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

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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.

---------------------------------------8 | | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|7 | | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|6 | ^K | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|5 | | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|4 | | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|3 | | | | #K | | | | ||---------------------------------------|2 | ^P | | | | | | | ||---------------------------------------|1 | | | | | | | | |---------------------------------------A B C D E F G H

Diag. 55

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D E F G H

Diag. 148

White prepares a magnificent mating combination, which can only be made possible at such an early stage, when the opponent has utterly neglected his development.

8. … KtxKt

9. Q-Q8ch!! KxQ

10. B-Kt5 double ch K-B2

11. B-Q8 mate

A beautiful mate. If 11. … K-K1, 11. R-Q8 mate.

GAME NO. 36

White: Forgacz. Black: E. Cohn.

Queen’s Gambit.

1. P-Q4 P-Q4

2. Kt-KB3 P-K3

3. P-B4 PxP

4. Kt-B3 Kt-KB3

5. B-Kt5 B-K2

6. P-K4 P-KR3

Through 3. … PxP Black’s development is one move behind, and such pawn moves should at any cost be avoided as do not contribute to the mobilisation of the pieces. Castles, P-QKt3, B-Kt2, and QKt-Q 2 was the proper course.

7. BxKt

This is better than to withdraw the Bishop; Black’s last move was clearly loss of time.

7.. … BxB

8. BxP Kt-Q2

9. Castles Castles

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

5 | | | | | | | | |

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 149

There seems to be nothing alarming about the position, yet on closer investigation a number of vital failings can be discerned in Black’s camp. The absence of a pawn in the centre and the unsatisfactory development have a far-reaching influence. White will be able to bring his forces to the King’s side by way of K4, which is made accessible by the disappearance of Black’s QP, before Black has time to bring his QB to bear on White’s K4 by P-QKt3 and B-Kt2. White’s immediate threat (after P-K5) is Q-K2-K4 and B-Q3. If Black does not wish to risk P-KKt3, he must defend himself with R-K1, Kt-B1. In the meantime White can play R-Q1 and threaten P-Q5, opening the Queen’s file. This again necessitates P-B3, which postpones the efficiency of the QB at Kt2 until White’s QKt and QR have been brought up for the attack. The game develops on these lines, and provides an excellent example of the advantage of the command of the centre.

10. P-K5 B-K2

11. Q-K2 R-K1

12. QR-Q1 P-QB3

13. Q-K4 Q-B2

preparing P-QKt3.

14. KR-K1 Kt-B1

15. Q-Kt4 P-QKt3

16. Q-R5 B-Kt2

17. R-K4 B-Kt5

Black cannot yet play P-QB4, as R-B4 is threatened with an attack on KB7. The Bishop which obstructs the Q would have no move, save the sorry retreat to Q1, and White would win speedily: 17. … P-QB4; 18. R-B4, B-Q1; 19. P-Q5, PxP; 20. KtxP, BxKt; 21. BxB, attacking R and P.

18. R-Kt4 BxKt

19. PxB K-R1

QxP was threatened.

20. Kt-Kt5 R-K2

21. Kt-K4

Even the Knight is brought in via K4.

21. … R-Q1

22. R-Q3 P-QB4

23. Kt-B6

threatening QxPch and R-Kt8 mate. Black cannot capture the Kt because of QxPch and mate at Kt7. But the mate cannot be delayed much longer in view of the concentration of superior forces for the attack.

23. … Kt-Kt3

24. R-R3 Resigns

There is no answer to Q-Kt5 and RxP.

GAME NO. 37

White: Marshall. Black: Capablanca.

Queen’s Gambit Declined (see p. 52).

1. P-Q4 P-Q4

2. P-QB4 P-K3

3. Kt-QB3 Kt-KB3

4. B-Kt5 B-K2

5. P-K3 Kt-K5

–––––––––––––

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 150

Lasker has played this move successfully in his match against Marshall; but it has not come into general use. White should get the better game by 6. BxB, QxB; 7. Q-B2, KtxKt; 8. QxKt or 7. PxP, KtxKt; 8. PxKt, PxP; 9. Q-Kt3, in the first case because the Black QB is out of play, in the second case because of the open Kt file. 7. KtxKt is bad, because PxKt prevents the natural development of the KKt at B3, and Black can obtain an attack after castling by P-KB4-5.

6. BxB QxB

7. B-Q3

This also is a good move, as it furthers development.

7. … KtxKt

8. PxKt PxP

Giving up the centre pawn in this case is not against the spirit of the opening, as it opens the only diagonal on which the Black QB can operate.

9. BxP P-QKt3

10. Q-B3 P-QB3

11. Kt-K2 B-Kt2

12. Castles KR Castles

13. P-QR4

This move can only be good if White intends to operate on the Queen’s side, possibly by KR-Kt1 and P-R5. But the position of the White Queen makes the adoption of a different plan compulsory. For one thing, it is rational to concentrate forces where the Queen can take her share, therefore, in this case, on the King’s side. On the other hand, the manoeuvre referred to could not be put into execution here because Black can prevent P-R5 by P-QB4 and Kt-B3. A fairly obvious course was to play P-K4, taking possession of the centre. P-QB4 would then be answered by P-Q5, after which the White Rooks would be very effective at Q1 and K1. In this game White does initiate a King’s side attack subsequently, and thus 13. … P-QR4 is clearly a lost move.

13. … P-QB4

14. Q-Kt3 Kt-B3

15. Kt-B4 QR-B1

The tempting move of P-K4 cannot be played because of 16. Kt-Q5, Q-Q1; 17. PxBP, Kt-R4; 18. KR-Q1. The move in the text threatens PxP, KtxP and RxB.

16. B-R2 KR-Q1

17. KR-K1 Kt-R4

This threatens B-B3 attacking the RP. White decides to yield the same at once, thinking quite rightly that a direct attack must have good chances, as Black gets two pieces out of play in capturing the pawn.

18. QR-Q1 B-B 3

19. Q-Kt4

Black cannot take the pawn yet, because of KtxP and BxPch.

19. … P-B5

20. P-Q5?

–––––––––––––

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

4 | ^P | | #P | | | ^Kt| ^Q | |

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 151

There is no need to play for violent complications. The logical course was to open the way to the King’s side for the Rooks by P-K4. The continuation could have been: 20. P-K4, BxRP; 21. Kt-R5, P-Kt3; 22. P-K5, BxR; 23. RxB followed by Kt-B6, with a strong attack; also after 21. … P-B3, 22. R-Q2, White’s attacking chances are good. After the move in the text, Black could get an advantage by simply exchanging: 20. … PxP; 21. KtxP, BxKt; 22. RxB, RxR; 23. QxRch, R-Q1; 24. Q-KB5, P-Kt3; 25. Q-B2, Q-R6. In taking the RP, however, Black incurs grave risks.

20. … BxRP

21. R-Q2 P-K4

22. Kt-R5 P-Kt3

23. P-Q6 Q-K3

24. Q-Kt5 K-R1

Black finds the weaknesses at his KB3 and KR3 very troublesome. RxP would lose at once, because of 25. RxR, QxR; 26. Q-R6!

25. Kt-B6 RxP

26. RxR QxR

27. B-Kt1

Q-R4 would have been answered by K-Kt2.

27. … Kt-B3

Black must try to bring back his minor pieces for the defence. If he succeeds in doing that in time, the end-game is easily won on the Queen’s side.

28. B-B5 R-Q1

Not PxB because of Q-R6.

29. P-KR4

White’s attacking resources seem inexhaustible. By exchanging Queens he could have got his pawn back in this way: 29. B-Q7, Q-B1 (R xB?, 30. Q-R6); 30. BxKt, BxB; 31. QxQP, Q-Q3; 32. Kt-Q7,QxQ; 33. KtxQ, B-K1; 34. KtxQBP. But even then Black would maintain a superiority in the end-game owing to the freedom of his passed pawn, and because he can post his Rook at the seventh after P-QKt4. This explains why Marshall prefers not to win back his pawn, but to enter upon a violent attack with a doubtful issue. However, Capablanca finds the right move in all the ensuing complications, and finally wins the game.

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

6 | | #P | #Kt| #Q | | ^Kt| #P | |

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

|–––––––––––––|

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

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 152

29. … Kt-K2

30. Kt-K4 Q-B2

31. Q-B6ch K-Kt1

32. B-K6

This is now compulsory. If White loses time in withdrawing the B, Black consolidates his position by: Kt-Q4 and Q-K2.

32. … PxB

R-B1 is refuted by 33. Kt-Kt5!, PxB; 34. QxR, etc.

33. QxKPch

Better than Kt-Kt5, for after Kt-Q4, 34. QxPch, the Black King finds a safe retreat at Kt2.

33. … K-B1

34. Kt-Kt5 Kt-Kt1

35. P-B4

in order to open the file for the Rook.

35. … R-K1

36. PxP R-K2

37. R-B1ch K-Kt2

38. P-R5 B-K1

39. P-R6ch K-R1

KtxP fails on account of Q-B6ch.

40. Q-Q6

White takes all possible advantage from the position, but cannot bring home his attack, as Black has concentrated his forces for the defence. Black must still be careful to avoid a mate, e.g. QxQ?; 41. PxQ, RxP; 42. R-B7 or 4l. … R-Q2; 42. R-B8.

40. … Q-B4

41. Q-Q4

Here White could have tried QxQ and R-B8. There was then a permanent threat of RxB, e.g. 41. QxQ, PxQ; 42. R-B8, RxP; 43. Kt-B3, R-K2; 44. Kt-Kt5, etc. It seems as if Black would have to give up the piece again by 43. … R-R4 in order to win. White, however, would then have drawing chances, which would have been a fitting conclusion to this wonderful game.

41. … RxP

42. Q-Q7 R-K2

Resigns

GAME No. 38

White: Rotlewi. Black: Teichmann.

Queen’s Gambit Declined.

1. P-Q4 P-Q 4

2. Kt-KB3 Kt-KB3

3. P-B4 P-K3

4. Kt-B3 QKt-Q2

5. B-Kt5 B-K2

Capablanca