * * * * + +25. A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED IN A SPECIMEN GAME + +Now that a few of my games with my own notes have been given, I offer for +close perusal and study a very fine game played by Sir George Thomas, one +of England's foremost players, against Mr. F. F. L. Alexander, in the +championship of the City of London Chess Club in the winter of 1919-1920. +It has the {100} interesting feature for the student that Sir George Thomas +kindly wrote the notes to the game for me at my request, and with the +understanding that I would make the comments on them that I considered +appropriate. Sir George Thomas' notes are in brackets and thus will be +distinguished from my own comments. + +EXAMPLE 55.--Queen's Gambit Declined. (_The notes within brackets by Sir +George Thomas._) White: Mr. F. F. L. Alexander. Black: Sir George Thomas. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 3. P - B 4 P - K 3 + 4. Kt - B 3 Q Kt - Q 2 + 5. B - Kt 5 P - B 3 + 6. P - K 3 Q - R 4 + +[Illustration] + +(One of the objects of Black's method of defence is to attack White's Q Kt +doubly by Kt - K 5, followed by P x P. But 7 Kt - Q 2 is probably a strong +way {101} of meeting this threat.) There are, besides, two good reasons for +this method of defence; first, that it is not as much played as some of the +other defences and consequently not so well known, and second that it +leaves Black with two Bishops against B and Kt, which, in a general way, +constitutes an advantage. + + 7. B x Kt Kt x B + 8. P - Q R 3 Kt - K 5 + 9. Q - Kt 3 B - K 2 + +This is not the logical place for the B which should have been posted at +Q 3. In the opening, time is of great importance, and therefore the player +should be extremely careful in his development and make sure that he posts +his pieces in the right places. + + 10. B - Q 3 Kt x Kt + 11. P x Kt P x P + 12. B x B P B - B 3 + +(I did not want White's Kt to come to K 5, from where I could not dislodge +it by P - K B 3 without weakening my K P.) The same result could be +accomplished by playing B - Q 3. Incidentally it bears out my previous +statement that the B should have been originally played to Q 3. + + 13. O - O + +The alternative was P - K 4, followed by P - K 5, and then O - O. White +would thereby assume the initiative but would weaken his Pawn position +considerably, and might be compelled to stake all on a {102} violent attack +against the King. This is a turning point in the game, and it is in such +positions that the temperament and style of the player decide the course of +the game. + + 13. ........ O - O + 14. P - K 4 P - K 4 + +[Illustration] + + 15. P - Q 5 + +(White might play 15 K R - Q 1, keeping the option of breaking up the +centre later on. I wanted him to advance this P as there is now a fine post +for my B at Q B 4.) By this move White shows that he does not understand +the true value of his position. His only advantage consisted in the +undeveloped condition of Black's Q B. He should therefore have made a plan +to prevent the B from coming out, or if that were not possible, then he +should try to force Black to weaken his Pawn position in order to come out +with the B. There were three moves to consider: first, {103} P - Q R 4, in +order to maintain the White B in the dominating position that it now +occupies. This would have been met by Q - B 2; second, either of the Rooks +to Q 1 in order to threaten 16 P x P, B x P; 17 Kt x B, Q x Kt; +18 B x P ch. This would have been met by B - Kt 5; and third, P - K R 3 to +prevent B - Kt 5 and by playing either R to Q 1, followed up as previously +stated to force Black to play P - Q Kt 4, which would weaken his Queen's +side Pawns. Thus by playing P - K R 3 White would have attained the desired +object. The text move blocks the action of the White B and facilitates +Black's development. Hereafter White will act on the defensive, and the +interest throughout the rest of the game will centre mainly on Black's play +and the manner in which he carries out the attack. + + 15. ........ Q - B 2 + 16. B - Q 3 + +(This seems wrong, as it makes the development of Black's Queen wing +easier. At present he cannot play P - Q Kt 3, because of the reply P x P +followed by B - Q 5.) + + 16. ........ P - Q Kt 3 + 17. P - B 4 B - Kt 2 + 18. K R - B 1 + +(With the idea of Q R - Kt 1 and P - B 5. But it only compels Black to +bring his B to Q B 4, which he would do in any case.) + +{104} /* 18. ........ B - K 2 19. R - B 2 B - B 4 20. Q - Kt 2 +P - B 3 */ + +(It would have been better, probably, to play 20...K R - K 1, with the idea +of P - B 4 presently.) Black's play hereabout is weak; it lacks force, and +there seems to be no well-defined plan of attack. It is true that these are +the most difficult positions to handle in a game. In such cases a player +must conceive a plan on a large scale, which promises chances of success, +and with it all, it must be a plan that can be carried out with the means +at his disposal. From the look of the position it seems that Black's best +chance would be to mass his forces for an attack against White's centre, to +be followed by a direct attack against the King. He should, therefore, play +Q R - K 1, threatening P - K B 4. If White is able to defeat this plan, or +rather to prevent it, then, once he has fixed some of the White pieces on +the King's side, he should quickly shift his attack to the Queen's side, +and open a line for his Rooks, which, once they enter in action, should +produce an advantage on account of the great power of the two Bishops. + + 21. Q R - Kt 1 Q R - Q 1 + 22. P - Q R 4 B - R 3 + 23. R - Q 1 + +(White has clearly lost time with his Rook's moves.) + + 23. ........ K R - K 1 + 24. Q - Kt 3 + +{105} + +(To bring his Queen across after Kt - R 4 and B - K 2.) + + 24. ........ R - Q 3 + 25. Kt - R 4 P - Kt 3 + 26. B - K 2 + +[Illustration] + + 26. ........ P x P + +(I thought this exchange necessary here, as White is threatening to play +his Bishop via Kt 4 to K 6. If he retook with the Bishop's Pawn I intended +to exchange Bishops and rely on the two Pawns to one on the Queen's wing. I +did not expect him to retake it with the King's Pawn, which seemed to +expose him to a violent King's side attack.) Black's judgment in this +instance I believe to be faulty. Had White retaken with the B P, as he +expected, he would have had the worst of the Pawn position, as White would +have had a passed Pawn well supported on the Queen's side. His only +advantage would lie in his having a very well posted Bishop against a badly +{106} posted Knight, and on the fact that in such positions as the above, +the Bishop is invariably stronger than the Knight. He could and should have +prevented all that, by playing B - B 1, as, had White then replied with +Q - Kt 3, he could then play P x P, and White would not have been able to +retake with the B P on account of B x P ch winning the exchange. + + 27. K P x P P - K 5 + 28. P - Kt 3 P - K 6 + +I do not like this move. It would have been better to hold it in reserve +and to have played P - B 4, to be followed in due time by P - K Kt 4 and +P - B 5, after having placed the Q at Q 2, K B 2, or some other square as +the occasion demanded. The text move blocks the action of the powerful B at +Q B 4, and tends to make White's position safer than it should have been. +The move in itself is a very strong attacking move, but it is isolated, and +there is no effective continuation. Such advances as a rule should only be +made when they can be followed by a concerted action of the pieces. + + 29. P - B 4 B - B 1 + 30. Kt - B 3 B - B 4 + 31. R - Kt 2 R - K 5 + 32. K - Kt 2 Q - B 1 + 33. Kt - Kt 1 P - K Kt 4 + +{107} + +(If now 34 B - B 3, P x P; 35 B x R, B x B ch, with a winning attack.) + + 34. P x P P x P + 35. R - K B 1 P - Kt 5 + +R - R 3 was the alternative. White's only move would have been K - R 1. The +position now is evidently won for Black, and it is only a question of +finding the right course. The final attack is now carried on by Sir George +Thomas in an irreproachable manner. + + 36. B - Q 3 R - K B 3 + 37. Kt - K 2 Q - B 1 + +[Illustration] + +(Again preventing B x R, by the masked attack on White's Rook. White +therefore protects his Rook.) If Kt - B 4, P - K 7 !; 39 Kt x P, R x Kt ch; +40 R x R, B - K 5 ch !!; 41 B x B, best, R x R and White is lost. If, +however, against 38 Kt - B 4, Black plays Q - R 3, and White 39 Q - B 2, I +take pleasure {108} in offering the position to my readers as a most +beautiful and extraordinary win for Black, beginning with +39...Q - R 6 ch !!! I leave the variations for the student to work out. + + 38. R (Kt 2) - Kt 1 Q - R 3 + 39. Q - B 2 + +(Making a double attack on the Rook--which still cannot be taken--and +preparing to defend the K R P.) If either the Rook or Bishop are taken +White would be mated in a few moves. + + 39. ........ Q - R 6 ch + 40. K - R 1 R x P !! + +[Illustration] + +(If 40...R - R 3; 41 Kt - Kt 1, Q x Kt P; 42 Q - K Kt 2. Black therefore +tries to get the Queen away from the defence.) A very beautiful move, and +the best way to carry on the attack. + + 41. Q x R + +{109} + +(The best defence was 41 R x B, but Black would emerge with Queen against +Rook and Knight.) + + 41. ........ B x B + +(Again, not R - K R 3; because of P - Q 6 dis. ch.) + + 42. R x R + +(If 42 Q x B, then, at last, R - R 3 wins.) + + 42. ........ B x Q + 43. Kt - B 4 P - K 7 ! + +[Illustration] + +(The Queen has no escape, but White has no time to take it.) + + 44. R - K Kt 1 Q - B 8 + +White resigns. A very fine finish. + + * * * * * + + +{110} + +CHAPTER V + +END-GAME STRATEGY + +We must now revert once more to the endings. Their importance will have +become evident to the student who has taken the trouble to study my game +with Janowski (Example 53). After an uneventful opening--a Ruy Lopez--in +one of its normal variations, my opponent suddenly made things interesting +by offering the exchange; an offer which, of course, I accepted. Then +followed a very hard, arduous struggle, in which I had to defend myself +against a very dangerous attack made possible by the excellent manoeuvring +of my adversary. Finally, there came the time when I could give back the +material and change off most of the pieces, and come to an ending in which +I clearly had the advantage. But yet the ending itself was not as simple as +it at first appeared, and finally--perhaps through one weak move on my +part--it became a very difficult matter to find a win. Had I been a weak +end-game player the game would probably have ended in a draw, and all my +previous efforts would have been in vain. Unfortunately, that is very often +the case among the large majority of players; they are weak in the endings; +a failing from which masters of the first rank are at times not free. {111} +Incidentally, I might call attention to the fact that all the world's +champions of the last sixty years have been exceedingly strong in the +endings: Morphy, Steinitz, and Dr. Lasker had no superiors in this +department of the game while they held their titles. + +26. THE SUDDEN ATTACK FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE + +I have previously stated, when speaking about general theory, that at times +the way to win consists in attacking first on one side, then, granted +greater mobility of the pieces, to transfer the attack quickly from one +side to the other, breaking through before your opponent has been able to +bring up sufficient forces to withstand the attack. This principle of the +middle-game can sometimes be applied in the endings in somewhat similar +manner. + +EXAMPLE 56. + +[Illustration] {112} + +In the above position I, with the Black pieces, played: + + 1. ........ R - K 5 ch + 2. R - K 2 R - Q R 5 + 3. R - R 2 P - K R 4 + +The idea, as will be seen very soon, is to play P - R 5 in order to fix +White's King's side Pawns with a view to the future. It is evident to Black +that White wants to bring his King to Q Kt 3 to support his two weak +isolated Pawns, and thus to free his Rooks. Black, therefore, makes a plan +to shift the attack to the King's side at the proper time, in order to +obtain some advantage from the greater mobility of his Rooks. + + 4. R - Q 1 R (Q 4) - Q R 4 + +in order to force the Rook to Rook's square, keeping both Rooks tied up. + + 5. R (Q 1) - R 1 P - R 5 + 6. K - Q 2 K - Kt 2 + 7. K - B 2 R - K Kt 4 + +Black begins to transfer his attack to the King's side. + + 8. R - K Kt 1 + +A serious mistake, which loses quickly. White should have played +8 K - Kt 3, when Black would have answered 8...R (R 5) - R 4; 9 P - B 3, +and Black would have obtained an opening at K Kt 6 for his King, which in +the end might give him the victory. + + 8. ........ R - K B 5 + +{113} Now the King cannot go to Kt 3, because of R - Kt 4 ch. + + 9. K - Q 3 R - B 6 ch + 10. K - K 2 + +If P x R, R x R; followed by R - K R 8 winning, + + 10. ........ R x R P + +and Black won after a few moves. + +EXAMPLE 57.--Another good example, in which is shown the advantage of the +greater mobility of the pieces in an ending, is the following from a game +Capablanca-Kupchick played at the Havana Masters Tournament, 1913. The full +score and notes of the game can be found in the book of the tournament. + +[Illustration] + +White's only advantage in the above position is that he possesses the open +file and has the move, which will secure him the initiative. There is also +the slight advantage of having his Pawns on the Queen's side united, while +Black has an isolated Q R P. The {114} proper course, as in the previous +ending, is to bring the Rooks forward, so that at least one of them may be +able to shift from one side of the board to the other, and thus keep +Black's Rooks from moving freely. What this means in general theory has +been stated already; it really means: _keep harassing the enemy; force him +to use his big pieces to defend Pawns. If he has a weak point, try to make +it weaker, or create another weakness somewhere else and his position will +collapse sooner or later. If he has a weakness, and he can get rid of it, +make sure that you create another weakness somewhere else_. + +From the position in question the game continued thus: + + 1. R - K 4 K R - K 1 + +with the object of repeating White's manoeuvre, and also not to allow White +the control of the open file. + + 2. Q R - K 1 R - K 3 + 3. Q R - K 3 R (B 1) - K 1 + 4. K - B 1 K - B 1 + +Black wants to bring his King to the centre of the board in order to be +nearer to whatever point White decides to attack. The move is justified at +least on the general rule that in such endings the King should be in the +middle of the board. He does nothing after all but follow White's +footsteps. Besides, it is hard to point out anything better. If +4...P - Q 4; 5 R - Kt 4 ch, followed by K - K 2, would leave Black in {115} +a very disagreeable position. If 4...P - K B 4; 5 R - Q 4! R x R? 6 P x R, +R x P; 7 K - B 2, R - K 2; 8 R - Q R 4, winning the Q R P, which would +practically leave White with a passed Pawn ahead on the Queen's side, as +the three Pawns of Black on the King's side would be held by the two of +White. + + 5. K - K 2 K - K 2 + 6. R - Q R 4 R - Q R 1 + +The student should note that through the same manoeuvre Black is forced +into a position similar to the one shown in the previous ending. + + 7. R - R 5! + +This move has a manifold object. It practically fixes all of Black's Pawns +except the Q P, which is the only one that can advance two squares. It +specially prevents the advance of Black's K B Pawns, and at the same time +threatens the advance of White's K B Pawns to B 4 and B 5. By this threat +it practically forces Black to play P - Q 4, which is all White desires, +for reasons that will soon become evident. + + 7. ........ P - Q 4 + 8. P - Q B 4! K - Q 3 + +Evidently forced, as the only other move to save a Pawn would have been +P x P, which would have left all Black's Pawns isolated and weak. If +8...P - Q 5; 9 R - K 4, K - Q 3; 10 P - Q Kt 4! R - K 4; 11 R - R 6, and +Black's game is hopeless. + + 9. P - B 5 ch K - Q 2 + 10. P - Q 4 P - B 4 + +{116} Apparently very strong, since it forces the exchange of Rooks because +of the threat R - R 3; but in reality it leads to nothing. The best chance +was to play R - K K 1. + + 11. R x R P x R + 12. P - B 4 + +Up to now White had played with finesse, but this last move is weak. +R - R 6 was the proper way to continue, so as to force Black to give up his +Q R P or Q B P. + + 12. ........ K - B 1 + 13. K - Q 2 + +Again a bad move. 13 R - R 3 was the proper continuation, and if then +13...R - Kt 1; 14 P - Kt 3, K - Kt 2; 15 P - Kt 4, K - R 1; 16 R - Q Kt 3, +with excellent winning chances; in fact, I believe, a won game. + +[Illustration] + + 13. ........ K - Kt 2 + +Black misses his only chance. R - Kt 1 would have drawn. {117} + + 14. R - R 3 R - K Kt 1 + 15. R - R 3 R - Kt 2 + 16. K - K 2 K - R 3 + 17. R - R 6 R - K 2 + 18. K - Q 3 K - Kt 2 + +He goes back with the King to support his K P, and thus be able to utilise +his Rook. It is, however, useless, and only White's weak play later on +gives him further chances of a draw. + + 19. P - K R 4 K - B 1 + 20. R - R 5 + +To prevent the Black Rook from controlling the open file + + 20. ........ K - Q 2 + 21. R - Kt 5 R - B 2 + 22. K - B 3 K - B 1 + +He must keep his King on that side because White threatens to march with +his King to R 6 via Kt 4. + + 23. K - Kt 4 R - B 3 + 24. K - R 5 K - Kt 2 + 25. P - R 4 P - Q R 3 + 26. P - R 5 R - R 3 + +He can do nothing but wait for White. The text move stops White from moving +his Rook, but only for one move. + + 27. P - Kt 4 R - B 3 + +The only other move was K - R 2; when White could play R - Kt 7, or even +P - Kt 5. {118} + +[Illustration] + + 28. P - Kt 5 + +A weak move, which gives Black a fighting chance. In this ending, as is +often the case with most players, White plays the best moves whenever the +situation is difficult and requires careful handling, but once his position +seems to be overwhelming he relaxes his efforts and the result is nothing +to be proud of. The right move was 28 R - Kt 7. + + 28. ........ R P x P + 29. P x P R - B 1 ! + 30. R - Kt 7 R - R 1 ch + 31. K - Kt 4 P x P + 32. K x P R - R 7 + 33. P - B 6 ch K - Kt 1 + 34. R x R P R - Kt 7 ch + 35. K - R 5 R - R 7 ch + 36. K - Kt 4 R x P + +Black misses his last chance: R - Kt 7 ch, forcing the King to B 3, in +order to avoid the perpetual, {119} would probably draw. The reader must +bear in mind that my opponent was then a very young and inexperienced +player, and consequently deserves a great deal of credit for the fight he +put up. + + 37. R - K 7 R x P + +R - Kt 7 ch; followed by R - K R 7, offered better chances. + + 38. P - R 6! R x P ch + 39. K - Kt 5 R - Q 8 + 40. P - R 7 R - Kt 8 ch + 41. K - B 5 R - B 8 ch + 42. K - Q 4 R - Q 8 ch + 43. K - K 5 R - K 8 ch + 44. K - B 6 R - K R 8 + 45. R - K 8 ch K - R 2 + 46. P - R 8 (Q) R x Q + 47. R x R K - Kt 3 + 48. K x P K x P + 49. K x P K - B 4 + 50. K - K 5 Resigns. + +This ending shows how easy it is to make weak moves, and how often, even in +master-play, mistakes are made and opportunities are lost. It shows that, +so long as there is no great advantage of material, even with a good +position, a player, no matter how strong, cannot afford to relax his +attention even for one move. {120} + + * * * * * + +27. THE DANGER OF A SAFE POSITION + +EXAMPLE 58.--A good proof of the previous statement is shown in the +following ending between Marshall and Kupchick in one of their two games in +the same Tournament (Havana, 1913). + +[Illustration] + +It is evident that Marshall (White) is under great difficulties in the +above position. Not only is he bound to lose a Pawn, but his position is +rather poor. The best he could hope for was a draw unless something +altogether unexpected happened, as it did. No reason can be given for +Black's loss of the game except that he felt so certain of having the best +of it with a Pawn more and what he considered a safe position, that he +became exceedingly careless and did not consider the danger that actually +existed. Let us see how it happened. + + 1. P - Kt 4 R x R P + +{121} The mistakes begin. This is the first. Black sees that he can take a +Pawn without any danger, and does not stop to think whether there is +anything better. R - B 7 ch was the right move. If then K - Kt 3, R x P. If +instead White played K - K 4, then R - K 4 ch followed by R x R P. + + 2. R - Q 1 R - R 5 ch + +Mistake number two, and this time such a serious one as to almost lose the +game. The proper move was to play P - B 4 in order to break up White's +Pawns and at the same time make room for the Black King, which is actually +in danger, as will soon be seen. + + 3. R - Q 4 R (R5) - R 4 + +Mistake number three and this time fatal. His best move was R (Kt 4) - R 4. +After the text move there is no defence. Black's game is lost. This shows +that even an apparently simple ending has to be played with care. From a +practically won position Black finds himself with a lost game, and it has +only taken three moves. + + 4. R (Q 4) - Q 8 R - Kt 2 + +If 4...P - B 4; 5 R - R 8 ch, K - Kt 3; 6 R (B 8) - Kt 8 ch, K - B 3; +7 R x P ch, R - Kt 3; 8 P - Kt 5 ch, K - K 2; 9 R (R 6) x R, P x R; +10 R - Kt 7 ch, K - K 1; 11 R x Kt P, and wins easily. + + 5. P - R 4 P - R 4 + 6. R - R 8 ch Resigns. + +The reason is evident. If 6...K - Kt 3; 7 P x P ch, {122} R x P; 8 R x R, +K x R; 9 R - R 8 ch, K - Kt 3; 10 P - R 5 mate. + + * * * * * + +28. ENDINGS WITH ONE ROOK AND PAWNS + +The reader has probably realised by this time that endings of two Rooks and +Pawns are very difficult, and that the same holds true for endings of one +Rook and Pawns. Endings of two Rooks and Pawns are not very common in +actual play; but endings of one Rook and Pawns are about the most common +sort of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though they do occur so +often, few have mastered them thoroughly. They are often of a very +difficult nature, and sometimes while apparently very simple they are in +reality extremely intricate. Here is an example from a game between +Marshall and Rosenthal in the Manhattan Chess Club Championship Tournament +of 1909-1910. + +EXAMPLE 59. + +[Illustration] + +{123} In this position Marshall had a simple win by R - B 7 ch, but played +P - B 6, and thereby gave Black a chance to draw. Luckily for him Black did +not see the drawing move, played poorly, and lost. Had Black been up to the +situation he would have drawn by playing R - Q 3. + + 1. P - B 6 R - Q 3 ! + +Now White has two continuations, either (_a_) P - B 7, or (_b_) R - B 7 ch. +We have therefore: + + (a) 2. P - B 7 R - Q 1 ! + 3. R - R 5 ch K - B 5 + +and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook for Black's Pawn. Or-- + + (b) 2. R - B 7 ch K - Q 5 ! + 3. P - B 7 R - Kt 3 ch ! + +a very important move, as against R - K B 3, R - K 7 wins. + + 4. K - B 1 R - K B 3 + 5. R - Kt 7 K - B 6 + +and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook for the Pawn, or draw by +perpetual check. + +If there were nothing more in the ending it would not be of any great +value, but there are other very interesting features. Now suppose that +after 1 P - B 6, R - Q 3; 2 P - B 7, Black did not realise that R - Q 1 was +the only move to draw. {124} We would then have the following position: + +[Illustration] + +Now there would be two other moves to try: either (_a_) R - Kt 3 ch, or +(_b_) R - K B 3. Let us examine them. + + (a) 1. ........ R - Kt 3 ch + 2. K - B 3 R - B 3 ch + 3. K - K 3 R - K 3 ch + +If P - Kt 6; R - R 5 ch wins, because if the King goes back, then R - R 6, +and if the King goes up, then R - R 4 ch, followed by R - K B 4 wins. + + 4. K - Q 3 R - K B 3 + +If R - Q 3 ch; K - K 4 wins. + + 5. R - R 5 ch K moves + 6. R - R 6 wins + + + + (b) 1. ........ R - B 3 + 2. R - Kt 7 ! K - B 5 + +If P - Kt 6; R - Kt 3, and White will either capture the Pawn or go to +K B 3, and come out with a winning ending. {125} + + 3. P - R 4 P - Kt 6 + 4. R - Kt 4 ch K moves + 5. R - Kt 3 + +and White will either capture the Pawn or play R - K B 3, according to the +circumstances, and come out with a winning ending. + +Now, going back to the position shown on page 122, suppose that after +1 P - B 6, R - Q 3; 2 R - B 7 ch, Black did not realise that K - Q 5 was +the only move to draw, and consequently played K - Kt 3 instead, we would +then have the following position: + +[Illustration] + +Now the best continuation would be: + + 1. P - B 7 R - Kt 3 ch (best) + 2. K - B 1 R - K B 3 + 3. R - K 7 ! K - B 4 (best) + +White threatened to check with the Rook at K 6. + + 4. K - K 2 P - Kt 6 + +{126} Best. If K - B 5; both P - R 4 and K - K 3 will win; the last-named +move particularly would win with ease. + + 5. R - K 3 P - Kt 7 (best) + 6. R - Q Kt 3 R x P + 7. R x P R - K R 2 + 8. R - Q 2 R x P + 9. K - K 3 + +[Illustration] + +This position we have arrived at is won by White, because there are two +files between the opposing King and the Pawn from which the King is cut off +by the Rook, and besides, the Pawn can advance to the fourth rank before +the opponent's Rook can begin to check on the file. This last condition is +very important, because if, instead of the position on the diagram, the +Black Rook were at K R 1, and Black had the move, he could draw by +preventing the {127} advance of the Pawn, either through constant checks or +by playing R - K B 1 at the proper time. + +Now that we have explained the reasons why this position is won, we leave +it to the student to work out the correct solution. + +The fact that out of one apparently simple ending we have been able to work +out several most unusual and difficult endings should be sufficient to +impress upon the student's mind the necessity of becoming well acquainted +with all kinds of endings, and especially with endings of Rook and Pawns. + + * * * * * + +29. A DIFFICULT ENDING: TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS + +Following our idea that the best way to learn endings as well as openings +is to study the games of the masters, we give two more endings of two Rooks +and Pawns. These endings, as already stated, are not very common, and the +author is fortunate in having himself played more of these endings than is +generally the case. By carefully comparing and studying the endings already +given (Examples 56 and 57) with the following, the student no doubt can +obtain an idea of the proper method to be followed in such cases. The way +of procedure is somewhat similar in all of them. + +EXAMPLE 60.--From a game, Capablanca-Kreymborg, in the New York State +Championship Tournament of 1910. {128} + +[Illustration] + +It is Black's move, and no doubt thinking that drawing such a position +(that was all Black played for) would be easy, he contented himself with a +waiting policy. Such conduct must always be criticised. It often leads to +disaster. _The best way to defend such positions is to assume the +initiative and keep the opponent on the defensive._ + + 1. ........ Q R - K 1 + +The first move is already wrong. There is nothing to gain by this move. +Black should play P - Q R 4; to be followed by P - Q R 5; unless White +plays P - Q Kt 3. That would _fix_ the Queen's side. After that he could +decide what demonstration he could make with his Rooks to keep the +opponent's Rooks at bay. + + 2. R - Q 4 + +This move not only prevents P - B 5 which Black intended, but threatens +P - Kt 3, followed, after {129} P x P ch, by the attack with one or both +Rooks against Black's Q R P. + + 2. ........ R - B 3 + +probably with the idea of a demonstration on the King's side by R - Kt 3 +and Kt 7. + + 3. P - Kt 3 P x P ch + 4. P x P K - B 2 + 5. K - Q 3 + +R - Q R 1 should have been played now, in order to force Black to defend +with R - K 2. White, however, does not want to disclose his plan at once, +and thus awaken Black to the danger of his position, hence this move, which +seems to aim at the disruption of Black's Queen's side Pawns. + + 5. ........ R - K 2 + 6. R - Q R 1 K - K 3 + +This is a mistake. Black is unaware of the danger of his position. He +should have played P - Kt 4; threatening R - R 3, and, by making this +demonstration against White's K R P, stop the attack against his Queen's +side Pawns, which will now develop. + + 7. R - R 6 R - Q B 2 + +He could not play K - Q 3, because P - Q B 4 would win at least a Pawn. +This in itself condemns his last move K - K 3, which has done nothing but +make his situation practically hopeless. + + 8. R (Q 4) - Q R 4 P - K Kt 4 + +Now forced, but it is a little too late. He could not play 8...K R - B 2, +because P - K B 4 would have {130} left his game completely paralysed. +Black now finally awakens to the danger, and tries to save the day by the +counter-demonstration on the King's side, which he should have started +before. Of course, White cannot play R x R P, because of R x R, followed by +R - R 3, recovering the Pawn with advantage. + + 9. P - K R 4 ! P - Kt 5 + +Black is now in a very disagreeable position. If he played 9...P x P; +10 R x P would leave him in a very awkward situation, as he could not go +back with the King, nor could he do much with either Rook. He practically +would have to play 10...P - K R 3, when White would answer 11 P - Kt 4, +threatening to win a Pawn by P - Kt 5, or, if that were not enough, he +might play K - Q 4, to be followed finally by the entry of the King at B 5 +or K 5. + + 10. K - K 2 + +[Illustration] + +{131} /* 10. ........ P x P ch */ + +Again he cannot play P - K R 4, because P - K B 4 would leave him +paralysed. The advance of his K R P would make White's K R P safe, and +consequently his K R would have to retire to K B 2 to defend the Q R P. +That would make it impossible for his King to go to Q 2, because of the +Q R P, nor could he advance a single one of his Pawns. On the other hand, +White would play P - Kt 4, threatening to win a Pawn by P - Kt 5, or he +might first play K - Q 4, and then at the proper time P - Kt 5, if there +was nothing better. Black meanwhile could really do nothing but mark time +with one of his Rooks. Compare this bottling-up system with the ending in +Example 57, and it will be seen that it is very similar. + + 11. K x P R (B 3) - B 2 + 12. K - K 2 + +Probably wrong. P - Kt 4 at once was the right move. The text move gives +Black good chances of drawing. + + 12. ........ K - Q 3 + 13. P - Kt 4 R - Q Kt 2 + +This could never have happened had White played 12 P - Kt 4, as he could +have followed it up by P - Kt 5 after Black's K - Q 3. + + 14. P - R 5 + +Not good. P - K B 4 offered the best chances of {132} winning by force. If +then 14...R - Kt 2; 15 P - R 5, R - Kt 7 ch; 16 K - Q 3, R - K R 7; +17 R x P, R x R; 18 R x R, R x P; 19 R - R 6, with winning chances. + +[Illustration] + + 14. ........ P - R 3 + +Black misses his last chance. P - B 5 would draw. If then 15 P x P, +R (Kt 2) - K 2 ch !; 16 K - B 1, R x P; 17 R x P, R - K 6 ! + + 15. P - K B 4 R - Kt 2 + 16. K - Q 3 R (K Kt 2) - K 2 + 17. R - R 1 R - Kt 2 + 18. K - Q 4 R - Kt 7 + 19. R (R 6) - R 2 R (Kt 2) - Kt 2 + +R (Kt 7) - Kt 2 would have offered greater resistance, but the position is +lost in any case. (I leave the student to work this out.) + + 20. K - Q 3 ! R x R + 21. R x R R - K 2 + +{133} Nothing would avail. If 21...R - Kt 8; 22 R - R 6 ! R - Q 8 ch; +23 K - B 2, R - K R 8; 24 P - Kt 5, R x P; 25 R x P ch, K - Q 2; +26 R - Q R 6, and White will win easily. + + 22. R - K Kt 2 R - K 3 + 23. R - Kt 7 R - K 2 + 24. R - Kt 8 P - B 4 + +Black is desperate. He sees he can no longer defend his Pawns. + + 25. R - Kt 6 ch R - K 3 + 26. P x P ch K - Q 2 + 27. R - Kt 7 ch K - B 3 + 28. R x P K x P + 29. R - K B 7 Resigns. + +EXAMPLE 61.--From the game Capablanca-Janowski, New York National +Tournament of 1913. + +[Illustration] + +Black's game has the disadvantage of his double Q B P, which, to make +matters worse, he cannot {134} advance, because as soon as Black plays +P - Q Kt 3, White replies P - Q Kt 4. It is on this fact that White builds +his plans. He will stop Black's Queen's side Pawns from advancing, and will +then bring his own King to K 3. Then in due time he will play P - Q 4, and +finally P - K 5, or P - K Kt 5, thus forcing an exchange of Pawns and +obtaining in that way a clear passed Pawn on the King's file. It will be +seen that this plan was carried out during the course of the game, and that +White obtained his winning advantage in that way. The play was based +throughout on the chance of obtaining a passed Pawn on the King's file, +with which White expected to win. + + 1. P - K Kt 4 + +already preparing to play P - K Kt 5 when the time comes. + + 1. ........ P - Q Kt 3 + +Black wants to play P - Q B 4, but White, of course, prevents it. + + 2. P - Kt 4 ! K - Kt 2 + +This King should come to the King's side, where the danger lurks. + + 3. K - B 2 P - Q Kt 4 + +With the object of playing K - Kt 3 and P - Q R 4, followed by P x P, and +thus have an open file for his Rook and be able to make a +counter-demonstration {135} on the Queen's side in order to stop White's +advance on the right. White, however, also prevents this. + + 4. P - Q R 4 ! R - Q 5 + +Of course if P x P; Black will have all his Pawns on the Queen's side +disrupted and isolated, and White can easily regain the lost Pawn by +playing either Rook on the Q R file. + + 5. R - Q Kt 1 R - K 4 + +He still wants to play P - Q B 4, but as it is easy to foresee that White +will again prevent it, the text move is really a serious loss of time. +Black should bring his King over to the other side immediately. + + 6. K - K 3 R - Q 2 + 7. P - R 5 + +The first part of White's strategic plan is now accomplished. Black's Pawns +on the Queen's side are _fixed_ for all practical purposes. + + 7. ........ R - K 3 + +If R x R; Kt P x R would have given White a very powerful centre. Yet it +might have been the best chance for Black. + + 8. R (Kt) - K B 1 R (Q 2) - K 2 + 9. P - Kt 5 P x P + 10. R x P + +{136} + +[Illustration] + +The second part of White's strategical plan is now accomplished. It remains +to find out if the advantage obtained is sufficient to win. White not only +has a passed Pawn, but his King is in a commanding position in the centre +of the board ready to support the advance of White's Pawns, or, if +necessary, to go to Q B 5, or to move to the right wing in case of danger. +Besides, White holds the open file with one of his Rooks. Altogether +White's position is superior and his chances of winning are excellent. + + 10. ........ R - R 3 + 11. R - Kt 3 R (R 3) - K 3 + +to prevent P - Q 4. Also Black fears to keep his Rook in front of his two +King's side Pawns which he may want to utilise later. + + 12. P - R 4 P - Kt 3 + 13. R - Kt 5 P - R 3 + +{137} White threatens P - R 5, which would finally force Black to take, and +then White would double his Rooks against the isolated Pawn and win it, or +tie up Black's Rooks completely. The text move, however, only helps White; +therefore Black had nothing better than to hold tight and wait. R - K 4 +would not help much, as White would simply answer R - B 8, R - K 1; +R (Kt 5) x R, and whichever Rook Black took, White would have an easy game. +(The student should carefully study these variations.) + + 14. R - Kt 4 R - Kt 2 + 15. P - Q 4 K - B 1 + 16. R - B 8 ch K - Kt 2 + +K - Q 2 would not help much, but since he made the previous move he should +now be consistent and play it. + + 17. P - K 5 P - Kt 4 + 18. K - K 4 R (K 3) - K 2 + 19. P x P P x P + 20. R - B 5 K - B 1 + 21. R (Kt 4) x P R - R 2 + 22. R - R 5 K - Q 2 + 23. R x R R x R + 24. R - B 8 R - R 5 ch + 25. K - Q 3 R - R 6 ch + {138} + 26. K - Q 2 P - B 4 + 27. Kt P x P R - Q R 6 + 28. P - Q 5 Resigns. + +The winning tactics in all these endings have merely consisted in keeping +the opponent's Rooks tied to the defence of one or more Pawns, leaving my +own Rooks free for action. This is a general principle which can be equally +applied to any part of the game. It means in general terms-- + +_Keep freedom of manoeuvre while hampering your opponent._ + +There is one more thing of great importance, and that is that the winning +side has always had a general strategical plan capable of being carried out +with the means at his disposal, while often the losing side had no plan at +all, but simply moved according to the needs of the moment. + + * * * * * + +30. ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS _v._ ROOK, KNIGHT AND PAWNS + +We shall now examine an ending of Rook, Bishop and Pawns against Rook, +Knight and Pawns, where it will be seen that the Rook at times is used in +the same way as in the endings already given. + +EXAMPLE 62.--From the first game of the Lasker-Marshall Championship Match +in 1907. {139} + +[Illustration] + +In this position it is Black's move. To a beginner the position may look +like a draw, but the advanced player will realise immediately that there +are great possibilities for Black to win, not only because he has the +initiative, but because of White's undeveloped Queen's side and the fact +that a Bishop in such a position is better than a Knight (see Section 14). +It will take some time for White to bring his Rook and Knight into the +fray, and Black can utilise it to obtain an advantage. There are two +courses open to him. The most evident, and the one that most players would +take, is to advance the Pawn to Q B 4 and Q B 5 immediately in conjunction +with the Bishop check at R 3 and any other move that might be necessary +with the Black Rook. The other, and more subtle, course was taken by Black. +It consists in utilising his Rook in the same way as shown in the previous +endings, forcing White to defend something all the time, restricting the +action of White's Knight and {140} White's Rook, while at the same time +keeping freedom of action for his own Rook and Bishop. + + 1. ........ R - Kt 1 + +This forces P - Q Kt 3, which blocks that square for the White Knight. + + 2. P - Kt 3 R - Kt 4 + +bringing the Rook to attack the King's side Pawns so as to force the King +to that side to defend them, and thus indirectly making more secure the +position of Black's Queen's side Pawns. + + 3. P - B 4 R - K R 4 + 4. K - Kt 1 P - B 4 + +Note that the White Knight's sphere of action is very limited, and that +after Kt - Q 2 White's own Pawns are in his way. + + 5. Kt - Q 2 K - B 2 + 6. R - B 1 ch + +This check accomplishes nothing. It merely drives Black's King where it +wants to go. Consequently it is a very bad move. P - Q R 3 at once was the +best move. + + 6. ........ K - K 2 + 7. P - Q R 3 R - R 3 + +Getting ready to shift the attack to the Queen's side, where he has the +advantage in material and position. + + 8. P - K R 4 R - R 3 + +{141} + +Notice how similar are the manoeuvres with this Rook to those seen in the +previous endings. + + 9. R - R 1 B - Kt 5 + +Paralysing the action of the Knight and _fixing_ the whole King's side. + + 10. K - B 2 K - K 3 + +White cannot answer Kt - B 3, because B x Kt followed by K - K 4 will win a +Pawn, on account of the check at K B 3 which cannot be stopped. + + 11. P - R 4 K - K 4 + 12. K - Kt 2 R - K B 3 + 13. R - K 1 P - Q 6 + 14. R - K B 1 K - Q 5 + +Now the King attacks White's Pawns and all will soon be over. + + 15. R x R P x R + 16. K - B 2 P - B 3 + +Merely to exhaust White's move, which will finally force him to move either +the King or the Knight. + + 17. P - Q R 5 P - Q R 3 + 18. Kt - B 1 K x P + 19. K - K 1 B - K 7 + 20. Kt - Q 2 ch K - K 6 + 21. Kt - Kt 1 P - B 4 + 22. Kt - Q 2 P - R 4 + 23. Kt - Kt 1 K - B 6 + 24. Kt - B 3 K x P + {142} + 25. Kt - R 4 P - B 5 + 26. Kt x P P - B 6 + 27. Kt - K 4 ch K - B 5 + +The quickest way to win. White should resign. + + 28. Kt - Q 6 P - B 4 + 29. P - Kt 4 P x P + 30. P - B 5 P - Kt 6 + 31. Kt - B 4 K - Kt 6 + 32. Kt - K 3 P - Kt 7 + Resigns. + +A very good example on Black's part of how to conduct such an ending. + + * * * * * + + +{143} + +CHAPTER VI + +FURTHER OPENINGS AND MIDDLE-GAMES + +31. SOME SALIENT POINTS ABOUT PAWNS + +Before going back to the discussion of openings and middle-game positions, +it might be well to bear in mind a few facts concerning Pawn positions +which will no doubt help to understand certain moves, and sometimes even +the object of certain variations in the openings, and of some manoeuvres in +the middle-games. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 63.--In the position of the diagram we have an exceedingly bad Pawn +formation on Black's side. Black's Q B P is altogether backward, and White +could by means of the open file concentrate {144} his forces against that +weak point. There is also the square at White's Q B 5, which is controlled +by White, and from where a White piece once established could not be +dislodged. In order to get rid of it, Black would have to exchange it, +which is not always an easy matter, and often when possible not at all +convenient. The same holds true with regard to Black's K P, K B P and +K Kt P, which create what is called a "hole" at Black's K B 3. Such Pawn +formations invariably lead to disaster, and consequently must be avoided. + +[Illustration] + +EXAMPLE 64.--In this position we might say that the White centre Pawns have +the attacking position, while the Black centre Pawns have the defensive +position. Such a formation of Pawn occurs in the French Defence. In such +positions White most often attempts, by means of P - K B 4 and K B 5, to +obtain a crushing attack against Black's King, which is generally Castled +on the King's side. To prevent that, {145} and also to assume the +initiative or obtain material advantage, Black makes a +counter-demonstration by P - Q B 4, followed by P x P (when White defends +the Pawn by P - Q B 3), and the concentrating of Black's pieces against the +White Pawn at Q 4. This in substance might be said to be a determined +attack against White's centre in order to paralyse the direct attack of +White against Black's King. It must be remembered that at the beginning of +the book it was stated that _control of the centre was an essential +condition to a successful attack against the King_. + +In an abstract way we may say that two or more Pawns are strongest when +they are in the same rank next to one another. Thus the centre Pawns are +strongest in themselves, so to speak, when placed at K 4 and Q 4 +respectively, hence the question of advancing either the one or the other +to the fifth rank is one that must be most carefully considered. The +advance of either Pawn often determines the course the game will follow. + +Another thing to be considered is the matter of one or more passed Pawns +when they are isolated either singly or in pairs. We might say that a +passed Pawn is either very weak or very strong, and that its weakness or +strength, whichever happens to be in the case to be considered, increases +as it advances, and is at the same time in direct relation to the number of +pieces on the board. In this last respect it might be generally said that +_a passed Pawn increases in strength as the number of pieces on the board +diminishes_. {146} + +Having all this clear in mind we will now revert to the openings and +middle-game. We will analyse games carefully from beginning to end +according to general principles. I shall, whenever possible, use my own +games, not because they will better illustrate the point, but because, +knowing them thoroughly, I shall be able to explain them more +authoritatively than the games of others. + +32. SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS FROM A RUY LOPEZ + +That some of the variations in the openings and the manoeuvres in the +middle-game are often based on some of the elementary principles just +expounded can be easily seen in the following case: + +EXAMPLE 65. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 P - Q R 3 + 4. B - R 4 Kt - B 3 + 5. O - O Kt x P + 6. P - Q 4 P - Q Kt 4 + 7. B - Kt 3 P - Q 4 + 8. P x P B - K 3 + 9. P - B 3 B - K 2 + 10. R - K 1 Kt - B 4 + 11. B - B 2 B - Kt 5 + 12. Q Kt - Q 2 O - O + 13. Kt - Kt 3 Kt - K 3 + +{147} + +So far a very well-known variation of the Ruy Lopez. In fact, they are the +moves of the Janowski-Lasker game in Paris, 1912. + + 14. Q - Q 3 P - Kt 3 + +Let us suppose the game went on, and that in some way White, by playing one +of the Knights to Q 4 at the proper time, forced the exchange of both +Knights, and then afterwards both the Bishops were exchanged, and we +arrived at some such position as shown in the following diagram. (I +obtained such a position in a very similar way once at Lodz in Poland. I +was playing the White pieces against a consulting team headed by Salwe.) + +[Illustration] + +Now we would have here the case of the backward Q B P, which will in no way +be able to advance to Q B 4. Such a position may be said to be +theoretically lost, and in practice a first-class master will invariably +win it from Black. (If I may be excused the reference, I will say that I +won the game above referred to.) + +After a few moves the position may be easily thus: {148} + +[Illustration] + +The Black pieces can be said to be _fixed_. If White plays Q - Q B 3, Black +must answer Q - Q 2, otherwise he will lose a Pawn, and if White returns +with the Queen to Q R 3 Black will have again to return to Q Kt 2 with the +Queen or lose a Pawn. Thus Black can only move according to White's lead, +and under such conditions White can easily advance with his Pawns to K B 4 +and K Kt 4, until Black will be forced to stop P - B 5 by playing +P - K B 4, and we might finally have some such position as this: + +EXAMPLE 66. + +[Illustration] {149} + +In this situation the game might go on as follows: + + 1. P x P, P x P; 2. Q - K B 3, Q - Q 2 + +White threatened to win a Pawn by Q x P, and Black could not play +2...R - K B 1, because 3 R x B P would also win a Pawn at least. + + 3. R (B 5) - B 2, R - Kt 3; + 4. R - Kt 2, K - R 1; + 5. R (B 1) - K Kt 1, R (B 1) - K Kt 1; + 6. Q - R 5, R x R; + 7. R x R, R x R; + 8. K x R, Q - Kt 2 ch; + 9. K - R 2, Q - Kt 3; + 10. Q x Q, P x Q; + 11. P - Kt 4, and White wins. + +Now suppose that in the position in the preceding diagram it were Black's +move, and he played R - K B 1. White would then simply defend his K B P by +some move like Q - K B 3, threatening R x Q B P, and then he would bring +his King up to Kt 3, and when the time came, break through, as in the +previous case. White might even be able to obtain the following position: + +[Illustration] {150} + +Black would now be forced to play R - B 1, and White could then play +Q - B 2, and follow it up with K B 3, and thus force Black to play P x P, +which would give White a greater advantage. + +A careful examination of all these positions will reveal that, besides the +advantage of freedom of manoeuvre on White's part, the power of the Pawn at +K 5 is enormous, and that it is the commanding position of this Pawn, and +the fact that it is free to advance, once all the pieces are exchanged, +that constitute the pivot of all White's manoeuvres. + +I have purposely given positions without the moves which lead to them so +that the student may become accustomed to build up in his own mind possible +positions that may arise (out of any given situation). Thus he will learn +to make strategical plans and be on his way to the master class. The +student can derive enormous benefit by further practice of this kind. + +33. THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE" + +The influence of a so-called "hole" in a game has already been illustrated +in my game against Blanco (page 81), where has been shown the influence +exercised by the different pieces posted in the hole created at White's +K 5. {151} + +EXAMPLE 67.--In order to further illustrate this point, I now give a game +played in the Havana International Masters Tournament of 1913. (Queen's +Gambit Declined.) White: D. Janowski. Black: A. Kupchick. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. P - Q B 4 P - K 3 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - K 2 + 5. P - K 3 Q Kt - Q 2 + 6. B - Q 3 P x P + 7. B x P Kt - Kt 3 + +Of course the idea is to post a Knight at Q 4, but as it is the other +Knight which will be posted there this manoeuvre does not seem logical. The +Knight at Kt 3 does nothing except to prevent the development of his own +Q B. The normal course O - O, followed by P - Q B 4, is more reasonable. +For a beautiful illustration of how to play White in that variation, see +the Janowski-Rubinstein game of the St. Petersburg Tournament of 1914. + + 8. B - Q 3 + +B - Kt 3 has some points in its favour in this position, the most important +being the possibility of advancing the King's Pawn immediately after +8. ... K Kt - Q 4; 9 B x B, Q x B. + + 8. ........ K Kt - Q 4 + 9. B x B Q x B + 10. Kt - B 3 + +{152} Had White's Bishop been at Q Kt 3 he could now play P - K 4 as +indicated in the previous note, a move which he cannot make in the present +position, because of Kt - K B 5 threatening, not only the K Kt P, but also +Kt x B ch. As White's King's Bishop should never be exchanged in this +opening without a very good reason White therefore cannot play P - K 4. + + 10. ........ O - O + 11. O - O B - Q 2 + 12. R - B 1 + +[Illustration] + +White is perfectly developed, and now threatens to win a Pawn as follows: +Kt x Kt, Kt x Kt; P - K 4, followed by R x P. + + 12. ........ P - Q B 3 + +The fact that Black is practically forced to make this move in order to +avoid the loss of a Pawn is sufficient reason in itself to condemn the +whole system of development on Black's part. In effect, he plays B - Q 2 +and now he has to shut off the action of his {153} own Bishop, which +thereby becomes little more than a Pawn for a while. In fact, it is hard to +see how this Bishop will ever be able to attack anything. Besides, it can +be easily seen that White will soon post his two Knights at K 5 and Q B 5 +respectively, and that Black will not be able to dislodge them without +seriously weakening his game, if he can do it at all. From all these +reasons it can be gathered that it would probably have been better for +Black to play Kt x Kt and thus get rid of one of the two White Knights +before assuming such a defensive position. In such cases, the less the +number of pieces on the board, the better chances there are to escape. + + 13. Kt - K 4 P - K B 4 + +This practically amounts to committing suicide, since it creates a hole at +K 5 for White's Knight, from where it will be practically impossible to +dislodge him. If Black intended to make such a move he should have done it +before, when at least there would have been an object in preventing the +White Knight from reaching B 5. + + 14. Kt - B 5 B - K 1 + 15. Kt - K 5 + +The position of White's Knights, especially the one at K 5, might be said +to be ideal, and a single glance shows how they dominate the position. The +question henceforth will be how is White going to derive the full benefit +from such an advantageous situation, This we shall soon see. {154} + +[Illustration] + + 15. ........ R - Kt 1 + +There is no object in this move, unless it is to be followed by Kt - Q 2. +As that is not the case, he might have gone with the Rook to B 1, as he +does later. + + 16. R - K 1 R - B 3 + 17. Q - B 3 R - R 3 + 18. Q - Kt 3 R - B 1 + +White threatened to win the exchange by playing either Kt - B 7 or +Kt - Kt 4. + + 19. P - B 3 R - B 2 + 20. P - Q R 3 K - R 1 + 21. P - R 3 + +Perhaps all these precautions are unnecessary, but White feels that he has +more than enough time to prepare his attack, and wants to be secure in +every way before he begins. {155} + + 21. ........ P - Kt 4 + 22. P - K 4 P - B 5 + 23. Q - B 2 Kt - K 6 + +He had better have played Kt - B 3; and tried later on to get rid of +White's Knights by means of Kt - Q 2. + +[Illustration] + + 24. R x Kt + +with this sacrifice of the Rook for a Knight and Pawn White obtains an +overwhelming position. + + 24. ........ P x R + 25. Q x P Kt - B 1 + +Kt - Q 2 was better in order to get rid of one of the two White Knights. +There were, however, any number of good replies to it, among them the +following: Kt (B 5) x Kt, B x Kt; Q x P, Q x Q; Kt - B 7 ch, K - Kt 2; +Kt x Q, and with two Pawns for the exchange, and the position so much in +his favour, White should have no trouble in winning. {156} + + 26. Kt - Kt 4 R - Kt 3 + 27. P - K 5 R - Kt 2 + 28. B - B 4 B - B 2 + +All these moves are practically forced, and as it is easily seen they tie +up Black's position more and more. White's manoeuvres from move 24 onwards +are highly instructive. + + 29. Kt - B 6 Kt - Kt 3 + +This wandering Knight has done nothing throughout the game. + + 30. Kt (B5) - K 4 P - K R 3 + 31. P - K R 4 Kt - Q 4 + 32. Q - Q 2 R - Kt 3 + 33. P x P Q - B 1 + +If P x P; K - B 2, and Black would be helpless. + + 34. P - B 4 Kt - K 2 + 35. P - K Kt 4 P x P + 36. P x P Resigns. + +There is nothing to be done. If B - Kt 1; Q - R 2 ch, K - Kt 2; B x P. + +The student should notice that, apart from other things, White throughout +the game has had control of the Black squares, principally those at K 5 and +Q B 5. + +From now on to the end of the book I shall give a collection of my games +both lost and won, chosen so as to serve as illustrations of the general +principles laid down in the foregoing pages. + + * * * * * + + +{159} + +PART II + +GAME 1. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED + +(Match, 1909) + +White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. P - Q B 4 P - K 3 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - K 2 + 5. P - K 3 Kt - K 5 + +I had played this defence twice before in the match with good results, and +although I lost this game I still played it until the very last game, when +I changed my tactics. The reason was my total lack of knowledge of the +different variations in this opening, coupled with the fact that I knew +that Dr. E. Lasker had been successful with it against Marshall himself in +1907. I thought that since Dr. Lasker had played it so often, it should be +good. The object is to exchange a couple of pieces and at the same time to +bring about a position full of possibilities and with promising chances of +success once the end-game stage is reached. On general principles it should +be wrong, because the {160} same Knight is moved three times in the +opening, although it involves the exchange of two pieces. In reality the +difficulty in this variation, as well as in nearly all the variations of +the Queen's gambit, lies in the slow development of Black's Queen Bishop. +However, whether this variation can or cannot be safely played is a +question still to be decided, and it is outside the scope of this book. I +may add that at present my preference is for a different system of +development, but it is not unlikely that I should some time come back to +this variation. + + 6. B x B Q x B + 7. B - Q 3 + +P x P is preferable for reasons that we shall soon see. + + 7. ........ Kt x Kt + 8. P x Kt Kt - Q 2 + +Now P x P would be a better way to develop the game. The idea is that after +8...P x P; 9 B x B P, P - Q Kt 3, followed by B - Kt 2, would give Black's +Bishop a powerful range. For this variation see the eleventh game of the +match. + + 9. Kt - B 3 O - O + +No longer would 9...P x P; 10 B x P, P - Q Kt 3 be good, because +11 B - Kt 5 would prevent B - Kt 2 on account of Kt - K 5. {161} + + 10. P x P P x P + 11. Q - Kt 3 Kt - B 3 + 12. P - Q R 4 P - B 4 + +Played with the intention of obtaining the majority of Pawns on the Queen's +side. Yet it is doubtful whether this move is good, since it leaves Black's +Queen's-side Pawns disrupted in a way. The safer course would have been to +play P - B 3. + + 13. Q - R 3 P - Q Kt 3 + +[Illustration] + +This exposes Black to further attack by P - R 5 without any compensation +for it. If I had to play this position nowadays I would simply play +13...R - K 1. Then after 14 Q x P, Q x Q would follow, and I believe that +Black would regain the Pawn. If, instead, White played 14 P x P then +B - Kt 5 would give Black an excellent game. + + 14. P - R 5 B - Kt 2 + 15. O - O Q - B 2 + 16. K R - Kt 1 Kt - Q 2 + +{162} + +[Illustration] + +Black's position was bad and perhaps lost in any case, but the text move +makes matters worse. As a matter of fact I never saw White's reply B - B 5. +It never even passed through my mind that this was threatened. Black's best +move would have been 16...K R - Kt 1. If that loses, then any other move +would lose as well. + + 17. B - B 5 K R - B 1 + +From bad to worse. Kt - B 3 offered the only hope. + + 18. B x Kt Q x B + 19. P - R 6 B - B 3 + 20. P x P P x P + 21. Q x P Q R - Kt 1 + +The game was lost. One move was as good as another. + + 22. R x R R x R + 23. Kt - K 5 Q - B 4 + 24. P - K B 4 R - Kt 3 + 25. Q x R ! Resigns. + +{163} Of course, if 25 Kt x B, R - Kt 8 ch would have drawn. The text move +is pretty and finishes quickly. A well-played game on Marshall's part. + + * * * * * + +GAME 2. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED + +(San Sebastian, 1911) + +White: A. K. Rubinstein. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 P - Q B 4 + 3. P - B 4 P - K 3 + 4. P x Q P K P x P + 5. Kt - B 3 Kt -Q B 3 + 6. P - K Kt 3 B - K 3 + +Kt - B 3 is the normal move in this variation. White's development was +first introduced by Schlechter and elaborated later on by Rubinstein. It +aims at the isolation of Black's Q P, against which the White pieces are +gradually concentrated. In making the text move I was trying to avoid the +beaten track. Being a developing move there should be no objection to it in +the way of general principles, except that the Knights ought to come out +before the Bishops. + + 7. B - Kt 2 B - K 2 + 8. O - O R - B 1 + +In pursuance of the idea of changing the normal {164} course of this +variation, but with very poor success. The move in theory ought to be +unsound, since Black's K Kt is yet undeveloped. I had not yet learned of +the attack founded on Kt - Kt 5 and the exchange of the B at K 3. Either +Kt - B 3 or P - K R 3; to prevent either B or Kt - K Kt 5, was right. + +[Illustration] + + 9. P X P B x P + 10. Kt - K Kt 5 Kt - B 3 + 11. Kt x B P x Kt + 12. B - R 3 Q - K 2 + 13. B - Kt 5 O - O + +This is a mistake. The right move was R - Q 1 in order to get the Rook away +from the line of the Bishop at R 3 and at the same time to support the Q P. +Incidentally it shows that White failed to take proper advantage of Black's +weak opening moves. Against the text move White makes a very fine +combination {165} which I had seen, but which I thought could be defeated. + + 14. B x Kt Q x B + +I considered P x B, which it seemed would give me a playable game, but I +thought White's combination unsound and therefore let him play it, to my +lasting regret. + +[Illustration] + + 15. Kt x P ! Q - R 3 + +[Illustration] {166} + + 16. K - Kt 2 ! + +_This_ is the move which I had not considered. I thought that Rubinstein +would have to play B - Kt 2, when I had in mind the following winning +combination: 16 B - Kt 2, Kt - K 4 ! 17 Kt - B 4 (if R - B 1, Q x R !! +Q x Q, B x P ch wins), Kt - Kt 5; 18 P - K R 3 (if Kt - R 3, B x P ch wins +the exchange), Kt x P; 19 R x Kt, B x R ch; 20 K x B, P - K Kt 4, and Black +should win. It is curious that this combination has been overlooked. It has +been taken for granted that I did not see the 17th move Q - B 1. + + 16. ........ Q R - Q 1 + +After White's last move there was nothing for me to do but submit to the +inevitable. + + 17. Q - B 1 ! P x Kt + 18. Q x B Q - Q 7 + 19. Q - Kt 5 Kt - Q 5 + 20. Q - Q 3 Q x Q + 21. P x Q K R - K 1 + 22. B - Kt 4 + +This gives Black a chance. He should have played K R - K 1. If then +Kt - B 7; R x R ch, R x R; R - Q B 1, R - K 7; K - B 1, Kt - Q 5 (if +R - Q 7; B - K 6 ch, K - B 1; B x P would win); R - B 8 ch, K - B 2; +R - B 7 ch, R - K 2; R - B 5 wins. {167} + + 22. ........ R - Q 3 + 23. K R - K 1 R x R + 24. R x R R - Q Kt 3 + 25. R - K 5 R x P + 26. R x P Kt - B 3 + 27. B - K 6 ch K - B 1 + 28. R - B 5 ch K - K 1 + 29. B - B 7 ch K - Q 2 + 30. B - B 4 + +[Illustration] + + 30. ........ P - Q R 3 + +A bad move, which gives away any legitimate chance Black had to draw. It +loses a very important move. In fact, as the course of the game will show, +it loses several moves. The proper way was to play K - Q 3. If then +R - Q Kt 5, R x R; B x R, Kt - Q 5; followed by P - Q Kt 4; and White would +have an exceedingly difficult game to draw on account of the dominating +position of the Knight at {168} Q 5 in conjunction with the extra Pawn on +the Queen's side and the awkward position of White's King. (See how this is +so.) + + 31. R - B 7 ch K - Q 3 + 32. R x K Kt P P - Kt 4 + 33. B - Kt 8 P - Q R 4 + 34. R x P P - R 5 + 35. P - R 4 P - Kt 5 + 36. R - R 6 ch K - B 4 + 37. R - R 5 ch K - Kt 3 + 38. B - Q 5 + +With these last three moves White again gives Black a chance. Even before +the last move B - B 4 would have won with comparative ease, but the text +move is a downright blunder, of which, fortunately for him, Black does not +avail himself. + +[Illustration] + + 38. ........ P - Kt 6 + +R x P would make it practically impossible for White to win, if he can win +at all. White's best {169} continuation then would have been: 39 B - B 4, +R - B 7; 40 R - Kt 5 ch, K - B 2; 41 B - Kt 8, P - R 6; 42 P - R 5, +P - R 7; 43 B x P, R x B, and if there is a win it is very difficult to +find it, as against 44 P - R 6, R - R 3 ! offers excellent chances for a +draw. + + 39. P x P P - R 6 + 40. B x Kt R x Kt P + +If 40...P - R 7; 41 R - Kt 5 ch, K - R 3; 42 R - Kt 8. + + 41. B - Q 5 P - R 7 + 42. R - R 6 ch Resigns. + +As an end game, this is rather a sad exhibition for two masters. The +redeeming feature of the game is Rubinstein's fine combination in the +middle game, beginning with 14 B x Kt. + + * * * * * + +GAME 3. IRREGULAR DEFENCE + +(Havana, 1913) + +White: D. Janowski. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - Q 4 Kt - K B 3 + 2. Kt - K B 3 P - Q 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 Q Kt - Q 2 + 4. P - K 3 P - K 4 + 5. Kt - B 3 P - B 3 + 6. B - Q 3 B - K 2 + 7. Q - K 2 Q - R 4 + 8. O - O Kt - B 1 + 9. K R - Q 1 B - Kt 5 + +{170} + +At last Black is on his way to obtain full development. The idea of this +irregular opening is mainly to throw White on his own resources. At the +time the game was played, the system of defence was not as well known as +the regular forms of the Queen's Pawn openings. Whether it is sound or not +remains yet to be proved. Its good features are that it keeps the centre +intact without creating any particular weakness, and that it gives plenty +of opportunity for deep and concealed manoeuvring. The drawback is the long +time it takes Black to develop his game. It is natural to suppose that +White will employ that time to prepare a well-conceived attack, or that he +will use the advantage of his development actually to prevent Black's +complete development, or failing that, to obtain some definite material +advantage. + + 10. P - K R 3 B - R 4 + 11. P x P P x P + 12. Kt - K 4 + +[Illustration] {171} + + 12. ........ Kt x Kt + +A very serious mistake. I considered castling, which was the right move, +but desisted because I was afraid that by playing 13 B x Kt, P x B; +14 Kt - Kt 3, B - Kt 3; 15 Kt - B 5, White would obtain a winning position +for the end game. Whether right or wrong this shows how closely related are +all parts of the game, and consequently how one will influence the other. + + 13. B x B K x B + 14. B x Kt B - Kt 3 + +Not good. The natural and proper move would have been Kt - K 3, in order to +bring all the Black pieces into play. B x Kt at once was also good, as it +would have relieved the pressure against Black's King's Pawn, and at the +same time have simplified the game. + +Here it is seen how failure to comply with the elementary logical reasons, +that govern any given position, often brings the player into trouble. I was +no doubt influenced in my choice of moves by the fear of B - B 5, which was +a very threatening move. + + 15. Q - B 4 Kt - K 3 + 16. P - Q Kt 4 Q - B 2 + 17. B x B R P x B + 18. Q - K 4 K - B 3 + +{172} + +[Illustration] + + 19. R - Q 3 + +P - K R 4, to be followed by P - Kt 4, might have been a more vigorous way +to carry on the attack. Black's weak point is unquestionably the Pawn at +K 4, which he is compelled to defend with the King. The text move aims at +doubling the Rooks, with the ultimate object of placing one of them at Q 6, +supported by a Pawn at Q B 5, Black could only stop this by playing P - B 4 +which would create a "hole" at Q 5; or by playing P - Kt 3, which would tie +the Black Queen to the defence of the Q B P as well as the K P, which she +already defends. Black, however, can meet all this by offering the exchange +of Rooks, which destroys White's plans. For this reason P - K R 4 appears +the proper way to carry on the attack. + + 19. ........ Q R - Q 1 + 20. Q R - Q 1 P - K Kt 4 + +This move is preparatory to P - K Kt 3, which would {173} make Black's +position secure. Unfortunately for Black, he did not carry out his original +plan. + + 21. P - B 4 R x R + +P - K Kt 3 would have left Black with a perfectly safe game. + + 22. R x R R - Q 1 + +A very serious mistake, which loses a Pawn. P - K Kt 3 was the right move, +and would have left Black with a very good game. In fact, if it should come +to a simple ending, the position of the Black King would be an advantage. + + 23. R x R Kt x R + +[Illustration] + + 24. P - K R 4 + +This wins a Pawn, as will soon be seen. Black cannot reply 24...Kt - K 3; +because 25 P x P ch, Kt x P; 26 Q - R 4 wins the Knight. {174} + + 24. ........ P x P + 25. Q x P ch K - K 3 + 26. Q - Kt 4 ch K - B 3 + 27. Q - Kt 5 ch K - K 3 + 28. Q x P Q - Q 3 + 29. P - B 5 Q - Q 4 + 30. P K 4 ! Q - Q 8 ch + 31. K - R 2 P - B 3 + 32. Q - Kt 4 ch ! K - K 2 + 33. Kt x P Q x Q + 34. Kt x Q Kt - K 3 + 35. P - K 5 P x P + 36. Kt x P Kt - Q 5 + +The game went on for a few more moves, and, there being no way to +counteract the advance of White's two passed Pawns, Black resigned. + + * * * * * + +GAME 4. FRENCH DEFENCE + +(St. Petersburg, 1913) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: E. A. Snosko-Borovski. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - K 3 + 2. P - K 4 P - Q 4 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - Kt 5 + +This constitutes the _McCutcheon Variation_. It aims at taking the +initiative away from White. Instead {175} of defending, Black makes a +counter demonstration on the Queen's side. It leads to highly interesting +games. + + 5. P x P + +At the time this game was played the variation 5 P - K 5 was in vogue, but +I considered then, as I do now, the text move to be the stronger. + + 5. ........ Q x P + +This is considered superior to P x P. It has for its object, as I said +before, to take the initiative away from White by disrupting White's +Queen's side. White, however, has more than ample compensation through his +breaking up Black's King's side. It might be laid down as a principle of +the opening that _the breaking up of the King's side is of more importance +than a similar occurrence on the Queen's side_. + + 6. B x Kt B x Kt ch + 7. P x B P x B + 8. Kt - B 3 P - Q Kt 3 + +The plan of Black in this variation is to post his Bishop on the long +diagonal so as to be able later on, in conjunction with the action of his +Rooks along the open K Kt's file, to make a violent attack against White's +King. It is, of course, expected that White will Castle on the King's side +because of the broken-up condition of his Queen's side Pawns. {176} + + 9. Q - Q 2 B - Kt 2 + 10. B - K 2 Kt - Q 2 + 11. P - B 4 Q - K B 4 + 12. O - O - O + +An original idea, I believe, played for the first time in a similar +position in a game against Mr. Walter Penn Shipley, of Philadelphia. My +idea is that as there is no Black Bishop and because Black's pieces have +been developed with a view to an attack on the King's side, it will be +impossible for Black to take advantage of the apparently unprotected +position of White's King. Two possibilities must be considered. Firstly: If +Black Castles on the Queen's side, as in this game, it is evident that +there is no danger of an attack. Secondly: If Black Castles on the King's +side, White begins the attack first, taking advantage of the awkward +position of Black's Queen. In addition to the attacking probabilities of +the text move, White in one move brings his King into safety and brings one +of his Rooks into play. Thus he gains several moves, "tempi" as they are +called, which will serve him to develop whatever plan he may wish to +evolve. + + 12. ........ O - O - O + 13. Q - K 3 K R - Kt 1 + 14. P - Kt 3 Q - Q R 4 + +Unquestionably a mistake, overlooking White's fine {177} reply, but a +careful examination will show that White already has the better position. + + 15. R - Q 3 ! K - Kt 1 + 16. K R - Q 1 Q - K B 4 + +[Illustration] + + 17. Kt - R 4 + +This move has been criticised because it puts the Knight out of the way for +a few moves. But by forcing Q - K Kt 4; White gains a very important move +with P - B 4, which not only consolidates his position, but also drives the +Queen away, putting it out of the game for the moment. Certainly the Queen +is far more valuable than the Knight, to say nothing of the time gained and +the freedom of action obtained thereby for White's more important pieces. + + 17. ........ Q - K Kt 4 + 18. P - B 4 Q - Kt 2 + 19. B - B 3 + +{178} In such positions it is generally very advantageous to get rid of the +Black Bishop controlling his Q R 3 and Q B 3, which form "holes" for +White's pieces. The Bishop in such positions is of very great defensive +value, hence the advantage of getting rid of it. + + 19. ........ K R - K 1 + 20. B x B K x B + 21. P - Q B 5 ! P - B 3 + +White threatened P - B 6 ch. + + 22. Kt - B 3 Q - B 1 + +To prevent the Knight from moving to Q 6 via Q 2 and K 4 or Q B 4. It is +self-evident that White has a great advantage of position. + +[Illustration] + + 23. Kt - Q 2 ? + +I had considered R - Kt 3, which was the right move, but gave it up because +it seemed too slow, and {179} that in such a position there had to be some +quicker way of winning. + + 23. ........ P x P + 24. Kt - B 4 + +Kt - K 4 or Kt - Kt 3 would have brought about an ending advantageous to +White. + + 24. ........ Kt - Kt 3 + 25. Kt - R 5 ch K - R 1 + 26. P x P Kt - Q 4 + 27. Q - Q 4 R - B 1 + +If R - Kt 1; 28 Kt x P, R (Kt 1) - B 1; 29 Kt x P would win. + +[Illustration] + + 28. P - B 4 + +Kt - B 4 was the right move. I was, however, still looking for the "grand +combination," and thought that the Pawn I would later on have at Q 6 would +win the game. Black deserves great credit for the way in which he conducted +this exceedingly difficult {180} defence. He could easily have gone wrong +any number of times, but from move 22 onwards he always played the best +move. + + 28. ........ P - K 4 ! + 29. Q - Kt 1 P - K 5 + 30. P x Kt P x R + 31. P - Q 6 R - K 7 + 32. P - Q 7 R - B 7 ch + 33. K - Kt 1 R - Kt 1 ch + 34. Kt - Kt 3 Q - K 2 + +[Illustration] + + 35. R x P + +The position is most interesting. I believe I lost here my last chance to +win the game, and if that is true it would vindicate my judgment when, on +move 28, I played P - B 4. The student can find out what would happen if +White plays Q - Q 4 ! at once. I have gone over the following variations: +35 Q - Q 4, R x K R P (of course if R x B P, P - Q 8 wins); {181} +36 Q x Q P ! R - Q 1; 37 Q - R 6, K - Kt 1 best (if Q - Q 5 ch; K - R 1, +K - Kt 1; R - Q Kt 1 wins); 38 Q x B P and White will at least have a draw. + + 35. ........ R - K 7 + 36. Q - Q 4 R - Q 1 + 37. Q - R 4 Q - K 5 + 38. Q - R 6 K - Kt 1 + +There is nothing to be done against this simple move, since White cannot +play Kt - Q 4, because Q - R 8 mates. + + 39. K - B 1 R x Q P + 40. Kt - Q 4 R - K 8 ch + Resigns. + +A very interesting battle. + + * * * * * + +GAME 5. RUY LOPEZ + +(St. Petersburg, 1914) + +White: Dr. E. Lasker. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 P - Q R 3 + 4. B x Kt + +The object of this move is to bring about speedily a middle-game without +Queens, in which White {182} has four Pawns to three on the King's side, +while Black's superiority of Pawns on the other side is somewhat balanced +by the fact that one of Black's Pawns is doubled. On the other hand, Black +has the advantage of remaining with two Bishops while White has only one. + + 4. ........ Q P x B + 5. P - Q 4 P x P + 6. Q x P Q x Q + 7. Kt x Q B - Q 3 + +Black's idea is to Castle on the King's side. His reason is that the King +ought to remain on the weaker side to oppose later the advance of White's +Pawns. Theoretically there is very much to be said in favour of this +reasoning, but whether in practice that would be the best system would be +rather difficult to prove. The student should notice that if now all the +pieces were exchanged White would practically be a Pawn ahead, and would +therefore have a won ending. + + 8. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K 2 + +A perfectly sound form of development. In any other form adopted the Black +Kt could not be developed either as quickly or as well. K 2 is the natural +position for the Black Kt in this variation, in order not to obstruct +Black's Pawns, and also, in some eventualities, in order to go to K Kt 3. +There is {183} also the possibility of its going to Q 5 via Q B 3 after +P - Q B 4. + + 9. O - O O - O + 10. P - B 4 + +This move I considered weak at the time, and I do still. It leaves the K P +weak, unless it advances to K 5, and it also makes it possible for Black to +pin the Kt by B - Q B 4. + + 10. ........ R - K 1 + +Best. It threatens B - B 4; B - K 3, Kt - Q 4. It also prevents B - K 3 +because of Kt - Q 4 or B 4. + + 11. Kt - Kt 3 P - B 3 + +Preparatory to P - Q Kt 3, followed by P - Q B 4 and B - Kt 2 in +conjunction with Kt - Kt 3, which would put White in great difficulties to +meet the combined attack against the two centre Pawns. + + 12. P - B 5 + +[Illustration] {184} + +It has been wrongly claimed that this wins the game, but I would like +nothing better than to have such a position again. It required several +mistakes on my part finally to obtain a lost position. + + 12. ........ P - Q Kt 3 + 13. B - B 4 + +[Illustration] + + 13. ........ B - Kt 2 + +Played against my better judgment. The right move of course was B x B. Dr. +Lasker gives the following variation: 13...B x B; 14 R x B, P - B 4; +15 Q R - Q 1, B - Kt 2; 16 R - B 2, Q R - Q 1; 17 R x R, R x R; 18 R - Q 2, +R x R; 19 Kt x R, and he claims that White has the best of it. But, as +Niemzovitch pointed out immediately after the game, 16...Q R - Q 1 given in +Dr. Lasker's variation, is not the best. If 16...Q R - B 1 ! then White +will have great difficulty in drawing the game, {185} since there is no +good way to stop Black from playing Kt - B 3, followed by Kt - K 4, +threatening Kt - B 5. And should White attempt to meet this manoeuvre by +withdrawing the Kt at Kt 3; then the Black Knight can go to Q 5, and the +White Pawn at K 4 will be the object of the attack. Taking Dr. Lasker's +variation, however, whatever advantage there might be disappears at once if +Black plays 19...Kt - B 3, threatening Kt - Kt 5 and also Kt - Q 5, neither +of which can be stopped. If White answers 20 Kt - Q 5, Kt - Q 5 for Black +will at least draw. In fact, after 19...Kt - B 3 Black threatens so many +things that it is difficult to see how White can prevent the loss of one or +more Pawns. + + 14. B x B P x B + 15. Kt - Q 4 + +It is a curious but true fact that I did not see this move when I played +13...B - Kt 2, otherwise I would have played the right move 13...B x B. + + 15. ........ Q R - Q 1 + +The game is yet far from lost, as against the entry of the Knight, Black +can later on play P - B 4, followed by P - Q 4. + + 16. Kt - K 6 R - Q 2 + 17. Q R - Q 1 + +{186} + +[Illustration] + +I now was on the point of playing P - B 4, to be followed by P - Q 4, which +I thought would give me a draw, but suddenly I became ambitious and thought +that I could play the text move, 17...Kt - B 1, and later on sacrifice the +exchange for the Knight at K 6, winning a Pawn for it, and leaving White's +K P still weaker. I intended to carry this plan either before or after +playing P - K Kt 4 as the circumstances demanded. Now let us analyse: +17...P - B 4. If 18 Kt - Q 5, B x Kt; 19 P x B, P - Q Kt 4; and a careful +analysis will show that Black has nothing to fear. Black's plan in this +case would be to work his Kt around to K 4, via Q B 1, Q Kt 3, and Q B 5 or +Q 2. Again, 17...P - B 4; 18 R - B 2, P - Q 4; 19 P x P, B x P; 20 Kt x B +(best, since if R (B 2) - Q 2, B x Kt give Black the advantage), R x Kt; +21 R x R, Kt x R; and there is no good reason why Black should lose. + + 17. ........ Kt - B 1 + 18. R - B 2 P - Q Kt 4 + {187} + 19. K R - Q 2 R (Q 2) - K 2 + 20. P - Q Kt 4 K - B 2 + 21. P - Q R 3 B - R 1 + +Once more changing my plan and this time without any good reason. Had I now +played R x Kt; P x R ch, R x P; as I intended to do when I went back with +the Knight to B 1, I doubt very much if White would have been able to win +the game. At least it would have been extremely difficult. + + 22. K - B 2 R - R 2 + 23. P - Kt 4 P - R 3 + 24. R - Q 3 P - Q R 4 + 25. P - K R 4 P x P + 26. P x P R (R 2) - K 2 + +This, of course, has no object now. Black, with a bad game, flounders +around for a move. It would have been better to play R - R 6 to keep the +open file, and at the same time to threaten to come out with the Knight at +Kt 3 and B 5. + + 27. K - B 3 R - Kt 1 + 28. K - B 4 P - Kt 3 + +Again bad. White's last two moves were weak, since the White King does +nothing here. He should have played his Rook to Kt 3 on the 27th move. +Black now should have played P - Kt 4 ch. After missing this chance White +has it all his own way, and finishes the game most accurately, and Black +becomes more {188} helpless with each move. The game needs no further +comment, excepting that my play throughout was of an altogether irresolute +character. When a plan is made, it must be carried out if at all possible. +Regarding the play of White, I consider his 10th and 12th moves were very +weak; he played well after that up to the 27th move, which was bad, as well +as his 28th move. The rest of his play was good, probably perfect. + + 29. R - Kt 3 P - Kt 4 ch + 30. K - B 3 Kt - Kt 3 + 31. P x P R P x P + 32. R - R 3 R - Q 2 + 33. K - Kt 3 ! K - K 1 + 34. Q R - K R 1 B - Kt 2 + 35. P - K 5 Q P x P + 36. Kt - K 4 Kt - Q 4 + 37. Kt (K 6) - B 5 B - B 1 + 38. Kt x R B x Kt + 39. R - R 7 R - B 1 + 40. R - R 1 K - Q 1 + 41. R - R 8 ch B - B 1 + 42. Kt - B 5 Resigns. + + * * * * * + +{189} + +GAME 6. FRENCH DEFENCE + +(Rice Memorial Tournament, 1916) + +White: O. Chajes. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 3 + 2. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - Kt 5 + +Of all the variations of the French Defence I like this best, because it +gives Black more chances to obtain the initiative. + + 5. P - K 5 + +Though I consider P x P the best move, there is much to be said in favour +of this move, but not of the variation as a whole, which White adopted in +this game. + + 5. ........ P - K R 3 + 6. B - Q 2 B x Kt + 7. P x B Kt - K 5 + 8. Q - Kt 4 K - B 1 + +The alternative, P - K Kt 3; leaves Black's King's side very weak. White by +playing P - K R 4 would force Black to play P - K R 4; and later, on +White's Bishop by going to Q 3, would threaten the weakened K Kt P. By the +text move Black gives up Castling, but gains time for an attack against +White's centre and Queen's side. {190} + + 9. B - B 1 P - Q B 4 + +Threatening Q - R 4 and stopping thereby White's threat of B - R 3. It +demonstrates that White's last move was a complete loss of time and merely +weakened his position. + + 10. B - Q 3 Q - R 4 + 11. Kt - K 2 P x P + 12. O - O P x P + 13. B x Kt P x B + 14. Q x P Kt - B 3 + +[Illustration] + +Black has come out of the opening with a Pawn to the good. His development, +however, has suffered somewhat, and there are Bishops of opposite colour, +so that it cannot be said as yet, that Black has a won game; but he has +certainly the best of the position, because, besides being a Pawn to the +good, he threatens White's K P, which must of course be {191} defended, and +this in turn will give him the opportunity to post his Knight at Q 4 via +K 2. When the Black Knight is posted at Q 4, the Bishop will be developed +to B 3 via Q 2, as soon as the opportunity presents itself, and it will be +Black that will then have the initiative, and can consequently decide the +course of the game. + + 15. R - Q 1 + +To prevent Kt - K 2; which would be answered by Kt x P, or still better by +B - R 3. The move, however, is strategically wrong, since by bringing his +pieces to the Queen's side, White loses any chance he might have of making +a determined attack on the King's side before Black is thoroughly prepared +for it. + + 15. ........ P - K Kt 3 + 16. P - B 4 K - Kt 2 + 17. B - K 3 + +Better would have been P - Q R 4, in order to play B - R 3. The White B +would be much better posted on the open diagonal than here, where it acts +purely on the defensive. + + 17. ........ Kt - K 2 + 18. B - B 2 Kt - Q 4 + +This Knight completely paralyses the attack, as it dominates the whole +situation, and there is no way to dislodge it. Behind it Black can quietly +develop his pieces. The game can now be said to be won for Black +strategically. {192} + + 19. R - Q 3 B - Q 2 + 20. Kt - Q 4 Q R - Q B 1 + 21. R - Kt 3 K - R 2 + 22. P - K R 4 K R - Kt 1 + 23. P - R 5 Q - Kt 5 + +In order to pin the Knight and be ready to come back to either K 2 or B 1. +Also to prevent Q R - Kt 1. In reality nearly all these precautions are +unnecessary, since White's attack amounts to nothing. Probably Black should +have left aside all these considerations, and played Q - R 5 now, in order +to follow it up with P - B 4, as he did later, but under less favourable +circumstances. + + 24. R - R 3 + +[Illustration] + + 24. ........ P - B 4 + +Not the best, as White will soon prove. Q - B 1 would have avoided +everything, but Black wants to assume the initiative at once and plunges +into {193} complications. However, as will soon be seen, the move is not a +losing one by any means. + + 25. P x P e.p. Kt x P (B 3) + 26. P x P ch R x P + +[Illustration] + + 27. R x P ch + +This wins the Queen. + + 27. ........ K x R + 28. Kt - B 5 ch P x Kt + 29. Q x Q + +[Illustration] {194} + +The position looks most interesting. I thought it would be possible to get +up such an attack against the White King as to make it impossible for him +to hold out much longer, but I was wrong, unless it could have been done by +playing B - B 3 first, forcing P - Kt 3 and then playing K - R 4. I +followed a similar plan, but lost a very important move by playing +Q R - K Kt 1; which gave White time to play R - Q 1. I am convinced, +however, that B - B 3 at once was the right move. White would be forced to +play P - Kt 3, and Black would reply with either K - R 4; as already +indicated, which looks the best (the plan, of course, is to play R - K R 1; +and follow it up with K - Kt 5; threatening mate, or some other move +according to circumstances. In some cases, of course, it will be better +first to play K - Kt 5), or Kt - K 5, which will at least give him a draw. +There are so many possibilities in this position that it would be +impossible to give them all. It will be worth the reader's time to go +carefully through the lines of play indicated above. + + 29. ........ Q R - K Kt 1 + +As stated B - B 3 was the best move. + + 30. P - Kt 3 B - B 3 + 31. R - Q 1 K - R 4 + +The plan, of course, as explained above, is to go to Kt 5 in due time and +threaten mate at K R 8, but it is now too late, the White Rook having come +in {195} time to prevent the manoeuvre. Instead of the text move, +therefore, Black should have played Kt - K 5; which would have given him a +draw at the very least. After the text moves the tables are turned. It is +now White who has the upper hand, and Black who has to fight for a draw. + + 32. R - Q 6 B - K 5 + +Kt - K 5 was still the right move, and probably the last chance Black had +to draw against White's best play. + + 33. Q x B P Kt - Q 4 + 34. R x R K x R + +Kt x Q; R x R, Kt x P was no better. + + 35. Q - K 5 K - B 2 + 36. P - B 4 R - K 1 + 37. Q - Kt 2 Kt - B 3 + 38. B - Q 4 R - K R 1 + 39. Q - Kt 5 R - R 8 ch + 40. K - B 2 P - R 3 + 41. Q - Kt 6 R - R 7 ch + 42. K - K 1 Kt - Q 2 + 43. Q - Q 6 B - B 3 + 44. P - Kt 4 P x P + 45. P - K B 5 R - R 8 ch + 46. K - Q 2 K - K 1 + 47. P - B 6 R - R 2 + 48. Q - K 6 ch K - B 1 + 49. B - K 3 R - B 2 + 50. B - R 6 ch K - Kt 1 + +{196} + +Most players will be wondering, as the spectators did, why I did not +resign. The reason is that while I knew the game to be lost, I was hoping +for the following variation, which Chajes came very near playing: +51 Q x P ch, K - R 2; 52 Q - R 5, R x P; 53 B - Kt 5 ch, K - Kt 2; +54 B x R ch, K x B; and while White has a won game it is by no means easy. +If the reader does not believe it, let him take the White pieces against a +master and see what happens. My opponent, who decided to take no chances, +played 51 B - Kt 7, and finally won as shown below. + + 51. B - Kt 7 P - Kt 6 + 52. K - K2 P - Kt 7 + 53. K - B 2 Kt - B 1 + 54. Q - Kt 4 Kt - Q 2 + 55. K - Kt 1 P - R 4 + 56. P - R 4 B x P + 57. Q - R 3 R x P + 58. B x R Kt x B + 59. Q x P ch K - B 1 + 60. Q x P + +and after a very few more moves Black resigned. + +A very fine game on Chajes' part from move 25 on, for while Black, having +the best of the position, missed several chances, White, on the other hand, +missed none. + + * * * * * + +{197} + +GAME 7. RUY LOPEZ + +(San Sebastian, 1911) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: A. Burn + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 P - Q R 3 + 4. B - R 4 Kt - B 3 + 5. P - Q 3 + +This is a very solid development, to which I was much addicted at the time, +because of my ignorance of the multiple variations of the openings. + + 5. ........ P - Q 3 + 6. P - B 3 B - K 2 + +In this variation there is the alternative of developing this Bishop via +Kt 2, after P - K Kt 3. + + 7. Q Kt - Q 2 O - O + 8. Kt - B 1 P - Q Kt 4 + 9. B - B 2 P - Q 4 + 10. Q - K 2 P x P + 11. P x P B - Q B 4 + +Evidently to make room for the Queen at K 2, but I do not think the move +advisable at this stage. B - K 3 is a more natural and effective move. It +develops a piece and threatens B - B 5, which would have to be stopped. + + 12. B - Kt 5 B - K 3 + +{198} Now it is not so effective, because White's Q B is out, and the +Knight, in going to K 3 to defend the square Q B 4, does not block the Q B. + + 13. Kt - K 3 R - K 1 + 14. O - O Q - K 2 + +This is bad. Black's game was already not good. He probably had no choice +but to take the Knight with the Bishop before making this move. + +[Illustration] + + 15. Kt - Q 5 B x Kt + 16. P x B Kt - Kt 1 + +in order to bring it to Q 2, to support the other Knight and also his +King's Pawn. White, however, does not allow time for this, and by taking +advantage of his superior position is able to win a Pawn. + + 17. P - Q R 4 P - Kt 5 + +Since he had no way to prevent the loss of a Pawn, he should have given it +up where it is, and played Q Kt - Q 2, in order to make his position more +solid. {199} The text move not only loses a Pawn, but leaves Black's game +very much weakened. + + 18. P x P B x P + 19. B x Kt Q x B + 20. Q - K 4 B - Q 3 + 21. Q x P ch K - B 1 + +[Illustration] + +With a Pawn more and all his pieces ready for action, while Black is still +backward in development, it only remains for White to drive home his +advantage before Black can come out with his pieces, in which case, by +using the open K R file, Black might be able to start a strong attack +against White's King. White is able by his next move to eliminate all +danger. + + 22. Kt - R 4 Q - R 3 + +This is practically forced. Black could not play P - Kt 3 because of B x P, +and White meanwhile threatened Q - R 8 ch followed by Kt - B 5 ch and +Q x P. {200} + + 23. Q x Q P x Q + 24. Kt - B 5 P - K R 4 + 25. B - Q 1 Kt - Q 2 + 26. B x P Kt - B 3 + 27. B - K 2 Kt x P + 28. K R - Q 1 Kt - B 5 + 29. B - B 4 K R - Q 1 + 30. P - R 4 P - R 4 + +Black must lose time assuring the safety of this Pawn. + + 31. P - Kt 3 Kt - K 3 + 32. B x Kt P x B + 33. Kt - K 3 K R - Kt 1 + 34. Kt - B 4 K - K 2 + +Black fights a hopeless battle. He is two Pawns down for all practical +purposes, and the Pawns he has are isolated and have to be defended by +pieces. + + 35. Q R - B 1 R - R 2 + +White threatened Kt x B, followed by R - B 7 ch. + + 36. R - K 1 K - B 3 + 37. R - K 4 R - Kt 5 + 38. P - Kt 4 R - R 3 + +If R x R P; Kt x B of course would win a piece + + 39. R - B 3 B - B 4 + 40. R - B 3 ch K - Kt 2 + 41. P - Kt 3 B - Q 5 + 42. K - Kt 2 R - R 1 + {201} + 43. P - Kt 5 R - R 3 + 44. P - R 5 R x Kt + 45. P x R R - B 3 + 46. P - Kt 6 Resigns. + + * * * * * + +GAME 8. CENTRE GAME + +(Berlin 1913) + +White: J. Mieses. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. P - Q 4 P x P + 3. Q x P Kt - Q B 3 + 4. Q - K 3 Kt - B 3 + 5. Kt - Q B 3 B - Kt 5 + 6. B - Q 2 O - O + 7. O - O - O R - K 1 + +In this position, instead of the text move, P - Q 3 is often played in +order to develop the Q B. My idea was to exert sufficient pressure against +the K P to win it, and thus gain a material advantage, which would, at +least, compensate whatever slight advantage of position White might have. +The plan, I think, is quite feasible, my subsequent difficulties being due +to faulty execution of the plan. + + 8. Q - Kt 3 Kt x P + 9. Kt x Kt R x Kt + 10. B - K B 4 + +{202} + +[Illustration] + + 10. ........ Q - B 3 + +White's threat to regain the Pawn was merely with the idea of gaining time +to develop his pieces. Black could have played P - Q 3; opening the way for +his Q B, when would have followed, 11 B - Q 3, R - K 1; 12 Kt - B 3, and +White would soon start a powerful direct attack against Black's King. With +the text move Black aims at taking the initiative away from White in +accordance with the principles laid down in this book. + + 11. Kt - R 3 + +If B x P, P - Q 3; and White's Bishop would be completely shut off, and +could only be extricated, if at all, with serious loss of position. The +text move aims at quick development to keep the initiative. + + 11. ........ P - Q 3 + +This now is not only a developing move, but it also threatens to win a +piece by B x Kt. {203} + + 12. B - Q 3 Kt - Q 5 + +This complicates the game unnecessarily. R - K 1; was simple, and perfectly +safe. + + 13. B - K 3 + +[Illustration] + + 13. ........ B - Kt 5 + +This is a serious mistake. The position was most interesting, and though in +appearance dangerous for Black, not so in reality. The right move would +have been 13...R - Kt 5, when we would have 14 B x Kt, R x B; 15 P - Q B 3, +B x P; 16 P x B, R - K Kt 5; 17 Q - K 3 (best), Q x P ch; 18 B - B 2, +Q x Q; 19 P x Q, R x P, and Black has the best of the game with four Pawns +for a Knight, besides the fact that all the White Pawns are isolated. + + 14. Kt - Kt 5 ! R x B + +There was nothing better. + + 15. Q x B ! Kt - K 7 ch + +{204} + +[Illustration] + + 16. B x Kt ! R x B + 17. Kt - K 4 ! R x Kt + 18. Q x R Q - Kt 4 ch + 19. P - K B 4 Q - Kt 4 + 20. P - B 3 B - B 4 + 21. K R - K 1 Q - B 3 + 22. R - Q 5 + +Q x Q would have given White a decided advantage, enough to win with proper +play. Mieses, however, feared the difficulties of an ending where, while +having the exchange, he would be a Pawn minus. He preferred to keep the +Queens on the board and keep up the attack. At first sight, and even after +careful thought, there seems to be no objection to his plan; but in truth +such is not the case. From this point the game will gradually improve in +Black's favour until, with the exchange ahead, White is lost. {205} + + 22. ........ Q - Q 2 + 23. P - B 5 P - Q B 3 + 24. R - Q 2 P - Q 4 + +[Illustration] + +My plan for the moment is very simple. It will consist in bringing my +Bishop around to B 3. Then I shall try to paralyse White's attack against +my King by playing P - K R 3, and also prevent White from ever playing +P - K Kt 5. Once my King is safe from attack I shall begin to advance my +Queen's side Pawns, where there are four to three; and that advantage, +coupled with the enormous attacking power of my Bishop at B 3, will at +least assure me an even chance of success. + + 25. Q - B 3 B - K 2 + 26. Q R - K 2 B - B 3 + 27. Q - R 5 P - K R 3 + 28. P - K Kt 4 K - R 2 ! + +{206} To prevent P - K R 4, which I would answer with P - K Kt 3, winning +the Queen. It can now be considered that my King is safe from attack. White +will have to withdraw his Queen via R 3, and Black can use the time to +begin his advance on the Queen's side. + + 29. K - Kt 1 R - Q 1 + 30. R - Q 1 P - B 4 + +Notice that, on assuming the defensive, White has placed his Rooks +correctly from the point of view of strategy. They are both on white +squares free from the possible attack of the Black Bishop. + + 31. Q - R 3 Q - R 5 + +This gains time by attacking the Rook and holding the White Q at R 3 for +the moment, on account of the K Kt P. Besides, the Queen must be in the +middle of the fray now that the attack has to be brought home. White has +actually more value in material, and therefore Black must utilise +everything at his command in order to succeed. + + 32. R (K2) - Q 2 Q - K 5 ch + 33. K - R 1 P - Q Kt 4 + +threatening P - Kt 5; which would open the line of action of the Bishop and +also secure a passed Pawn. + + 34. Q - Kt 2 Q - R 5 + +indirectly defending the Q P, which White cannot take on account of +Q x R ch. + +{207} /* 35. K - Kt 1 P - Kt 5 */ + +The attack increases in force as it is gradually brought home directly +against the King. The position now is most interesting and extremely +difficult. It is doubtful if there is any valid defence against Black's +best play. The variations are numerous and difficult. + +[Illustration] + + 36. P x P Q x P + +Black has now a passed Pawn, and his Bishop exerts great pressure. White +cannot very well play now 37 R x P because of R x R; 38 R x R, B x P; and +White could not take the Bishop because Q - K 5 ch would win the Rook, +leaving Black a clear passed Pawn ahead. + + 37. P - Q R 3 Q - R 5 ! + 38. R x P R - Q Kt 1 + 39. R (Q 1) - Q 2 P - B 5 + 40. Q - Kt 3 R - Kt 6 + 41. Q - Q 6 + +{208} + +[Illustration] + + 41. ........ P - B 6 + +B x P would also win, which shows that White's game is altogether gone. In +these cases, however, it is not the prettiest move that should be played, +but the most effective one, the move that will make your opponent resign +soonest. + + 42. R - Q B 2 P x P + 43. R - Q 3 Q - K 5 ! + 44. R - Q 1 R - Q B 6 + Resigns. + +Of course White must play Q - Q 2, and Black then plays R x P. + + * * * * * + +{209} + +GAME 9. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED + +(Berlin, 1913) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: R. Teichmann. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 3. P - B 4 P - K 3 + 4. B - Kt 5 B - K 2 + 5. Kt - B 3 Q Kt - Q 2 + 6. P - K 3 O - O + 7. R - B 1 P - Q Kt 3 + 8. P x P P x P + 9. B - Kt 5 + +An invention of my own, I believe. I played it on the spur of the moment +simply to change the normal course of the game. Generally the Bishop goes +to Q 3, or to R 6, after Q - R 4. The text move is in the nature of an +ordinary developing move, and as it violates no principle it cannot be bad. + + 9. ........ B - Kt 2 + 10. O - O P - Q R 3 + 11. B - R 4 R - B 1 + 12. Q - K 2 P - B 4 + 13. P x P Kt x P + +If P x P; K R - Q 1, and White would play to win one of Black's centre +Pawns. The drawback to the {210} text move is that it leaves Black's Q P +isolated, and consequently weak and subject to attack. + + 14. K R - Q 1 Kt x B + +The alternative would have been 14...P - Kt 4; 15 B - B 2, P - Kt 5; +16 Kt - Q R 4, Kt (B 4) - K 5. + + 15. Kt x Kt P - Kt 4 + 16. R x R Q x R + 17. Kt - B 3 Q - B 5 + +Black aims at the exchange of Queens in order to remain with two Bishops +for the ending, but in this position such a course is a mistake, because +the Bishop at Kt 2 is inactive and cannot come into the game by any means, +unless Black gives up the isolated Queen's Pawn which the Bishop must +defend. + + 18. Kt - Q 4 + +Not, of course, R - Q 4, because of Q x Q; Kt x Q, R - B 1; and there would +be no good way to prevent R - B 7. + + 18. ........ Q x Q + 19. Kt (B 3) x Q ! + +Notice the co-ordination of the Knights' moves. They are manoeuvred +chain-like, so to speak, in order to maintain one of them, either at Q 4 or +ready to go there. Now White threatens to take the open file, and therefore +forces Black's next move. + + 19. ........ R - B 1 + +{211} + +[Illustration] + +The student should examine this position carefully. There seems to be no +particular danger, yet, as White will demonstrate, Black may be said to be +lost. If the game is not altogether lost, the defence is at least of the +most difficult kind; indeed, I must confess that I can see no adequate +defence against White's next move. + + 20. Kt - B 5 ! K - B 1 + +If 20...B - Q 1; 21 Kt - Q 6, R - B 2; 22 Kt x B, R x Kt; 23 B x Kt, B x B; +24 R x P, R - B 2; 25 R - Q 2, and White is a Pawn ahead. If 20...B moves +anywhere else, then B x Kt, doubling the K B P and isolating all of Black's +King's side Pawns. + + 21. Kt x B K x Kt + 22. Kt - Q 4 P - Kt 3 + +This is practically forced, as White threatened Kt - B 5 ch. Notice that +the Black Knight is pinned in such a way that no relief can be afforded +except by giving up the K R P or abandoning the open file {212} with the +Rook, which would be disastrous, as White would immediately sieze it. + + 23. P - B 3 ! + +[Illustration] + + 23. ........ P - R 3 + +Black could do nothing else except mark time with his Rook along the open +file, since as soon as he moved away White would take it. White, on the +other hand, threatens to march up with his King to K 5 via K B 2, K Kt 3, +K B 4, after having, of course, prepared the way. Hence, Black's best +chance was to give up a Pawn, as in the text, in order to free his Knight. + + 24. B x P Kt - Q 2 + 25. P - K R 4 Kt - B 4 + 26. B - B 4 Kt - K 3 + +Black exchanges Knights to remain with Bishops of {213} opposite colours, +which gives him the best chance to draw. + + 27. Kt x Kt K x Kt + +27...P x Kt would be worse, as White would then be able to post his Bishop +at K 5. + + 28. R - Q 2 R - K R 1 + +[Illustration] + +Black wants to force B - Kt 3. P - K Kt 3 would be bad, on account of +P - Q 5; which would get the Black Bishop into the game, even though White +could answer P - K 4. The text move is, however, weak, as will soon be +seen. His best chance was to play P - Kt 5; and follow it up with P - R 4 +and B - R 3. White meanwhile could play P - Kt 4 and R 5, obtaining a +passed Pawn, which, with proper play, should win. + + 29. R - Q B 2 ! R - Q B 1 + 30. R x R B x R + +There are now Bishops of opposite colour, but nevertheless White has an +easily-won game. {214} + + 31. K - B 2 + +[Illustration] + + 31. ........ P - Q 5 + +Practically forced. Otherwise the White King would march up to Q 4 and then +to B 5 and win Black's Queen's side Pawns. If Black attempted to stop this +by putting his King at Q B 3 then the White King would enter through K 5 +into Black's King's side and win just as easily. + + 32. P x P K - Q 4 + 33. K - K 3 B - K 3 + 34. K - Q 3 K - B 3 + 35. P - Q R 3 B - B 5 ch + 36. K - K 3 B - K 3 + 37. B - R 6 + +It is better not to hurry P - K Kt 4 because of P - B 4; for although White +could win in any case, it would take longer. Now the White King threatens +to help by going in through K B 4 after posting the Bishop {215} at Kt 7, +where it not only protects the Q P, but indirectly also the Q Kt P. + + 37. ........ K - Q 4 + 38. B - Kt 7 Resigns. + +The student ought to have realised by this time the enormous importance of +playing well every kind of ending. In this game again, practically from the +opening, White aimed at nothing but the isolation of Black's Q P. Once he +obtained that, he tried for and obtained, fortunately, another advantage of +position elsewhere which translated itself into the material advantage of a +Pawn. Then by accurate playing in the ending he gradually forced home his +advantage. This ending has the merit of having been played against one of +the finest players in the world. + + * * * * * + +GAME 10. PETROFF DEFENCE + +(St. Petersburg, 1914) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: F. J. Marshall + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 3. Kt x P P - Q 3 + 4. Kt - K B 3 Kt x P + 5. Q - K 2 Q - K 2 + 6. P - Q 3 Kt - K B 3 + 7. B - Kt 5 + +{216} Played by Morphy, and a very fine move. The point is that should +Black exchange Queens he will be a move behind in development and +consequently will get a cramped game if White plays accurately. + + 7. ........ B - K 3 + +Marshall thought at the time that this was the best move and consequently +played it in preference to Q x Q ch. + + 8. Kt - B 3 P - K R 3 + 9. B x Kt Q x B + 10. P - Q 4 B - K 2 + 11. Q - Kt 5 ch Kt - Q 2 + 12. B - Q 3 ! + +[Illustration] + +It is now time to examine the result of the opening. On White's side we +find the minor pieces well posted and the Queen out in a somewhat odd +place, it is true, but safe from attack and actually attacking a Pawn. +{217} White is also ready to Castle. White's position is evidently free +from danger and his pieces can easily manoeuvre. + +On Black's side the first thing we notice is that he has retained both his +Bishops, unquestionably an advantage; but on the other hand we find his +pieces bunched together too much, and the Queen in danger of being attacked +without having any good square to go to. The Bishop at K 2 has no freedom +and it blocks the Queen, which, in its turn, blocks the Bishop. Besides, +Black cannot Castle on the King's side because Q x P, R - Kt 1; Q - K 4 +threatening mate, wins a Pawn. Nor can he Castle on the Queen's side +because Q - R 5 would put Black's game in imminent danger, since he cannot +play P - R 3 because of B x P; nor can he play K - Kt 1 because of +Kt - Kt 5. Consequently we must conclude that the opening is all in White's +favour. + + 12. ........ P - Kt 4 + +To make room for his Queen, threatening also P - Kt 5. + + 13. P - K R 3 O - O + +giving up a Pawn in an attempt to free his game and take the initiative. It +was difficult for him to find a move, as White threatened Kt - K 4, and +should Black go with the Queen to Kt 2, then P - Q 5, B - B 4; Kt x P ch, +followed by B x B. {218} + + 14. Q x P Q R - Kt 1 + 15. Q - K 4 Q - Kt 2 + 16. P - Q Kt 3 P - Q B 4 + +In order to break up White's centre and bring his Knight to B 4 and thus +lay the foundation for a violent attack against White's King. The plan, +however, fails, as it always must in such cases, because Black's +development is backward, and consequently his pieces are not properly +placed. + + 17. O - O P x P + 18. Kt - Q 5 ! + +A simple move, which destroys Black's plan utterly. Black will now have no +concerted action of his pieces, and, as his Pawns are all weak, he will +sooner or later lose them. + +[Illustration] + + 18. ........ B - Q 1 + 19. B - B 4 Kt - B 4 + 20. Q x P Q x Q + +{219} The fact that he has to exchange Queens when he is a Pawn behind +shows that Black's game is lost. + + 21. Kt x Q B x Kt + 22. B x B B - B 3 + 23. Q R - Q 1 B x Kt + +The Knight was too threatening. But now the ending brought about is one in +which the Bishop is stronger than the Knight; which makes Black's plight a +desperate one. The game has no further interest, and it is only because of +its value as a study of this variation of the Petroff that I have given it. +Black was able to fight it out until the sixtieth move on account of some +poor play on White's part. The rest of the moves are given merely as a +matter of form. + + 24. R x B K - Kt 2 + 25. B - B 4 R - Kt 3 + 26. R - K 1 K - B 3 + 27. P - B 4 Kt - K 3 + 28. P x P ch P x P + 29. R - B 1 ch K - K 2 + 30. R - Kt 4 R - K Kt 1 + 31. R - B 5 R - B 3 + 32. P - K R 4 K R - Q B 1 + 33. P x P R - B 4 + 34. B x Kt P x B + 35. R x R R x R + 36. P - Kt 6 K - B 1 + 37. R - Q B 4 R - Q R 4 + {220} + 38. P - R 4 K - Kt 2 + 39. R - B 6 R - Q 4 + 40. R - B 7 ch K x P + 41. R x P R - Q 8 ch + 42. K - R 2 P - Q 4 + 43. P - R 5 R - Q B 8 + 44. R - B 7 R - Q R 8 + 45. P - Q Kt 4 R - R 5 + 46. P - B 3 P - Q 5 + 47. R - B 6 P x P + 48. R x P R x Kt P + 49. R - Q R 3 R - Kt 2 + 50. P - R 6 R - Q R 2 + 51. R - R 5 K - B 3 + 52. P - Kt 4 K - K 2 + 53. K - Kt 3 K - Q 3 + 54. K - B 4 K - B 2 + 55. K - K 5 K - Q 2 + 56. P - Kt 5 K - K 2 + 57. P - Kt 6 K - B 1 + 58. K x P K - K 1 + 59. P - Kt 7 R x P + 60. P - R 7 R - Kt 3 ch + 61. K - B 5 Resigns. + + * * * * * + +{221} + +GAME 11. RUY LOPEZ + +(St. Petersburg, 1914) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: D. Janowski. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 P - Q R 3 + 4. B x Kt Q P x B + 5. Kt - B 3 + +I played this move after having discussed it with Alechin on several +occasions. Alechin considered it, at the time, superior to P - Q 4, which +is generally played. He played it himself later on in the Tournament, in +one of his games against Dr. E. Lasker, and obtained the superior game, +which he only lost through a blunder. + + 5. ........ B - Q B 4 + +P - B 3 is probably the best move in this position. I do not like the text +move. + + 6. P - Q 3 B - K Kt 5 + 7. B - K 3 B x B + +This opens the K B file for White, and also reinforces his centre, but +Black naturally did not want to make a second move with this Bishop. + + 8. P x B Q - K 2 + 9. O - O O - O - O + +Bold play, typical of Janowski. {222} + + 10. Q - K 1 Kt - R 3 + +[Illustration] + +The problem for White now is to advance his Q Kt P to Kt 5 as fast as he +can. If he plays P - Q Kt 4 at once, Black simply takes it. If he plays +first P - Q R 3 and then P - Q Kt 4, he will still have to protect his +Q Kt P before he can go on and play P - Q R 4 and P - Kt 5. As a matter of +fact White played a rather unusual move, but one which, under the +circumstances, was the best, since after it he could at once play +P - Q Kt 4 and then P - Q R 4 and P - Kt 5. + + 11. R - Kt 1 ! P - B 3 + 12. P - Kt 4 Kt - B 2 + 13. P - Q R 4 B x Kt + +He simplifies, hoping to lighten White's attack, which will have to be +conducted practically with only the heavy pieces on the board. He may have +also done it in order to play Kt - Kt 4 and K 3. {223} + + 14. R x B + +Taking with the Pawn would have opened a possibility for a counter attack. + + 14. ........ P - Q Kt 3 + +He is forced to this in order to avoid the breaking up of his Queen's side +Pawns. The only alternative would have been P - Q Kt 4; which on the face +of it looks bad. + + 15. P - Kt 5 B P x P + 16. P x P P - Q R 4 + 17. Kt - Q 5 Q - B 4 + 18. P - B 4 + +[Illustration] + +The White Knight is now a tower of strength. Behind it White will be able +to prepare an attack, which will begin with P - Q 4, to drive away the +Black Queen and thus leave himself free to play P - B 5. There is only one +thing to take care of and that {224} is to prevent Black from sacrificing +the Rook for the Knight and a Pawn. + + 18. ........ Kt - Kt 4 + 19. R - B 2 Kt - K 3 + 20. Q - B 3 R - Q 2 + +Had White on his 19th move played K R - B 1 instead of R - B 2, Black could +have played now instead of the text move, R x Kt; K P x R, Q x P ch; +followed by Kt - B 4 with a winning game. + + 21. R - Q 1 K - Kt 2 + +It would have been better for Black to play K - Q 1. The text move loses +very rapidly. + + 22. P - Q 4 Q - Q 3 + 23. R - B 2 P x P + 24. P x P Kt - B 5 + 25. P - B 5 Kt x Kt + 26. P x Kt Q x Q P + 27. P - B 6 ch K - Kt 1 + 28. P x R Q x P (Q 2) + 29. P - Q 5 R - K 1 + 30. P - Q 6 P x P + 31. Q - B 6 Resigns. + + * * * * * + +{225} + +GAME 12. FRENCH DEFENCE + +(New York, 1918) + +White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: O. Chajes. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 3 + 2. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 4. B - Q 3 + +Not the most favoured move, but a perfectly natural developing one, and +consequently it cannot be bad. + + 4 ........ P x P + +P - Q B 4 is generally played in this case instead of the text move. + + 5. Kt x P Q Kt - Q 2 + 6. Kt x Kt ch Kt x Kt + 7. Kt - B 3 B - K 2 + +[Illustration] {226} + + 8. Q - K 2 + +This is played to prevent P - Q Kt 3, followed by B - Kt 2, which is the +general form of development for Black in this variation. If Black now plays +8...P - Q Kt 3; 9. B - Kt 5 ch, B - Q 2; 10. Kt - K 5 and White obtains a +considerable advantage in position. + + 8. ........ O - O + 9. B - K Kt 5 P - K R 3 + +Of course Black could not play P - Q Kt 3 because of B x Kt, followed by +Q - K 4. + + 10. B x Kt B x B + 11. Q - K 4 P - K Kt 3 + +This weakens Black's King's side. R - K 1 was the right move. + + 12. P - K R 4 + +[Illustration] + + 12. ........ P - K 4 + +This is merely giving up a Pawn in order to come out quickly with his Q B. +But as he does not obtain {227} any compensation for his Pawn, the move is +bad. He should have played Q - Q 4 and tried to fight the game out that +way. It might have continued thus: 13. Q - B 4, B - Kt 2; 14. Q x B P, +B x P; 15. Kt x B, Q x Kt; 16. O - O - O with considerable advantage of +position for White. The text move might be considered a mild form of +suicide. + + 13. P x P B - B 4 + 14. Q - K B 4 B x B + 15. O - O - O B - Kt 2 + 16. R x B Q - K 2 + 17. Q - B 4 + +In order to keep the Black Queen from coming into the game. + + 17. ........ Q R - Q 1 + 18. K R - Q 1 + +A better plan would have been to play R - K 1, threatening P - K 6. + + 18. ........ R x R + 19. R x R R - K 1 + 20. P - B 3 P - Q B 3 + +Of course if B x P; Kt x B, Q x Kt; R - K 3. Black with a Pawn minus fights +very hard. + + 21. R - K 3 + +The Pawn had now to be defended after Black's last move, because after +B x P; Kt x B, Q x Kt; {228} R - K 3, Black could now play Q - Kt 1 +defending the Rook. + + 21. ........ P - Q B 4 + 22. K - B 2 P - Kt 3 + 23. P - R 4 + +White's plan now is to _fix_ the Queen's side in order to be able to +manoeuvre freely on the other side, where he has the advantage of material. + + 23. ........ Q - Q 2 + 24. R - Q 3 Q - B 1 + 25. Q - K 4 Q - K 3 + 26. R - Q 5 K - B 1 + 27. P - B 4 K - Kt 1 + +[Illustration] + +Black sees that he now stands in his best defensive position, and therefore +waits for White to show how he intends to break through. He notices, of +course, that the White Knight is in the way of the K B P, which cannot +advance to K B 4 to defend, or support rather, the Pawn at K 5. {229} + + 28. P - Q Kt 3 K - B 1 + 29. K - Q 3 K - Kt 1 + 30. R - Q 6 Q - B 1 + 31. R - Q 5 Q - K 3 + 32. P - K Kt 4 K - B 1 + 33. Q - B 4 K - Kt 1 + 34. Q - K 4 K - B 1 + +[Illustration] + +Black persists in waiting for developments. He sees that if P - K R 5, +P x P; P x P, the Queen goes to R 6, and White will have to face serious +difficulties. In this situation White decides that the only course is to +bring his King to K Kt 3, so as to defend the squares K R 3 and K Kt 4, +where the Black Queen might otherwise become a source of annoyance. + + 35. K - K 2 K - Kt 1 + 36. K - B 1 K - B 1 + 37. K - Kt 2 K - Kt 1 + 38. K - Kt 3 K - B 1 + +{230} + +Now that he has completed his march with the King, White is ready to +advance. + +[Illustration] + + 39. P - K R 5 P x P + +39...P - K Kt 4 would be answered by Q - B 5, with a winning game. + + 40. P x P Q - K 2 + +Against K - Kt 1; White would play Q - Kt 4, practically forcing the +exchange of Queens, after which White would have little trouble in winning +the ending, since Black's Bishop could not do much damage in the resulting +position. + + 41. Q - B 5 K - Kt 1 + +Black overlooks the force of 42 R - Q 7. His best defence was R - Q 1; +against which White could either advance the King or play Kt - R 4, +threatening Kt - Kt 6 ch. + + 42. R - Q7 B x P ch + +{231} + +This loses a piece, but Black's position was altogether hopeless. + + 43. K - Kt 4 Q - B 3 + 44. Kt x B Q - Kt 2 ch + 45. K - B 4 Resigns. + +The interest of this game centres mainly on the opening and on the march of +the White King during the final stage of the game. It is an instance of the +King becoming a fighting piece, even while the Queens are still on the +board. + + * * * * * + +GAME 13. RUY LOPEZ + +(New York, 1918) + +White: J. S. Morrison. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - K 4 P - K 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 + 3. B - Kt 5 P - Q 3 + 4. Kt - B 3 B - Q 2 + 5. P - Q 4 P x P + 6. Kt x P P - K Kt 3 + +In this form of defence of the Ruy Lopez the development of the K B via +Kt 2 is, I think, of great importance. The Bishop at Kt 2 exerts great +pressure along the long diagonal. At the same time the position of the +Bishop and Pawns in front of the King, once it is Castled, is one of great +defensive strength. Therefore, in this form of development, the Bishop, +{232} we might say, exerts its maximum strength (Compare this note with the +one in the Capablanca-Burn game at San Sebastian, page 197.) + + 7. Kt - B 3 B - Kt 2 + 8. B - Kt 5 Kt - B 3 + +Of course not K Kt - K 2; because of Kt - Q 5. The alternative would have +been P - B 3; to be followed by K Kt - K 2; but in this position it is +preferable to have the Kt at K B 3. + + 9. Q - Q 2 P - K R 3 + 10. B - K R 4 + +An error of judgment. White wants to keep the Knight pinned, but it was +more important to prevent Black from Castling immediately. B - K B 4 would +have done this. + + 10. ........ O - O + 11. O - O - O + +Bold play, but again faulty judgment, unless he intended to play to win or +lose, throwing safety to the winds. The Black Bishop at Kt 2 becomes a very +powerful attacking piece. The strategical disposition of the Black pieces +is now far superior to White's, therefore it will be Black who will take +the offensive. + + 11. ........ R - K 1 + 12. K R - K 1 + +{233} + +[Illustration] + +White wanted to keep his Q R on the open file, and consequently brings over +his other Rook to the centre to defend his K P, which Black threatened to +win by P - K Kt 4, followed by Kt x P. + + 12. ........ P - Kt 4 ! + +Now that the K R is in the centre, Black can safely advance, since, in +order to attack on the King's side, White would have to shift his Rooks, +which he cannot do so long as Black keeps up the pressure in the centre. + + 13. B - Kt 3 Kt - K R 4 + +Uncovering the Bishop, which now acts along the long diagonal, and at the +same time preventing P - K 5, which would be answered by Kt x B; P x Kt, +Kt x P; etc., winning a Pawn. + + 14. Kt - Q 5 P - R 3 + +Black drives the Bishop away so as to _unpin_ his pieces and be able to +manoeuvre freely. {234} + + 15. B - Q 3 B - K 3 + +Preparing the onslaught. Black's pieces begin to bear against the King's +position. + + 16. P - B 3 + +[Illustration] + +With the last move White not only blocks the action of Black's K B, but he +also aims at placing his Bishop at Q Kt 1 and his Queen at Q B 2, and then +advancing his K P, to check at K R 7. + + 16. ........ P - B 4 ! + +Initiating an attack to which there is no reply, and which has for its +ultimate object either the winning of the White Q B or cutting it off from +the game. (Compare this game with the Winter-Capablanca game at Hastings.) + + 17. P - K R 4 P - B 5 + +The Bishop is now out of action. White naturally counter attacks violently +against the seemingly {235} exposed position of the Black King, and, with +very good judgment, even offers the Bishop. + +[Illustration] + + 18. P x P ! P x P ! + +Taking the Bishop would be dangerous, if not actually bad, while the text +move accomplishes Black's object, which is to put the Bishop out of action. + + 19. R - R 1 B - B 2 + 20. K - Kt 1 + +This move unquestionably loses time. Since he would have to retire his +Bishop to R 2 sooner or later, he might have done it immediately. It is +doubtful, however, if at this stage of the game it would be possible for +White to save the game. + + 20. ........ Kt - K 4 + 21. Kt x Kt R x Kt + +It was difficult to decide which way to retake. I {236} took with the Rook +in order to have it prepared for a possible attack against the King. + + 22. B - R 2 Kt - B 3 + +Now that the White Bishop has been driven back, Black wants to get rid of +White's strongly posted Knight at Q 5, which blocks the attack of the +Bishop at B 2. It may be said that the Knight at Q 5 is the key to White's +defence. + +[Illustration] + + 23. P - Kt 3 + +White strives not only to have play for his Bishop, but also he wants to +break up Black's Pawns in order to counter-attack. The alternative would +have been 23 Kt x Kt ch, Q x Kt; and Black would be threatening R - R 4, +and also Q - K 3. The student should notice that Black's drawback in all +this is the fact that he is playing minus the services of his Q R. It is +this fact that makes it possible for White to hold out longer. {237} + + 23. ........ Kt x P + 24. B x Kt R x B + 25. P x P P - B 3 + +[Illustration] + + 26. Kt - K 3 + +Kt - Kt 4 was the alternative, but in any event White could not resist the +attack. I leave it to the reader to work this out for himself, as the +variations are so numerous that they would take up too much space. + + 26. ........ Q - R 4 + 27. P - B 4 Q x Q + 28. R x Q P x P + 29. Kt - Kt 4 B - Kt 3 + +This forces the King to the corner, where he will be in a mating net. + + 30. K - R 1 Q R - K 1 + +Now at last the Q R enters into the game and soon the battle is over. + + 31. P - R 3 + +If R x P, R - K 8 ch; R - Q 1, R (K 1) - K 7. {238} + + 31. ........ R - K 8 ch + 32. R x R R x R ch + 33. K - R 2 B - B 2 + 34. K - Kt 3 P - Q 4 + +the quickest way to finish the game. + + 35. B x P P x P ch + 36. K - Kt 4 P - B 6 + 37. P x P R - K 5 ch + 38. P - B 4 R x P ch + 39. K - R 5 R x B + 40. R - Q 8 ch K - R 2 + 41. R - Q 7 B - K 3 + Resigns. + +A very lively game. + + * * * * * + +GAME 14. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED + +(New York, 1918) + +White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J. R. Capablanca. + + 1. P - Q 4 P - Q 4 + 2. Kt - K B 3 Kt - K B 3 + 3. P - B 4 P - K 3 + 4. Kt - B 3 Q Kt - Q 2 + 5. B - Kt 5 B - K 2 + 6. P - K 3 O - O + 7. R - B 1 P - B 3 + +This is one of the oldest systems of defence against the Queen's Gambit. I +had played it before in this Tournament against Kostic, and no doubt +Marshall expected it. At times I change my defences, {239} or rather +systems of defence; on the other hand, during a Tournament, if one of them +has given me good results, I generally play it all the time. + + 8. Q - B 2 P x P + 9. B x P Kt - Q 4 + 10. B x B Q x B + 11. O - O Kt x Kt + 12. Q x Kt P - Q Kt 3 + +This is the key to this system of defence. Having simplified the game +considerably by a series of exchanges, Black will now develop his Q B along +the long diagonal without having created any apparent weakness. The proper +development of the Q B is Black's greatest problem in the Queen's Gambit. + + 13. P - K 4 B - Kt 2 + 14. K R - K 1 K R - Q 1 + +[Illustration] + +The developing stage can now be said to be complete on both sides. The +opening is over and the middle-game begins. White, as is generally the +case, has {240} obtained the centre. Black, on the other hand, is +entrenched in his first three ranks, and if given time will post his Q R at +Q B 1 and his Knight at K B 3, and finally play P - Q B 4, in order to +break up White's centre and give full action to the Black Bishop posted at +Q Kt 2. In this game White attempts to anticipate that plan by initiating +an advance on the centre, which, when carefully analysed, is truly an +attack against Black's K P. + + 15. P - Q 5 Kt - B 4 ! + +Against Kostic in a previous game I had played Kt - B 1. It was +carelessness on my part, but Marshall believed differently, otherwise he +would not have played this variation, since, had he analysed this move, he +would, I think, have realised that Black would obtain an excellent game. +Black now threatens not only B P x P; but also Kt x P; followed by B P x P. +The position is very interesting and full of possibilities. + +[Illustration] {241} + + 16. P x K P Kt x P (K 3) + 17. B x Kt Q x B + +played under the impression that White had to lose time in defending his +Q R P, when I could play P - Q B 4, obtaining a very superior game. But, as +will be seen, my opponent had quite a little surprise for me. + + 18. Kt - Q 4 ! + +[Illustration] + + 18. ........ Q - K 4 ! + +Of course, if 18...Q x R P; 19 R - R 1 would win the Queen. The text move +is probably the only satisfactory move in the position. The obvious move +would have been Q - Q 2 to defend the Q B P, and then would have come +19 Kt - B 5, P - B 3; 20 Q - K Kt 3 (threatening Q R - Q 1), K - R 1; +21 Q R - Q 1, Q - K B 2; 22 P - K R 4, with a tremendous advantage in +position. The text move, on the other hand, assures Black an even game at +the very least, as will soon be seen. {242} + + 19. Kt x P Q x Q + 20. R x Q R - Q 7 + 21. R - Kt 1 + +A very serious error of judgment. White is under the impression that he has +the better game, because he is a Pawn ahead, but that is not so. The +powerful position of the Black Rook at Q 7 fully compensates Black for the +Pawn minus. Besides, the Bishop is better with Rooks than the Knight (see +pages 48-56, where the relative values of the Knight and Bishop are +compared), and, as already stated, with Pawns on both sides of the board +the Bishop is superior because of its long range. Incidentally, this ending +will demonstrate the great power of the Bishop. White's best chance was to +take a draw at once, thus. 21 Kt - K 7 ch K - B 1; 22 R - B 7 R - K 1 (not +B x P; because P - B 3 would give White the best of it); 23 R x B (best; +not Kt - Kt 6 ch, because of B P x Kt; followed by R x K P), R x Kt; +24 R - Kt 8 ch, R - K 1; 25 R x R ch, K x R, and with proper play White +will draw. + +It is curious that, although a Pawn ahead, White is the one who is always +in danger. It is only now, after seeing this analysis, that the value of +Black's 18th move Q - K 4 can be fully appreciated. + + 21. ........ R - K 1 + +With this powerful move Black begins, against White's centre, an assault +which will soon be shifted against {243} the King itself. White is afraid +to play 22 P - B 3 because of P - B 4. + + 22. P - K 5 P - K Kt 4 + +To prevent P - B 4. The White Knight is practically pinned, because he does +not dare move on account of R x K P. + +[Illustration] + + 23. P - K R 4 + +This is a sequel to the previous move. White expects to disrupt Black's +Pawns, and thus make them weak. + + 23. ........ P x P + +Though doubled and isolated this Pawn exercises enormous pressure. Black +now threatens R - K 3; to be followed by R - Kt 3 and P - R 6 and R 7 at +the proper time. + + 24. R - K 1 + +White cannot stand the slow death any longer. {244} He sees danger +everywhere, and wants to avert it by giving up his Queen's side Pawns, +expecting to regain his fortunes later on by taking the initiative on the +King's side. + + 24. ........ R - K 3 ! + +Much better than taking Pawns. This forces White to defend the Knight with +the Rook at K 1, because of the threat R - Kt 3. + + 25. R (K1) - Q B 1 K - Kt 2 + +Preparatory to R - Kt 3. The game is going to be decided on the King's +side, and it is the isolated double Pawn that will supply the finishing +touch. + + 26. P - Q Kt 4 P - Kt 4 + +To prevent P - Kt 5, defending the Knight and liberating the Rooks. + + 27. P - R 3 R - Kt 3 + 28. K - B 1 R - R 7 + +[Illustration] {245} + +Notice the remarkable position of the pieces. White cannot move anything +without incurring some loss. His best chance would have been to play +29 P - K 6, but that would only have prolonged the game, which is lost in +any case. + + 29. K - Kt 1 P - R 6 + 30. P - Kt 3 P - Q R 3 + +Again forcing White to move and to lose something thereby, as all his +pieces are tied up. + +[Illustration] + + 31. P - K 6 R x K P + +Not even now can White move the Knight because of P - R 7 ch; K x P, +R - R 3 ch; K - Kt 1, R - R 8 mate. + + 32. P - Kt 4 R - R 3 + 33. P - B 3 + +If 33 P - Kt 5, P - R 7 ch; 34 K - R 1, R x Kt; 35 R x R, R x P, winning +easily. {246} + + 33. ........ R - Q 3 + 34. Kt - K 7 R (Q3) - Q 7 + 35. Kt - B 5 ch K - B 3 + 36. Kt - R 4 K - Kt 4 + 37. Kt - B 5 R - Kt 7 ch + 38. K - B 1 P - R 7 + 39. P - B 4 ch K x B P + 40. Resigns. + +An ending worth very careful study. + + * * * * * + + +Notes + +[1] The value of the initiative is explained in section 20, p. 77. + +[2] See page 37. + +[3] See page 13. + +[4] Full score and notes are given in My Chess Career, by J. R. Capablanca +(Game No. 11). + +[5] This position is elaborated under Example 50 (p. 80.). + +[6] We give, from now on, games and notes, so that the student may +familiarise himself with the many and varied considerations that constantly +are borne in mind by the Chess Master. We must take it for granted that the +student has already reached a stage where, while not being able fully to +understand every move, yet he can derive benefit from any discussion with +regard to them. + +[7] A "hole" in chess parlance has come to mean a defect in Pawn formation +which allows the opponent to establish his forces in wedge formation or +otherwise without the possibility of dislodging him by Pawn moves. Thus, in +the following diagram, Black has two holes at K B 3 and K R 3, where White +forces, e.g. a Kt or B, could establish themselves, supported by pieces or +Pawns. + +[8] See game Capablanca-Kupchick, from Havana International Masters +Tournament Book, 1913, by J. R. Capablanca; or a game in the Carlsbad +Tournament of 1911, Vidmar playing Black against Alechin. + +[9] See Niemzowitch's game in the All Russian Masters Tournament, 1914, at +St. Petersburg, against Levitzki, I believe. + +[10] See Capablanca-Janowski game, New York Masters Tournament, 1913. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Chess Fundamentals, by Jose Raul Capablanca + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHESS FUNDAMENTALS *** + +***** This file should be named 33870.txt or 33870.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/3/8/7/33870/ + +Produced by Suzanne Lybarger, Suzanne Shell, Jana Srna, +Keith Edkins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team +at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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