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

4. … KtxP

Black can, of course, develop his B-B4. Then he must either submit to the Max Lange attack (5. P-Q4, PxP) or play BxP, giving up the useful B, in which case he loses the pawn gained after 6. KtxB, KtxKt; 7. P-KB4, P-Q3; 8. PxP, PxP; 9. B-KKt5, and eventually Q-B3.

5. P-Q4

R-K1 at once would lead to nothing.

5. … PxP

6. R-K1 P-Q4

7. BxP! QxB

8. Kt-B3

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

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

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

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5 | | | | #Q | | | | |

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4 | | | | #P | #Kt| | | |

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

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

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 112

This attack has been analysed extensively by Steinitz. The only square where the Queen cannot be attacked at once by the minor pieces is at QI. After 8. … Q-QI, Black obtains quite a satisfactory game: 9. RxKtch, B-K2; 10. KtxP, P-B4. This is Pillsbury’s move, intending to displace the Rook. Black has then open lines for his two Bishops as compensation for his shattered pawn position. 11. R-KB4, Castles; 12. KtxKt, QxQch; 13. KtxQ, PxKt. Now it is not easy to find a reasonable plan for White, as Black threatens to cramp White’s game with B-Q3 and P-B5. It is therefore necessary for White to take measures against that by playing R-B4 and B-B4. If Black still plays B-Q3, B-B4 follows, with the intention of exchanging and of provoking Black’s P-B4, which leaves the QP “backward.”

8. … Q-KR4

9. KtxKt B-K2

10. B-Kt5 B-K3

11. BxB KtxB

12. Kt-Kt3 Q-R3

13. QxP Castles KR

14. QR-Q1

Now White is ahead with his development, having both Rooks in play and his Queen better placed. Nor can the latter be attacked by R-Q1, as White would simply play QxR. On the Queen being driven away by the Black Knight, he exchanges the latter and plays the Queen back into the same dominating position, eventually producing a dislocation of the Black Queen’s side pawns.

14. … Kt-B3

15. Q-QR4 QR-Q1

16. Kt-Q4! KtxKt

17. RxKt RxR

18. QxR P-QKt3

19. Q-K5 P-QB4

It is instructive to watch how this very slight weakness created by Black’s advance of his pawns brings him into trouble. A White Knight settles down at his Q6, which is no longer guarded by the Black QBP, and paralyses the whole of Black’s game. Another factor in White’s superiority of position is the possession of the King’s file. The Black Rook cannot move until the King gets a loophole by a pawn move. As we have seen, such a pawn move often affords an entry to the opposing pieces.

20. P-KB4 B-B1

Not BxP, of course, because of P-QKt3 and Q-Kt2. The Bishop which cannot remain at K3 is to go to Kt2, so that the threat of mate after Q-QB3 may also hold up a White piece.

21. P-B5 B-Kt2

22. Q-K7 Q-QB3

23. R-K2 P-B3

Compulsory, as otherwise P-B6 forces the KtP to advance, which is fatal in any case. After P-Kt3, White would cover his BP and play his Q to KR6. On the other hand, after PxP there is Kt-R5-B6, and Black is in a mating net.

24. Kt-K4 Q-Q4

25. Kt-Q6 B-B3

The threat was QxRch and R-K8 mate.

26. P-KR3

in order to retreat to R2 in case of Q-Q8ch. In a way P-KR3 creates a certain weakness, as the square at Kt3 is now defenceless, but Black has no pieces with which to take advantage of it: his Rook cannot move, his Bishop is on the White squares. If Black had a KB instead, the move would be very doubtful, because then Black might break in through White’s KKt3.

26. … P-B5

White’s threat was to repel the Black Queen by P-B4 and to mate in five moves, beginning with Q-K6ch.

27. P-B3 P-KR3

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

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

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6 | | #P | #B | ^Kt| | #P | | #P |

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

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4 | | | #P | | | | | |

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3 | | | ^P | | | | | ^P |

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

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 113

This disposes of the winning of the Queen by the threatened mate. But it creates a weakness at Black’s Kt3, which White exploits in grand style. He decides to play the King himself to Kt6, threatening mate at Kt7. In spite of several raids by the Black Queen, this quaint device is crowned with success. The weakness created by P-KR3 could not be demonstrated more drastically.

28. K-R2 P-QKt4

29. K-Kt3 P-QR4

30. K-R4 P-Kt3

If White were to play PxP now, Black would mate him one move earlier (Q-Kt4). Of course he parries the threat first, and Black is helpless.

31. R-K3 QxKtP

32. R-Kt3 Q-B7

After P-Kt4ch White could not play 33. K-Kt4 on account of the pretty mate by B-B6. He would play K-R5-Kt6.

33. PxP Q-B5ch

34. R-Kt4 Q-B7ch

35. K-R5 Resigns.

A most instructive game, showing how the superior position of the pieces can lead indirectly to a win, by reducing the opponent’s pieces gradually to impotence and compelling him to move pawns, thereby affording opportunities for a decisive entry.

GAME No. 11

White: Schlechter. Black: Janowski.

Ruy Lopez (compare p. 40).

1. P-K4 P-K4

2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3

3. B-Kt5 Kt-B3

4. Castles KtxP

A continuation, which has lately gained in favour, is: P-Q3 and B-K2 (see p. 39).

5. P-Q4 B-K2

It is clearly very dangerous to gratify White’s wish for an open file by playing PxP. The move may be playable in the system of defence called the “Riga variation” (see Game No. 17). Here it would be advantageous to be able to close the KB’s diagonal. It is better when intending to play the “Riga variation” to have played P-QR3 on the third move.

6. Q-K2 Kt-Q3

7. BxKt KtPxB

8. PxP Kt-Kt2

9. Kt-B3 Castles

10. R-K1 R-K1

The manoeuvre cited on p. 40, namely Kt-B4-K3, which makes P-Q4 possible, is essential for the development of the QB. Black loses the present game because White is able to keep the Bishop shut in permanently

11. Q-B4 Kt-B4

so that the pawn B3 should not be “hanging” when the QP moves.

12. Kt-KKt5! BxKt

13. BxB QxB

14. QxKt R-K3

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

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

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

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

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4 | | | | | | | | |

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

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

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 114

After the exchanges the position is clearly in favour of White. Against an undeveloped B, which also hampers a Rook, his Knight is mobile. The Black Queen’s side pawns are weak, and give White winning chances even if Black succeeds in playing P-Q4 and bringing the Bishop into play. The move in the text, which covers the pawn at B3, again prepares for P-Q4.

15. Q-Q4 B-Kt2

The only chance lay in the pawn sacrifice by P-QB4, after which the Bishop gets to Kt2 with a threat of mate, and the QR is free.

16. Q-QKt4 B-B1

17. Kt-K4

Fine play. If Black captures the pawn, White obtains a combined attack with Q, R, and Kt, to which Black can only oppose the Q, so that the result cannot be in doubt—e.g. 17. … QxKP; 18. Kt-B5, Q-Q3; 19. Q-QB4, RxRch; 20. RxR, P-KR3; 21. R-K8ch, K-R2; 22. Q-K4ch, P-Kt3 (Q-Kt3?; 23. QxQ, followed by KtxP); 23. Kt-Q3 and R-K7.

17. … Q-K2

18. Kt-B5 R-Kt3

19. R-K3 P-QR4

20. Q-Q4 R-Kt1

21. P-QB4

preventing R-Kt4

21. … P-R3

22. P-QKt3 K-R2

23. R-Q1 Q-Kt4

24. R-Kt3 Q-B4

25. RxR PxR

Black has built a wall of pawns round his King, but it does not avail against the superior forces which White can concentrate.

White’s plan is clear. He will advance his pawns, and break up those that surround the Black King, always taking care that Black does not free his Queen’s side meanwhile. His pieces will then break in easily, and Black is forced to look on passively.

26. P-KR3 R-R1

27. P-QR4

to prevent the sacrifice of a pawn by P-R5, which would bring the Black Rook into play.

27. … R-Kt1

28. R-Q3 Q-Kt4

29. K-R2 Q-K2

30. P-B4 Q-B2

31. P-K6!!

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

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

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

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

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

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3 | | ^P | | ^R | | | | ^P |

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

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1 | | | | | | | | |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 115

A beautiful move which robs Black of his last chance of freeing his Queen’s side, which he might have accomplished by the pawn sacrifice of P-Q3.

31. … PxP

32. Q-K5 Q-K2

33. P-KKt4 R-Kt5

34. K-Kt3 R-Kt3

35. P-R4 Q-B1

36. P-R5 PxP

37. QxRP R-Kt1

38. Q-K5 R-Kt3

39. P-Kt5 P-R4

40. P-Kt6ch

The end is near. Black must take, as QxRP forces a speedy

40. … KxP

41. Q-Kt5ch K-R2

42. QxRPch K-Kt1

43. Q-Kt5

threatening R-Q8

43. … K-B2

44. R-Q8 Q-K2

45. Q-R5ch Resigns.

Loss of the Queen and mate in a few moves cannot be prevented. Black has played the whole game practically with two pieces less, and the mate was really only a matter of time.

GAME No. 12

White: Teichmann. Black: Rubinstein.

Ruy Lopez (see p. 37).

1. P-K4 P-K4

2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3

3. B-Kt5 P-QR3

4. B-R4

By exchanging the Bishop White could not prove P-QR3 to be a lost move, for Black, by retaking with the QP, obtains open lines for Q and QB, and in addition to an easy development, retains two Bishops. This is a set-off against a certain weakness in Black’s game, which may be found in the fact that after P-Q4, PxP, White has