Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership by Edward Lasker (debian ebook reader TXT) 📕

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DIAGRAM 64.

 

(8) … Kt-d4

With this move Black crosses White’s plans by exchanging the Bishop who was to play the main part in the attack, and, as a consequence, the Knight g5 does not have a chance to do any useful work either.

 

(9) P-d6

Opening again the diagonal of the Bishop and getting rid of the advanced Pawn by exchange before Black has an occasion to capture him.

 

(9) … Ktxb3

(10) Pxc7 Qxc7

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DIAGRAM 65.

Black could regain his Pawn by Q-d5; (11) Pa2xb3, Qxg2; (12) Q-f3, Qxf3; (13) Ktxf3, B-b7; (14) K-e2, B-d6 and Bxc7; but in doing so he would give up his advantage in development, which, as the further course of the game proves, is much more valuable.

 

(11) Pa2xb3 B-b7

(12) o-o P-h6!

If Black proceeded to develop his pieces indiscriminately, his advantage would soon vanish. White needs only two moves—R-e1 and Kt-e4—to paralyze the effect of Black’s powerful Queen’s Bishop and to regain control of the center where at present Black has the upper hand on account of his center-Pawn.

 

(13) Kt-f3 B-d6

(14) R-e1 o-o

(15) Ktb1-d2 Ra8-d8

(16) P-c3

White does not risk Kt-e4 as Black, after Ktxe4; (17) Pxe4, can uncover the Rook by B-b4 attacking White’s Queen and Rook at the same time. White’s only defense would be (18) B-d2 or Kt-d2, but he would pin himself badly in either case and Black would obtain an overwhelming attack by P-f5, which enables his King’s Rook to join the fray.

With P-c3 White protects himself against B-b4 and now actually threatens to interrupt the diagonal of Black’s Queen’s Bishop. Black will naturally try to prevent this and the first move which presents itself for the purpose is P-e4, opening a line for the Bishop d6 and the Queen at the same time. At first sight the move does not seem playable as on e4 the Pawn is three times attacked and only twice defended; but White cannot withdraw both the Knight d2 and the Pawn d3 from the Queen’s file on account of the threat Bxh2+ winning the Queen for Rook and Bishop. Black can, therefore, safely advance the Pawn.

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DIAGRAM 66.

 

(16) … P-e4

(17) Pxe4 Ktxe4

(18) Q-c2

Now that the Queen has left the d-file, unpinning the Knight, something must be done for the Knight e4 who is twice attacked and only once protected. Two moves come into consideration. One is P-f5 which maintains the Knight in the dominating center-position, as White cannot take him without opening the f-file for Black’s Rook and losing the Pawn h2 who needs the protection of the Knight f3. The other is Ktxd2, winning the Pawn h2 right away no matter whether White retakes with the Bishop or with the Knight. Which of the two moves is the better is difficult to say and is more or less a matter of temperament. A player who prefers a slow and sure advance will choose P-f5. A player who likes a faster pace will start the hand-to-hand fight without delay by Ktxd2. It is the latter move on which Black decides.

 

(18) … Ktxd2

White now faces the dilemma whether to recapture with the Bishop or with the Knight. If he takes with the Bishop Black exchanges on f3, breaking up White’s chain of Pawns, and he regains his Pawn by Bxh2. If he takes with the Knight, Black also wins the Pawn h2, but the other Pawns in front of the King remain intact. The drawback to the latter continuation is, however, that White’s development is delayed for another two moves, as the Queen’s Bishop is shut in. For this reason White decides on Bxd2, probably also hoping that he will be compensated for the broken Pawn position by an attack in the g-or h-file which Black’s maneuver opens.

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DIAGRAM 67.

 

(19) Bxd2 Bxf3

The fact that Black has to exchange his well placed Queen’s Bishop in order to win the Pawn h2 was very likely another reason which induced White to retake with the Bishop.

 

(20) Pxf3 Bxh2+

(21) K-g2

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DIAGRAM 68.

A general survey of the position shows clearly that Black has the advantage. His Rook d8 is ready to take part in the battle while White has to make several preparatory moves with his Rooks before he can make use of them on the King’s wing, the only part of the board where they have a chance to be effective. In the e-line which White’s Rook controls at present, there is no tangible object for an attack.

Moreover, White’s King is rather exposed while Black’s King is safely entrenched behind his Pawns.

A good continuation for Black, which presents itself at first thought, is R-d6, enabling the doubling of the Rooks in the d-line or the participation of the Rook d6 in a fight on the King’s wing.

 

(21) … R-d6

(22) R-e4

White cannot take the Bishop h2 as Rxd2 would win the Queen. (22) P-f4 would not be good either as Black would reply Q-d7, threatening Rxd2 as well as Q-g4+; Kxh2, R-g6 and mate in two moves.

With R-e4 White attempts to protect his King by R-g4 against attacks in the g-file, and Black naturally tries to foil this attempt.

 

(22) … P-f5

(23) R-h4

Black has now to decide whether he should withdraw his Bishop to e5 or counterattack White’s Bishop by Q-d7 or Q-d8 or Rf8-d8. The counterattack looks better as it threatens to force an entrance for the Rooks in the second rank, displacing White’s Queen and attacking the King from the flank. The withdrawal of the Bishop would give White time to play his Queen’s Rook over to the King’s wing.

The most forcible of the three moves available for the counterattack is Q-d8, which attacks the Rook h4 too, thereby depriving White of the possibility to save his Bishop by flight.

 

(23) … Q-d8

(24) Rxh2 Rxd2

(25) Q-c1

White’s Queen has now hardly any mobility and in addition she shuts off the Queen’s Rook from the King’s wing. Black, on the other hand, can easily get his Rooks to cooperate by doubling them either in the d-file or in the second rank. He decides on the former alternative because the control of the Queen’s file keeps White’s troops separated in two parts which have little or no communication with each other, while Black’s pieces are ready for concentration on the King’s wing at any moment.

 

(25) … Q-g5+

(26) K-h1 Rf8-d8

(27) Q-e1

With the intention to play Q-e6+, thereby gaining time to swing over the Queen’s Rook to the King’s wing.

 

(27) … K-h7

(28) Q-c1

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DIAGRAM 69.

The Queen cannot leave the first rank on account of the threat R-d1+. It lies near for Black to try to force her out by attacking the square d1 once more with the Queen, thereby threatening to win the Queen for a Rook by the check on d1. He can accomplish this by playing the Queen into the d-file behind the Rooks.

 

(28) … R-d6

(29) P-c4

Apparently White does not recognize Black’s intention, or he would have played (29) Q-f1 in order to answer Q-d8 with (30) R-e1, R-dl; (31) K-g2. But Black would then also have had an easy win by playing (29) …, Rxb2 and doubling the Rooks in the second rank.

 

(29) … Q-d8

(30) Q-c3

The only alternative to save the Queen was K-g2, but then R-d1 would have won a clear Rook.

Black now enforces a mate in ten moves: R-d1+; (31) Rxd1, Rxd1+; (32) K-g2, Q-g5+; (33) K-h3, R-g1; (34) Q-d4, Q-h5+; (35) Q-h4, Qxf3+; (36) Q-g3, Rxg3+; (37) Pxg3, P-f4; (38) K-h4, Qxg3+; (39) K-h5, Q-g5 mate. This instructive game was not lost through a faulty combination but on account of loss of time in the opening which could not be regained.

 

GAME NO. 2

 

Played in the New York Masters’ Tournament 1915

 

White Black

Edward Lasker Jose Raoul Capablanca

 

(1) P-d4 P-d5

(2) Kt-f3 Kt-f6

(3) P-c4 P-e6

(4) Kt-c3 Ktb8-d7