Chess Strategy by Edward Lasker (inspirational novels .TXT) 📕

4. PxKP KtxP

5. Q-B3

It is contrary to the principles governing sound play to bring out the Queen early in the game. The opponent frequently has an opportunity of gaining a move by driving off the Queen, developing a minor piece at the same time. In the present case Black might have gained the advantage in the following way: 5. … Q Kt-B3. Now if: 6 KtxKt then Kt-Q5!; 7 Q-Q3?, PxKt; 8 QxP?, B-KB4. If, however, 6 B-Kt5, Black obtains the better game by playing 6. … KtxKt; 7 KtPxKt, Q-R5ch; 8 P-Kt3, Q-K5ch; 9 QxQ, PxQ; 10 BxKtch, PxB, with two Bishops on open diagonals. There is no harm in the doubled pawn, as White cannot attack it. Black’s immediate threat is B-R3 or KB4, which exerts pressure at Q6, and White will find it difficult to advance his QP.

5. … P-KB4

This move is open to discussion, as the Kt which it means to support can be driven away by P-Q3. On the other hand, if White does play his QP to Q3, Black can prevent its further advance by P-Q5, after which the White KP is insecure and the KB somewhat shut in.

6. P-Q3 KtxKt

7. PxKt P-Q5

8. Q-B2!

White offers his QBP in order to be able to strengthen his centre by P-Q4, and to free his pieces. To protect his QBP would be inferior, e.g. 8 Kt-K2, Kt-B3 or 8 B-Kt2?, PxP; 9 BxP, B-Kt5!; 10 BxB, QxR5ch; 11 Q-B2, QxBch; 12 Q-Q2, Q-Q5.

8. … PxP?

It would have been better, of course, to continue developing with Kt-B3, which at the same time maintains the pressure on Q5.

9. P-Q4 B-K3

10. Kt-R3

Intending Kt-B4 with a view to exchanging the Bishop. After that, Black’s position on White squares is weak specially on the diagonal QR7, KKt1, which was opened by Black’s fifth move, and on which the White Bishop can soon operate. The game is instructive in showing the development of that idea.

10. … B-K2

11. Kt-B4 Q-Q2

12. KtxB QxKt

13. B-Q3 P-KKt3

Black cannot prevent White’s threat of Q-K2 and B-B4.

14. Q-K2 Q-Q4

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8 | #R |#Kt | | | #K | | | #R |

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7 | #P |#P | #P | | #B | | | #P |

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6 | | | | | | | #P | |

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5 | | | | #Q | ^P | #P | | |

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4 | | | | ^P | | | | |

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3 | | | #P | ^B | | | | |

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2 | ^P | | ^P | | ^Q | | ^P | ^P |

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1 | ^R | | ^B | | ^K | | | ^R |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 102.

15. Castles QxQPch

Black is obliging. The opening of files in the centre is favourable for White, as he can make use of his Rooks in the combined attack. Instead of the move in the text, development with Kt-B3 and Castles QR was the last, though slender, chance of saving the game.

16. B-K3 Q-Q4

If QxP, Q-B2 followed by B-Q4, B-K4, KR-K1 and QR-Q1. Black has no sufficient means of defence to oppose this massing of forces.

17. QR-Q1 Q-R4

18. BxBP

The end is swift, and easy to understand.

18. … R-B1

19. Q-Kt4 PxB

20. Q-R5ch R-B2

21. P-K6 Resigns.

GAME NO. 4

White: Tarrasch. Black: Capablanca.

Giuoco Piano

1. P-K4 P-K4

2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3

3. B-B4 B-B4

4. P-B3

The beginning of interesting operations in the centre. The steady development with: 4. P-Q3, P-Q3; 5. Kt-B3, Kt-B3; 6. B-KKt5, B-K3 or Castles tends to a draw from the very first, and is thought dull.

4. … Kt-B3

Black can avoid the exchange of pawns, which White tries to bring about after P-Q4, by playing his Queen to K2. This covers his KP a second time, and White’s P-Q4 can be answered with B-Kt3. White’s QBP then obstructs the Kt’s natural development. In a game von Schewe-Teichmann (Berlin, 1907) the position discussed on p. 117 was reached after the following moves: 5. Castles, P-Q3; 6. P-Q4, B-Kt3; 7. P-QR4, P-QR3; 8. P-R5, B-R2.

5. P-Q4 PxP

6. PxP B-Kt5ch

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8 | #R | | #B | #Q | #K | | | #R |

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7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | | #P | #P | #P |

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6 | | | #Kt| | | #Kt| | |

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5 | | | | | | | | |

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4 | | #B | ^B | ^P | ^P | | | |

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3 | | | | | | ^Kt| | |

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2 | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |

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1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | ^K | | | ^R |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 103

7. B-Q2

The pawn sacrifice by 7. Kt-B3, KtxKP; 8. Castles! is much more interesting and more in keeping with the spirit of the opening. [Footnote: The following two short games will give an idea of the various lines of attack which are to be found in this opening:

a. Howell-Michell (cable match, England—America, 1907): 8. … BxKt; 9. P-Q5 (Moller attack), B-B3; 10. R-K1, Kt-K2; 11. RxKt, P-Q3; 12. B-Kt5, BxB; 13. KtxB, B-B4 (the only chance of a draw would be this: Castles; 14. KtxRP, KxKt; 15. QR5ch, K-Kt1; 16. R-R4, P-KB4!; 17. B-K2, Kt-Kt3!; 18. Q-R7ch, K-B2; 19. R-R6, Kt-B5; 20. B-R5ch, KtxB; 21. Q-Kt6 with perpetual check); 14. Q-B3,Q-Q2 (BxR; 15. QxPch followed by Q-K6ch and QxB); 15. B-Kt5!, QxB; 16. QxB, P-KB3; 17. QR-K1, PxKt; 18. RxKtch and mate in a few moves.

b. X v. Y, first 10 moves as before: 11. RxKt, Castles; 12. P-Q6, PxP 13. B-KKt5, Kt-B4; 14. Q-Q5!, BxB; 15. KtxB, Kt-R3 (QxKt; 16. QxPch); 16. Q R-K1, resigns.] White obtains a quick development and prevents Black from freeing his game by playing P-Q4. After 8. … BxKt; 9. P-Q5 follows (Moller attack), and after 9. … B-B3, White wins back his piece by R-K1 (10. PxKt would not be good, as Black could free his game by KtPxP and P-Q4). On the other hand, after 8. … KtxKt; PxKt, White in addition gains a move, as BxP is countered by Q-Kt3.

As played here, Black succeeds in playing P-Q4, and the game is even. Indeed the isolated QP is a weakness in the White position.

7. … BxBch

8. QKtxB P-Q4!

9. PxP KKtxP

10. Q-Kt3 QKt-K2

11. Castles KR Castles

12. KR-K1 P-QB3

Now the Knight is securely posted in the centre, and Black can accumulate forces for the attack on the White QP, possibly by Q-Kt3, R-Q1 and Kt-B4.

13. P-QR4

in order to drive the Queen from her Kt3, but this advance is “three-edged,” as Master Gregory would say, and the pawn is sure to prove weak in the end-game.

13. … Q-Kt3

14. Q-R3 B-K3

15. P-R5 Q-B2

16. Kt-K4

Kt-KKt5 would seem to be stronger here. B-B4 would then be answered by 17. B-Q3. After BxB, 18. QxB, White obtains opportunities for a King’s side attack, in which the Rook could co-operate via K4 and Kt4 or R4.

16. … QR-Q1

17. Kt-B5 B-B1

18. P-KKt3?

This produces weak points at KB3 and KR3, and there being as yet no definite threat in Black’s Kt-B5, should have been avoided. It is of course difficult to formulate a plan of attack, for there is no weak place in Black’s armour. In any case White could safely have played QR-Q1 and Q2 in order to double the Rooks on the King’s file or Queen’s file according to circumstances. But now as soon as a Rook moves to Q1—and that will have to be done in the end, to support the weak QP—Black’s B-Kt5 might become awkward.

18. … Kt-B4

19. QR-Q1 Kt-Q3!

20. BxKt Kt-Kt4

avoiding an isolated pawn in a subtle manner.

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8 | | | #B | #R | | #R | #K | |

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7 | #P | #P | #Q | | | #P | #P | #P |

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6 | | | #P | | | | | |

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5 | ^P | #Kt| ^Kt| ^B | | | | |

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4 | | | | ^P | | | | |

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3 | ^Q | | | | | ^Kt| ^P | |

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2 | | ^P | | | | ^P | | ^P |

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1 | | | | ^R | ^R | | ^K | |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 104

21. Q-Kt4 RxB

22. Kt-Q3 B-Kt5

23. QKt-K5 P-R4

24. KtxB PxKt

25. Kt-R4

Kt-K5 would be answered by KR-Q1; 26. KtxP, KtxP threatening both Kt-B6ch and Kt-B7. If White stops both threats with Q-B3, Kt-K7ch wins.

25. … KR-Q1

26. R-K7 Q-Q3

Now Black foregoes his well-earned advantage. He overlooks White’s subtle move 28. P-R6. 26 Q-B1 was indicated. White’s Queen’s Pawn could not escape, and there was time to dislodge the White Rook from the seventh by R-Q2, e g. 26. … Q-B1; 27. Q-Kt3!, QR-Q2; 28. Q-K3, RxR; 29. QxR, KtxP.

27. QxQ KtxQ

28. P-R6! PxP

29. RxRP Kt-Kt4

30. RxRP KtxP

31. K-B1 P-Kt4

32. Kt-Kt2 Kt-B6

33. RxR PxR!

The pawn threatens to queen. Taking the Rook’s pawn would not be so good, as it would displace the Knight. White would not only regain the pawn easily with Kt-K3, but would also get his King into play.

34. Kt-K1 R-K1

Here R-QB1 affords winning possibilities for Black. On account of the threat of R-B8, the exchange of Knights by White would be forced, and his game would have been badly cramped by the Black KBP, e.g. 34. … R-QB1; 35. KtxKt, PxKt; 36. R-R1 (K-K1?, R-B7; 37. R-Q6, R-K7ch; 38. K-B1, RxP; 39. K-K1, R-K7ch; 40. K-B1, R-K4), R-Kt1; 37. R-Kt1, R-Kt6. After the move in the text the game is drawn.

35. KtxKt PxKt

36. R-Q6 R-QB1

There is nothing in this move, as the Black passed pawn is now attacked.

37. K-K1 R-K1ch

38. K-B1 R-QB1

Drawn.

GAME No. 5

White: R. C. Griffith. Black: W. H. Gunston.

Giuoco Piano.

1. P-K4 P-K4

2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3

3. B-B4 B-B4

4. P-B3 Kt-B3

5. P-Q3

P-Q4 would seem to be the logical consequence of P-B3, and therefore preferable. After the text move Black will sooner or later be able to enforce the advance of his own pawn to Q4, and his pieces will then have the greater mobility.

5. … P-Q3

Here Black might have played P-Q4 at once. For if White takes the pawn, he leaves Black in possession of the pawn in the centre. If he does not do so but plays B-QKt5 instead, Black’s reply would be Q-K2 and the exchange of pawns at K 5 would follow. White’s P-B3 is then clearly a lost move.

6. B-K3 B-Kt3

7. QKt-Q2 Kt-K2

8. Kt-B1 P-B3

9. Q-K2 Castles

10. Kt-Kt3 P-Q4

11. PxP PxP

12. B-Kt3 Kt-Kt3

Black has now the superior position on account of his pawn centre.

13. Castles KR B-B2

14. B-Kt5 P-KR3

15. BxKt PxB

There is nothing in the weakness at Black’s KB3 and KR3 caused by the disappearance of his KKt Pawn, as White has lost his KB. On the contrary the open file should be a distinct asset, for, having a strong centre, Black’s pieces are