Chess Strategy by Edward Lasker (inspirational novels .TXT) π
1. ... K-Q3
2. P-B3 K-B3
3. K-B4 and wins.
This settles all typical end-games of King and pawn against King. There is, however, one exception to the rules set out, namely, when a ROOK'S PAWN is concerned. Here the isolated King always succeeds in drawing if he can reach the corner where the pawn has to queen, for he cannot be driven out again. The Rook's pawn affords another opportunity for the weaker side to draw. Diagram 55 will illustrate this, and similar positions are of frequent occurrence in practice. Here Black draws with 1. ... K-B5. As he threatens to capture the pawn, White must play 2. P-R4. Then after the reply K-B4, White is still unable to cut the opponent off from the corner with K-Kt7, as the loss of the pawn is still threatened through K-Kt5. And after 3. P-R5 Black attains the position which is typical for this end-game, namely the opposition against the King on the Rook's file. The latter cannot escape without giving up the contested corner, and the game is drawn. 3. ... K-B3; 4. K-R7, K-B2; 5. K-R8, K-B1; 6. P-R6, K-B2; 7. P-R7, K-B1: and White is stalemated.
Diag. 55
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19. QR-K1 P-QB4
20. P-K6
A brilliant sacrifice to which no satisfactory reply can be found. For instance, 20. β¦ PxKt; 21. Q-Kt4, Kt-K6, 22. RxKt, PxR; 23. P-B5, BxP; 24. PxB, PxP, 25. BxP, etc.; or 24. β¦ R-KB1; 25. PxPch, RxP; 26. Q-K6, Q-K1; 27. BxP, etc.; or 23. β¦ P-Kt4; 24. PxPch, KxP; 25. Q-R5ch, K-Kt1; 26. P-B6, BxP; 27. BxP, etc.; or 21. β¦ B-B4; 22. PxPch, KxP; 23. BxPch, PxB; 24. P-B5, etc. There are many variations, all leading to a speedy end.
βββββββββββββ
8 | #R | | | #Q | #R | | #K | |
|βββββββββββββ|
7 | | | | #B | #B | #P | | #P |
|βββββββββββββ|
6 | #P | | | | ^P | | #P | ^B |
|βββββββββββββ|
5 | | #P | #P | #P | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
4 | | | #Kt| ^Kt| | ^P | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
3 | | | ^P | | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
2 | ^P | | ^B | | ^Q | | ^P | ^P |
|βββββββββββββ|
1 | | | | | ^R | ^R | ^K | |
βββββββββββββ
A B C D E F G H
Diag. 123
20. β¦ B-KB3
21. P-Kt4 P-Kt
22. P-B5 P-Q6
23. BxP BxKP
If PxKP then 24. PxKtP, Kt-K4; 25. RxKt, BxR; 26. Q-R5, Q-B3; 27. RxQ, BxR; 28. PxPch, K-R1; 29. Q-B7, etc.; or 26. β¦ BxP; 27. B-B8, etc.
24. PxB Q-Kt3ch
25. K-R1 Resigns
GAME No. 17
White: Berlin. Black: Riga.
Ruy Lopez.
Move 1-6 as in Game No. 16.
βββββββββββββ
8 | #R | | #B | #Q | #K | #B | | #R |
|βββββββββββββ|
7 | | #P | #P | #P | | #P | #P | #P |
|βββββββββββββ|
6 | #P | | #Kt| | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
5 | | | | | #P | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
4 | ^B | | | ^P | #Kt| | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
3 | | | | | | ^Kt| | |
|βββββββββββββ|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|βββββββββββββ|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
βββββββββββββ
A B C D E F G H
Diag. 124
6. β¦ PxP
Compare note to move No. 6 in Game 14.
7. R-K1 P-Q4
8. KtxP B-Q3
This is the key to the variation. Black threatens to obtain a draw by perpetual check through BxPch, followed by Q-R5ch and QxPch. This is not good enough against a weaker opponent in a tournament, and a strong player cannot afford to play the Riga defence. But that is not a point against the variation. To prove it unsound, White has to find a win.
9. KtxKt BxPch
10. K-R1!
After 10. K-B1 Black has a tremendous attack, and drives it home before White can manage to bring his extra piece into play. A game Maroczy-Berger (Vienna, 1908) is an illustration of this. It continued in this way: 10. K-B1, Q-R5; 11. B-K3, Castles; 12. Kt-Q4, B-Kt5; 13. Kt-KB3, Q-R4. Now White has no satisfactory continuation. 14. Kt-Q2 obstructs the Queen, and it is difficult to bring the Rooks into concerted action. 14. Kt-B3, QR-Q1; 15. Q-Q3, BxKt; 16. PxB, QxP; 17. KtxKt, PxKt; 18. Q-B3, Q-R6ch; 19. K-K2, Q-Kt5ch; 20. K-B1, R-Q4; 21. B-Kt3, R-KR4; 22. P-B3, PxP; Resigns.
10. β¦ Q-R5
It now looks as if White were lost. But a fine sacrifice forces the exchange of all Blackβs attacking pieces, and saves the situation.
11. RxKtch PxR
12. Q-Q8ch QxQ
13. KtxQch KxKt
14. KxB β¦
βββββββββββββ
8 | #R | | #B | #K | | | | #R |
|βββββββββββββ|
7 | | #P | #P | | | #P | #P | #P |
|βββββββββββββ|
6 | #P | | | | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
4 | ^B | | | | #P | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^K |
|βββββββββββββ|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | | | | | |
βββββββββββββ
A B C D E F G H
Diag. 125
After the terrible slaughter, the position is somewhat clearer. Black has a Rook and two pawns for two minor pieces, a slight advantage for the end-game, but as yet there is no thought of an end-game. White, in possession of two Bishops, with an open Queenβs file on which the Black King stands, has good attacking chances, and most masters would think the position favourable for White.
14. β¦ B-K3
P-KB4 is a plausible move, but is followed by a pretty mate by 15. B-Kt5. The move in the text threatens to eliminate the KB by P-QB4, P-QKt4.
15. B-K3 P-KB4
16. Kt-B3 K-K2
17. P-KKt4
Tarrasch recommends 17. R-Q1, threatening Kt-Q5ch. If P-B3, White could play 18. B-Kt6, thereby permanently preventing Black from contesting the Queenβs file, and then try to exchange Blackβs B by Kt-K2-Q4. With two Bishops, White would then have winning chances.
A subtle idea underlies Whiteβs move of P-KKt4. He wishes to take advantage of the fact that Black has exchanged the KB by playing P-Kt5, thus holding all the four pawns on the Kingβs side. But Black finds a surprising reply, which seems to refute Whiteβs plan.
Capablanca played against Ed. Lasker (New York, 1915), 17. P-KKt4, P-KKt3; 18. K-Kt3, P-KR4; 19. PxBP, P-R5ch; 20. K-R2, PxP; 21. Kt-K2, P-Kt4; 22. B-Kt3, BxB; 23. RPxB, KR-KKt1; 24. R-Q1, QR-Q1; 25. RxR, KxR; 26. Kt-K4, winning a pawn.
17. β¦ P-KKt3
18. P-Kt5 QR-KKt1!!
Black offers the exchange in order to get rid of Whiteβs QB. If White accepts the sacrifice, he loses his KKtP, and Black retains three passed pawns for the piece, at least an equivalent for the end-game. White should decline the doubtful gift and meet the threat of P-R3 and P-KKt4 with 19. R-KKt1.
19. B-Q4 P-R3
20. B-B6ch K-B2
21. BxR RxB
22. R-Q1
in order to play 23. B-Q7 in answer to P-B4. This explains Whiteβs check at move 20.
22. β¦ PxPch
23. K-Kt2 K-B3!
If now 24. Kt-Q5ch, Black would assail the White King with K-K4; 25. KtxP, B-B5-K7-B6. The Black phalanx of pawns becomes menacing.
24. B-Kt3 BxB
25. RPxB K-K3
26. P-Kt4 R-R2
Black need no longer fear to exchange Rooks, for he would then threaten the Queenβs side pawns with his King whilst the passed pawns kept the White forces occupied.
27. Kt-K2 R-Q2
28. Kt-Q4ch K-B3
29. P-QB3 P-B3
The aim of this move is not clear. Black should adopt a forward policy with P-Kt5, P-B5, R-R2, etc.
30. R-KR1 P-Kt5
31. R-R8
Now none of the pawns can advance: P-B5 would be answered by 32. R-K8, R-K2; 33. RxR, KxR; 34. Kt-Kt3 and one of the pawns is lost.
31. β¦ R-K2
32. Kt-K2 R-Q2
33. Kt-Q4 R-K2
34. R-B8ch K-Kt2
35. R-Q8 P-B5
36. R-Q6 K-B2
37. Kt-B2 R-K3
38. R-Q7ch R-K2
39. R-Q6 R-K3
40. R-Q1
White tries to win at all costsβand loses. By a forcible advance on the Queenβs side, he creates new chances, but also new weaknesses.
40. β¦ K-B3
41. P-B4 R-K2
42. R-Q4 K-Kt4
43. R-Q6 P-K6!
44. P-B3
PxP fails on account of P-B6ch and R-R2.
44. β¦ P-K7
45. Kt-K1 P-Kt6
46. P-Kt5
Too late.
46. β¦ R-R2
47. PxBP PxP
48. R-K6 R-R7ch
49. K-Kt1 R-B7
50. Kt-B2 RxP
51. RxKP R-Q6
52. Kt-K1 R-Kt6
53. R-Q2 P-B6
54. Kt-Q3 P-R4
Resigns
The RP cannot be prevented from pushing on to R6, after which a mate is threatened by the BlacKRon the eighth rank. R-Q1 would then be compulsory. But that lets the Black Rook in on the seventh (KR-R7, followed by P-B7ch).
GAME No. 18.
Emanuel Lasker. Capablanca.
Ruy Lopez (see p. 37)
1. P-K4 P-K4
2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3
3. B-Kt5 P-QR3
4. BxKtQ PxB
5. P-Q4 PxP
Worthy of consideration is: 5. β¦ B-KKt5; 6PxP, QxQch; 7. KxQ, Castles ch; 8. K-K2, R-K1; 9. P-KR3, BxKtch; 10. KxB, P-B3; with a good game. In this opening Black is justified in assuming the initiative, as the exchange, which has opened a diagonal for his QB, has furthered his development. If he does not do so, and confines himself to defending tamely, the chances are that he will lose on account of Whiteβs majority of pawns on the Kingβs side.
6. QxP QxQ
Compulsory. If B-K3 instead, 7. B-B4 attacks QB7. B-Q3 in reply to that would be inferior. By exchanging Bishops White would render the Black QP βbackward,β and on the open file its capture would be inevitable.
7. KtxQ B-Q3
8. Kt-QB3 Kt-K2
Black prepares to castle on the Kingβs side. It is more usual, and probably stronger, to castle on the Queenβs side, as the King then protects the QBP, which in the present case would be weak if Blackβs KB were to be exchanged.
9. Castles Castles.
10. P-B4 R-K1
βββββββββββββ
8 | #R | | #B | | #R | | #K | |
|βββββββββββββ|
7 | | #P | #P | | #Kt| #P | #P | #P |
|βββββββββββββ|
6 | #P | | #P | #B | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
4 | | | | ^Kt| ^P | ^P | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
3 | | | ^Kt| | | | | |
|βββββββββββββ|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P |
|βββββββββββββ|
1 | ^R | | ^B | | | ^R | ^K | |
βββββββββββββ
A B C D E F G H
Diag. 126
Black allows his opponent too much latitude on the Kingβs wing. He should prevent Whiteβs P-B5, which obstructs his QB, by P-KB4. After P-K5 the game would be equalised by B-B4, BxKt, and B-K3.
A draw would then be practically certain, with the Bishops of opposite colours. Black probably thought White would not risk weakening his KP by P-B5. But with unfailing judgment Lasker foresees that, in consequence of the greater mobility of his pieces, his attack will be successful before a counter attack on the weak KP can be instituted.
11. Kt-Kt3 P-B3
Even now P-KB4 was imperative, though it would keep the Bishop from that square. The continuation could have been 12. P-K5, B-Kt5; 13. Kt-K2 (or R4), Kt-Q4, and the Bishop is safe.
12. P-B5!!
This move has a twofold aim. It shuts in the Bishop, and allows B-B4, exchanging the Black QB.
12. β¦ P-QKt3
The diagonal QR1-KR8 is the only one in which the Bishop has any prospects of action. However, as soon as he relinquishes his present diagonal, a White Knight settles at K6 and the Black Rooks are very much hampered.
13. B-B4 B-Kt2
Black should have exchanged the Bishops. Now he gets a weak pawn at Q3. Before playing B-Kt2, P-B4 should be played to prevent the Knight getting from Kt3-Q4-K6.
14. BxB PxB
15. Kt-Q4 QR-Q1
16. Kt-K6 R-Q2
17. QR-Q1 Kt-B1
18. R-B2
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