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GAYLORD
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
GV1445.C2T""""""'"""""^
Chess fundamentals,
3 1924 014 756 724
The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924014756724
BY JOSE R. CAPABLANCA
A PRIMES OF CHESS
JOSE R. CAPABLANCA
CHESS
FUNDAMENTALS
BY
JOSfi R. C^PABLANCA
CHESS CHAMPION OF THE WORLD
NEW YORK
HARCOURT, BRACE AND COMPANY
LONDON: G. BELL AND SON^, LTD,
URIS LIBRARY
COPYRIGHT, I921, BY
HARCOUKT, BRACE AND COMPANY, INC.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by
mimeograph or any other means, without permission in writing from the publisher.
PKINIED IN THE D. S. A.
PREFACE .
Chess Fundamentals was first published thirteen years
ago. Siace then there have appeared at different times
a number of articles dealing with the so-called Hyper-
modem Theory. Those who have read the articles
may well have thought that something new, of vital
importance, had been discovered. The fact is that the
'Hypermodem Theory is merely the application, during
the opening stages generally, of the same old principles
through the medium of somewhat new tactics. There
has been no change in the fundamentals. The change
has been only a change of form, and not always for the
best at that.
In chess the tactics may change but the strategic
fimdamental principles are always the same, so that
Chess Fundamentals is as good now as it was thirteen
years ago. It will be as good a hundred years from now;
as long in fact as the laws and rules of the game remain
what they are at present. The reader may therefore
go over the contents of the book with the assurance
that there is in it everything he needs, and that there
is nothing to be added and nothing to be changed.
Chess Fundamentals was the one standard work of its
kind thirteen years ago and the author firmly believes
that it is the one standard work of its kind now.
J. R. CAPABLANCA
New York
Sept. I, ig34
LIST OF CONTENTS
PART I
CHAPTER I
First Principjles: Endings, Middle-game and Openings
PAGE
1. Some Simple Mates 3
2. Pawn Promotion 9
3. Pawn Endings- 13
4. Some Winning Positions in the Middle-game .... 19
5. Relative Value of the Pieces 24
6. General Strategy of the Opening 25
7. Control of the Centre 28
8. Traps 32
CHAPTER n
Further Principles in End-game Play
9. A Cardinal Principle 35
10. A Classical Ending 37
11. Obtaining a Passed Pawn 40
12. How TO find out which Pawn will be the first
to Queen 41
13. The Opposition 43
14. TfEE Relative Value of Knight and Bishop .... 50
15. How TO Mate with Knight and Bishop 59
16. Queen against Rook 62
CHAPTER m
Planning a Win in Middle-game Play
17. Attacking without the aid of Knights 68
18. Attacking with Knights as a Prominent Force. . . 71
19. WiNNiNO BY Indirect Attack 73
LIST OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER IV
General Theory
FAQE
20. The Initiative 77
21. Direct Attacks bn masse 7*
22. The Force of the Threatened Attack 82
23. Relinquishing the Initiative 89
24. Cutting off Pieces from the Scene of Action ... 94
25. A Player's Motives Criticised in a Specimen Game . 99
CHAPTER V
End-game Strategy
26. The Sudden Attack from a Different Side 11 1
27. The Danger of a Safe Position 120
28. Endings with one Rook and Pawns 122
29. A Difficult Ending: Two Rooks and Pawns .... 127
30. Rook, Bishop and Pawns v. Rook, Knight and Pawns 138
(A Final Example of preserving Freedom whilst
imposing restraint.)
CHAPTER VI
Further Openings and Middle-games
31. Some Sauent Points about Pawns 143
32. Some Possible Developments from a Ruy Lopez
(showing the weakness of a backward Q B P; the
power of a Pawn at K s, etc.) 146
33. The Influence of a "Hole" 150
XIST OF CONTENTS
PART II
ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES
GAME PAGE
1. Queen's Gambit Declined ( Match, 1909) 159
White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
2. Queen's Gambit Declined (San Sebastian, 1911). . 163
White: A. K. Rubinstein. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
3. Irregular Defence (Havana, 1913) 169
White: D. Janowski. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
4. French Defence (St. Petersburg, 1913) 174
White: J. R. Capablania. Black: E. A. Snosko-Borovski.
5. RuY Lopez (St. Petersburg, 1914) 181
White: Dr.E. Lasker. Black: J.R. Capablanca.
6. French Defence ( Rice Memorial Tournament, 1916 ) 189
White: O. Chajes. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
7. RuY Lopez (San Sebastian, 1911) 197
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: A. Bum.
8. Centre Game (Berlin, 1913) 201
White: J. Mieses. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
9. Queen's Gambit Declined (Berlin, 1913) 209
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: R. Teichmann.
10. Petrofp Defence (St. Petersburg, 1914) 215
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: F. J. Marshall.
11. RuY Lopez (St. Petersburg, 1914) 221
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: D. Janowski.
12. French Defence (New York, 1918) 225
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: 0. Chajes.
13. RuY Lopez (New York, 1918) 231
White: J. S. Morrison. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
14. Queen's Gambit Declined (New York, 1918). . . . 238
White: F. J. Marshall. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS
CHESS FUNDAMENTALS
PART I
CHAPTER I
First Principles: Endings, Middle-Game
AND Openings
The first thing a student should do, is to famiUarise
himseK with the power of the pieces. This can
best be done by learning how to accomplish quickly
some of the simple mates.
1. SOME SIMPLE MATES
Example 1. — The ending Rook and King against
King.
The principle is to drive the opposing King to the
last line on any side of the board.
4 SOME SIMPLE MATES
In this position the power of the Rook is demon-
strated by the first move, R— R 7, which immediately
confines the Black King to the last rank, and the
mate is quickly accomplished by: iR — R 7>
K— Kt i; 2 K— Kt 2.
The combined action of King and Rook is
needed to arrive at a position in which mate can be
forced. The general principle for a beginner to
foUow is to
keep his King as much as possible on the same
rank, or, as in this case, file, as the opposing King.
When, in this case, the King has been brought to
the sixth rank, it is better to place it, not on the same
file, but on the one next to it towards the centre.
2...K— B i; 3 K— B 3, K— K i; 4 K— K 4,
K-Qi; sK-Qs, K-B i ; 6 K-Q 6.
Not K — B 6, because then the Black King will
go back to Q I and it will take much longer to mate.
If now the King moves back to Q i, R — R 8 mates
at once.
6...K— Kti; 7R— QB7,K— Ri; 8K— B6,
K— Kt I ; 9 K— Kt 6, K— R i ; 10 R— B 8 mate.
It has taken exactly ten moves to mate from the
original position. On move 5 Black could have played
K — K I, and, according to principle. White would
have continued 6K— Q6, K — Bi (the Black King
will ultimately be forced to move in front of the White
King and be mated by R— R8); 7K— K6,
K— Kt i; 8 K — B 6, K — R i; 9 K— Kt 6,
K— Kt i; 10 R— R 8 mate.
SOME SIMPLE MATES
Example 2.
m
^
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/.
!^/<e^
^.
V
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^^:
Since the Black King is in the centre of the board,
the best way to proceed is to advance your own King
thus: I K— K,2, K— Q4; 2 K— K 3. As the
Rook has not yet come into play, it is better to
advance the King straight into the centre of the board,
not in front, but to one side of the other King. Should
now the Black King move to K 4, the Rook drives
it back by R — R 5 ch. On the other hand, if 2. . .
K — B 5 instead, then also 3 R — R 5. If now 3. . .
K — Kt s, there follows 4 K — Q 3; but if instead
3...K — B 6; then 4 R — R 4, keeping the King
confined to as few squares as possible.
Now the ending may continue : 4 . . . K — B 7 ;
5 R-B 4 ch, K-Kt 6; 6 K-Q 3, K-Kt 7;
7 R— Kt 4 ch, K— R 6; 8 K— B 3, K— R 7. It
should be noticed how often the White King has moved
next to the Rook, not only to defend it, but also to
reduce the mobihty of the opposing King. Now
6 SOME SIMPLE MATES
White mates in three moves thus: 9 R— R 4 ch,
K— Kt 8; 10 R— any square on the Rook's file,
forcing the Black King in front of the White, K— B 8;
II R — R I mate. It has taken eleven moves to mate,
and, imder any conditions, I beheve it should be done
in under twenty. While it may be monotonous, it
is worth while for the beginner to practice such
things, as it will teach him the proper handling of
his pieces.
Example 3. — Now we come to two Bishops and
King against King.
Since the Black King is in the comer, White can
play iB — Q3, K— Kt 2; 2 B — K Kt 5, K— B 2 ;
3 B — B s, and already the Black Eang is confined
to a few squares. If the Black King, in the origmal
position, had been in the centre of the board, or away
from the last row, White should have advanced his
King, and then, with the aid of his Bishops, restricted
SOME SIMPLE MATES 7
the Black King's movements to as few squares as
possible.
We might now continue: 3. . .K — Kt 2 ; 4K — B 2.
In this ending the Black King must not only be driven
to the edge of the board, but he must also be forced
into a corner, and, before a mate can be given, the
White King must be brought to the sixth rank and,
at the same time, in one of the last two files; in this
case either K R 6, K Kt 6, K B 7, K B 8, and as K R 6
and K Kt 6 are the nearest squares, it is to either of
these squares that the King ought to go. 4. . .K —
B 2; s K— Kt 3, K— Kt 2; 6 K — R 4, K— B 2;
7 K— R s, K— Kt 2; 8 B — Kt 6, K — Kt i;
9K — R6, K — Bi. White must now mark time and
move one of the Bishops, so as to force the Black
King to go back ; loB — Rs, K— Kti; iiB — K7,
K — R I. Now the White Bishop must take up a
position from which it can give check next move
along the White diagonal, when the Black King
moves back to Kt i. 12 B — K Kt 4, K — Kt i;
13B — K6 ch, K— R i; 14 B — B 6 mate.'
It has taken fourteen moves to force the mate
and, in any position, it should be done in imder
thirty.
In all endings of this kind, care must be taken
not to drift into a stale mate.
In this particular ending one should remember that
the King must not only be driven to the edge of the
board, but also into a comer. In all such endings,
however, it is immaterial whether the King is forced
8
SOME SIMPLE MATES
on to the last rank, or to an outside file, e.g. K R 5
or Q R 4, K I or Q 8.
Example 4. — We now come to Queen and King
against King. As the Queen combines the power of
the Rook and the Bishop, it is the easiest mate of all
and should always be accompUshed in under ten moves.
Take the following position:
A good way to begin is to make the first move with
the Queen, trying to Ihnit the Black King's mobility
as much as possible. Thus: i Q — B 6, K— Q 5;
2 K— Q 2. Already the Black King has only one
available square 2...K — K 4; 3 K — K 3, K — B 4;
4 Q— Q 6, K— Kt 4. (Should Black play K— Kt 5,
then Q-Kt 6 ch) ; 5 Q-K 6, K — R 5 (if
K — R 4, K — B 4 and mate next move);
6 Q-K Kt 6, K— R 6; 7 K— B 3, K moves;
8 Q mates.
In this ending, as in the case of the Rook, the Black
Kmg must be forced to the edge of the board; only
PAWN PROMOTION
9
the Queeii being so much more powerful than the
Rook, the process is far easier and shorter. These
are the three elementary endings and in all of these
the principle is the same. In each case the co-opera-
tion of the King is needed. In order to force a mate
without the aid of the King, at least two Rooks are
required.
2. PAWN PROMOTION
The gain of a Pawn is the smallest material advantage
that can be obtained in a game ; and it often is sufficient
to win, even when the Pawn is the only remaining
unit, apart from the Kings. It is essential, speaking
generally, that
the King should be in front of his Pawn, with at least
one intervening square.
If the opposing King is directly in front of the Pawn,
then the game cannot be won. This can best be ex-
plained by the following examples.
Example 6.
lo PAWN PROMOTION
The position is drawn, and the way to proceed is
for Black to keep the King always directly in front
of the Pawn, and when it cannot be done, as for in-
stance in this position because of the White King,
then the Black King must be kept in front of the
White King. The play would proceed thus : i P — K 3,
K-K 4; 2 K-Q 3, K-.Q 4. This is a very
important move. Any other move would lose, as
will be shown later. As the Black Kmg cannot be
kept close up to the Pawn, it must be brought as far
forward as possible and, at the same time, m front
of the White King.
3 P — K 4 ch, K— K 4; 4 K— K 3, K— K 3;
5 K — B 4, K— B 3. Again the same case. As the
White King comes up, the Black King must be kept
in front of it, since it cannot be brought up to the
Pawn.
6 P — K 5 ch, K-K 3; 7K— K4, K-K2;
8 K— Q s, K— Q 2; 9 P — K 6 ch, K— K 2;
loK— Ks, K— Ki; II K— Q6, K— Qi. If now
White advances the Pawn, the Black King gets in
front of it and White must either give up the Pawn
or play K — K 6, and a stale mate results. If instead
of advancing the Pawn White withdraws his King,
Black brings his King up to the Pawn and, when
forced to go back, he moves to K in front of the Pawn
ready to come up again or to move in front of the
White King, as before, should the latter advance.
The whole mode of procedure is very important
and the student should become thoroughly conversant
PAWN PROMOTION
II
with its details; for it involves principles to be taken
up later on, and because many a beginner has lost
identical positions from lack of proper knowledge. At
this stage of the book I cannot lay too much stress on
its importance.
Example 6. — In this position White wins, as the
King is in front of his Pawn and there is one intervening
square.
The method to follow is to
advance the King as far as is compatible with the safety
of the Pawn and never to advance the Pawn until it is
essential to its own safety.
Thus:
I. K— K 4, K— K 3.
Black does not allow the White Kmg to advance,
therefore White is now compelled to advance his Pawn
so as to force Black to move away. He is then able
to advance his own King.
2. P-K3,K-B3; 3. K-Qs,K-K2.
12 PAWN PROMOTION
If Black had played 3. . .K— B 4, then White would
be forced to advance the Pawn to K 4, smce he could
not advance his King without leaving Black the
opportunity to play K— K 5, winning the Pawn.
Since he has not done so, it is better for White not
to advance the Pawn yet, since its own safety does
not require it, but to try to brmg the King still fur-
ther forward. Thus:
4. K-K5,K-Q2; 5. K-B6,K-Ki.
Now the White Pawn is too far back and it may be
brought up within protection of the King.
6. P — K4, K— Q2.
Now it would not do to play K— B 7, because
Black would play K— Q 3, and White would have
to bring back his King to protect the Pawn. There-
fore he must continue.
7. P-Ks,K-Ki.
Had he moved anywhere else, White could have played
K — B 7, followed by the advance of the Pawn to
K 6, K 7, K 8 ; all these squares being protected by
the King. As Black tries to prevent that, White must
now force him to move away, at the same time always
keeping the King in front of the Pawn. Thus :
8. K— K6:'
P- K 6 would make it a draw, as Black would then
play K— B, and we would have a position similar
to the one explained in connection with Example 5.
8...K-B i; 9K-Q7.
PAWN ENDINGS
13
King moves and the White Pawn advances to K 8,
becomes a Queen, and it is all over.
This ending is Uke the previous one, and for the
same reasons should be thoroughly imderstood before
proceeding any further.
3. PAWN ENDINGS
I shall now give a couple of simple endings of two
Pawns against one, or three against two, that the
reader may see how they can be won. Fewer explana-
tions will be given, as it is up to the student to work
things out for himself. Furthermore, nobody can
learn how to play weU merely from the study of a
book ; it can only serve as a guide and the rest must
be done by the teacher, if the student has one; if
not, the student must realise by long and bitter ex-
perience the practical appUcation of the many things
explained in the book.
Example 7.
^
i
14
PAWN ENDINGS
In this position WMte cannot win by playing
1 P — B 6, because Black plays, not P X P, which
would lose, but i. . .K— Kt i, and if then 2 P X P,
K X P, and draws, as shown in a previous case. If
2P — B 7 ch, K— B I, and White will never be
able to Queen his Pawn without losing it. If
2 K— K 7, P X P ; 3 K X P, K— B I, and draws.
White, however, can win the position given in the
diagram by playing:
I K— Q 7, K— Kt i; 2 K— K 7, K-R i;
3P — B6,PXP. If 3...K— Kt i; 4 P — B 7ch,
K— R i; s P — B 8 (Q) mate.
4 K — B 7, P — B 4; S P— Kt 7 ch, K— R 2;
6 P — Kt 8 (Q) ch, K— R 3; 7 Q— Kt 6 mate.
Example 8. — In the above position White can't win
by I P — B 5. Black's best answer would be P — Kt 3
draws. (The student should work this out.) He
cannot win by i P — Kt 5, because P — Kt 3 draws.
(This, because of the principle of the "opposition"
PAWN ENDINGS 15
which governs this ending as well as aU the Pawn-
endings already given, and which wiU be explained
more fully later on.)
White can win, however, by playing: i K — K 4,
K-K3. (If i...P-Kt3; 2K-Q4,K-K3;
3K-Bs,K-B3;4K-Q6,K-B2;5P-Kt5,
K— Kt 2; 6 K— K 7, K— Kt i; 7 K— B 6,
K— R 2; 8 K — B 7 and White wins the Pawn.)
2 P-B 5 ch, K-B 3; 3 K-B 4, P-Kt 3.
(If this Pawn is kept back we arrive at the ending
shown in Example 7.) 4 P — Kt 5 ch, K— B 2;
5 P — B 6, K— K 3 ; 6 K — K 4, K — B 2 ; 7 K— K 5,
K — B I. White cannot force his Bishop's Pawn
into Q (find out why), but by giving his Pawn up he
can win the other Pawn and the game. Thus:
8P— B7, KxP;9K— Q6, K— B i;ioK— K6,
K— Kt 2; II K— K 7, K— Kt i; 12 K— B 6,
K— R2; 13 K— B7, K — R i; 14 K X P,
K— Kti.
There is still some resistance in Black's position.
In fact, the only way to win is the one given here,
as will easily be seen by experiment.
15 K— R 6 (if K— B 6, K— R 2; and in order
to win White must get back to the actual position,
as against 16 P — Kt 6 ch, K — R i draws), K — R i ;
16 P— Kt 6, K— Kt i; 17 P — Kt 7, K— B 2;
18 K — R 7, and White queens the Pawn and
wins.
This ending, apparently so simple, should show the
student the enormous difficulties to be surmounted.
i6
PAWN ENDINGS
even when there are hardly any pieces left, when
playing against an adversary who knows how to use
the resources at his disposal, and it should show the
student, also, the necessity of paying strict attention
to these elementary things which form the basis of
true mastership in Chess.
Example 9. — In this ending
White can win by advancing any of the three Pawns
on the first move, but it is convenient to follow the
general rule, whenever there is no good reason against
it, of advancing the Pawn that has no Pawn opposing
it. Thus we begin by —
I. P — B 5, K— K2.
If P — Kt 3, P — B 6 ; and we have a similar ending
to one of those shown above. If i...P — R 3; 2
P-Kt s.
2. K-Ks,K-B2; 3. P-Kt 5, K-K 2.
PAWN ENDINGS
17
If 3...P-Kt 3; 4 P-B 6, and if 3-.P-R 3',
4 P — Kt 6 ch, and in either case we have a similar
ending to one of those already shown.
4. P-R5,
and by following it up with P — Kt 6 we have the
same ending previously shown. Should Black play
4...P— Kt 3, then R P X P, PxP; P — B 6 ch
with the same result.
Having now seen the cases when the Pawns are
all on one side of the board we shall now examine
a case when there are Pawns on both sides of the
board.
Example 10. — In these cases the general rule is
to act immediately on the side where you have the su-
perior forces. Thus we have :
I. P — KKt4.
i8 PAWN ENDINGS
It is generally advisable to advance the Pawn that is
free from opposition.
I P-QR4.
Black makes an advance on the other side, and now
White considers whether or not he should stop the
advance. In this case either way wins, but generally
the advance should be stopped when the opposing
King is far away.
2.P-QR4,K-B3; 3.P-R4,K-K3.
If 3. . .K — Kt 3, then simple coimting will show that
White goes to the other side with his King, wins the
P at Q R 4, and then Queens his single Pawn long
before Black can do the same.
4. P— Kt s, K— B 2; S-'K — B s, K — Kt 2;
6.P — R s, K— B 2.
If 6...P — R 3; 7 P — Kt 6, and then the two
Pawns defend themselves and White can go to the
other side with his King, to win the other Pawn.
7. K-Ks.
I
Now it is time to go to the other side with the King,
win the Black Pawn and Queen the single Pawn.
This is typical of all such endings and should be worked
out by the student in this case and in similar cases
which he can put up.
SOME WINNING POSITIONS
19
4. SOME WINNING POSITIONS IN THE MIDDLE-
GAME
By the time the student has digested all that has
been previously explained, he, no doubt, is anxious
to get to the actual game and play with all the pieces.
However, before considering the openings, we shall
devote a little time to some combinations that often
arise during the game, and which will give the reader
some idea of the beauty of the game, once he becomes
better acquainted with it.
Example 11.
It is Black's move, and thinking that White merely
threatens to play Q — R 6 and to mate at K Kt 7,
Black plays i. . .R — K i, threatening mate by way
of R — K 8. White now uncovers his real and most
effective threat, viz. :
I...R— Ki; 2QxPch,KxQ; 3R— Rsch,
K— Kt i; 4 R— R 8 mate.
20
SOME WINNING POSITIONS
This same type of combination may come as the
result of a somewhat more complicated position.
Example 12.
White is a piece behind, and miless he can win it
back quickly he wiU lose ; he therefore plays :
I. KtX Kt B — Kt4
He cannot take the Kt because White threatens mate
by Q X P ch followed by R — R 3 ch.
2.^ Kt — K7ch Qx Kt
Again if B x Kt; Q X P ch, K X Q; R — R 3 ch,
King moves; R — R 8 mate.
3. RxQ BxR
4. Q-Q7
and White wins one of the two Bishops, remains
with a Q and a B against a R and B, and should
therefore win easily. These two examples show the
IN THE MroDLE-GAME
21
danger of advancing the K Kt P one square, after
having Castled on that side.
Example 13.
This is another very interesting type of combina-
tion. Black has a R for a Kt and should therefore
win, imless White is able to obtain some compensa-
tion immediately. White, in fact, mates in a few
moves thus:
1. Kt— B 6ch PxKt
Forced, otherwise Q X P mates.
2. Q— Kt3 ch K — Ri
3. B X P mate.
Example 14. — The same t)^e of combination oc-
curs in a more complicated form in the following
position.
22
SOME WINNING POSITIONS
1. B X Kt Q X B.
If...BxKt; Q — B 3 threatens mate, and there-
fore wins the Q, which is already attacked.
2. Kt — B6ch PxKt
3. R— Kt3ch K— Ri
4. B X P mate.
Example 15. — A very frequent type of combina-
tion is shown in the following position.
IN THE MIDDLE-GAME
23
Here White is the exchange and a Pawn behind,
but he can win quickly thus : i B X P ch, K X B.
(If I...K-R i; 2 Q-K R 5, P-KKta;
3 Q — R 6, and wins.)
2 Q— R 5 ch, K— Kt i; 3 Kt — Kt 5, and Black
cannot stop mate at K R 7 except by sacrificing the
Queen by Q— K 5, which woidd leave White with a
Q for a R.
Example 16. — This same type of combination is
seen in a more complicated form in the following
position.
White proceeds as follows : i Kt X Kt ch (this
clears the line for the B) ; B X Kt (to stop the Kt
from moving to Kt 5 after the sacrifice of the B) ;
2 RxB, KtxR best; 3 BxP ch, K X B. (If
3...K-R1; 4Q-RS,P-KKt3; sBxPch,
K— Kt 2; 6 Q— R 7 ch, K— B 3; 7 P — Kt 5 ch,
K— K3; SBxPch, RxB; 9 Q— K 4 mate.)
4 Q— R 5 ch, K— Kt i; 5 Kt — Kt 5, R — B i;
24 RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES
6 Q— R 7 ch, K — B i; 7 Q— R 8 ch, Kt— Kt i;
8 Kt — R 7 ch, K— K 2; 9 R— K i ch, K— Q i;
10 Q X Kt mate.
This combination is rather long and has many vari-
ations, therefore a beginner will hardly be able to
fathom it; but, knowing the type of combination,
he might imder similar circumstances undertake and
carry out a brilliant attack which he would otherwise
never think of. It will be seen that all the combina-
tions shown have for a foundation the proper co-ordi-
nation of the pieces, which have aU been brought to
bear against a weak point.
5. RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES
Before going on to the general principles of the
openings, it is advisable to give the student an idea
of the proper relative value of the pieces. There is
no complete and accurate table for all of them, and
the only thing to do is to compare the pieces sep-
arately.
For all general theoretical purposes the Bishop and
the Knight have to be considered as of the same value,
though it is my opinion that the Bishop will prove the
more valuable piece in most cases ; and it is well known
that two Bishops are ahnost always better than two
Knights.
The Bishop will be stronger against Pawns than
the Knight, and in combination with Pawns will also
be stronger against the Rook than the Knight
will be.
RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES 25
A Bishop and a Rook are also stronger than a Ejiight
and a Rook, but a Queen and a Knight may be stronger
than a Queen and a Bishop.
A Bishop will often be worth more than three Pawns,
but a Knight very seldom so, and may even not be
worth so much.
A Rook will be worth a Knight and two Pawns,
or a Bishop and two Pawns, but, as said before, the
Bishop will be a better piece against the Rook.
Two Rooks are sUghtly stronger than a Queen.
They are slightly weaker than two Knights and a
Bishop, and a Uttle more so than two Bishops and
a Knight. The power of the Knight decreases as
the pieces are changed off. The power of the Rook,
on the contrary, increases.
The King, a purely defensive piece throughout the
middle-game, becomes an offensive piece once all the
pieces are off the board, and sometimes even when
there are one or two minor pieces left. The handling
of the ELing becomes of paramount importance once
the end-game stage is reached.
6. GENERAL STRATEGY OF THE OPENING
The main thing is to develop the pieces quickly.
Get them into play as fast as you can.
From the outset two moves, iP— K4oriP — Q4,
open up lines for the Queen and a Bishop. Therefore,
theoretically one of these two moves must be
the best, as no other first move accompUshes so
much.
26 GENERAL STRATEGY
Example 17. — Suppose we begin:
1. P— K4 P— K4
2. Kt— KB3
This is both an attacking and a developing move.
Black can now either reply with the identical move or
play
2 Kt-QBs
This developing move at the same time defends
the King's Pawn.
3. Kt-B3 Kt-B3
These moves are of a purely developing nature.
4. B — Kts
It is generally advisable not to bring this Bishop
out until one Knight is out, preferably the King's
Knight. The Bishop could also have been played
to B 4, but it is advisable whenever possible to combine
development and attack.
4 B — Kt 5
Black replies in the same manner, threatening a pos-
sible exchange of Bishop for Knight with Kt X P to
foUow.
S- 0-0
an indirect way of preventing s...BxKt, which
more e:q)erience or study will show to be bad. At
the same time the Rook is brought into action in the
centre, a very important point.
27
OF THE OPENING
5 0-0
Black follows the same line of reasoning.
6. P-Q3 P-Q3
These moves have a two-fold object, viz. : to pro-
tect the King's Pawn and to open the diagonal for the
development of the Queen's Bishop.
7- B-Kts
A very powerful move, which brings us to the middle-
game stage, as there is already in view a combination
to win quickly by Kt — Q 5. This threat makes it
impossible for Black to continue the same course.
(There is a long analysis showing that Black should
lose if he also plays B — Kt 5.) He is now forced to
play 7 ... B X Kt, as experience has shown, thus
bringing up to notice three things.
First, the complete development of the opening
has taken only seven moves. (This varies up to ten
or twelve moves in some very exceptional cases. As
a rule, eight should be enough.) Second, Black has
28 CONTROL OF THE CENTRE
been compelled to exchange a Bishop for a Knight,
but as a compensation he has isolated White's Q R P
and doubled a Pawn. (This, at such an early stage of
the game, is rather an advantage for White, as the Pawn
is doubled towards the centre of the board.) Third,
White by the exchange brings up a Pawn to control
the square Q 4, puts Black on the defensive, as experi-
ence will show, and thus keeps the initiative, an xmques-
tionable advantage.^
The strategical principles expounded above are the
same for all the openings, only their tactical appli-
cation varies according to the circumstances.
Before proceeding further I wish to lay stress on
the following point which the student should bear in
mind.
Before development has been completed no piece should
be moved more than once, unless it is essential in order
to obtain either material advantage or to secure freedom
of action.
The beginner would do well to remember this, as
well as what has already been stated : viz., bring
out the Knights before bringing out the Bishops.
7. CONTROL OF THE CENTRE
The four squares, K 4 and Q 4 on each side respec-
tively, are the centre squares, and control of these
squares is called control of the centre. The control of
the centre is of great importance. No violent attack
can succeed without controlling at least two of these
* The value of the initiative is explaiaed in section 20, p. 77.
CONTROL OF THE CENTRE 29
squares, and possibly three. Many a manoeuvre in
the opening has for its sole object the control of the
centre, which invariably ensures the initiative. It is
weU always to bear this in mind, since it will often be
the reason of a series of moves which could not other-
wise be properly understood. As this book progresses
I shall dwell more fully on these diEferent points. At
present I shall devote some time to openings taken
at random and explain the moves according to general
principles. The student will in that way train his
mind in the proper direction, and will thus- have less
trouble in finding a way out when confronted with a
new and difficult situation.
Example 18.
1. P— K4 P — K4
2. Kt— KB3 P — Q3
A timid move. Black assumes a defensive attitude
at once. On principle the move is wrong. In the
openings, whenever possible, pieces should be moved in
preference to Pawns.
3. P-Q4
White takes the offensive inunediately and strives
to control the centre so as to have ample room to
deploy his forces.
3 Kt-Q2
Black does not wish to relinquish the centre and also
prefers the text move to Kt — Q B 3, which would
be the more natural square for the Kt. But on prin-
30 CONTROL OF THE CENTRE
ciple the move is wrong, because it blocks the action
of the Queen's Bishop, and instead of facilitating the
action of Black's pieces, tends, on the contrary, to
cramp them.
4. B — QB4 P— KR3
Black is forced to pay the penalty of his previous
move. Such a move on Black's part condemns by
itself any form of opening that makes it necessary.
White threatened Kt — Kt 5 and Black could not stop
it with 4. . .B — K 2, because of 5 P X P, Kt X P
(if S-PXP, 6 Q-Q 5); 6 KtxKt, PxKt;
7 Q — R 5, and White wins a Pawn and has besides a
perfectly safe position.
5. Kt-B3 KKt-Bs
6. B — K3 B — K2
7. Q-K2
It should be noticed that White does not Castle yet.
The reason is that he wants to deploy his forces first,
and through the last move force Black to play
P — Q B 3 to make room for the Queen as |White
threatens R— Q i, to be followed by P x P. Black's
other alternatives would finally force him to play
P X P, thus abandoning the centre to White.
7 P-B3
8. R— Qi Q-B 2
9. O - O
With this last move White completes his development,
while Black is evidently somewhat hampered. A simple
examination will suffice to show that White's position
CONTROL OF THE CENTRE 31
is unassailable. There are no weak spots in his armour,
and his pieces are ready for any manoeuvre that he
may wish to carry out in order to begin the attack on
the enemy's position. The student should carefully
study this example. It will show him that it is some-
times convenient to delay Castling. I have given the
moves as they come to my mind without following
any standard book on openings. Whether the moves
given by me agree or not with the standard works, I
do not know, but at the present stage of this book
it is not convenient to enter into discussions of mere
technicalities which the student will be able to imder-
stand when he has become more proficient.
Example 19.
1. P — K4 P— K4
2. Kt— KB3 P— Q3
3. P-Q4 B-Kt5
A bad move, which violates one of the principles set
down, according to which at least one Knight should
be developed before the Bishops are brought out, and
also because it exchanges a Bishop for a Knight, which
in the opening is generally bad, unless there is some
compensation.
4. PxP
BxKt
P X P loses a Pawn.
5. QXB
PxP
6. B — QB4
Q-B3
If Kt — B 3 ; Q— Q Kt 3 wins a Pawn.
32
TRAPS
7. Q-QKt3 P-QKt3
8. Kt-B3 P-QB3
To prevent Kt— Q 5.
Black, however, has no pieces out except his Queen,
and White, with a Bishop and a Knight ahready devel-
oped, has a chance of obtaining an advantage quickly
by playing Kt — Q 5 anyway. The student is left
to work out the many variations arising from this
position.
These examples will show the practical application
of the principles previously enunciated. The student
is warned against playing Pawns in preference to pieces
at the beginning of the game, especially P — K R 3
and P — Q R 3, which are moves very commonly in-
dulged in by beginners.
8. TRAPS
I shall now give a few positions or traps to be avoided
in the openings, and in which (practice has shown)
beginners are often caught.
TRAPS
33
Example 20.
White plays:
1. P X P Kt X P
Black should have recaptured with the Pawn.
2. Kt Kt B X Q
3. BxPch K— K2
4. Kt — Q 5 mate.
Example 21.
/
/ J
'h
34 TRAPS
Black, having the move, should play P — K 3. But
suppose he plays Kt — KB 3 instead, then comes —
1. BxPch
Kt — K 5 would also give White the advantage, the
threat being of course ifBxQ; aBxP mate. Nor
does B — R 5 help matters, because of 2 Q X B, i . . .
B — K 3 leaves Black with the inferior position. But
White's move in the text secures an immediate material
advantage, and the beginner at any rate should never
miss such an opportunity for the sake of a speculative
advantage in position.
I KxB
2. Kt — K 5 ch K moves
3. KtxB
and White has won a Pawn besides having the better
position.
There are a good many other traps — in fact, there
is a book written on traps on the chess board; but
the type given above is the most common of all.
CHAPTER II
Further Prtnciples in End-Game Play
We shall now go back to the endings in search of a
few more principles, then again to the middle-game,
and finally to the openings once more, so that the ad-
vance may not only be gradual but homogeneous. In
this way the foundation on which we expect to build
the structure will be firm and solid.
9. A CARDINAL PRINCIPLE
^ ^ #
V y *■
Z _¥/">
W ^^
i
l1
m^
k
fm
In the position shown above, White can draw by
playing P — Kt 4 according to the general rule that
governs such cases, i.e. to advance the Pawn that is
free from opposition. But suppose that White, either
because he does not know this principle or because he
35
36 A CARDINAL PRINCIPLE
does not, in this case, sufficiently appreciate the value
of its application; suppose, we say, that he plays
I P — Q R 4. Then Black can win by playing i . . .
P — Q R 4, applying one of the cardinal principles of
the high strategy of chess —
A unit that holds two.
In this case one Pawn would hold two of the op-
ponent's Pawns. The student cannot lay too much
stress on this principle. It can be applied in many
ways, and it constitutes one of the principal weapons
in the hands of a master.
Example 22. — The example given should be suffi-
cient proof. We give a few moves of the main vari-
ation : —
1. P — R4 P — QR4
2. K— Kt 2 K — B 5
(Best ; see why.)
3. P — Kt4 PXP
(Best.)
4. P— Rs P — Kt6
5. P — R6 P — Kt 7
6. P — R7 P — Kt8(Q)
7. P-R8(Q) Q^Ksch
8. QxQ KxQ
This brings the game to a position which is won by
Black, and which constitutes one of the classical
endings of King and Pawns. I shall try to explain the
guiding idea of it to those not familiar with it.
A CLASSICAL ENDING
37
10. A CLASSICAL ENDING
Example 23. — In this position White's best line
of defence consists in keeping his Pawn where it stands
at R 2. As soon as the Pawn is advanced it becomes
easier for Black to win. On the other hand, Black's
plan to win (supposing that White does not advance
his Pawn) may be divided into three parts. The first
part will be to get his King to K R 6, at the same time
keeping intact the position of his Pawns. (This is
all important, since, in order to win the game, it is
essential at the end that Black may be able to advance
his rearmost Pawn one or two squares according to
the position of the White King.)
K-Kt3
K— Kt2
K — K6
If 2 K— Kt 4, K— B 7; 3 P — R 4, P— Kt 3 wiU
win.
38
A CLASSICAL ENDING
t
K-B5
K— Kt5
3-
K — B2
4-
K— Kt2
K-Rs
5-
K-Kti
K— R6
The first part has been completed.
The second part will be short and will consist in
advancing the R P up the K.
6. K— Ri P — R4
7. K— Kt I P — Rs
This ends the second part.
m
^
9&
A CLASSICAL ENDING 39
The third part will consist in timing the advance of
the Kt P so as to play P — Kt 6 when the White
Ejng is at R I. It now becomes evident how neces-
sary it is to be able to move the Kt P either one or
two squares according to the position of the White
King, as indicated previously.^ In this case, as it is
White's move, the Pawn will be advanced two squares
smce the White Kmg will be m the comer, but if, it
were now Black's move the Kt P should only be ad^
vanced one square since the White King is at
Kt I.
8. K— Ri
P — Kt4
9. K— Kti
P-KTs
10. K— Ri
P-Kt6
II. PxP
Kt I, P — Kt 7.
II
PxP
If K-
12. K— Kt I P — Kt 7
13. K— B 2 K — R7
and wins.
It is in this analytical way that the student should
try to learn. He will thus train his mind to follow a
logical sequence in reasoning out any position. This
example is excellent training, since it is easy to divide
it into three stages and to explain the main point of
each part.
The next subject we shall study is the simple oppo-
1 See page 37.
40
OBTAINING A PASSED PAWN
sition, but before we devote our time to it I wish to
call attention to two things.
11. OBTAINING A PASSED PAWN
When three or more Pawns are opposed to each
other in some such position as the one in Example 24,
there is always a chance for one side or the other of
obtaining a passed Pawn.
:/y.
i iT ^f <^*
/A
y^^
y .. '>''■■
^
^
^/ y .../.^y.
^
'/.
y
>€> ^ I
V
M
Example 24. — In the above position the way of
obtaining a passed Pawn is to advance the centre
Pawn.
1. P — Kt6 RPxP
If B PxP; P-R 6,
2. P — B6 PxBP
3- P-R6
and as in this case the White Pawn is nearer to
Queen than any of the Black Pawns, White will
WHICH PAWN FIRST TO QUEEN 41
win. Now if it had been Black's move Black could
play
I P-Kt3
2. BPxP BPxP
It would not be advisable to try to obtain a passed
Pawn because the White Pawns would be nearer to
Queen than the single Black Pawn.
3- PXP PxP
and the game properly played would be a draw. The
student should work this out for himself.
12. HOW TO FIND OUT WHICH PAWN WILL
BE FIRST TO QUEEN
When two Pawns are free, or will be free, to ad-
vance to Queen, you can find out, by counting, which
Pawn will be the first to succeed.
Example 25. — In this position whoever moves first
wins.
42 WHICH PAWN FIRST TO QUEEN
The first thing is to find out, by counting, whether
the opposing King can be in time to stop the passed
Pawn from Queening. When, as in this case, it cannot
be done, the pomt is to coimt which Pawn comes in
first. In this case the tune is the same, but the Pawn
that reaches the eighth square first and becomes a
Queen is m a position to capture the adversary's
Queen when he makes one. Thus :
1. P — R4 P — KR4
2. P-Rs P-R5
3. P — Kt6 PxP
Now comes a little calculation. White can capture
the Pawn, but if he does so, he will not, when Queen-
ing, command the square where Black will also Queen
his Pawn. Therefore, instead of taking, he plays:
4. P — R6 P — R6
5. P-R7 P-R7
6. P — R8 (Q), andwms.
The student would do weU to acquaint himself
with various simple endings of this sort, so as to ac-
quire the habit of coimting, and thus be able to know
with ease when he can or caimot get there first. Once
again I must call attention to the fact that a book
cannot by itself teach how to play. It can only serve
as a guide, and the rest must be learned by experience,
and if a teacher can be had at the same time, so much
the faster will the student be able to learn.
THE OPPOSITION
43
13. THE OPPOSITION
When Kings have to be moved, and one player can,
by force, bring his King into a position similar to the
one shown in the following diagram, so that his adver-
sary is forced to move and make way for him, the
player obtaining that advantage is said to have the
oj)i)osition.
£^ample 26. — Suppose in the above position White
plays
I. K-Q4
Now Black has the option of either opposing the
passage of the White King by playing K— Q 3
or, if he prefers, he can pass with his own King
by replying K — B 4. Notice that the Kings are
directly opposed to each other, and the nimiber of
intervening squares between them is odd — one in
this case.
The opposition can take the form shown above,
44
THE OPPOSITION
which can be called actual or close frontal opposition;
or this form:
which can be called actual or close diagonal opposition,
or, again, this form :
which can be called actual or close lateral opposition.
In practice they are all one and the same. The
Kings are always on squares of the same colour, there
is only one intervening square between the Kings,
and the player who has moved last "has the opposition.^'
THE OPPOSITION
45
Now, if the student will take the trouble of moving
each King backwards as in a game in the same frontal,
diagonal or lateral line respectively shown in the dia-
grams, we shall have what may be caUed distant frontal,
diagonal and lateral opposition respectively.
The matter of the opposition is highly important,
and takes at times somewhat complicated forms, all
of which can be solved mathematically; but, for the
present, the student should only consider the most
simple forms. (An examination of some of the examples
of King and Pawns endings aheady given will show
several cases of close opposition.)
In all simple forms of opposition,
when the Kings are on the same line and the number
of intervening squares between them is even, the player
who has the move has the opposition.
Example 27. — The above position shows to advan-
tage the enormous value of the opposition. The
4b THE OPPOSITION
position is very simple. Very little is left on the
board, and the position, to a beginner, probably looks
absolutely even. It is not the case, however. Who-
ever has the move wins. Notice that the Kings are
directly in front of one another, and that the number
of intervening squares is even.
Now as to the procedure to win such a position.
The proper way to begin is to move straight up.
Thus:
I. K— K2
K— K2
2. K-K3
K-K3
3- K-K4
K-B3
Now White can exercise the option of either playing
K — Q 5 and thus passing with his King, or of playing
K — B 4 and prevent the Black King from passing,
thereby keeping the opposition. Mere counting wiU
show that the former course will only lead to a
draw, therefore White takes ;the latter course and
plays :
4. K— B4 K— Kt3
If4...K— K3; s K— Kt s will wm.
5. K— K5 K— Kt2
Now by coimting it will be seen that White wins by
capturing Black's Knight Pawn.
The process has been comparatively simple in the
variation given above, but Black has other lines of
THE OPPOSITION 47
defence more difi&cult to overcome. Let us begin
anew.
I. K— K2 K— Qi
Now if 2 K— Q 3, K — Q 2, or if 2 K— K 3, K — K 2,
and Black obtains the opposition in both cases. (When
the Kings are directly in front of one another, and the
number of intervening squares between the Kings
is odd, the player who has moved last has the
opposition.)
Now in order to win, the White King must advance.
There is only one other square where he can go, B 3,
and that is the right place; Therefore it is seen that
in such cases when the opponent makes a so-called
waiting move, you must advance, leaving a rank
or file free between the Kings. Therefore we
have —
2. K— B3 K— K2
Now, it would be bad to advance, because then Black,
by bringing up his King in front of your King, would
obtain the opposition. It is White's turn to play a
s imila r move to Black's first move, viz. :
3- K-K3
which brings the position back to the first variation
shown. The student would do weU to famiharise him-
self with the handling of the King in all examples of
opposition. It often means the winning or losing of
a game.
48
THE OPPOSITION
Example 28. — The following position is an excellent
proof of the value of the opposition as a means of
defence.
White is a Pawn behind and apparently lost, yet he
can manage to draw as follows :
I. K— Ri!
The position of the Pawns does not permit White
to draw by means of the actual or close opposition,
hence he takes the distant opposition : in effect if
1 K — B I (actual or close opposition), K — Q 7;
2 K — B 2, K — Q 6 and White cannot continue to
keep the lateral opposition essential to his safety,
because of his own Pawn at B 3. On the other hand,
after the text move, if
1. . . ,
2. K-
3. K-
R2
R3!
K-Q7
K-Q6
K— K7
THE OPPOSITION 49
4. K-^Kt2 K— K6
5. K-Kt3 K-Q5
6. K— Kt4
attacking the Pawn and forcing Black to play 6...
K— K 6 when he can go back to Kt 3 as already
shown, and always keep the opposition.
Going back to the original position, if
1. K— Ri P — Kts
White does not play P X P, because P— K 5 will
win, but plays :
2. K— Kt2 K— Q7
If 2...PXP ch; 3 KxP, foUowed by K— K 4,
win draw.
3. PxP P— K5
and mere counting will show that both sides Queen,
drawing the game.
If the student wiU now take the trouble to go back
to the examples of King and Pawns which I have
given in this book,^ he wiU realise that in all of them
the matter of the opposition is of paramount impor-
tance ; as, in fact, it is in nearly all endings of King
and Pawns, except in such cases where the Pawn-
position in itself ensures the win.
1 See page 13.
so
THE RELATIVE VALUE
14. THE RELATIVE VALUE OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
Before turning our attention to this matter it is
well to state now that two Knights alone cannot mate,
but, under certain conditions of course, they can do
so if the opponent has one or more Pawns.
Example 29. — In the above position White cannot
win, although the Black King is cornered, but in the
following position, in which Black has a Pawn,
White wins with or without the move. Thus ;
I. Kt— Kt6 P — R5
OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
SI
White cannot take the Pawn because the game will
be drawn, as explained before.
Kt— K5 P — R6
Kt — B6 P — R7
Kt— Kts P — R8(Q)
Kt — B 7 mate
2.
3-
4-
5-
The reason for this pecuUarity in chess is eviaent.
White with the two Knights can only stalemate the
King, unless Black has a Pawn which can be moved.
Example 30. —Although he is a Bishop and a Pawn
ahead the following position cannot be won by White.
It is the greatest weakness of the Bishop, that when
the Rook's Pawn Queens on a square of opposite colour
and the opposing King is in front of the Pawn, the
Bishop is absolutely worthless. AH that Black has to
do is to keep moving his King close to the comer
square.
52
THE RELATIVE VALUE
Example 31. — In the above position White with or
without the move can win. Take the most difficult
variation.
I.
K-R7
2.
Kt— Kt4ch
K— R8
3-
K-Bi
P-Kt4
4-
K— B2
P — R7
S-
Kt-K3
P-Kts
6.
Kt — B I
P — Kt6ch
7-
Kt X P mate
Now that we have seen these exceptional cases, we
can analyse the different merits and the relative
value of the Knight and the Bishop.
It is generally thought by amateurs that the Knight
is the more valuable piece of the two, the chief reason
being that, unlike the Bishop, the Kjiight can command
both Black and White squares. However, the fact is
generally overlooked that the Knight, at any one time,
OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
53
has the choice of one colour only. It takes much longer
to bring a Knight from one wing to the other. Also,
as shown in the following Example, a Bishop can
stalemate a Knight ; a compliment which the Knight
is unable to return.
Example 32.
The weaker the player the more terrible the Knight
is to him, but as a player increases in strength the
value of the Bishop becomes more evident to him, and
of course there is, or should be, a corresponding decrease
in his estimation of the value of the Knight as compared
to the Bishop. In this respect, as in many others, the
masters of to-day are far ahead of the masters of former
generations. While not so long ago some of the very
best amongst them, like Pillsbury and Tchigorin, pre-
ferred Knights to Bishops, there is hardly a master of
to-day who would not completely agree with the state-
ments made above.
54
THE RELATIVE VALUE
Example 33. — This is about the only case when the
Knight is more valuable than the Bishop.
It is what is called a "block position," and aD. the
Pawns are on one side of the board. (If there were Pawns
on both sides of the board there would be no advantage
in having a Knight.) In such a position Black has
excellent chances of winning. Of course, there is an
extra source of weakness for White in having his Pawns
on the same colour-squares as his Bishop. This is a
mistake often made by players. The proper way,
generally, in an ending, is to have your Pa\ras on
squares of opposite colour to that of your own Bishop.
When you have your Pawns on squares of the same
colour the action of your own Bishop is limited by
them, and consequently the value of the Bishop is
diminished, since the value of a piece can often be
measured by the number of squares it commands.
While on this subject, I shall also call attention to the
OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
55
fact that it is generally preferable to keep your Pawns
on squares of the same colour as that of the opposing
Bishop, particularly if they are passed Pawns sup-
ported by the King. The principles might be stated
thus :
When the opponent has a Bishop, keep your Pawns
on sqiMres of the same colour as your opponent's
Bishop.
Whenever you have a Bishop, whether the opponent
has also one or not, keep your Pawns on squares of the
opposite colour to that of your own Bishop.
Naturally, these principles have sometimes to be
modified to suit the exigencies of the position.
Example 34. — In the following position the Pawns
are on one side of the board, and there is no advantage
in having either a Knight or a Bishop, The game
should surely end in a draw.
S6 THE RELATIVE VALUE
Example 35. — Now let us add three Pawns on
each side to the above position, so that there are
Pawns on both sides of the board.
It is now preferable to have the Bishop, though
the position, if properly played out, should end in a
draw. The advantage of having the Bishop lies as
much in its ability to command, at long range, both
sides of the board from a central position as in its
ability to move quickly from one side of the board
to the other.
OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
57
Example 36 — In the above position it is un-
questionably an advantage to have the Bishop, because,
although each player has the same number of Pawns,
they are not balanced on each side of the board. Thus,
on the King's side. White has three to two, while on
the Queen's side it is Black that has three to
two. Still, with proper play, the game should end
in a draw, though White has somewhat better
chances.
Example 37. — Here is a position in which to
have the Bishop is a decided advantage, since not
/;;
/
i i*' i
/ z
41 h ^„ J
4,
/
^
/A
only are there Pawns on both sides of the board,
but there is a passed Pawn (K R P for White,
Q R P for Black). Black should have extreme
difl&culty in drawing this position, if he can do it
at all.
S8 VALUE OF KNIGHT AND BISHOP
Example 38. — Again Black would have great diffi-
culty in drawing this position.
The student should carefully consider these posi-
tions. I hope that the many examples wiU help him
to understand, in their true value, the relative merits
of the Knight and Bishop. As to the general method
of procedure, a teacher, or practical experience, wiU
be best. I might say generally, however, that the
proper course in these endings, as in all similar end-
ings, is: Advance of the King to the centre of the
board or towards the passed Pawns, or Pawns that
are susceptible of being attacked, and rapid advance
of the passed Pawn or Pawns as far as is consistent
with their safety.
To give a fixed line of play would be foUy. Each
ending is different, and reqtiires different handling,
according to what the adversary proposes to do.
Calculation by visualising the future positions is what
will count.
MATE WITH KNIGHT AND BISHOP 59
15. HOW TO MATE WITH A KNIGHT AND A BISHOP
Now, before going back again to the middle-game
and the openings, let us see how to mate with Knight
and Bishop, and, thpn, how to wia with a Queen
against a Rook.
With a Kjiight and a Bishop the mate can only he
given in the corners of the same colour as the Bishop.
Example 39. — In this example we must mate either
at Q R I or K R 8. The ending can be divided into
two parts. Part one consists in driving the Black
King to the last liue. We might begin, as is generally
done in aU such cases, by advancing the King to the
centre of the board :
I. K— K2 K — Q2
Black, in order to make it more difl&cult, goes towards
the white-squared comer:
2. K-Q3 K-B3
3. B-B4 K-Q4
6o
HOW TO MATE WITH
4.
Kt — K2
K — B4
5-
Kt-B3
K-Kt5
6.
K-Q4
K— R4
7-
K-B5
K-R3
8.
K-B6
K-R2
9-
Kt-Qs
K — Ri
The first part is now over ; the Black King is in the
white-squared corner.
The second and last part will consist in driving the
Black King now from QR8toQRiorKR8in
order to mate him. Q R i \dll be the quickest in this
position.
10. Kt— Kt6ch K — R2
11. B — B 7 K— R3
12. B — Kt8 ^ K — R4
13. Kt-Qs K-Rs
Black tries to make for K R i with his King. White
has two ways to prevent that, one by 14 B — K 5,
A KNIGHT AND BISHOP 6i
K — Kt 6 ; IS Kt — K 3, and the other which I give
as the text, and which I consider better for the student
to learn, because it is more methodical and more in
accord with the spirit of all these endings, 6y using
the King as much as possible.
14.
K-B5!
K-
-Kt6
IS-
Kt — Kt4
K-
-B6
16.
B — B4
K-
-Kt6
17-
B-Ks
K-
-Rs
18.
K-B4
K-
-R4
19.
B-B 7ch
K-
-Rs
20.
Kt-Q3
K-
-R6
21.
B-Kt6
K-
-Rs
22.
Kt-Kt2ch
K-
-R6
23-
K-B3
K-
-R7
24.
K— B2
K-
-R6
25-
B — B sch
K-
-R?
26.
Kt-Q3
K-
-R8
27.
B — Kt4
K-
-R7
28.
Kt — B I ch
K-
-R8
29.
B — B 3 mate
It win be seen that the ending is rather laborious.
There are two outstanding features : the close follow-
ing by the King, and the controlling of the squares of
opposite colour to the Bishop by the combined action
of the Knight and King. The student would do well
to exercise himself methodically in this ending, as it
gives a very good idea of the actual power of the pieces,
and it requires foresight in order to accompUsh the
62
QUEEN AGAINST ROOK
mate within the fifty moves which are granted by
the rules.
16. QUEEN AGAINST ROOK
This is one of the most difficult endings without
Pawns. The resources of the defence are many, and
when used skilfully only a very good player wiU prevail
within the limit of fifty moves allowed by the rules.
(The rule is that at any moment you may demand
that your opponent mate you within fifty moves.
However, every time a piece is exchanged or a Pawn
advanced the counting must begin afresh.)
Example 40. — This is one of the standard positions
which Black can often bring about. Now, it is White's
move. If it were Black's move it would be simple, as
he would have to move his Rook away from the King
(find out why), and then the Rook would be compara-
QUEEN AGAINST ROOK 63
tively easy to win. We deduce from the above that
the main object is to force the Black Rook away
from the defending King, and that, in order to compel
Black to do so, we must bring about the position in
the diagram with Black to move. Once we know
what is required, the way to proceed becomes easier to
find. Thus:
I. Q— Ksch
Not I Q— R 6, because R— B 2 ch; 2 K— Kt 6,
R — B3ch; 3KXR. Stalemate. (The beginner
will invariably fall into this trap.)
I
2. Q— Ri ch
3- Q-Rs
K to R I or to R 2
K— Kt I
In a few moves we have accomplished our object.
The first part is concluded. Now we come to the
second part. The Rook can only go to a White square,
otherwise the first check with the Queen wiU win it.
Therefore
^.
R— Kt6
4-
Q-Ksch
K — Ribest
5-
Q — R8ch
K — R2
6.
Q— Ktych
K-Ri
7-
Q— Kt8ch
R-Kti
8.
Q — R 2 mate
Cite student should find out by himself how to win
when 3...R— Kt 8; 4 Q— K 5 ch, K— R 2.)
64
QUEEN AGAINST ROOK
^ ^
% U t
^
^Mr
/
^ ^^ ?^
K
y^y/.
/
^
y _
Example 41. — The procedure here is very similar.
The things to bear in mind are that the Rook must
be prevented from interposing at Kt i because of an
immediate mate, and in the same way the King must
be prevented from going either to R 3 or B i.
Example 42. — We shall now examine a more diffi-
cult position.
QUEEN AGAINST ROOK 65
Many players would be deceived by this position.
The most likely looking move is not the best. Thus
suppose we begin
1. Q— Ksch K— B I
2. K— Kt6 R— Q2
The only defence, but, unfortvinately, a very effective
one, which maikes it very difficult for White, since he
cannot play 3 Q — K 6 because of 3 . . .R — Kt 2 ch ;
4 K — B 6, R — Kt 3 ch draws. Nor can he win
quickly by 3 Q — Q B 5 ch because 3...K — K i,
4 K— B 6, R— Q 3 ch! driving back the White
King.
Now that we have seen the difficxilties of the situa-
tion let us go back. The best move is
1. Q— Kt sch! K — Ri
IfK— R2; 2Q— Kt6ch, K— Ri; 3K— R6!
2. Q— Ksch! K— Rabest
3. K— Kts R — R2!best
If 3 . . .R— Kt 2 ch ; 4 K— B 6 leads to a position
similar to those in Examples 40 and 41.
'4.
Q— K4ch
K-Kti
5-
Q— B 4ch
K-R2
6.
K-B6
R — KKt2
7-
Q— R4ch
K-Kti
8.
Q-Rs
66 QUEEN AGAINST ROOK
and we have the position of Example 40 with Black
to move.
Let us go back again.
1. Q— Ktsch K— B I
2. Q— Q8ch K— Kt2
3. K— Kts R — B6
The best place for the Rook away from the King.
3...K— R2; 4 Q— Q 4, R— Kt 2 ch; 5 K — B 6
would lead to positions similar to those already seen.
4. Q— Q4ch K— B I
5. K— Kt6
5 Q— Q 6 ch, K— Kt 2; 6Q— Ks ch, K— B i;
7 K — Kt 6 would also win the Rook. The text move,
however, is given to show the finesse of such endings.
White now threatens mate at Q 8.
5-
6.
R-
R-
- Kt 6 ch
K
-B6
B6ch
7-
K
-K6
R-
KR6
White threatened mate at K R 8.
8.
Q-
-B4ch
and the Rook
. is
lost.
Note, in these examples, that the checks at long
range along the diagonals have often been the key to
all the winning manoeuvres. Also that the Queen and
QUEEN AGAINST ROOK 67
King are often kept on different lines. The student
should carefully go over these positions and consider
aU the possibilities not given in the text.
He should once more go through everything already
written before proceeding further with the book.
CHAPTER III
Planning a Win in Middle-Game Play
I SHALL now give a few winning positions taken from
my own games. I have selected those that I believe
can be considered as types, i.e. positions that may
easily occur again in a somewhat similar form. A
knowledge of such positions is of great help; in fact,
one cannot know too many. It often may help the
player to find, with little effort, the right move, which
he might not be able to find at aU without such
knowledge.
17. ATTACKING WITHOUT THE AID
OF KNIGHTS
ATTACKING WITHOUT KNIGHTS 69
Example 43. — It is Black's move, and as he is a
Kt and P behind he must win quickly, if at all. He
plays :
I QR— Kt i!
2. R— B 2
If, Q X Q, R X P ch ; K— R i, B — Q 4 and mate
follows in a few moves.
2 R X P ch
3. K— B I B — B s ch
4. KtxB R— KtSmate
Example 44. — Black's last move was P — K 6,
played with the object of stopping what he thought
was White's threat, viz. :R— Q R 5, to which he
would have answered Q — B 5 ch and drawn the game
by perpetual check. White, however, has a more
forceful move, and he mates in three moves as
follows :
70
ATTACKING WITHOUT
1. RxPch
2. R-QRs
3. White mates
QxR
Black moves
Example 45. — White has a beautiful position, but
still he had better gaia some material, if he can, before
Black consolidates his defensive position. He there-
fore plays:
1. RxKt! PxR
2. BxPch K— K2
If Kt X B ; R x Kt and Black would be helpless.
3. Q— R7ch K— Ki
4. Q X Kt ch
5. Q-R7ch
6. B — B8
7. R X Q ch
8. RxR
K— Q2
Q— K2
QXQ
K— Ki
Resigns
In these few examples the attacking has been done
by Rooks and Bishops in combination with the Queen.
THE Am OF KNIGHTS
71
There have been no Knights to take part in the attack.
We shall now give some examples in which the Knights
play a prominent part as an attacking force.
18. ATTACKING WITH KNIGHTS AS A
PROMINENT FORCE
Example 46. — White is two Pawns behind. He
must therefore press on his attack. The game con-
tinues :
I. Kt (B s) X Kt P Kt — B 4
Evidently ■ an error which made the winning easier
for White, as he simply took the Rook with the Knight
and kept up the attack. Black should have played:
i...KtxKt. Then would have followed: 2 Kt —
B 6ch, K— Kt3; 3 Kt X B, P — B 3 (best) ; 4 P —
K 5, K— B 2 ; s Kt X P, R — K 2 ; 6 Kt — K 4,
and Black should lose.^
* Full score and notes are given in My Chess Career, by J. R.
Capablanca (Game No. ii).
72
ATTACKING WITH KNIGHTS
mm ^mim J^ * ^ *
%
/
^ 2*
/ ^
Example 47. — The student should carefully ex-
amine the position, as the sacrifice of the Bishop in
similar situations is tj^pical, and the chance for it is
of frequent occurrence in actual play. The game
continues :
1. BxPch
2. Kt — Kt sch
KxB
K-Kt3
Best. If 2. . .K— R 3 ; 3 Kt X P ch wins the Queen,
and if 2 . . .K— Kt i ; 3 Q — R 5, with an irresistible
cLLLclCiv.*
3. Q-Kt4 P-B4
4. Q-Kt3 K-R3
White finally won.'
• This position is elaborated under Example 50 (p 80.).
WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK 73
19. WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK
We have so far given positions where the attacks
were of a violent nature and directed against the
King's position. Very often, however, in the middle-
game attacks are made against a position or against
pieces, or even Pawns.
The winning of a Pawn among good players of even
strength often means the winning of the game.
Hence the study of such positions is of great im-
portance. We give below two positions in which the
attack airns at the gain of a mere Pawn as a means of
ultimately winning the game.
Example 48. — Black is a Pawn behind, and there
is no violent direct attack against White's King.
Black's pieces, however, are very well placed and free
to act, and by co-ordinating the action of aU his pieces
he is soon able not only to regain the Pawn but to
obtain the better game. The student should carefully
74 WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK
consider this position and the subsequent moves. It
is a very good example of proper co-ordination in the
management of forces. The game continues:
I R — Ri
2. P-QR4
White's best move was P — Q Kt 3, when would
follow Kt X B ; 3 Q X Kt, R — R 6 and Black would
ultimately win the Q R P, always keeping a slight
advantage in position. The text move makes matters
easier.
2 Kt X B
3. QxKt Q-Bs
4. KR— Qi KR— Kt I
Black could have regained the Pawn by playing
B X Kt, but he sees that there is more to be had,
and therefore increases the pressure against White's
Queen side. He now threatens, among other things,
R X Kt P.
5. Q-K3 R-Kts
Threatening to win the exchange by B — Q 5.
6. Q— Kts B — Qsch
7. K— Ri QR — Kt I
This threatens to win the Kt, and thus forces White
to give up the exchange.
8. R x B Q X R
9. R-Qi Q-Bs
Now Black will recover his Pawn.
WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK 75
Example 49. — An examination of this position will
show that Black's main weakness lies in the exposed
position of his King, and in the fact that his Q R
has not yet come into the game. Indeed, if it were
Black's move, we might conclude that he would have
the better game, on accoimt of having three Pawns to
two on the Queen's side, and his Bishop commanding
the long diagonal.
It is, however. White's move, and he has two courses
to choose from. The obvious move, B — B 4, might
be good enough, since after i B — B 4, QR — Q i;
2 P — Q Kt 4 would make it difi&cult for Black. But
there is another move which completely upsets Black's
position and wins a Pawn, besides obtaining the
better position. That move is Kt — Q 4 ! The game
continues as follows:
1. Kt— Q4!
2. RxB
PxKt
Kt — Kts
76 WINNING BY INDIRECT ATTACK
There is nothing better, as White threatened B — B 4.
3-
B — B 4ch
K— Ri
4-
R— K6
P-Q6
5-
RXP
And White, with the better position, is a Pawn
ahead.
These positions have been given with the idea of
acquainting the student with different types of com-
binations. I hope they will also help to develop his
imagination, a very necessary quality in a good player.
The student should note, in all these middle-game
positions, that —
once the opportunity is offered, all the pieces are thrown
into action "en masse" when necessary; and that all
the pieces smoothly co-ordinate their action with machine-
like precision.
That, at least, is what the ideal middle-game play
should be, if it is not so altogether in these examples.
CHAPTER IV
Geneeal Theory
Before we revert to the technique of the openings
it will be advisable to dwell a Httle on general theory,
so that the openings in their relation to the rest of the
game may be better understood.
20. THE INITIATIVE
As the pieces are set on the board both sides have
the same position and the same amoimt of material.
White, however, has the move, and the move in this
case means the initiative, and the initiative, other
things being equal, is an advantage. Now this ad-
vantage must be kept as long as possible, and should
only be given up if some other advantage, material
or positional, is obtained in its place. White, according
to the principles already laid down, develops his pieces
as fast as possible, but in so doing he also tries to
hinder his opponent's development, by applyirig pres-
sure wherever possible. He tries first of aU to control
the centre, and failing this to obtain some positional
advantage that wiU make it possible for him to keep
on harassing the enemy. He only relinquishes the
initiative when he gets for it some material advantage
under such favoxirable conditions as to make him feel
77
78 DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE
assured that he will, in turn, be able to withstand his
adversary's thrust; and finally, through his superi-
ority of material, once more resvune the initiative,
which alone can give him the victory. This last
assertion is self-evident, since, xa. order to win the
game, the opposing King must be driven to a position
where he is attacked without having any way of escape.
Once the pieces have been properly developed the
resulting positions may vary in character. It may
be that a direct attack against the King is in order;
or that it is a case of improving a position already
advantageous; or, finally, that some material can be
gained at the cost of relinquishing the initiative for
a more or less prolonged period.
21. DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE
In the first case the attack must be carried on with
sufficient force to guarantee its success. Under no
consideration must a direct attack against the King
be carried on a outrance imless there is absolute cer-
tainty in one's own mind that it will succeed, since
failure in such cases means disaster.
Example 50. — A good example of a successful direct
attack against the King is shown in the following
diagram :
In this position White could simply play B — B 2
and still have the better position, but instead he pre-
fers an immediate attack on the King's side, with
DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE 79
the certainty in his mind that the attack will lead to
a win. The game continues thus: ^
12. B X P ch
13. Kt— Kt 5ch
14. Q— Kt4
KxB
K-Kt3
P— B4
Best. P — K 4 would have been immediately fatal.
Thus: 14...P— K 4; 15 Kt— K 6 ch, K— B 3;
16 P — B 4! P — K s; 17 Q— Kt 5 ch, KxKt;
18 Q— K 5 ch, K— Q 2; 19 K R— Q i ch, Kt —
Q6; 20 KtxP, K — B 3 (if K— K i, Kt— Q6ch
wins the Queen) ; 21 R x Kt, Q X R ; 22 R— B i ch,
K— Kt 3 (if K— Q 2 mate in two) ; 23 Q— B 7 ch
and mate in five moves.
1 We give, from now on, games and notes, so that the student
may familiarise himself with the many and varied considerations
that constantly are borne in mind by the Chess Master. We must
take it for granted that the student has already reached a stage
where, while not being able fuUy to understand every move, yet he
can derive benefit from any discussion with regard to them.
8o
DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE
15. Q-Kt3 K-R3
16. Q— R4ch K— Kt3
17. Q— R 7 ch K— B3
If K X Kt ; Q X Kt P ch and mate in a few moves.
18. P— K4
19. PxP
20. QR— Qi
21. Q-R3
22. Q— Kt3
23. KR— Ki
Kt - Kt 3
PxP
Kt— Q6
Kt(Q6)-Bs
Q— B 2
Kt— K7ch
This blmider loses at once, but the game could not
be saved in any case ; e.g. 23. ..B — K3; 24RXB
ch, Kt X R; 25 Kt— Q 5 mate.
QxQ
K — B2
R — Ri
K-B3
Resigns
Example 51. — Another example of this kind;
24. R X Kt
25. Kt — R 7 ch
26. R P X Q
27. Kt — Kt sch
28. P — B 4
DIRECT ATTACKS EN MASSE 8i
In the above position the simple move Kt X P
would win, but White looks for compHcations and
their beauties. Such a course is highly risky imtil a
wide experience of actual master-play has developed
a sufficient insight into all the possibilities of a position.
This game, which won the brilliancy prize at St.
Petersburg in 1914, continued as follows : —
21.
B-
-R4
Q-
-Q2
22.
Kt XB
Q X R
23.
Q-
-Q8ch
Q-
-Ki
If K-
-B
2; 24 Kt — Q 6 ch.
King
moves; 25
mate.
24.
B-
-K7ch
K-
-B2
25.
Kt-
-Q6ch
K-
-Kt3
26.
Kt-
-R4ch
K-
-R4
If 26...K — R 3; 27 Kt (Q6) — B s ch, K-R 4;
28 Kt X P ch, K— R 3 ; 29 Kt (R 4) — B 5 ch, K —
K^t 3 ; 30 Q — Q 6 ch and mate next move.
27.
KtxQ
RXQ
28.
Kt X P ch
K-R3
29.
Kt(Kt7)-B5ch
K-R4
30-
P — KR3!
The climax of the combination started with 21 B —
R 4. White is still threatening mate, and the best way
to avoid it is for Black to give back all the material
he has gained and to remain three Pawns behind.
The student should note that in the examples given
the attack is carried out with every available piece,
82 THE FORCE OF THE
and that often, as in some of the variations pointed
out, it is the coming into action of the last available
piece that finally overthrows the enemy. It demon-
strates the principle already stated:
Direct and violent attacks against the King must be
carried en masse, with full force, to ensure their success.
The opposition must be overcome at all cost; the attack
cannot be broken of, since in all su£h cases that means
defeat.
22. THE FORCE OF THE THREATENED
ATTACK
Failing an opportunity, in the second case, for
direct attack, one must attempt to increase whatever
weakness there may be in the opponent's position;
or, if there is none, one or more must be created. It
is always an advantage to threaten something, but
such threats must be carried into effect only if some-
thing is to be gained immediately. For, holding the
threat in hand, forces the opponent to provide against
its execution and to keep material in readiness to meet
it. Thus he may more easily overlook, or be xmable
to parry, a thrust at another point. But once the
threat is carried into effect, it exists no longer, and
your opponent can devote his attention to his own
schemes. One of the best and most successful ma-
noeuvres in this type of game is to make a demon-
stration on one side, so as to draw the forces of your
opponent to that side, then through the greater
mobility of your pieces to shift your forces quickly
THREATENED ATTACK
83
to the other side and break through, before your
opponent has had the tune to bring over the neces-
sary forces for the defence.
A good example of positional play is shown in the
following game:
Example 52.— Played at the Havana Interna-
tional Masters Tournament, 1913. (French Defence.)
White : J. R. Capablanca. Black : R. Blanco.
I.
P — K4
P-K3
2.
P-Q4
P-Q4
3-
Kt-QB3
PXP
4-
KtxP
Kt — Q2
5-
Kt-KB3
KKt — B3
6.
Kt X Kt ch
KtxKt
7-
Kt-Ks
This move was first shown to me by the talented
Venezuelan amateur, M. Ayala. The object is to
84
THE FORCE OF THE
prevent the development of Black's Queen's Bishop
vid Q Kt 2, after P — Q Kt 3, which is Black's usual
development in this variation. Generally it is bad
to move the same piece twice in an opening before
the other pieces are out, and the violation of that
principle is the only objection that can be made to
this move, which otherwise has everything to recom-
mend it.
7 B-Q3
8. Q-B3
B — K Kt 5 might be better. The text move gives
Black an opportimity of which he does not avail
himself
8 P-B3
P — B 4 was the right move. It would have led to
complications, in which Black might have held his
own; at least. White's play would be very difficult.
The text move accomplishes nothing, and puts Black
THREATENED ATTACK 85
in an altogether defensive position. The veiled threat
B X Kt; followed by Q — R 4 ch; is easily met.
9. P — B 3 0—0
10. B — KKts B — K2
The fact that Black has now to move his Bishop
back clearly demonstrates that Black's plan of devel-
opment is faulty. He has lost too much time, and
White brings his pieces into their most attacking
position without hindrance of any sort.
11. B — Q3 Kt— Ki
The alternative was Kt — Q 4. Otherwise White
woidd play Q — R 3, and Black would be forced to
play P — K Kt 3 (not P— K R 3, because of the
sacrifice B X P), seriously weakening his King's side.
12. Q— R3 P — KB 4
White has no longer an attack, but he has compelled
Black to create a marked weakness. Now White's
whole plan will be to exploit this weakness (the weak
K P), and the student can now see how the principles
expounded previously are applied in this game. Every
move is directed to make the weak King's Pawn im-
tenable, or to profit by the inactivity of the Black
pieces defending the Pawn, in order to improve the
position of White at other points.
13. BxB QxB
14. 0—0 R— B3
15. KR— Ki Kt— Q3
16. R— K2 B — Q2
86
THE FORCE OF THE
At last the Bishop comes out, not as an active attack-
ing piece, but merely to make way for the Rook.
17. QR — Ki R— Ki
18. P — QB 4 Kt — B 2
A very clever move, tending to prevent P — B 5,
and tempting White to play Kt X B, followed by
B X P, which would be bad, as the following varia-
tion shows: 19 Kt X B, Q X Kt; 20 B X P, Kt —
Kt 4 ; 21 Q— Kt 4, R X B ; 22 P — K R 4, P —
KR4; 23QxR,PxQ; 24RxRch,K — R 2;
25 P X Kt, Q X P. But it always happens in such
cases that, if one line of attack is anticipated, there
is another; and this is no exception to the rule, as
will be seen.
19. P — Qs! KtxKt
Apparently the best way to meet the manifold threats
of White. B P X P would make matters worse, as
the White Bishop would finally bear on the weak
King's Pawn vid Q B 4.
THREATENED ATTACK
87
20. R X Kt
21. Q— R4
22. Q-Q4
P — KKt3
K — Kta
P — B4
Forced, as White threatened P x K P, and also Q X P
23. Q-B3 P-Kt3
Q — Q 3 was better. But Black wants to tempt
White to play P X P, thinking that he will soon after
regain his Pawn with a safe position. Such, however,
is not the case, as White quickly demonstrates. I
must add that in any case Black's position is, in my
opinion, untenable, since all his pieces are tied up for
the defence of a Pawn, while White's pieces are free
to act.
24. P X P B — B I
25-
B — K2!
The deciding and timely manoeuvre. All the Black
pieces are useless after this Bishop reaches Q 5.
88 FORCE OF THREATENED ATTACK
25 BxP
26. B — B3 K— B 2
27- B-Q5 Q-Q3
Now it is evident that all the Black pieces are tied
up, and it only remains for White to find the quickest
way to force the issue. White will now try to place
his Queen at K R 6, and then advance the K R P
to R 5 in order to break up the Black Pawns defend-
ing the King.
28. Q— K3 R— K2
If 28...P — B s; 29 Q— K R 3, P — K R 4;
30 Q-R 4, R-K 2; 31 Q-Kt 5, K-Kt 2;
32 P-K R 4, Q-Q 2; 33P-K Kt 3,PXP;
34 P — B 4, and Black will soon be helpless, as he has
to mark time with his pieces while White prepares
to advance P — R 5, and finally at the proper time
to play R X B, winniug.
29.
Q-R6
K— Kti
30-
P-KR4
P-R3
/3I-
P-RS
P-Bs
32.
PXP
PxP
33-
RXB
Resigns.
Commenting on White's play in this game. Dr. E.
Lasker said at the time that if White's play were
properly analysed it might be foimd that there was
no way to improve upon it.
These apparently simple games are often of the most
difficult nature. Perfection in such cases is much
more difficult to obtain than in those positions calling
RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE 89
for a brilliant direct attack agaiast the King, involving
sacrifices of pieces.
23. RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE
In the third case, there is nothing to do, once the
material advantage is obtained, but to submit to the
opponent's attack for a while, and once it has been
repulsed to act quickly with all your forces and win
on material. A good example of this type of game
is given below.
Example 53. — From the Havana International
Masters Tournament, 1913. (Ruy Lopez.) White:
J, R. Capablanca. Black: D. Janowski.
1. P-K4 P-K4
2. Kt— KB3 Kt-QB3
3. B-Kts Kt-B3
4. 0-0 P-Q3
5. B X Kt ch P X B
6. P— Q4 B — K2
7. Kt-B3
P X P might be better, but at the tune I was not
fa mili ar with that variation, and therefore I played
what I knew to be good.
7.
8.
Kt-Q2
PxP
PxP
9-
Q-K2
0-0
10.
R— Qi
B-Q3
II.
B-Kts
Q— Ki
12.
Kt-KR4
P-Kt3
90 RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE
Black offers the exchange in order to gain time and
to obtain an attack. Without considering at all
whether or not such a course was justified on the part
of Black, it is evident that as far as White is concerned
there is only one thing to do, viz., to win the exchange
and then prepare to weather the storm. Then, once
it is passed, to act quickly with all forces to derive
the benefit of munerical superiority.
13. B — R6 Kt — B4
14. R— Q2 R — Kt I
15. Kt — Qi R— Kt 5
To force White to play P — Q B 4, and thus create a
hole at Q 5 for his Knight.^ Such grand tactics show
the hand of a master.
16. P-QB4
Kt-K3
17. BxR
QxB
18. Kt— K3
Kt-
- K B 3 was better.
18
Kt-Qs
P-QB4
19. Q-Qi
In order to prevent R X Kt giving back the exchange,
but winning a Pawn and relieving the position.
20. P - Q Kt 3 R - Kt I
In order to play B — Kt 2 without blocking his Rook.
* A "hole" in chess parlance has come to mean a defect in Pawn
fonnation which allows the opponent to establish his forces in wedge
formation or otherwise without the possibility of dislodging hiTti
by Pawn moves. Thus, in the following diagram, Black has two
"holes" at K B 3 and K R 3, where White forces, e.g. a Kt or B,
could estabUsh themselves, supported by pieces or Pawns.
RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE 91
Black's manceuvring for positional advantage is ad-
mirable throughout this game, and if he loses it is
due entirely to the fact that the sacrifice of the exchange,
without even a Pawn for it, could not succeed against
sound defensive play.
21. Kt — B 3
22. PXP
The position begins to look really dangerous for White.
In reality Black's attack is reaching its maximimi
force. Very soon it wiU reach the apex, and then
92 RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE
White, who is weU prepared, wiU begin his counter
action, and through his superiority in material obtain
an undoubted advantage.
23. Kt — B I P — B 5
24. Kt X Kt B P X Kt
25. Q — Rs B — Kt2
26. R-Ki P — B4
He could not play R— K i because of R X Q P. Be-
sides, he wants to be ready to play P — K 5. At pres-
ent White cannot with safety play R X K P, but
he will soon prepare the way for it. Then, by giving
up a Rook for a Bishop and a Pawn, he will completely
upset Black's attack and come out a Pawn ahead.
It is on this basis that White's whole defensive ma-
noeuvre is foimded.
27. P — B3 R-Ki
28. R (Q2) — K2 R — K3
Now the Black Rook enters into the game, but White
is prepared. It is now time to give back the exchange.
RELINQUISHING THE INITIATIVE 93
29.
30-
31-
32-
33-
34-
RXP
RXB
Q-K8
RxQch
R— K5
Kt-Q2
BxR
R — KR3
QXQ
K— B 2
R-QB3
R — B 5 ch might have been better. The text move
did not prove as strong as anticipated.
34 K — B3
35. R— Qs R— K3
36. Kt — K4ch K— K2
R X Kt would lose easily
37. RxBP P-Q6!
Very fine. White cannot play R B 7 ch because
of K— Q I ; R X B, R X Kt wmning.
38. K — B 2 B X Kt
39. PXB RxP
40. R— Qs R— K6
The ending is very difficult to win. At this point
White had to make the last move before the game
was adjourned.
94 CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM
41.
P-QKt4!
R-Ks
42.
RXP
RxP
43-
R-KR3
RxP
44.
RxPch
K-B3
45-
RxP
K-B4
46.
K-B3
R-Kt7
47-
R-RSch
K-B3
48.
R — R4
K— Kt4
49.
RxP
RXRP
SO.
P — R4ch
K — R4
51-
R— Bsch
K-R3
52.
P-Kt4
Resigns
I have passed over the game Ughtly because of
its difficult nature, and because we are at present
concerned more with the openiag and the middle-
game than we are with the endings, which will be
treated separately.
24. CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM THE SCENE
OF ACTION
Very often in a game a master only plays to cut
ofif, so to speak, one of the pieces from the scene of
actual conflict. Often a Bishop or a Knight is com-
pletely put out of action. In such cases we might
say that from that moment the game is won, because
for all practical purposes there wUl be one more piece
on one side than on the other. A very good illustration
is furnished by the following game.
THE SCENE OF ACTION 95
Example 54. — Played at the Hastings Victory
Tournament, 1919. (Four Knights.) White: W.
Winter. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
I.
P — K4
P-K4
2.
Kt - K B 3
Kt-QB3
3-
Kt-B3
Kt-B3
4.
B-Kts
B-Kt5
5-
0-0
0-0
6.
BxKt
Niemzowitch's variation, which I have played suc-
cessfully in many a game. It gives White a very solid
game. Niemzowitch's idea is that White will in due
time be able to play P — KB 4, opening a line for his
Rooks, which, in combination with the posting of a
Knight at K B 5, should be sufficient to win. He
thinks that should Black attempt to stop the Knight
from going to K B 5, he will have to weaken his game
in some other way. Whether this is true or not remains
to be proved, but in my opinion the move is perfectly
good. On the other hand, there is no question that
Black can easily develop his pieces. But it must be
considered that in this variation White does not
attempt to hinder Black's development, he simply
attempts to build up a position which he considers
impregnable and from which he can start an attack
in due course.
6 QPXB
96 CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM
The alternative, Kt P x B ; gives White the best of
the game, without doubt.^
7. P-Q3 B-Qs
8. B — Kts
This move is not at all in accordance with the nature
of this variation. The general strategical plan for
White is to play P — K R 3, to be followed in time
by the advance of the K Kt P to Kt 4, and the bringing
of the Q Kt to K B s via K 2 and K Kt 3 or Q i and
K 3. Then, if possible, the K Kt is linked with the
other Kt by placing it at either K R 4, K Kt 3, or K 3
as. the occasion demands. The White King sometimes
remains at Kt i, and other times it is placed at K Kt 2,
but mostly at K R i. Finally, in most cases comes
P — KB 4, and then the real attack begins. Some-
times it is a direct assault against the King,^ and at
other times it comes simply to finessing for positional
advantage in the end-game, after most of the pieces
have been exchanged.'
8 P — KR3
9. B — R4 P — B4
• See game Capablanca-Kupchick, from Havana International
Masters Tournament Book, 1913, by J. R. Capablanca; or a game
in the Carlsbad Tournament of 191 1, Vidmar playing Black against
Alechin.
' See Niemzowitch's game in the All Russian Masters Tourna-
ment, 1914, at St. Petersburg, against Levitzki, I believe.
' See Capablanca-Janowski game, New York Masters Tourna-
ment, 1913.
THE SCENE OF ACTION
97
To prevent P — Q 4 and to draw White into playing
Kt — Q 5, which woxild prove fatal. Black's plan is
to play P — K Kt 4, as soon as the circumstances
permit, in order to free his Queen and Knight from
the pin by the Bishop.
10. Kt-Qs
White falls into the trap. Only lack of experience
can account for this move. White should have con-
sidered that a player of my experience and strength
could never allow such a move if it were good.
10.
P-KKt4
98
CUTTING OFF PIECES FROM
After this move White's game is lost. White camiot
play Kt X Kt P, because Kt x Kt will win a piece.
Therefore he must play B — Kt 3, either before or
after Kt X Kt, with disastrous results in either case,
as will be seen.
II.
12.
13-
14.
IS-
Kt X Kt ch
B-Kt3
P-KR3
QXB
PXQ
QxKt
B-Kt5
BxKt
QXQ
P-KB3
A simple examination will show that White is minus
a Bishop for all practical purposes. He can only free
it by sacrificing one Pawn, and possibly not even
then. At least it would lose time besides the Pawn.
Black now devotes all his energy to the Queen's side,
and, having practically a Bishop more, the resiilt
cannot be in doubt. The rest of the game is given,
so that the student may see how simple it is to win
such a game.
THE SCENE OF ACTION 99
16.
K-Kt2
P-QR4
17-
P-QR4
K— B2
18.
R-Ri
K-K3
19.
P-R4
K R — Q Kt I
There is no necessity to pay any attention to the
King's side, because White gains nothing by exchang-
ing Pawns and opening the King's Rook file.
20. P X P R P X P
21. P — Kt3 P — B 3
22. R— QR2 P — Kt4
23. KR — R I P — B 5
If White takes the proffered Pawn, Black regains it
immediately by R — Kt 5, after P X B P.
24.
RPXP
P X P (Kt 6)
25-
BPxP
RxP
26.
R-R4
RXP
27.
P-Q4
R — Kt4
28.
R— B4
R-Kts
29.
RxBP
Resigns
RxP
25. A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED IN A
SPECIMEN GAME
Now that a lew of my games with my own notes
have been given, I offer for close perusal and study
a very fine game played by Sir George Thomas, one
of England's foremost players, against Mr. F. F. L.
Alexander, in the championship of the City of London
Chess Club in the winter of 1919-1920. It has the
100 A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED
interesting feature for the student that Sir George
Thomas kindly wrote the notes to the game for me at
my request, and with the imderstanding that I would
make the conunents on them that I considered ap-
propriate. Sir George Thomas' notes are in brackets
and thus wiU be distinguished from my own comments.
Example 55. — Queen's Gambit Declined. {The
notes within brackets by Sir George Thomas.) White :
Mr. F. F. L. Alexander. Black: Sir George Thomas.
I.
P-Q4
P-Q4
2.
Kt-KB3
Kt-KB3
3-
P — B4
P-K3
4-
Kt-B3
QKt — Qa
S-
B-Kts
P-B3
6.
P-K3
Q-R4
(One of the objects of Black's method of defence is
to attack White's Q Kt doubly by Kt — K s, followed
by P X P. But 7 Kt — Q 2 is probably a strong way
IN A SPECIMEN GAME loi
of meeting this threat.) There are, besides, two good
reasons for this method of defence; first, that it is
not as much played as some of the other defences
and consequently not so well known, and second that
it leaves Black with two Bishops against B and Kt,
which, in a general way, constitutes an advantage.
7. B X Kt Kt X B
8. P-QR3 Kt-K5 ( :
9. Q— Kt3 B-K2
This is not the logical place for the B which should
have been posted at Q 3. In the opening, time is of
great importance, and therefore the player should be
extremely careful in his development and make sure
that he posts his pieces in the right places.
10. B — Q 3 Kt X Kt
11. P X Kt P X P
12. BxBP B — B3
(I did not want White's Kt to come to K 5, from
where I could not dislodge it by P — K B 3 without
weakening my K P.) The same result could be ac-
complished by playing B — Q 3. Incidentally it bears
out my previous statement that the B should have
been originally played to Q 3.
13. 0-0
The alternative was P — K 4, followed by P — K 5,
and then O — 0. White would thereby assmne the
initiative but would weaken his Pawn position con-
siderably, and might be compelled to stake aU on a
102 A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED
violent attack against the King. This is a tiiming
point in the game, and it is in such positions that
the temperament and style of the player decide the
course of the game.
13 0-0
14. P— K4 P — K4
////
'y//
k
'A
IS. P-Qs
(White might play 15 K R— Q i, keeping the option
of breaking up the centre later on. I wanted him
to advance this P as there is now a fine post for my
B at Q B 4.) By this move White shows that he does
not understand the true value of his position. His
only advantage consisted in the imdeveloped condition
of Black's Q B. He should therefore have made a
plan to prevent the B from coming out, or if that
were not possible, then he should try to force Black
to weaken his Pawn position in order to come out with
the B. There were three moves to consider: first,
IN A SPECIMEN GAME 103
P — Q R 4, in order to maintain the White B in the
dominating position that it now occupies. This
would have been met by Q — B 2 ; second, either of
the Rooks to Q i in order to threaten 16 P X P, B x P ;
17 Kt X B, Q X Kt ; 18 B X P ch. This would have
been met by B — Kt 5 ; and third, P — K R 3 to pre-
vent B — Kt 5 and by playing either R to Q i, followed
up as previously stated to force Black to play
P — Q Kt 4, which would weaken his Queen's side
Pawns. Thus by playing 'P — K R 3 White would
have attained the desired object. The text move
blocks the action of the White B and facilitates Black's
development. Hereafter White wiU act on the defen-
sive, and the interest throughout the rest of the game
wiU centre mainly on Black's play and the manner in
which he carries out the attack.
IS Q— B 2 ^
16. B-Q3
(This seems wrong, as it makes the development of
Black's Queen wing easier. At present he cannot
play P— Q Kt 3, because of the reply P X P followed
byB-Qs.)
16
P-QKt3
B-Kt2
17. P-B4
18. KR-Bi
(With the idea of Q R— Kt i and P — B 5. But it
only compels Black to bring his B to Q B 4, which he
would do in any case.)
I04 A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED
i8 B-K2
19. R — B 2 B — B4
20. Q— Kt2 P — B3
(It would have been better, probably, to play
20 . . . K R — K I, with the idea of P — B 4 presently.)
Black's play hereabout is weak; it lacks force, and
there seems to be no weU-defined plan of attack. It
is true that these are the most difficult positions to
handle in a game. In such cases a player must conceive
a plan on a large scale, which promises chances of
success, and with it aU, it must be a plan that can be
carried out with the means at his disposal. From
the look of the position it seems that Black's best
chance would be to mass his forces for an attack
against White's centre, to be followed by a direct
attack against the King. He should, therefore, play
Q R— K I, threatening P— K B 4. If White is able
to defeat this plan, or rather to prevent it, then, once
he has fixed some of the White pieces on the EJng's
side, he should quickly shift his attack to the Queen's
side, and open a line for his Rooks, which, once they
enter in action, should produce an advantage on ac-
count of the great power of the two Bishops.
21. QR— Kt I QR— Qi
22. P — QR4 B — R3
23. R-Qi
(White has clearly lost time with his Rook's moves.)
23 KR — Ki
24. Q-Kt3
IN A SPECIMEN GAME 105
(To bring his Queen across after Kt — R 4 and B — K2.)
24 R-Q3
25. Kt — R4
26. B — K2
P-Kt3
26.
PxP
(I thought this exchange necessary here, as White
is threatening to play his Bishop via Kt 4 to K 6.
If he retook with the Bishop's Pawn I intended to
exchange Bishops and rely on the two Pawns to one
on the Queen's wing. I did not expect him to retake
it with the King's Pawn, which seemed to expose
him to a violent King's side attack.) Black's judg-
ment in this instance I beUeve to be faulty. Had
White retaken with the B P, as he expected, he would
have had the worst of the Pawn position, as White
would have" had a passed Pawn well supported on the
Queen's side. His only advantage would he in his
having a very well posted Bishop against a badly
io6 A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED
posted Knight, and on the fact that in such posi-
tions as the above, the Bishop is invariably stronger
than the Knight. He could and should have pre^
vented all that, by playing B — B i, as, had White
then replied with Q— Kt 3, he could then play
P X P, and White would not have been able to retake
with the B P on account of B X P ch winmng the
exchange.
27. KPxP P — K5
28. P — Kt3 P— K6
I do not like this move. It would have been better
to hold it in reserve and to have played P — B 4, to
be followed in due time by P — K Kt 4 and P — 65^
after having placed the Q at Q 2, K B 2, or some other
square as the occasion demanded. The text move
blocks the action of the powerful B at Q B 4, and
tends to make White's position safer than it should
have been. The move in itself is a very strong attack-
ing move, but it is isolated, and there is no effective
continuation. Such advances as a rule should only
be made when they can be followed by a concerted
action of the pieces.
29. P — B4 B — Bi
30. Kt— B 3 B — B4
31. R— Kt2 R— Ks
32. K— Kt2 Q — B I
33. Kt— Kt I P — KKt4
IN A SPECIMEN GAME 107
(If now 34 B-B 3, PXP; 35 BXR, BXB ch,
with a winning attack.)
34. PxP PxP
35. R-KBi P-Kts
R— R 3 was the alternative. White's only move
would have been K— R i. The position now is evi-
dently won for Black, and it is only a question of
finding the right course. The final attack is now
carried on by Sir George Thomas in an irreproachable
manner.
36. B-Q3 R-KB3
37. Kt — K2 Q— B I
(Again preventing B X R, by the masked attack
on White's Rook. White therefore protects his Rook.)
If Kt — B 4, P-K 7!; 39 KtxP, RxKt ch;
40 R X R, B — K 5 ch ! ! ; 41 B X B, best, R X R and
White is lost. If, however, against 38 Kt — B 4, Black
plays Q— R 3, and White 39 Q— B 2, I take pleasure
io8 A PLAYER'S MOTIVES CRITICISED
in offering the position to my readers as a most beau-
tiful and extraordinary win for Black, beginning with
39... Q — R 6 ch!!! I leave the variations for the
student to work out.
38. R(Kt2)-Kti Q-R3
39- Q-B2
(Making a double attack on the Rook — which still
cannot be taken — and preparing to defend the K R P.)
If either the Rook or Bishop are taken White would
be mated in a few moves.
39-
40.
K-Ri
Q — R6ch
RXP!!
^ /^*^
^ ^ i
^
^..y ^5^1
^^^^/
\%
(If 40...R-R3; 41 Kt — Kt I, QxKtP; 42 Q —
K Kt 2. Black therefore tries to get the Queen away
from the defence.) A very beautiful move, and the
best way to carry on the attack.
41. QxR
IN A SPECIMEN GAME 109
(The best defence was 41 R X B, but Black would
emerge with Queen agamst Rook and Knight.)
41 BxB
(Again, not R — K R 3 ; because of P — Q 6 dis. ch.)
42. R X R
(If 42 Q X B, then, at last, R— R 3 wins.)
42 B X Q
43. Kt— B4 P— K7!
(The Queen has no escape,, but White has no time
to take it.)
44. R— KKti Q-B8
White resigns. A very fine finish.
CHAPTER V
EnD-GAME STRATEGy
We must now revert once more to the endings. Their
importance will have become evident to the student
who has taken the trouble to study my game with
Janowski (Example 53). After an uneventful opening
— a Ruy Lopez — in one of its normal variations,
my opponent suddenly made things interesting by
offering the exchange; an offer which, of course, I
accepted. Then followed a very hard, arduous struggle,
in which I had to defend myself against a very danger-
ous attack made possible by the excellent manoeu-
vring of my adversary. Finally, there came the time
when I could give back the material and change off
most of the pieces, and come to an ending in which
I clearly had the advantage. But yet the ending
itself was not as simple as it at first appeared, and
finally — perhaps through one weak move on my part
— it became a very difficult matter to find a win.
Had I been a weak end-game player the game would
probably have ended in a draw, and all my previous
efforts would have been in vain. Unfortunately, that
is very often the case among the large majority of
players ; they are weak in the endings ; a failing from
which masters of the first rank are at times not free.
END-GAME STRATEGY
III
Incidentally, I might call attention to the fact that
all the world's champions of the last sixty years have
been exceedingly strong in the endings: Morphy,
Steinitz, and Dr. Lasker had no superiors in this
department of the game while they held their titles.
26. THE SUDDEN ATTACK FROM A
DIFFERENT SIDE
I have previously stated, when speaking about
general theory, that at times the way to win consists
in attacking first on one side, then, granted greater
mobility of the pieces, to transfer the attack quickly
from one side to the other, breaking through before
your opponent has been able to bring up sufficient
forces to withstand the attack. This principle of the
middle-game can sometimes be applied in the endings
in somewhat similar manner.
Example 56.
112 THE SUDDEN ATTACK
In the above position I, with the Black pieces,
played :
I R— Ksch
2. R— K2 R— QR5
3. R— R2 P-KR4
The idea, as will be seen very soon, is to play P — R 5
in order to fix White's King's side Pawns with a view
to the future. It is evident to Black that White
wants to bring his King to Q Kt 3 to support his
two weak isolated Pawns, and thus to free his Rooks.
Black, therefore, makes a plan to shift the attack to
the King's side at the proper time, in order to obtain
some advantage from the greater mobility of his
Rooks,
4. R-Qi R(Q4)-QR4
in order to force the Rook to Rook's square, keeping
both Rooks tied up.
5. R(Qi)-Ri P-Rs
6. K— Q2 K— Kt 2
7. K-B2 R-KKt4
Black begins to transfer his attack to the Eing's side.
8. R— KKt I
A serious mistake, which loses quickly. White should
have played 8 K — Kt 3, when Black would have
answered 8...R(R5) — R4; 9P — B3, and Black
would have obtained an opening at K Kt 6 for his
ELing, which in the end might give him the victory.
8 R-KBs
FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE 113
Now the King cannot go to Kt 3, because of R—
Kt 4 ch.
9. K— Q3 R — B6ch
10. K— K2
If P X R, R X R ; followed by R— K R 8 winning,
10 RXRP
and Black won after a few moves.
Example 57. — Another good example, in which
is shown the advantage of the greater mobiUty of
the pieces in an ending, is the following from a game
Capablanca-Kupchick played at the Havana Masters
Tournament, 1913. The fuU score and notes of the
game can be fovmd in the book of the tournament.
White's only advantage in the above position is that
he possesses the open file and has the move, which
wiU secure him the initiative. There is also the shght
advantage of having his Pawns on the Queen's side
imited, while Black has an isolated Q R P. The
114 THE SUDDEN ATTACK
proper course, as in the previous ending, is to bring
the Rooks forward, so that at least one of them may
be able to shift from one side of i the board to the
other, and thus keep Black's Rooks from moving
freely. What this means in general theory has been
stated already; it really means: keep harassing the
enemy; force him to use his big pieces to defend Pawns.
If he has a weak point, try to make it weaker, or create
another weakness somewhere else and his position will
collapse sooner or later. If he has a weakness, and he
can get rid of it, make sure that you create another weak-
ness somewhere else.
From the position in question the game continued
thus:
1. R-K4 KR-Ki
with the object of repeating White's manoeuvre, and
also not to aUow White the control of the open file..
2. QR-Ki R-K3
3. QR-K3 R(Bi)-Ki
4. K-B I K-B I
Black wants to bring his King to the centre of the
board in order to be nearer to whatever point White
decides to attack. The move is justified at least on
the general rule that in such endings the King should
be in the middle of the board. He does nothing after
all but follow White's footsteps. Besides, it is hard
to point out anything better. If4...P — Q4; sR —
Kt 4 ch, followed by K — K 2, would leave Black in
a very disagreeable position. If 4. ..P — KB 4; sR—
FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE 115
Q4! RxR? 6PxR,RxP; 7K-B2,R-K2;
8 R — Q R 4, winning the Q R P, which would prac-
tically leave White with a passed Pawn ahead on the
Queen's side, as the three Pawns of Black on the
King's side woidd be held by the two of White.
5. K-K2 K-K2
6. R-QR4 R-QRi
The student should note that through the same ma-
noeuvre Black is forced into a position similar to the
one shown in the previous ending.
7. R-Rs!
This move has a manifold object. It practically fixes
aU of Black's Pawns except the Q P, which is the only
one that can advance two squares. It specially pre-
vents the advance of Black's K B Pawns, and at the
same time threatens the advance of White's K B
Pawns to B 4 and B 5. By this threat it practically
forces Black to play P — Q 4, which is aU White desires,
for reasons that will soon become evident.
7 P-Q4
8. P-QB4! K-Q3
Evidently forced, as the only other move to save a
Pawn would have been P X P, which would have left
aU Black's Pawns isolated and weak. If 8 . . . P — Q 5 ;
9 R-K 4, K-Q 3; 10 P-Q Kt 4! R-K 4;
1 1 R — R 6, and Black's game is hopeless.
9. P-B sch K-Q2
10. P-Q4 P-B4
ii6 THE SUDDEN ATTACK
Apparently very strong, since it forces the exchange
of Rooks because of the threat R— R 3 ; but in reality
it leads to nothing. The best chance was to play
R-K K I.
11. RXR PxR
12. P-B 4
Up to now White had played with finesse, but this
last move is weak. R ^ R 6 was the proper way to
continue, so as to force Black to give up his Q R P
or Q B P.
12 K-B I
13. K-Q2
Again a bad move. 13 R — R 3 was the proper con-
tinuation, and if then 13. . .R — Kt i ; 14 P — Kt 3,
K-Kt 2; IS P-Kt 4, K-R i; 16 R-Q Kt 3,
with excellent winning chances; in fact, I beUeve, a
won game.
13 K-Kt 2
Black misses his only chance. R — Kt i would have
drawn.
FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE 117
14.
R-R3
R-KKti
15.
R-R3
R^Kt2
16.
K-K2
K-R3
17-
R^R6
R-K2
18.
K-Q3
K-Kt2
He goes back with the King to support his K P, and
thus be able to utilise his Rook. It is, however, use-
less, and only White's weak play later on gives him
further chances of a draw.
19. P-KR4 K-B I
20. R-Rs
To prevent the Black Rook from controlling the open
£Ie
20 K-Q2
21. R-Kt 5 R-B 2
22. K-B 3 K-B I
He must keep his King on that side because White
threatens to march with his King to R 6 via Kt 4.
23-
K-Kt4
R-B3
24.
K-Rs
K-Kt 2
25-
P-R4
P-QR3
26.
P-R5
R-R3
He can do nothing but wait for White. The text
move stops White from moving his Rook, but only
for one move.
27. P-Kt4 R-B 3
The only other move was K — R 2; when White
could play R— Kt 7, or even P — Kt 5.
Ii8
THE SUDDEN ATTACK
28. P - Kt 5
A weak move, which gives Black a fighting chance.
In this endiag, as is often the case with most players,
White plays the best moves whenever the situation
is difficult and requires careftd handling, but once
his position seems to be overwhelming he relaxes his
efforts and the result is nothing to be proud of. The
right move was 28 R— Kt 7.
08
RPXP
29.
PXP
R-B i!
30-
R-Kt7
R-Ri ch
31-
K-Kt4
PXP
32-
KxP
R-R7
33-
P-B6ch
K-Kti
34.
RXRP
R-Kt 7ch
35-
K-Rs
R-R7ch
36.
K-Kt4
RXP
Black misses his last chance: R — Kt 7 ch, forcing
the King to B 3, in order to avoid the perpetual,
FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE iig
would probably draw. The reader must bear in mind
that my opponent was then a very yoimg and inex-
perienced player, and consequently deserves a great
deal of credit for the fight he put up.
37. R-K7 RxP
R— Kt 7 ch; followed by R — K R 7, offered better
chances.
38. P-R6! RxPch
39. K-Kt5 R-Q8
40. P-R7 R-KtSch
41. K-B s R-B Sch
42. K-Q4 R-Q8ch
43. K-Ks R-K8ch
44- K-B6 R-KR8
45. R-K8ch K-R2
46. P-R8(Q) RxQ
47. RxR K-Kt3
48. KxP KxP
49. KxP K-B 4
50. K— K 5 Resigns.
This ending shows how easy it is to make weak moves,
and how often, even in master-play, mistakes are
made and opportimities are lost. It shows that, so
long as there is no great advantage of material, even
with a good position, a player, no matter how strong,
cannot afford to relax his attention even for one
move.
I20
THE DANGER OF
27. THE DANGER OF A SAFE POSITION
Example 58. — A good proof of the previous state-
ment is shown in the following ending between Mar-
shall and Kupchick in one of their two games in the
same Tournament (Havana, 1913).
It is evident that Marshall (White) is imder great
difl&culties in the above position. Not only is he
bound to lose a Pawn, but his position is rather poor.
The best he could hope for was a draw unless some-
thing altogether unexpected happened, as it did. No
reason can be given for Black's loss of the game except
that he felt so certain of having the best of it with a
Pawn more and what he considered a safe position,
that he became exceedingly careless and did not con-
sider the danger that actually existed. Let us see
how it happened.
I. P-Kt4
RXRP
A SAFE POSITION i2i
The mistakes begin. This is the first. Black sees
that he can take a Pawn without any danger, and
does not stop to think whether there is anything
better. R — B 7 ch was the right move. If then
K- Kt 3, R X P. If instead White played K- K 4,
then R- K 4 ch followed by R X R P.
2. R-Qi R-Rsch
Mistake nmnber two, and this time such a serious
one as to almost lose the game. The proper move
was to play P — B 4 in order to break up White's
Pawns and at the same time make room for the Black
King, which is actually in danger, as will soon be seen.
3. R-Q4 R(Rs)-R4
Mistake number three and this time fatal. His best
move was R (Kt 4) — R 4. After the text move there
is no defence. Black's game is lost. This shows that
even an apparently simple ending has to be played
with care. From a practically won position Black
finds himself with a lost game, and it has only taken
three moves.
4. R(Q4)-Q8 R-Kt2
If4...P-B4; sR-R8ch, K-Kt3; 6R(B8)-
Kt Sch, K- B 3 ; 7 R X P ch, R- Kt 3 ; 8P- Kt 5 ch,
K-K2; 9 R (R 6)xR, PxR; 10 R-Kt 7 ch,
K— K I ; II R X Kt P, and wins easily.
5. P-R4 P-R4
6. R-R8ch Resigns.
The reason is evident. If 6. . .K — Kt 3 ; 7 P x P ch,
122
ENDINGS WITH ONE
RxP; 8RxR, KxR; 9 R-R 8 ch, K-Kt 3;
10 P — R 5 mate.
28. ENDINGS WITH ONE ROOK AND PAWNS
The reader has probably realised by this time that
endings of two Rooks and Pawns are very dif&cult,
and that the same holds true for endings of one Rook
and Pawns. Endings of two Rooks and Pawns are
not very common in actual play ; but endings of one
Rook and Pawns are about the most common sort
of endings arising on the chess board. Yet though
they do occur so often, few have mastered them thor-
oughly. They are often of a very difl&cult nature, and
sometimes while apparently very simple they are in
reality extremely intricate. Here is an example from
a game between Marshall and Rosenthal in the Man-
hattan Chess Club Championship Tournament of
1909-1910.
Example 59.
ROOK AND PAWNS 123
In this position Marshall had a simple win by
R — B 7 ch, but played P — B 6, and thereby gave
Black a chance to draw. Luckily for him Black did
not see the drawing move, played poorly, and lost.
Had Black been up to the situation he would have
drawn by playing R— Q 3.
I. P-B6 R-Q3!
Now White has two continuations, either (a) P — B 7,
or (6) R — B 7 ch. We have therefore :
(a) 2. P-B 7 R-Qi!
3. R-Rsch K-Bs
and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook for
Black's Pawn. Or —
(b) 2. R-B 7ch K-Qs!
3. P-B 7 R— Kt3ch!
a very important move, as against R — KB3, R — K7
wins.
4. K-B I R-KB 3
5. R-Kt7 K-B 6
and White will finally have to sacrifice the Rook
for the Pawn, or draw by perpetual check.
If there were nothing more in the ending it would
not be of any great value, but there are other
very interesting features. Now suppose that after
I P-B 6, R-Q 3; 2 P-B 7, Black did not
realise that R — Q i was the only move to draw,
124 ENDINGS WITH ONE
We would then have the following position :
Now there would be twojpther moves to try : either
(o) R — Kt 3 ch, or (b) R — K B 3. Let us examine
them.
(a) I R-Kt3ch
2. K-B 3 R-B3ch
3. K-K3 R-K3ch
IfP — Kt6; R — Rs ch wins, because if the King
goes back, then R — R 6, and if the King goes up, then
R— R 4 ch, followed by R— K B 4 wins.
4. K-Q3 R-KB3
If R-Q 3 ch; K-K 4 wins.
5. R — Rsch K moves
6. R — R 6 wins
(&) I R-B3
2. R-Kt7! K-B 5
If P - Kt 6 ; R - Kt 3, and White will either capture
the Pawn or go to K B 3, and come out with a winning
ending.
ROOK AND PAWNS
I2S
3. P-R4 P-Kt6
4. R — Kt 4 ch K moves
5- R-Kt3
and White will either capture the Pawn or play R —
K B 3, according to the circumstances, and come out
with a winning ending.
Now, going back to the position shown on page 122,
suppose that after iP — B6, R — Q3; 2R — B7ch,
Black did not reaUse that K— Q 5 was the only move
to draw, and consequently played K — Kt 3 instead,
we would then have the following position:
Now the best continuation would be :
1. P - B 7 R- Kt 3 ch (best)
2. K-B I
3. R-K7!
White threatened to check with the Rook at K 6.
4. K-K2 P-Kt6
R-KB3
K-B 4 (best)
126
ENDINGS WITH ONE
Best. If K-B 5; both P-R 4 and K-K 3 will
win; the last-named move particularly would win
with ease.
5- R-K3
6. R-QKt3
7. RxP
8. R-Q2
9. K-K3
P-Kt 7 (best)
RxP
R-KR2
RxP
This position we have arrived at is won by White,
because there are two files between the opposing
King and the Pawn from which the King^ is cut off
by the Rook, and besides, the Pawn can advance to
the fourth rank before the opponent's Rook can begin
to check on the file. This last condition is very im-
portant, because if, instead of the position on the
diagram, the Black Rook were at K R x, and Black
had the move, he could draw by preventing the ad-
ROOK AND PAWNS 127
vance of the Pawn, either through constant checks
or by playing R — K B i at the proper time.
Now that we have explained the reasons why this
position is won, we leave it to the student to work
out the correct solution.
The fact that out of one apparently simple ending
we have been able to work out several most unusual
and difficult endings should be sufficient to impress
upon the student's mind the necessity of becoming
well acquainted with all kinds of endings, and espe-
cially with endings of Rook and Pawns.
29. A DIFFICULT ENDING: TWO
ROOKS AND PAWNS
Following our idea that the best way to learn end-
ings as well as openings is to study the games of the
masters, we give two more endings of two Rooks and
Pawns. These endings, as already stated, are not
very common, and the author is fortimate in having
himself played more of these endings than is generally
the case. By carefully comparing and studying the
endings aheady given (Examples 56 and 57) with
the following, the student no doubt can obtain an idea
of the proper method to be followed in such cases.
The way of procedure is somewhat similar in all of
them.
Example 60. — From a game, Capablanca-Kreym-
borg, in the New York State Championship Tourna-
ment of 1910.
128
A DIFFICULT ENDING:
It is Black's move, and no doubt thinking that
drawing such a position (that was all Black played
for) would be easy, he contented himself with a waiting
poUcy. Such conduct must always be criticised. It
often leads to disaster. The best way to defend such
positions is to assume the initiative and keep the opponent
on the defensive,
I QR-Ki
The first move is already wrong. There is nothing
to gain by this move. Black should play P — Q R 4 ;
to be followed by P — Q R s; unless White plays
P — Q Kt 3. That would fix the Queen's side. After
that he could decide what demonstration he could
make with his Rooks to keep the opponent's Rooks
at bay.
2. R-Q4
This move not only prevents P — B 5 which Black
intended, but threatens P — Kt 3, followed, after
TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS 129
P X P ch, by the attack with one or both Rooks
against Black's Q R P.
2 R-B3
probably with the idea of a demonstration on the
King's side by R- Kt 3 and Kt 7.
3. P-Kt3 PxPch
4. PXP K-B2
5- K-Q3
R — Q R I should have been played now, m order to
force Black to defend with R — K 2. White, however,
does not want to disclose his plan at once, and thus
awaken Black to the danger of his position, hence
this move, which seems to aim at the disruption of
Black's Queen's side Pawns.
5 R-K2
6. R-QRi K-K3
This is a mistake. Black is unaware of the danger of
his position. He should have played P — Kt 4 ; threat-
ening R — R 3, and, by making this demonstration
against White's K R P, stop the attack against his
Queen's side Pawns, which will now develop.
7. R-R6 R-QB 2
He could not play K — Q 3, because P — Q B 4 would
win at least a Pawn. This in itself condemns his last
move K — K 3, which has done nothing but make his
situation practically hopeless.
8. R(Q4)-QR4 P-KKt4
Now forced, but it is a little too late. He could not
play 8. . .K R — B 2, because P — K B 4 would have
130
A DIFFICULT ENDING:
left his game completely paralysed. Black now finally
awakens to the danger, and tries to save the day by
the coimter-demonstration on the King's side, which
he should have started before. Of course, White
cannot play R x R P, because of R X R, followed
by R — R 3, recovering the Pawn with advantage.
9. P-KR4! P-Kt s
Black is now in a very disagreeable position. If he
played 9. . .P X P ; 10 R X P would leave him in a
very awkward situation, as he could not go back
with the King, nor could he do much with either
Rook. He practically would have to play 10. . .P —
K R 3, when White would answer 11 P — Kt 4, threat-
ening to win a Pawn by P — Kt 5, or, if that were
not enough, he might play K — Q 4, to be followed
finally by the entry of the King at B 5 or K 5.
10. K-K2
TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS 131
10 PxPch
Again he cannot play P — K R 4, because P— K B 4
woxild leave him paralysed. The advance of his K R P
would make White's K R P safe, and consequently
his K R would have to retire to K B 2 to defend the
Q R P. That would make it impossible for his King
to go to Q 2, because of the Q R P, nor could he advance
a single one of his Pawns. On the other hand, White
would play P — Kt 4, threatening to win a Pawn by
P— Kt 5, or he might first play K— Q 4, and then
at the proper time P — Kt 5, if there was nothing better.
Black meanwhile could really do nothing but mark
time with one of his Rooks. Compare this bottling-
up system with the ending in Example 57, and it
will be seen that it is very similar.
11. KxP R(B3)-B 2
12. K-K2
Probably wrong. P — Kt 4 at once was the right
move. The text move gives Black good chances of
drawing.
12 K-Qs
13. P-Kt4 R-QKt2
This could never have happened had White played
12 P — Kt 4, as he could have followed it up by
P-Kt 5 after Black's K-Q 3.
14. P-Rs
Not good. P — K B 4 offered the best chances of
winning by force. If then 14...R— Kt 2; 15 P-
132
A DIFFICULT ENDING:
RS,R-Kt7ch; i6 K-Q 3, R-K R 7; 17 R X P,
,RxR; i8RxR,RxP; 19 R - R 6, with winning
chances.
14.
P-R3
Black misses his last chance. P — B 5 would draw.
If then IS P X P, R (Kt 2) — K 2 ch! ; 16 K — B i,
RXP; 17 RXP, R-K 6!
R-Kt2
R (K Kt 2) - K 2
R-Kt2
R-Kt 7
R (Kt 2) - Kt 2
R (Kt 7) — Kt 2 would have offered greater resistance,
but the position is lost in any case. (I leave the stu-
dent to work this out.)
IS-
P-KB4
16.
K-Q3
17-
R-Ri
18.
K-Q4
19.
R(R6)-R2
20. K-Q 3!
21. RxR
RXR
R-K2
TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS
133
Nothing would avail. If 21 . . .R - Kt 8 ; 22 R - R 6 !
R-Q 8 ch; 23 K-B 2, R-K R 8; 24 P-Kt 5,
R X P ; 25 R X P ch, K- Q 2 ; 26 R- Q R 6, and
White will win easily.
22. R-KKt2 R-K 3
23. R-Kt7
R-K2
24. R-Kt8
P-B4
Black is desperate. He sees
he
can no longer defend
his Pawns.
25. R-Kt6ch
R-K3
26. P X P ch
K-Q2
27. R-Kt 7ch
K-B3
28. R X P
KxP
29. R-KB 7
Resigns.
Example 61. — From the game Capablanca-Janow-
ski, New York National Tournament of 1913.
k i
E
E
t i
^
Black's game has the disadvantage of his double
Q B P, which, to make matters worse, he cannot
134 A DIFFICULT ENDING:
advance, because as soon as Black plays P — Q Kt 3,
White replies P — Q Kt 4. It is on this fact that
White builds his plans. He will stop Black's Queen's
side Pawns from advancing, and will then bring his
own King to K 3. Then in due time he will play
P-Q 4, and finaUy P-K 5, or P-K Kt 5, thus
forcing an exchange of Pawns and obtaining in that
way a clear passed Pawn on the King's file. It will
be seen that this plan was carried out during the course
of the game, and that White obtained his winning
advantage in that way. The play was based through-
out on the chance of obtaining a passed Pawn on the
King's file, with which White expected to win.
1. P-KKt4
already preparing to play P — K Kt 5 when the time
comes.
I P-QKt3
Black wants to play P — Q B 4, but White, of course,
prevents it.
2. P-Kt4! K-Kt2
This King should come to the King's side, where the
danger lurks.
3. K-B 2 P-QKt4
With the object of playing K— Kt 3 and P — Q R 4,
followed by P X P, and thus have an open file for
his Rook and be able to make a coiuiter-demonstration
TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS 135
on the Queen's side in order to stop White's advance
on the right. White, however, also prevents this.
4. P-QR4! R-Qs
Of course if P X P ; Black will have all his Pawns on
the Queen's side disrupted and isolated, and White
can easily regain the lost Pawn by playing either
Rook on the QR file.
5. R-Q Kt I R-K4
He still wants to play P — Q B 4, but as it is easy
to foresee that White wiU again prevent it, the text
move is really a serious loss of time. Black should
bring his King over to the other side immediately.
6. K-K3 R-Q2
7- P-RS
The first part of White's strategic plan is now accom-
plished. Black's Pawns on the Queen's side are fixed
for aU practical pxuposes.
7 R-R3
If R X R ; Kt P X R would have given White a very
powerful centre. Yet it might have been the best
chance for Black.
8. R(Kt)-KBi R(Q2)-K2
9. P-Kts PxP
10. RXP
136
A DIFFICULT ENDING:
^ i
1 A
k k
k
1
//
'kr
—
/
i»
The second part of White's strategical plan is now
accomplished. It remains to find out if the advantage
obtained is sufficient to win. White not only has a
passed Pawn, but his King is m a commanding position
in the centre of the board ready to support the advance
of White's Pawns, or, if necessary, to go to Q B 5, or
to move to the right wing in case of danger. Besidek,
White holds the open file with one of his Rooks. Al-
together White's position is superior and his chances
of winning are excellent.
10.
II.
R-Kt3
R-R3
R(R3)-K3
to prevent P — Q 4. Also Black fears to keep his
Rook in front of his two King's side Pawns which he
may want to utilise later.
12. P-
13- R-
.R4
-Kts
P-Kt3
P-R3
TWO ROOKS AND PAWNS 137
White threatens P — R 5, which would finally force
Black to take, and then White would double his
Rooks against the isolated Pawn and win it, or
tie up Black's Rooks completely. The text move,
however, only helps White; therefore Black had
nothing better than to hold tight and wait.
R — K 4 would not help much, as White would
simply answer R — B 8, R-K i; R (Kt 5) X R,
and whichever Rook Black took. White would have
an easy game. (The student should carefully study
these variations.)
14.
R-Kt4 ^
R-Kt 2
IS-
P-Q4 '
K-B I
16.
R- B 8 ch
K-Kt 2
K — Q 2 would not help much, but since he made the
previous move he should now be consistent and play
it.
17. P-K5 P-Kt4
18. K-K4 R(K3)-K2
19. PxP PXP
20. R-B 5 K-B I
21. R(Kt4)xP R-R2
22. R-R5 K-Q2
23. RxR RxR
24. R-B 8 R-R5ch
25. K-Q3 R-R6ch
138 ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS v.
26. K-Q2 P-B4
27. KtPxP R-QR6
28. P — Q 5 Resigns.
The winning tactics in all these endings have merely
consisted in keeping the opponent's Rooks tied to the
defence of one or more Pawns, leaving my own Rooks
free for action. This is a general principle which
can be equally appUed to any part of the game. It
means in general terins —
Keep freedom of manoeuvre while hampering your
opponent.
There is one more thing of great importance, and
that is that the winning side has always had a general
strategical plan capable of being carried out with the
means at his disposal, while often the losing side had
no plan at aU, but simply moved according to the
needs of the moment.
30. ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS v. ROOK,
KNIGHT AND PAWNS
We shall now examine an ending of Rook, Bishop
and Pawns against Rook, Knight and Pawns, where
it will be seen that the Rook at times is used in the
same way as in the endings already given.
Example 62. — From the first game of the Lasker-
Marshall Championship Match in 1907.
ROOK, KNIGHT AND PAWNS 139
In this position it is Black's move. Tct a beginner
the position may look like a draw, but the advanced
player will realise immediately that there are great
possibilities for Black to win, not only because he has
the initiative, but because of White's undeveloped
Queen's side and the fact that a Bishop in such a posi-
tion is better than a Knight (see Section 14). It will
take some time for White to bring his Rook and Knight
into the fray, and Black can utilise it to obtain an
advantage. There are two courses open to him. The
most evident, and the one that most players would
take, is to advance the Pawn to Q B 4 and Q B 5
immediately in conjimction with the Bishop check
at R 3 and any other move that might be necessary
with the Black Rook. The other, and more subtle,
course was taken by Black. It consists in utilising
his Rook in the same way as shown in the previous
endings, forcing White to defend sbmethrng all the
time, restricting the action of White's Knight and
I40 ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS v.
White's Rook, while at the same time keeping freedom
of action for his own Rook and Bishop.
I R-Kt I
This forces P — Q Kt 3, which blocks that square
for the White Knight.
2. P-Kt3 R-Kt 4
bringing the Rook to attack the King's side Pawns
so as to force the King to that side to defend them,
and thus indirectly making more secure the position
of Black's Queen's side Pawns.
3-
P-
■B4
R
-KR
4
4-
K-
-Kt I
P-
-B4
Note
that the White Knight
's sphere
of
action
is
very
limited,
and that after Kt-
-Q 2
White's own
Pawns are in
his
way.
5-
Kt
-Q2
K
-B2
6.
R-
-B ich
This check accompUshes nothing. It merely drives
Black's King where it wants to go. Consequently
it is a very bad move. P — Q R 3 at once was the
best move.
6 K-K2
7. P-QR3 R-R3
Getting ready to shift the attack to the Queen's side,
where he has the advantage in material and position.
8. P-KR4 R-R3
ROOK, KNIGHT AND PAWNS 141
Notice how similar are the manoeuvres with this Rook
to those seen in the previous endings.
9. R-Ri B-Kts
Paralysing the action of the Knight and fixing the
whole King's side.
ID. K-B2 K-K3
White cannot answer Kt — B 3, because B X Kt
followed by K — K 4 wUl win a Pawn, on account of
the check at K B 3 which cannot be stopped.
II.
P-R4
K-K4
12.
K-Kt2
R-KB3
13-
R-Ki
P-Q6
14.
R-KB I
K-QS
Now the King attacks White's Pawns and aU will
soon be over.
15. RXR PxR
6. K-B 2 P-B3
Merely to, exhaust White's move, which wiU finally
force him to move either the King or the Knight.
17-
P-QRs
P-QR3
18.
Kt-B I
KXP
19.
K-Ki
B-K7
20.
Kt-Q2ch
K-K6
21.
Kt-Kt I
P-B4
22.
Kt-Q2
P-R4
23-
Kt-Kt I
K-B6
24.
Kt-B 3
KxP
142 ROOK, BISHOP AND PAWNS
25. Kt-R4
P-B5
26. KtxP
P-B6
27. Kt-K4ch
K-Bs
The quickest way to win.
White should resign,
28. Kt-Q6
P-B4
29. P-Kt4
PXP
30. P-Bs
P-Kt6
31. Kt-B4
K-Kt6
32. Kt-K3
P-Kt7
Resigns.
A very good example on Black's part of how to con-
duct such an ending.
CHAPTER VI
Further Openings and Middle-Games
31. SOME SALIENT POINTS ABOUT PAWNS
Before going back to the discussion of openings and
middle-game positions, it might be well to bear in
mind a few facts concerning Pawn positions which
will no doubt help to understand certain moves, and
sometimes even the object of certain variations in
the openings, and of some manoeuvres in the middle-
games.
Example 63. — In the position of the diagram we
have an exceedingly bad Pawn formation on Black's
side. Black's Q B P is altogether backward, and
White could by means of the open file concentrate
143
144
SOME SALIENT POINTS
his forces against that weak point. There is also the
square at White's Q B 5, which is controlled by White,
and from where a White piece once established could
not be dislodged. In order to get rid of it, Black
would have to exchange it, which is not always an
easy matter, and often when possible not at all con-
venient. The same holds true with regard to Black's
K P, K B P and K Kt P, which create what is called
a "hole" at Black's K B 3. Such Pawn formations
invariably lead to disaster, and consequently must
be avoided.
Example 64. — In this position we might say that
the White centre Pawns have the attacking position,
while the Black centre Pawns have the defensive
position. Such a formation of Pawn occurs in the
French Defence. In such positions White most often
attempts, by means of P — K B 4 and KB 5, to obtain
a crushing attack against Black's King, which is gen-
erally Castled on the King's side. To prevent that,
ABOUT PAWNS 145
and also to assume the initiative or obtain material
advantage, Black makes a counter-demonstration by
P - Q B 4, followed by P X P (when White defends
the Pawn by P — Q B 3), and the concentrating of
Black's pieces against the White Pawn at Q 4. This
in substance might be said to be a determined attack
against White's centre in order to paralyse the direct
attack of White against Black's King. It must be
remembered that at the beginning of the book it was
stated that control of the centre was an essential condi-
tion to a successful attack against the King.
In an abstract way we may say that two or more
Pawns are strongest when they are in the same rank
next to one another. Thus the centre Pawns are
strongest in themselves, so to speak, when placed at
K 4 and Q 4 respectively, hence the question of ad-
vancing either the one or the other to the fifth rank
is one that must be most carefully considered. The
advance of either Pawn often determines the course
the game will follow.
Another thing to be considered is the matter of one
or more passed Pawns when they are isolated either
singly or in pairs. We might say that a passed Pawn
is either very weak or very strong, and that its weakness
or strength, whichever happens to be in the case to
be considered, increases as it advances, and is at the
same time in direct relation to the number of pieces
on the board. In this last respect it might be generally
said that a passed Pawn increases in strength as the
number of pieces on the board diminishes.
146 SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS
Having all this clear in mind we will now revert
to the openings and middle-game. We will analyse
games carefully from beginning to end according to
general principles. I shall, whenever possible, use
my own games, not because they will better illustrate
the point, but because, knowing them thoroughly, I
shall be able to explain them more authoritatively
than the games of others.
32. SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS FROM
A RUY LOPEZ
That some of the variations in the openings and
the manoeuvres in the middle-game are often based
on some of the elementary principles just expounded
can be easily seen in the following case:
Example 65.
I. P-K4
P-K4
2. Kt-KB3
Kt-QB3
3. B-Kts
P-QR3
4. B-R4
Kt-B3
5- 0-0
KtxP
6. P-Q4
P-QKt4
7. B-Kt3
P-Q4
8. PXP
B-K3
9. P-B3
B-K2
10. R-Ki
Kt-B4
II. B-B 2
B-Kts
12. QKt-Q2
0-0
13. Kt-Kt3
Kt-K3
FROM A RUY LOPEZ
147
So far a very well-known variation of the Ruy
Lopez. In fact, they are the moves of the Janowski-
Lasker game in Paris, 1912.
14. Q-Q3 P-Kt3
Let us suppose the game went on, and that in some
way White, by playing one of the Knights to Q 4
at the proper time, forced the exchange of both Knights,
and then afterwards both the Bishops were exchanged,
and we arrived at some such position as shown in the
following diagram. (I obtained such a position in a
very similar way once at Lodz in Poland. I was play-
ing the White pieces against a consulting team headed
by Salwe.)
Now we would have here the case of the backward
Q B P, which will in no way be able to advance to
Q B 4. Such a position may be said to be theoretically
lost, and in practice a first-class master will invariably
win it from Black. (If I may be excused the reference,
I will say that I won the game above referred to.)
After a few moves the position may be easily thus :
148 SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS
The Black pieces can be said to be fixed. If White
plays Q — Q B 3, Black must answer Q — Q 2, other-
wise he wiU lose a Pawn, and if White returns with
the Queen to Q R 3 Black wiU have again to return
to Q Kt 2 with the Queen or lose a Pawn. Thus Black
can only move according to White's lead, and under
such conditions White can easily advance with his
Pawns to K B 4 and K Kt 4, until Black wiU be forced
to stop P — B 5 by playing P — K B 4, and we might
finally have some such .position as this:
Example 66.
FROM A RUY LOPEZ 149
In this situation the game might go on as follows:
I. P X P, P X P; 2. Q - K B 3, Q - Q 2
White threatened to win a Pawn by Q X P, and Black
could not play 2. . .R — K B i, because 3 R X B P
would also win a Pawn at least.
3. R(Bs)-B2,R-Kt3;
5. R (B i) - K Kt I,
6. Q - R 5, R X R;
8. K X R, Q - Kt 2 ch;
4. R-Kt2,K-Ri;
R(Bi) - KKti;
7. R X R, R X R;
9. K-R2, Q-Kt3;
lo.QXQ, PXQ; II. P- Kt 4, and White wins.
Now suppose that in the position in the preceding
diagram it were Black's move, and he played R — K B i .
White would then simply defend his K B P by some
move like Q — K B 3, threatening R X Q B P, and
then he would bring his King up to Kt 3, and when
the time came, break through, as in the previous case.
White might even be able to obtain the following
position:
ISO SOME POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS
Black would now be forced to play R — B i, and
White could then play Q — B 2, and foUow it up with
K B 3, and thus force Black to play P X P, which
would give White a greater advantage.
A careful examination of all these positions wiU
reveal that, besides the advantage of freedom of
manoeuvre on White's part, the power of the Pawn
at K 5 is enormous, and that it is the commanding
position of this Pawn, and the fact that it is free to
advance, once aU the pieces are exchanged, that con-
stitute the pivot of all White's manoeuvres.
I have purposely given positions without the moves
which lead to them so that the student may become
accustomed to build up in his own mind possible
positions that may arise (out of any given situation).
Thus he will learn to make strategical plans and be on
his way to the master class. The student can derive
enormous benefit by further practice of this kind.
33. THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE"
The influence of a so-called "hole" in a game has
already been illustrated in my game against Blanco
(page 81), where has been shown the influence exer-
cised by the different pieces posted in the hole created
at White's K 5.
THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE" 151
Example 67. — In order to further illustrate this
point, I now give a game played in the Havana Inter-
national Masters Tournament of 1913.
(Queen's
Gambit DecUned.) White:
D. Janowski.
Black:
A. Kupchick.
I. P-Q4
P-Q4
2. P-QB4
P-K3
3. Kt-QB3
Kt — KB3
4. B-Kts
B — K2
5- P-K3
QKt — Q2
6. B-Q3
PxP
7. BxP
Kt — Kt3
Of course the idea is to post a Knight at Q 4, but as
it is the other Knight which wiU be posted there this
manoeuvre does not seem logical. The Kiiight at
Kt 3 does nothing except to prevent the development
of his own Q B. The normal course O — O, followed
by P — Q B 4, is more reasonable. For a beautiful
illustration of how to play White in that variation,
see the Janowski-Rubinstein game of the St. Peters-
burg Tournament of 1914.
8. B-Q3
B — Kt 3 has some points in its favour in this position,
the most important being the possibility of advancing
the King's Pawn immediately after 8. . .K Kt — Q 4;
9 BxB, QxB.
8 KKt-Q4
9. BxB QxB
10. Kt — B3
152 THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE"
Had WMte's Bishop been at Q Kt 3 he could now play
P — K 4 as indicated in the previous note, a move
which he cannot make in the present position, because
of Kt — KB s threatening, not only the K Kt P,
but also Kt X B ch. As White's King's Bishop should
never be exchanged in this opening without a very-
good reason White therefore cannot play P — K 4.
10 —
11. — B — Q2
12. R— B I
4ll
iz
fi
//
M
wsm
White is perfectly developed, and now threatens to
win a Pawn as follows : Kt X Kt, Kt x Kt ; P — K 4,
followed by R X P.
12 P-QB3
The fact that Black is practically forced to make
this move in order to avoid the loss of a Pawn is suffi-
cient reason in itself to condemn the whole system
of development on Black's part. In effect, he plays
B — Q 2, and now he has to shut off the action of his
THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE" 153
own Bishop, which thereby becomes little more than
a Pawn for a while. In fact, it is hard to see how this
Bishop will ever be able to attack anything. Besides,
it can be easily seen that White will soon post his
two Knights at K 5 and Q B 5 respectively, and that
Black win not be able to dislodge them without seriously
weakening his game, if he can do it at all. From all
these reasons it can be gathered that it would probably
have been better for Black to play Kt X Kt and thus
get rid of one of the two White Knights before assum-
ing such a defensive position. In such cases, the
less the number of pieces on the board, the better
chances there are to escape.
13. Kt — K4 P — KB4
This practically amounts to committing suicide, since
it creates a hole at K 5 for White's Knight, from where
it will be practically impossible to dislodge him. If
Black intended to make such a move he should have
done it before, when at least there would have been an
object in preventing the White Knight from reach-
ing B 5.
14. Kt — B 5 B — Ki
15. Kt-Ks
The position of White's Knights, especially the one
at K 5, might be said to be ideal, and a single glance
shows how they dominate the position. The question
henceforth wiU be how is White going to derive the
full benefit from such an advantageous situation.
This we shall soon see.
154 THE INFJ.UENCE OF A "HOLE"
IS-
R— Kti
There is no object in this move, unless it is to be fol-
owed by Kt — Q 2. As that is not the case, he might
have gone with the Rook to B i, as he does later.
16.
R— Ki
R-B3
17-
Q-B3
R-R3
18.
Q-Kt3
R — B I
White threatened to win the exchange by plajdng
either Kt — B 7 or Kt— Kt 4.
19- P-B3
R-B2
20. P — QR3
K-Ri
21. P-R3
Perhaps all these precautions are imnecessary, but
White feels that he has more than enough time to
prepare his attack, and wants to be secure in every
way before he begins.
THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE"
I5S
21
22. P— K4
23. Q— B 2
He had better have played Kt — B 3 ; and tried later
on to get rid of White's Knights by means of Kt — Q 2.
P — Kt4
P-Bs
Kt — K6
24. R X Kt
with this sacrifice of the Rook for a Knight and Pawn
White obtains an overwhelming position.
24 PXR
25. QxP Kt — B I
Kt — Q 2 was better in order to get rid of one of the
two White Knights. There were, however, any number
of good repUes to it, among them the following:
Kt(Bs)xKt,BxKt; QxP,QxQ; Kt— B7ch,
K — Kt 2; Kt X Q, and with two Pawns for the
exchange, and the position so much in his favour,
White should have no trouble in winning.
156 THE INFLUENCE OF A "HOLE"
26. Kt — Kt4 R— Kt3
27. P-K5 R-Kt2
28. B — B4 B — B2
All these moves are practically forced, and as it is
easily seen they tie up Black's position more and
more. White's manoeuvres from move 24 onwards
are highly instructive.
29. Kt — B 6 Kt — Kt3
This wandering Knight has done nothing throughout
the game.
30. Kt(B5)-K4P-KR3
31. P-KR4 Kt-Q4
32. Q-Q2 R-Kt3
33. PXP Q-Bi
If P X P; K — B 2, and Black would be helpless.
34. P — B 4 Kt — K2
35. P — KKt4 PxP
36. PxP Resigns.
There is nothing to be done. If B — Kt i ; Q — R 2 ch,
K— Kt 2; B xP.
The student should notice that, apart from other
things, White throughout the game has had control
of the Black squares, principally those at K 5 and
QBs.
From now on to the end of the book I shall give a
collection of my games both lost and won, chosen so
as to serve as illustrations of the general principles
laid down in the foregoing pages.
PART II
PART II
White
GAME 1. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
(Match,
1909)
: F. J. MarshaU.
Black : J. R. Capat
I. P-Q4
P-Q4
2. P-QB4
P-K3
3. Kt-QB3
Kt — KB3
4. B — Kt 5
B — K2
5. P-K3
Kt-Ks
I had played this defence twice before in the match
with good results, and although I lost this game I
stUl played it imtil the very last game, when I changed
my tactics. The reason was my total lack of knowl-
edge of the different variations in this opening, coupled
with the fact that I knew that Dr. E. Lasker had been
successful with it against Marshall himself in 1907.
I thought that since Dr. Lasker had played it so often,
it should be good. The object is to exchange a couple
of pieces and at the same time to bring about a position
full of possibilities and with promising chances of
success once the end-game stage is reached. On
general principles it should be wrong, because the
159
i6o GAME I
same Knight is moved three times in the opening,
although it involves the exchange of two pieces. In
reality the difficulty in this variation, as well as in
neariy aU the variations of the Queen's gambit, Ues
in the slow development of Black's Queen Bishop.
However, whether this variation can or cannot be
safely played is a question still to be decided, and it
is outside the scope of this book. I may add that at
present my preference is for a different system of devel-
opment, but it is not imlikely that I shoidd some
time come back to this variation.
6. BxB QxB
7- B-Q3
P X P is preferable for reasons that we shall soon see.
7 Kt X Kt
8. Px Kt Kt — Q2
Now P X P would be a better way to develop the
game. The idea is that after 8...PxP; gBxBP,
P — Q kt 3, foUowed by B — Kt 2, would give Black's
Bishop a powerful range. For this variation see the
eleventh game of the match.
9. Kt — B3 0—0
No longer would 9. . .P X P ; 10 B X P, P — Q Kt 3
be good, because 11 B — Kt 5 would prevent B — Kt 2
on accoimt of Kt — K 5.
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
10. PxP PxP
11. Q-Kt3 Kt-B3
i6i
Kt-
12. P— QR4 P — B 4
Played with the intention of obtaining the majority
of Pawns on the Queen's side. Yet it is doubtful
whether this move is good, since it leaves Black's
Queen's-side Pawns disrupted in a way. The safer
course would have been to play P — B 3.
13- Q-R3 P-QKt3
This exposes Black to further attack by P — R 5
without any compensation for it. If I had to play
this position nowadays I would simply play 13 . . .
R— K I. Then after 14 Q X P, Q X Q would follow,
and I believe that Black would regain the Pawn.
If, instead. White played 14 P X P then B — Kt 5
would give Black an excellent game.
14. P — Rs B — Kt2
15. 0—0 Q— B 2
16. KR— Kti Kt— Q2
l62
GAME I
Black's position was bad and perhaps lost in any
case, but the text move makes matters worse. As a
matter of fact I never saw White's reply B — B 5.
It never even passed through my mind that this was
threatened. Black's best move would have been
16. . .K R — Kt I. If that loses, then any other move
would lose as well.
17. B — B 5 KR — B I
From bad to worse. Kt — B 3 offered the only hope.
18.
BxKt
QXB
19.
P-R6
B-B3
20.
PXP
PxP
21.
QxP
QR-Kti
The game was lost. One move was as good as another.
22. R X R R X R
23. Kt-Ks Q-B4
24. P — KB4 R— Kt3
25. Q X R ! Resigns.
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 163
Of course, if 25 Kt X B, R — Kt 8 ch would have
drawn. The text move is pretty and finishes quickly.
A well-played game on Marshall's part.
GAME 2. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
(San Sebastian, 191 1)
White : A. K. Rubinstein. Black : J. R. Capablanca.
I.
P-Q4
P-Q4
2.
Kt — KB3
P-QB4
3-
P-B4
P-K3
4-
PxQP
KPxP
5-
Kt-B3
Kt-QB3
6.
P — KKt3
B-K3
Kt — B 3 is the normal move in this variation. White's
development was first introduced by Schlechter and
elaborated later on by Rubinstein. It aims at the
isolation of Black's Q P, against which the White
pieces are gradually concentrated. In making the
text move I was tr3iTng to avoid the beaten track.
Being a developing move there should be no objection
to it in the way of general principles, except that the
Knights ought to come out before the Bishops.
7. B — Kt2 B — K2
8. 0—0 R — B I
In pursuance of the idea of changing the normal
164
GAME 2
course of this variation, but with very poor success.
The move in theory ought to be unsound, since Black's
K Kt is yet undeveloped. I had not yet learned of
the attack founded on Kt — Kt 5 and the exchange
of the B at K 3. Either Kt — B 3 or P — K R 3;
to prevent either B or Kt — K Kt 5, was right.
9-
PxP
BxP
10.
Kt— KKts
Kt-B3
II.
KtxB
PxKt
12.
B-R3
Q-K2
13-
B-Kts
0-0
This is a mistake. The right move was R — Q i in
order to get the Rook away from the line of the Bishop
at R 3 and at the same time to support the Q P. Inci-
dentally it shows that White failed to take proper
advantage of Black's weak opening moves. Against
the text move White makes a very fine combination
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 165
which I had seen, but which I thought could be
defeated.
14. BxKt QxB
I considered P X B, which it seemed would give me
a playable game, but I thought White's combination
imsound and therefore let him play it, to my lasting
regret.
15. KtxPI Q-R3
i66 GAME 2
i6. K— Kta!
This is the move which I had not considered. I thought
that Rubinstein would have to play B — Kt 2, when
I had in mind the following winning combination:
16 B — Kt 2, Kt— K 4! 17 Kt — B 4 (if R — B i,
QXR!! QXQ, BxPch wins), Kt — Kt 5 ;
18 P — K R 3 (if Kt — R 3, B X P ch wins the ex-
change), Kt X P ; 19 R X Kt, B X R ch ; 20 K X B,
P — K Kt 4, and Black should win. It is curious that
this combination has been overlooked. It has been
taken for granted that I did not see the 17th
move Q — B i.
16 QR— Qi
After White's last move there was nothing for me to
do but submit to the inevitable.
17-
Q— B i!
PxKt
18.
QXB
Q-Q7
19.
Q-Kts
Kt-Q5
20.
Q-Q3
QxQ
21.
PxQ
KR — Ki
22.
B — Kt4
This gives Black a chance. He should have played
KR— Ki. If then Kt — B 7; RxR ch, RxR;
R— QBi,R — K7; K — Bi,Kt — Qs(ifR— Q7;
B — K6ch,K — Bi; B X P would win) ; R— B 8 ch,
K— B 2; R— B 7 ch, R — K 2; R— B 5 wins.
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 167
??
R-Q3
RxR
23-
KR— Ki
24.
RxR
R-QKt3
25-
R-Ks
RxP
26.
RXP
Kt-B3
27.
B — K 6 ch
K — B I
28.
R— B 5ch
K— Ki
29.
B — B 7 ch
K— Q2
30-
B-B4
30-
P-QR3
A bad move, which gives away any legitimate
chance Black had to draw. It loses a very important
move. In fact, as the course of the game will show,
it loses several moves. The proper way was to play
K— Q 3. If then R— Q Kt 5, RxR; B x R,
Kt— Q 5; foUowed by P — Q Kt 4; and White
would have an exceedingly difficult game to draw on
accovuit of the dominating position of the Knight at
i68
GAME 2
Q 5 in conjunction with the extra Pawn on the Queen's
side and the awkward position of White's King. (See
how this is so.)
31. R-B7ch K-Q3
32. RxKKtP P — Kt4
33. B-Kt8 P-QR4
34. RXP P-Rs
35. P-R4 P-Kt5
36. R — R6ch K — B4
37. R-Rsch K-Kt3
38- B-Q5
With these last three moves White again gives Black
a chance. Even before the last move B — B 4 would
have won with comparative ease, but the text move
is a downright blunder, of which, fortunately for him,
Black does not avail himself.
38 P — Kt6
R X P would make it practically impossible for
White to win, if he can win at all. White's best con-
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 169
tinuation then would have been : 39 B — B4, R — B7;
40 R— Kt 5 ch, K — B 2; 41 B — Kt 8, P — R 6;
42 P — R 5, P — R 7 ; 43 B X P, R X B, and if there
is a win it is very difficult to find it, as against
44 P — R 6, R — R 3! offers excellent chances for a
draw.
39. PxP P — R6
40. B X Kt R X Kt P
If 40...P — R 7; 41 R— Kt 5 ch, K— R 3;
42 R— Kt 8.
41. B-Qs P-R7
42. R — R 6 ch Resigns.
As an end game, this is rather a sad exhibition for
two masters. The redeeming feature of the game is
Rubinstein's fine combination in the middle game,
beginning with 14 B X Kt.
GAME 3. IRREGXJLAR DEFENCE
(Havana, 1913)
White : D. Janowski. Black : J. R. Capablanca.
I.
P-Q4
Kt— KB3
2.
Kt— KB3
P-Q3
3-
B-Kt5
QKt — Q2
4.
P-K3
P — K4
5-
Kt-B3
P-B3
6.
B-Q3
B — K2
7-
Q— K2
Q-R4
8.
0-0
Kt— 'B I
9-
KR-Qi
B-Kts
I70 GAME 3
At last Black is on his way to obtain full develop-
ment. The idea of this irregular opening is mainly
to throw White on his own resources. At the time
the game was played, the system of defence was not
as well known as the regular forms of the Queen's
Pawn openings. Whether it is soimd or not remains
yet to be proved. Its good features are that it keeps
the centre intact without creating any particular weak-
ness, and that it gives plenty of opportunity for deep
and concealed manoeuvring. The drawback is the
long time it takes Black to develop his game. It is
natural to suppose that White wiU employ that time
to prepare a well-conceived attack, or that he wiU use
the advantage of his development actually to prevent
Black's complete development, or failing that, to
obtain some definite material advantage.
lO.
II.
12.
P-KR3
PXP
Kt— K4
B — R4
PxP
IRREGULAR DEFENCE 171
12 Kt X Kt
A very serious mistake. I considered castling, which
was the right move, but desisted because I was afraid
that by playing 13 B x Kt, P x B ; 14 Kt — Kt 3,
B — Kt 3; 15 Kt— B s. White would obtain a win-
ning position for the end game. Whether right or
wrong this shows how closely related are all parts of
the game, and consequently how one wiU influence
the other.
13. BxB KxB
14. B X Kt B — Kt 3
Not good. The natural and proper move would have
been Kt — K 3, in order to bring aU the Black pieces
into play. B X Kt at once was also good, as it would
have reUeved the pressure against Black's King's Pawn,
and at the same time have simplified the game.
Here it is seen how failure to comply with the ele-
mentary logical reasons, that govern any given posi-
tion, often brings the player into trouble. I was no
doubt influenced in my choice of moves by the fear
of B — B 5, which was a very threatening move.
15. Q— B4 Kt — K3
16. P— QKt4 Q — B 2
17. BxB RPxB
18. Q— K4 K-B3
172
GAME 3
19. R-Q3
P — K R 4, to be followed by P — Kt 4, might have
been a more vigorous way to carry on the attack.
Black's weak point is imquestionably the Pawn at
K 4, which he is compelled to defend with the King.
The text move aims at doubling the Rooks, with the
ultimate object of placing one of them at Q 6, sup-
ported by a Pawn at Q B 5, Black could only stop
this by playing P — B 4, which would create a "hole"
a^t Q S ; or by playing P — Kt 3, which would tie the
Black Queen to the defence of the Q B P as well as
the K P, which she already defends. Black, how-
ever, can meet aU this by offering the exchange of
Rooks, which destroys White's plans. For this reason
P — K R 4 appears the proper way to carry on the
attack.
19 QR— Qi
20. QR— Qi P — KKt4
This move is preparatory to P — K Kt 3, which would
IRREGULAR DEFENCE
173
make Black's position secure. Unfortunately for Black,
he did not carry out his original plan.
21. P — B 4
RXR
P — K Kt 3 would have left Black with a perfectly
safe game.
22. RxR R— Qi
A very serious mistake, which loses a Pawn. P —
K Kt 3 was the right move, and would have left Black
with a very good game. In fact, if it should come to
a simple ending, the position of the Black King would
be an advantage.
23. RxR
KtxR
24. P— KR4
This wins a Pawn, as will soon be seen. Black cannot
reply 24...Kt — K 3 ; because 25 P X P ch, Kt X P;
26 Q — R 4 wins the Knight.
174 GAME 4
24.
25-
QXPch
*
PxP
K-K3
26.
Q-Kt4
ch
K-B3
27.
Q-Kt5
ch
K-K3
28.
QxP
Q-Q3
29.
P-Bs
Q-Q4
SC-
P — K4!
Q— Q8ch
SI-
K— R2
P-B3
32.
Q-Kt4
ch!
K— K2
33-
KtxP
QxQ
34.
KtxQ
Kt-K3
35-
P-Ks
PxP
36.
KtxP
Kt-Qs
The game went on for a few more moves, and,
there being no way to counteract the advance of
White's two passed Pawns, Black resigned.
GAME 4. FRENCH DEFENCE
(St. Petersburg, 1913)
White: J.R.Capablanca. Black: E. A. Snosko-Borovski.
1. P-Q4 P-K3
2. P — K4 P — Q4
3. Kt-QB3 Kt-KB3
4. B — Kt s B — Kt 5
This constitutes the McCutcheon Variation. It aims
at taking the initiative away from White. Instead
FRENCH DEFENCE 175
of defending, Black makes a counter demonstration
on the Queen's side. It leads to highly interesting
games.
5. PxP
At the time this game was played the variation 5 P —
K 5 was in vogue, but I considered then, as I do now,
the text move to be the stronger.
s QxP
This is considered superior to P X P. It has for its
object, as I said before, to take the initiative away
from White by disrupting White's Queen's side. White,
however, has more than ample compensation through
his breaking up Black's King's side. It might be
laid down as a principle of the opening that the breaking
up of the King's side is of more importance than a simi-
lar occurrence on the Queen's side.
6. B X Kt B X Kt ch
7. PxB PxB
8. Kt— B3 P — QKt3
The plan of Black in this variation is to post his
Bishop on the long diagonal so as to be able later on,
in conjxmction with the action of his Rooks along
the open K Kt's file, to make a violent attack against
White's King. It is, of course, expected that White
wiU Castle on the King's side because of the broken-up
condition of his Queen's side Pawns.
176 GAME 4
9. Q— Q2 B — Kt2
10. B — K2 Kt — Q2
11. P — B4 Q— KB4
12. 0—0—0
An original idea, I believe, played for the first time
in a similar position in a game against Mr. Walter
Penn Shipley, of Philadelphia. My idea is that
as there is no Black Bishop and because Black's
pieces have been developed with a view to an attack
on the King's side, it will be impossible for Black to
take advantage of the apparently miprotected posi-
tion of White's King. Two possibilities must be con-
sidered. Firstly: If Black Castles on the Queen's
side, as in this game, it is evident that there is no danger
of an attack. Secondly : If Black Castles on the King's
side, White begins the attack first, taking advantage of
the awkward position of Black's Queen. In addition
to the attacking probabilities of the text move, White
in one move brings his King into safety and brings
one of his Rooks into play. Thus he gains several
moves, "tempi" as they are called, which will serve
him to develop whatever plan he may wish to
evolve.
12 0—0—0
13. Q— K3 KR— Kt I
14. P-Kt3 Q-QR4
Unquestionably 'a, mistake, overlooking White's fine
FRENCH DEFENCE
177
reply, but a careful examination will show that White
already has the better position.
15. R-Q3! K-Kti
16. KR— Qi Q— KB4
17. Kt — R4
This move has been criticised because it puts the
Knight out of the way for a few moves. But by forc-
ing Q — K Kt 4 ; White gains a very important move
with P — B 4, which not only consoUdates his position,
but also drives the Queen away, putting it out of the
game for the moment. Certainly the Queen is far
more valuable than the Knight, to say nothing of the
time gained and the freedom of action obtained thereby
for White's more important pieces.
17 Q-KKt4
18. P — B4 Q— Kt2
19. B-B3
178
GAME 4
In such positions it is generally very advantageous
to get rid of the Black Bishop controlling his Q R 3
and Q B 3, which form "holes" for White's pieces.
The Bishop in such positions is of very great defensive
value, hence the advantage of getting rid of it.
KR— Ki
KxB
P-B3
White threatened P — B 6 ch.
19
20. B X B
21. P — QB5!
22. Kt — B3
Q-Bi
To prevent the Knight from moving to Q 6 via Q 2
and K 4 or Q B 4. It is self-evident that White has a
great advantage of position.
23. Kt — Q2?
I had considered R — Kt 3, which was the right
move, but gave it up because it seemed too slow, and
FRENCH DEFENCE 179
that in such a position there had to be, some quicker
way of wiiming.
23 PxP
24. Kt — B4
Kt— K 4 or Kt— Kt 3 would have brought about
an ending advantageous to White.
24 Kt— Kt3
25. Kt— Rsch K— Ri
26. PxP Kt — Q4
27- Q-Q4 R-Bi
If R — Kt I ; 28 Kt X P, R (Kt i) — B I ; 29 Kt X
P would win.
m '^ ** -■Ira / i
^/^ i i i -fc
¥4.
S^y ^
1^ /
/
28. P— B4
Kt — B 4 was the right move. I was, however, still
looking for the "grand combination," and thought
that the Pawn I would later on have at Q 6 would
Win the game. Black deserves great credit for the
way in which he conducted this exceedingly difficult
i8o GAME 4
defence. He could easily have gone wrong any num-
ber of times, but from move 22 onwards he always
played the best move.
-'8
P — K4!
P-K5
29.
Q-Kti
30-
PxKt
PXR
31-
P — Q6
R— K7
32-
P-Q7
R-B7ch
33-
K— Kti
R— Kt ich
34-
Kt-Kt3
Q-K2
35. RXP
The position is most interesting. I believe I lost
here my last chance to win the game, and if that is
true it would vindicate my judgment when, on move
28, 1 played P — B 4. The student can find out what
would happen if White plays Q — Q 4! at once. I
have gone over the following variations : 35 Q — Q 4,
R X K R P (of course ifRxBP, P — Q8 wins) ;
FRENCH DEFENCE i8i
36QXQP! R— Q i; 37 Q— R6, K— Kt I best
(if Q— Q S ch ; K — R I, K— Kt i ; R— Q Kt i wins) ;
38 Q X B P and White will at least have a draw.
R— K7
35
36
37
38
Q-Q4
Q-R4
Q-R6
R— Qi
Q-K5
K— Kti
There is nothing to be done against this simple move,
since White cannot play Kt — Q 4, because Q — R 8
mates.
39. K-Bi
40. Kt-Q4
Resigns.
A very interesting battle.
RxQP
R— K8ch
GAME 5. RUY LOPEZ
(St. Petersburg, 1914)
White : Dr. E. Lasker. Black : J. R. Capablanca.
1. P — K4 P — K4
2. Kt— KB3 Kt— QB3
3. B-Kts P-QR3
4. B X Kt
The object of this move is to bring about speedily
a middle-game without Queens, in which White
i82 GAME s
has four Pawns to three on the King's side, while
Black's superiority of Pawns on the other side is
somewhat balanced by the fact that one of Black's
Pawns is doubled. On the other hand, Black has
the advantage of remaining with two Bishops while
White has only one.
4-
5-
P-Q4
QPxB
PxP
6.
QxP
QxQ
7-
KtxQ
B-Q3
Black's idea is to Castle on the King's side. His
reason is that the King ought to remain on the weaker
side to oppose later the advance of White's Pawns.
Theoretically there is very much to be said in favour
of this reasoning, but whether in practice that would
be the best system would be rather difficult to prove.
The student should notice that if now all the pieces
were exchanged White would practically be a Pawn
ahead, and would therefore have a won ending.
8. Kt — QB3 Kt— K2
A perfectly sound form of development. In any other
form adopted the Black Kt could not be developed
either as quickly or as well. K 2 is the natural position
for the Black Kt in this variation, in order not to
obstruct Black's Pawns, and also, in some event-
ualities, in order to go to K Kt 3. There is
RUY LOPEZ
183
also the possibility of its going to Q 5 via Q B 3 after
P-QB4.
9. 0-0
ID. P— B 4
0-0
This move I considered weak at the time, and I do
still. It leaves the K P weak, unless it advances to
K 5, and it also makes it possible for Black to pin the
Kt by B — Q B 4.
10.
R— Ki
Best. It threatens B — B4; B — K3, Kt— Q4.
It also prevents B — K 3 because of Kt — Q 4 or B 4.
11. Kt — Kt3 P — B 3
Preparatory to P — Q Kt 3, followed by P — Q B 4
and B — Kt 2 in conjimction with Kt^-Kt 3, which
would put White in great difficulties to meet the
combined attack against the two centre Pawns.
12. P — B 5
i84 GAME s
It has been wrongly claimed that this wins the game,
but I would like nothing better than to have such a
position again. It required several mistakes on my
part finally to obtain a lost position.
P-QKt3
12
13. B-B4
13-
B — Kt 2
Played against my better judgment. The right move
of course was B x B. Dr. Lasker gives the follow-
ing variation: 13. . .B X B ; 14 R X B, P — B 4;
15 Q R— Q I, B — Kt 2; 16 R— B 2, Q R— Q i;
17RXR, RxR; 18R— Q'2, RxR; 19 Kt x R,
and he claims that White has the best of it. But,
as Niemzovitch pointed out immediately after the
game, 16. . .Q R— Q i given in Dr. Lasker 's varia-
tion, is not the best. If 16... Q R — B i! then
White will have great difficulty in drawing the game,
RUY LOPEZ i8S
since there is no good way to stop Black from playing
Kt — B 3, followed by Kt — K 4, threatening Kt —
B 5. And should White attempt to meet this ma-
nceuvre by withdrawing the Kt at Kt 3 ; then the
Black Knight can go to Q 5, and the White Pawn at
K 4 will be the object of the attack. Taking Dr.
Lasker's variation, however, whatever advantage there
might be disappears at once if Black plays 19. . .Kt —
B 3, threatening Kt — Kt 5 and also Kt — Q 5, neither
of which can be stopped. If White answers 20 Kt —
Q 5, Kt — Q 5 for Black will at least draw. In fact,
after 19. . .Kt — B 3 Black threatens so many things
that it is dif&cult to see how White can prevent the
loss of one or more Pawns.
14. BxB PxB
15. Kt-Q4
It is a curious but true fact that I did not see this
move when I played 13 ... B — Kt 2, otherwise I would
have played the right move 13 . . .B x B.
15 QR-Qi
The game is yet far from lost, as against the entry
of the Knight, Black can later on play P — B 4, fol-
lowed by P — Q 4.
16. Kt— K6 R— Q2
17. QR-Qi
i86
GAME 5
« I fi -i^;^ I
*k • & ^f. _1 ^
^
vm^-m
I now was on the point of plajdng P — B 4, to be
followed by P — Q 4, which I thought would give me
a draw, but suddenly I became ambitious and thought
that I could play the text move, ly.-.Kt — B i,
and later on sacrifice the exchange for the Knight
at K 6, wiiming a Pawn for it, and leaving White's
K P still weaker. I intended to carry this plan either
before or after playing P — K Kt 4 as the circmnstances
demanded. Now let us analyse: 17...P — B 4. If
18 Kt— Q 5, Bx Kt; 19 P x B, P — Q Kt 4; and a
careful analysis will show that Black has nothing to
fear. Black's plan in this case would be to work his
Kt around to K 4, via Q B i, Q Kt 3, and Q B s or
Q 2. Again, 17...P — B 4; 18 R— B 2, P -Q 4;
19 P X P, B X P ; 20 Kt X B (best, since if R (B 2) —
Q 2, B X Kt give Black the advantage), RxKt;
21 R X R, Kt X R; and there is no good reason why
Black should lose.
Kt — Bi
17
18. R— B2
P — QKt4
RUY
LOPEZ
19.
KR-Q2
R
(Q2)-
20.
P-
QKt4
K
-B2
21.
P-
QR3
B
-Ri
187
K2
Once more changing my plan and this time without
any good reason. Had I now played R X Kt; P X R ch,
R X P; as I intended to do when I went back with
the Knight to B i, I doubt very much if White would
have been able to win the game. At least it would
have been extremely difficult.
22. K — B 2 R — R2
23. P-Kt4 P-R3
24. R-Q3 P-QR4
25. P — KR4 PxP
26. P X P R (R 2) — K 2
This, of course, has no object now. Black, with a
bad game, flotmders aroimd for a move. It would
have been better to play R — R 6 to keep the open
file, and at the same time to threaten to come out
with the Knight at Kt 3 and B 5.
27. K — B3 R— Kt I
28. K — B4 P — Kt3
Again bad. White's last two moves were weak, since
the White Kling does nothing here. He should have
played his Rook to Kt 3 on the 27th move. Black
now should have played P — Kt 4 ch. After missing
this chance White has it all his own way, and finishes
the game most accurately, and Black becomes more
i88 GAME 5
helpless with each move. The game needs no further
comment, excepting that my play throughout was of
an altogether irresolute character. When a plan is
made, it must be carried out if at aU possible. Regard-
ing the play of White, I consider his loth and 12th
moves were very weak ; he played well after that up
to the 27th move, which was bad, as well as his 28th
move. The rest of his play was good, probably
perfect.
29.
R-Kt3
P — Kt4ch
30.
K-B3
Kt-Kt3
31-
PXP
RPXP
32.
R-R3
R — Q2
33-
K-Kt3!
K— Ki
34-
QR— KRi
B — Kt2
35-
P-K5
QPXP
36.
Kt — K4
Kt-Q4
37-
Kt(K6)-Bs
B — B I
38.
KtxR
BxKt
39-
R— R7
R— Bi
40.
R-Ri
K— Qi
41.
R — R8ch
B — B I
42.
Kt-Bs
Resigns.
FRENCH DEFENCE 189
GAME 6. FRENCH DEFENCE
(Rice Memorial Tournament, 1916)
White : O. Chajes. Black : J. R. Capablanca.
1. P — K4 P — K3
2. P-Q4 P-Q4
3. Kt-QBs Kt-KB3
4. B — Kt 5 B — Kts
Of aU the variations of the French Defence I like
this best, because it gives Black more chances to
obtain the initiative.
5. P-Ks
Though I consider P X P the best move, there is much
to be said ia favour of this move, but not of the vari-
ation as a whole, which White adopted in this game.
5-
P-KR3
6.
B — Q2
BxKt
7-
PXB
Kt-Ks
8.
Q-Kt4
K — Bi
The alternative, P — K Kt 3; leaves Black's King's
side very weak. White by playing P — K R 4 would
force Black to play P— K R 4 ; and later, on White's
Bishop- by going to Q 3, would threaten the weakened
K Kt P. By the text move Black gives up Castling,
but gains time for an attack against White's centre
and Queen's side.
iQO GAME 6
9. B — B I P — QB4
Threatening Q — R 4 and stopping thereby White's
threat of B — R 3. It demonstrates that White's
last move was a complete loss of time and merely
weakened his position.
10.
B-Q3
Q-R4
II.
Kt-K2
PxP
12.
0-0
PxP
13-
BxKt
PXB
14.
QXP
Kt-B3
Black has come out of the opening with a Pawn
to the good. His development, however, has suffered
somewhat, and there are Bishops of opposite colour,
so that it cannot be said as yet, that Black has a
won game ; but he has certainly the best of the posi-
tion, because, besides being a Pawn to the good, he
threatens White's K P, which must of course be de-
FRENCH DEFENCE 191
fended, and this in turn wUl give him the opportunity
to post his Knight at Q 4 via K 2. When the Black
EJiight is posted at Q 4, the Bishop will be developed to
B 3 via Q 2, as soon as the opportunity presents itself,
and it will be Black that will then have the initiative,
and can consequently decide the course of the game.
15- R-Qi
To prevent Kt — K 2 ; which would be answered by
Kt X P, or still better by B — R 3. The move, how-
ever, is strategically wrong, since by bringing his
pieces to the Queen's side. White loses any chance
he might have of making a determined attack on the
King's side before Black is thoroughly prepared for it.
IS P-KKt3
16. P — B4 K— Kt2
17. B-K3
Better would have been P — Q R 4, in order to play
B — R 3. The White B would be much better posted
on the open diagonal than here, where it acts purely
on the defensive.
17 Kt — K2
18. B — B 2 Kt — Q4
This Kjiight completely paralyses the attack, as it
dominates the whole situation, and there is no way
to dislodge it. Behind it Black can quietly develop
his pieces. The game can now be said to be won
for Black strategically.
192
GAME 6
19.
R-Q3
B-Q2
20.
E:t-Q4
Q/R— QBi
21.
R-Kt3
K— R2
22.
P — KR4
KR-Kti
23-
P-R5
Q-Kt5
In order to piri the Knight and be ready to come back
to either K 2 or B i. Also to prevent Q R — Kt i.
In reality nearly all these precautions are unnecessary,
since White's attack amounts to nothing. Probably
Black should have left aside all these 'considerations,
and played Q — R 5 now, in order to follow it up with
P — B 4, as he did later, but under less favoiurable
circumstances. ,
24. R-R3
24.
P — B4
Not the best, as White will soon prove. Q — B i
would have avoided everything, but Black wants to
assimie the initiative at once and plunges into com-
FRENCH DEFENCE
193
plications. However, as will soon be seen, the move
is not a losing one by any means.
25. P X P e.p. Kt X P (B 3)
26. PxPch RxP
27. RxP ch
This wins the Queen.
27 KxR
28. Kt — B 5ch PxKt
29. (^XQ
194 GAME 6
The position looks most interesting. I thought it
would be possible to get up such an attack against
the White King as to make it impossible for him to
hold out much longer, but I was wrong, unless it
could have been done by plajdng B — B 3 first, forcing
P — Kt 3 and then playing K — R 4. I followed a
similar plan, but lost a very important move by play-
ing Q R — K Kt I ; which gave White time to play
R — Q I. I am convinced, however, that B — B 3
at once was the right move. White would be forced
to play P — Kt 3, and Black would reply with either
K — R 4; as already indicated, which looks the best
(the plan, of course, is to play R — K R i ; and foUow
it up with K — Kt 5 ; threatening mate, or some
other move according to circumstances. In some
cases, of course, it wiU be better first to play K — Kt 5),
or Kt — K 5, which wiU at least give him a
draw. There are so many possibilities in this posi-
tion that it would be impossible to give them
all. It wUl be worth the reader's time to go
carefully through the lines of play indicated above.
29 QR— KKti
As stated B — B 3 was the best move.
30. P-Kt3 B-B3
31. R— Qi K — R4
The plan, of course, as explained above, is to go to
Kt s in due time and threaten mate at K R 8, but
it is now too late, the White Rook having come in
FRENCH DEFENCE 195
time to prevent the manoeuvre. Instead of the text
move, therefore, Black should have played Kt — K 5 ;
which would have given him a draw at the very least.
After the text moves the tables are turned. It is now
White who has the upper hand, and Black who has
to fight for a draw.
32. R-Q6 B-K5
Kt — K 5 was stiU the right move, and probably
the last chance Black had to draw against White's
best play.
33. Q'xBP Kt-Q4
34. RxR KxR
Kt X Q ; R X R, Kt X P was no better.
35-
Q-
-Ks
K — B2
36.
p-
-B4
R— Ki
37-
Q-
-Kt2
Kt-B3
38.
B-
-Q4
R— KRi
39-
Q-
-Kts
R — R8ch
40.
K-
-B 2
P-R3
41.
Q-
-Kt6
R — R7ch
42.
K-
-Ki
Kt— Q2
43-
Q-
-Q6
B-B3
44.
p-
-Kt4
PXP
45-
P-
-KB s
R— R8ch
46.
K-
-Q2
K-Ki
47.
P-
-B6
R — R2
48.
Q-
-K6ch
K-B I
49.
B-
-K3
R-B2
50.
B-
-R6ch
K— Kti
196 GAME 6
Most players will be wondering, as the spectators
did, why I did not resign. The reason is that while
I knew the game to be lost, I was hoping for the fol-
lowing variation, which Chajes came very near playing :
5iQxPch,K-R2; S2Q-Rs,RxP; 53 B-
Kt 5 ch, K — Kt 2 ; 54 B X R ch, K X B; and while
White has a won game it is by no means easy. If
the reader does not believe it, let him take the White
pieces against a master and see what happens. My
opponent, who decided to take no chances, played
51 B — Kt 7, and finally won as shown below.
SI-
B — Kt 7
P — Kt6
52.
K— K2
P-Kt7
S3-
K — B 2
Kt — B I
S4-
Q-Kt4
Kt— Q2
SS-
K— Kti
P — R4
S6.
P — R4
BxP
57-
Q-R3
RxP
58.
BxR
KtxB
59-
QxPch
K— B I
60.
QXP
and after a very few more moves Black resigned.
A very fine game on Chajes' part from move 25
on, for while Black, having the best of the position,
missed several chances, White, on the other hand,
missed none.
RUY LOPEZ 197
GAME 7. RUY LOPEZ
(San Sebastian, 191 1)
White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: A. Bum
1. P — K4 P — K4
2. Kt— KB3 Kt— QB3
3. B-Kts P-QR3
4. B — R4 Kt — B3
S- P-Q3
This is a very solid development, to which I was
much addicted at the time, because of my ignorance
of the multiple variations of the openings.
s P-Q3
6. P — B3 B — K2
In this variation there is the alternative of developing
this Bishop via Kt 2, after P — K Kt 3.
7. QKt — Q2 —
8. Kt — B I P — QKt4
9. B — B 2 P— Q4
10. Q— K2 PxP
11. PxP B — QB4
Evidently to make room for the Queen at K 2, but
I do not think the move advisable at this stage. B —
K 3 is a more natural and effective move. It develops
a piece and threatens B — B 5, which would have
to be stopped.
12. B — Kt 5 B — K3
198 GAME 7
Now it is not so effective, because White's Q B is out,
and the Knight, in going to K 3 to defend the square
Q B 4, does not block the Q B.
13. Kt — K3 R— Ki
14. 0—0 Q— K2
This is bad. Black's game was already not good.
He probably had no choice but to take the Knight
with the Bishop before making this move.
15. Kt — Qs BxKt
16. PxB Kt — Kt I
in order to bring it to Q 2, to support the other Knight
and also his King's Pawn. White, however, does not
allow time for this, and by taking advantage of his
superior position is able to win a Pawn.
17. P — QR4 P — Kt 5
Since he had no way to prevent the loss of a Pawn,
he shotdd have given it up where it is, and played
Q Kt — Q 2, in order to make his position more solid.
RUY LOPEZ
199
The text move not only loses a Pawn, but leaves
Black's game very much weakened.
18.
PxP
BxP
19.
BxKt
QxB
20.
Q-K4
B-Q3
21.
QxPch
K-Bi
With a Pawn more and all his pieces ready for action,
while Black is stUl backward in development, it only
remains for White to drive home his advantage before
Black can come out with his pieces, in which case,
by using the open K R file. Black might be able to
start a strong attack against White's King. White
is able by his next move to eliminate all danger.
22. Kt — R4 Q — R3
This is practically forced. Black could not play
P — Kt 3 because of B X P, and White meanwhile
threatened Q — R 8 ch followed by Kt — B 5 ch and
QxP.
200
GAME
7
23-
QXQ
PxQ
24.
Kt-B5
P-KR4
25-
B-Qi
Kt-Q 2
26.
BxP
Kt-B3
27-
B — K2
KtxP
28.
KR— Qi
Kt-Bs
29.
B — B4
KR— Qi
3°-
P — R4
P — R4
: lose time assuring
the safety of
31-
P-KKt3
Kt-K3
32.
BxKt
PXB
33-
Kt-K3
KR— Kti
34-
Kt — B4
K— K2
Black fights a hopeless battle. He is two Pawns down
for all practical purposes, and the Pawns he has are
isolated and have to be defended by pieces.
35. QR — B I R— R2
White threatened Kt X B, followed by R — B 7 ch.
36. R— Ki K— B 3
37. R-K4 R-Kt5
38. P— Kt4 R— R3
IfRxRP; KtxBof course would win a piece
39. R-B3 B-B4
40. R— B 3ch K— Kt 2
41. P-Kt3 B-Qs
42. K— Kt 2 R— Ri
CENTRE GAME 201
43-
P-Kt5
R-R3
44.
P-RS
RxKt
45-
PXR
R-B3
46.
P — Kt6
Resigns.
GAMES. CENTRE GAME
(Berlin, 1913)
White: J. Mieses. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
1. P— K4 P — K4
2. P — Q4 PxP
3. QXP Kt-QB3
4. Q-K3 Kt-B3
5. Kt-QB3 B-Kts
6. B — Q2 0—0
7. 0—0—0 R— Ki
In this position, instead of the text move, P — Q 3
is often played in order to develop the Q B. My idea
was to exert su£5cient pressure against the K P to win
it, and thus gain a material advantage, which would,
at least, compensate whatever shght advantage of
position White might have. The plan, I think, is
quite feasible, my subsequent difficulties being due
to faulty execution of the plan.
8.
Q-Kt3
KtxP
9-
KtxKt
RxKt
10.
B — KB4
202
GAME 8
lo Q-B3
White's threat to regain the Pawn was merely with
the idea of gaining time to develop his pieces. Black
could have played P — Q 3 ; opening the way for his
Q B, when would have followed, iiB — Q3, R — Ki;
12 Kt — B 3, and White would soon start a powerful
direct attack against Black's King. With the text move
Black aims at taking the initiative away from White
in accordance with the principles laid down in this
book.
II. Kt — R3
If B X P, P— Q 3; and White's Bishop would be
completely shut off, and could only be extricated,
if at all, with serious loss of position. The text
move aims at quick development to keep the initiative.
" P-Q3
This now is not only a developing move, but it also
threatens to win a piece by B X Kt.
203
CENTRE GAME
12. B-Q3 Kt-Qs
This complicates the game unnecessarily. R — K i
was simple, and perfectly safe.
13. B-K3
13-
B-Kts
This is a serious mistake. The position was most
interesting, and though in appearance dangerous for
Black, not so in reality. The right move would have
been 13. . .R — Kt 5, when we would have 14 B X Kt,
RXB; isP— QB3,BxP; 16P x B,R— KKt 5;
17 Q— K 3 (best), QxP ch; 18B — B2, QxQ;
19 P X Q, R X P, and Black has the best of the game
with four Pawns for a Kjiight, besides the fact that
all the White Pawns are isolated.
14. Kt— Kt s! RxB
There was nothing better.
15. QXB!
Kt— Kych
204
GAME 8
i6.
BxKt!
RxB
17-
Kt — K4!
RxKt
i8.
QxR
Q— Kt4ch
19.
P— KB4
Q-Kt4
20.
P-B3
B-B4
21.
KR— Ki
Q-B3
?2.
R-Qs
Q X Q would have given White a decided advan-
tage, enough to win with proper play. Mieses, however,
feared the difficulties of an ending where, while having
the exchange, he would be a Pawn minus. He pre-
ferred to keep the Queens on the board and keep up
the attack. At first sight, and even after careful
thought, there seems to be no objection to his plan;
but in truth such is not the case. From this point
the game will gradually improve in Black's favour
until, with the exchange ahead, White is lost.
??
Q-Q2
P-QB3
P-Q4
23-
24.
P-Bs
R— Q2
205
My plan for the moment is very simple. It will
consist in bringing my Bishop around to B 3. Then
I shall try to paralyse White's attack against my
King by playiag P — K R 3, and also prevent White
from ever playing P — K Kt 5. Once my King is
safe from attack I shall begin to advance my Queen's
side Pawns, where there are four to three; and that
advantage, coupled with the enormous attacking power
of my Bishop at B 3, will at least assure me an even
chance of success.
25- Q-B3
26. QR— K2
27. Q-RS
28. P — KKt4
B — K2
B-B3
P-KR3
K — R2!
2o6 GAME 8
To prevent P — K R 4, which I woxild answer with
P — K Kt 3, winning the Queen. It can now be
considered that my King is safe from attack. White
will have to withdraw his Queen via R 3, and Black
can use the time to begin his advance on the Queen's
side.
29. K— Kt I R— Qi
30. R— Qi P — B4
Notice that, on assuming the defensive, White has
placed his Rooks correctly from the point of view of
strategy. They are both on white squares free from
the possible attack of the Black Bishop.
31. Q-R3 Q-Rs
This gains time by attacking the Rook and holding
the White Q at R 3 for the moment, on account of
the K Kt P. Besides, the Queen must be in the middle
of the fray now that the attack has to be brought
home. White has actually more value in material,
and therefore Black must utilise everything at his
command in order to succeed.
32. R(K2) — Q2 Q— Ksch
33. K-Ri P-QKt4
threatenmg P — Kt 5; which would open the line
of action of the Bishop and also secure a passed Pawn.
34. Q-Kt2 Q-R5
indirectly defending the Q P, which White cannot
take on account of Q X R ch.
CENTRE GAME
207
35. K-Kti
P-Kts
The attack increases in force as it is gradually brought
home directly against the King. The position now
is most interesting and extremely difficult. It is
doubtful if there is any vahd defence against Black's
best play. The variations are nxunerous and difficult.
36. PxP
QxP
Black has now a passed Pawn, and his Bishop exerts
great pressure. White cannot very well play now
37 R X P because of R X R ; 38 R x R, B x P ;
and White could not take the Bishop because Q —
K 5 ch woxild win the Rook, leaving Black a clear
passed Pawn ahead.
P-QR3 Q-Rs!
RXP R-QKti
R(Qi) — Q2 P — B5
Q-Kt3 R-Kt6
Q-Q6
37-
38.
39-
40.
41.
208
GAME 8
41.
P — B6
B X P would also win, which, shows that White's
game is altogether gone. In these cases, however,
it is not the prettiest move that should be played,
but the most effective one, the move that wiU make
your opponent resign soonest.
42.
R — QB 2
PXP
43-
R-Q3
Q-Ks!
44.
R— Qi
Resigns.
R— QB6
Of course White must play Q — Q 2, and Black then
plays R X P.
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 209
GAME 9. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
(Berlin, 1913)
Wliite: J. R. Capablanca. Black: R. Teichmann.
I.
P-Q4
P-Q4
2.
Kt-^KB3
Kt-KBs
3-
P-B4
P-K3
4-
B-Kts
B — K2
5-
Kt-Bs
QKt— Q2
6.
P-K3
0-0
7-
R — B I
P-QKt3
8.
PxP
PxP
9-
B-Kts
An invention of my own, I believe. I played it
on the spur of the moment simply to change the normal
course of the game. Generally the Bishop goes to Q 3,
or to R 6, after Q — R 4. The text move is in the
nature of an ordinary developing move, and as it
violates no principle it cannot be bad.
9-
ID.
B — Kt 2
0-0
P-QR3
II.
B — R4
R — B I
12.
Q— K2
P-B4
13-
PxP
KtxP
If P X P; K R— Q'l, and White would play to win
one of Black's centre Pawns. The drawback to the
2IO GAME 9
text move is that it leaves Black's Q P isolated, and
consequently weak and subject to attack.
14. KR— Qi KtxB
The alternative would have been 14. . .P — Kt4;
15 B — B 2, P — Kt s; 16 Kt— QR 4, Kt (B 4) —
15. KtxKt P — Kt4
16. RxR QxR
17. Kt-B3 Q-B5
Black aims at the exchange of Queens in order to
remain with two Bishops for the ending, but in this
position such a course is a mistake, because the Bishop
at Kt 2 is inactive and cannot come into the game
by any means, unless Black gives up the isolated
Queen's Pawn which the Bishop must defend.
18. Kt— Q4
Not, of course, R— Q 4, because of Q X Q; Kt X Q,
R — B I ; and there would be no good way to prevent
R— B 7.
18 QxQ
19. Kt(B3)xQ!
Notice the co-ordmation of the Knights' moves.
They are manoeuvred chain-like, so to speak, in order
to maintain one of them, either at Q 4 or ready to go
there. Now White threatens to take the open file,
and therefore forces Black's next move.
19 R— B I
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 211
The student sholild examine this position carefully.
There seems to be no particular danger, yet, as White
win demonstrate. Black may be said to be lost. If
the game is not altogether lost, the defence is at least
of the most difficult kind; indeed, I must confess
that I can see no adequate defence against White's
next move.
20. Kt — B s! K — B I
If2o...B — Qi; 21 Kt — Q6, R — B 2; 22 Kt X B,
R X Kt ; 23 B X Kt, B X B ; 24 R X P, R— B 2 ;
25 R — Q 2, and White is a Pawn ahead. If 20. . .B
moves anywhere else, then B X Kt, doubling the
K B P and isolating all of Black's King's side Pawns.
21. Kt X B K X Kt
22. Kt — Q4 P — Kt3
This is practically forced, as White threatened Kt —
B 5 ch. Notice that the Black Knight is pinned in
such a way that no relief can be afforded except by
giving up the K R P or abandoning the open file
212 GAME 9
with the Rook, which would be disastrous, as White
would immediately sieze it.
23. P-B3!
23-
P-R3
Black could do nothing else except mark time with
his Rook along the open file, since as soon as he moved
away White would take it. White, on the other
hand, threatens to march up with his King to K 5
via K B 2, K Kt 3, K B 4, after having, of course,
prepared the way. Hence, Black's best chance was
to give up a Pawn, as in the text, in order to free his
Knight.
24. B X P Kt — Q 2
25. P — KR4 Kt— B 4
26. B — B 4 Kt— K3
Black exchanges Knights to remain with Bishops of
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 273
opposite colours, which gives him the best chance to
draw.
27. Kt X Kt K X Kt
27. . .P X Kt would be worse, as White would then
be able to post his Bishop at K 5.
28. R— Q2 R — KRi
Black wants to force B — Kt3. P — KKt3 would
be bad, on account of P — Q 5 ; which would
get the Black Bishop into the game, even though
White could answer P— K 4. The text move is,
however, weak, as will soon be seen. lEs best chance
was to play P — Kt 5 ; and follow it up with P — R 4
and B — R 3. White meanwhile could play P — Kt 4
and R 5, obtaining a passed Pawn, which, with proper
play, should win.
29. R— QB 2! R— QB I
30. R X R B X R
There are now Bishops of opposite colour, but never-
theless White has an easily-won game.
214
GAME 9
31. K— B2
i i
f-
k
31-
P-Qs
Practically forced. Otherwise the White King would
march up to Q 4 and then to B 5 and win Black's
Queen's side Pawns. If Black attempted to stop
this by putting his King at Q B 3 then the White King
would enter through K 5 into Black's King's side
and win just as easily.
32.
PXP
K-Q4
Zl-
K^K3
B-K3
34-
K-Q3
K-B3
35-
P-QR3
B-Bsch
36.
K-K3
B-K3
37-
B-R6
It is better not to hurry P — K Kt 4 because of P — B 4 ;
for although White could win in any case, it would
take longer. Now the White King threatens to help
by going in through K B 4 after posting the Bishop
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 215
at Kt 7, where it not only protects the Q P, but indi-
rectly aJso the Q Kt P.
37- ••, K-Q4
38. B — Kt 7 Resigns.
The student ought to have reaUsed by this time
the enormous importance of playing well every kind
of ending. In this game again, practically from the
opening, White aimed at nothing but the isolation
of Black's Q P. Once he obtained that, he tried for
and obtained, fortimately, another advantage of posi-
tion elsewhere which translated itself into the ma-
terial advantage of a Pawn. Then by acciu-ate playing
in the ending he gradually forced home his advantage.
This ending has the merit of having been played against
one of the finest players in the world.
White;
GAME 10. PETROFF DEFENCE
(St. Petersburg, 1914)
J. R. Capablanca.
Black: F. J. MarshaU,
I. P-K4
P-K4
2. Kt-KB3
Kt — KB3
3. KtxP
P-Q3
4. Kt — KB3
KtxP
5- Q-K2
Q-K2
6. P-Q3
Kt-KB3
7. B — Kts
2l6
GAME lo
Played by Morphy, and a very fine move. The point
is that should Black exchange Queens he will be a
move behind in development and consequently will
get a cramped game if White plays accurately.
7 B-K3
Marshall thought at the time that this was the best
move and consequently played it in preference to
QxQch.
8. Kt — B3 P — KR3
9. B X Kt Q X B
' 10. P — Q4 B — K2
11. Q— Kt sch Kt— Q2
12. B — Q3!
It is now time to examine the result of the opening.
On White's side we find the minor pieces well posted
and the Queen out in a somewhat odd place, it is true,
but safe from attack and actually attacking a Pawn.
PETROFF DEFENCE 217
White is also ready to Castle. White's position is
evidently free from danger and his pieces can easily
manoeuvre.
On Black's side the first thing we notice is that
he has retained both his Bishops, unquestionably an
advantage ; but on the other hand we fimd his pieces
bunched together too much, and the Queen in danger
of being attacked without having any good square to
go to. The Bishop at K 2 has no freedom and it
blocks the Queen, which, in its turn, blocks the Bishop.
Besides, Black cannot Castle on the King's side be-
cause QxP, R — Kti; Q — K4 threatening mate,
wins a Pawn. Nor can he Castle on the Queen's side
because Q — R 5 would put Black's game in imminent
danger, since he cannot play P — R 3 because of B X P ;
nor can he play K — Kt i because of Kt — Kt 5.
Consequently we must conclude that the opening is
all in White's favour.
12 P — Kt4
To make room for his Queen, threatening also P —
Kt 5.
13. P — KR3 0—0
giving up a Pawn in an attempt to free his game
and take the initiative. It was difficult for him to
find a move, as White threatened Kt — K 4, and should
Black go with the Queen to Kt 2, then P — Q 5, B —
B 4; Kt X P ch, followed by B x B.
2l8
GAME lo
14. QXP
IS- Q-K4
16. P-QKt3
QR— Kti
Q— Kt2
P-QB4
In order to break up White's centre and bring his
Knight to B 4 and thus lay the foundation for a violent
attack against White's King. The plan, however,
faUs, as it always must in such cases, because Black's
development is backward, and consequently his pieces
are not properly placed.
17. 0—0
18. Kt— Qs!
PXP
A simple move, which destroys Black's plan utterly.
Black will now have no concerted action of his pieces,
and, as his Pawns are all weak, he wiU sooner or later
lose them.
18 B — Qi
19. B — B4 Kt — B4
20. QxP QxQ
PETROFF DEFENCE 219
The fact that he has to exchange Queens when he is
a Pawn behmd shows that Black's game is lost.
21. Kt X Q B X Kt
22. B xB B — B 3
23. QR-Qi BxKt
The Knight was too threatening. But now the
ending brought about is one in which the Bishop
is stronger than the Knight; which makes Black's
plight a desperate one. The game has no further
interest, and it is only because of its value as a study
of this variation of the Petroflf that I have given it.
Black was able to fight it out until the sixtieth move
on account of some poor play on White's part. The
rest of the moves are given merely as a matter of form.
24.
RxB
K — Kt2
25-
B-B4
R-Kt3
26.
R — Ki
K-B3
27.
P-B4
Kt-K3
28.
PxPch
PxP
29.
R— B ich
K-K2
30-
R — Kt4
R-KKti
31-
R-B5
R-B3
32.
P— KR4
KR— QB I
33-
PxP
R — B4
34-
BxKt
PXB
35-
RxR
RxR
36.
P — Kt6
K-Bi
37-
R-QB4
R— QR4
220
GAME 10
38.
P-R4
K— Kt2
39-
R— B6
R-Q4
40.
R-B7ch
KxP
41.
RXP
R-Q8ch
42.
K— R2
P-Q4
43-
P-R5
R— QB8
44.
R-B7
R— QR8
45-
P — QKt4
R-RS
46.
P-B3
P-QS
47-
R — B6
PxP
48.
RxP
RxKtP
49-
R-QR3
R— Kt2
50.
P — R6
R— QR2
SI-
R-RS
K-B3
52.
P-Kt4
K— K2
S3-
K-Kt3
K-Q3
54-
K — B4
K — B 2
55-
K-Ks
K-Q2
56-
P-Kts
K— K2
57-
P— Kt6
K-B I
S8.
KxP
K— Ki
59-
P— Kt7
RxP
60.
P-R7
R— Kt3ch
61.
K-Bs
Resigns.
RUY LOPEZ 221
White;
GAME 11. RUY LOPEZ
(St. Petersburg, 1914)
. R
. Capablanca.
Black: D.
Janowski.
I.
2.
3-
4-
5-
P — K4
Kt— KB3
B-Kts
BxKt
Kt-B3
P — K4
Kt-QB3
^ P-QR3
QPxB
I played this move after having discussed it with
Alechin on several occasions. Alechin considered it,
at the tune, superior to P — Q 4, which is generally
played. He played it himself later on in the Tourna-
ment, in one of his games against Dr. E. Lasker,
and obtained the superior game, which he only lost
through a blunder.
5 B-QB4
P — B 3 is probably the best move in this position.
I do not like the text move.
6. P — Q3 B — KKt 5
7. B — K3 BxB
This opens the K B file for White, and also reinforces
his centre, but Black naturally did not want to make
a second move with this Bishop.
8. PxB Q— K2
9. — 0-0-0
Bold play, typical of Janowski.
222 GAME II
lo. Q— Ki Kt— R3
The problem for White now is to advance his Q Kt P
to Kt 5 as fast as he can. If he plays P — Q Kt 4
at once, Black simply takes it. If he plays first P —
Q R 3 and then P — Q Kt 4, he will still have to protect
his Q Kt P before he can go on and play P — Q R 4
and P — Kt 5. As a matter of fact White played a
rather unusual move, but one which, imder the cir-
cimistances, was the best, since after it he could at
once play P — Q Kt 4 and then P — Q R 4 and P —
Kt 5.
11. R— Kt i! P — B 3
12. P — Kt4 Kt — B 2
13. P — QR4 BxKt
He simplifies, hoping to lighten White's attack, which
wiU have to be conducted practically with only the
heavy pieces on the board. He may have also done
it in order to play Kt — Kt 4 and K 3.
RUY LOPEZ
14. RXB
223
Taking with the Pawn would have opened a possi-
bility for a counter attack. ,
14- P-QKt3
He is forced to this in order to avoid the breaking up
of his Queen's side Pawns. The only alternative
would have been P — Q Kt 4 ; which on the face of
it looks bad.
15. P-Kts
16. P X P
17. Kt-Q5
18. P — B4
BPxP
P-QR4
Q-B4
The White Knight is now a tower of strength. Be-
hind it White will be able to prepare an attack,
which wiU begin with P — Q 4, to drive away the
Black Queen and thus leave himself free to play P —
B 5. There is only one thing to take care of and that
224 GAME II
is to prevent Black from sacrificing the Rook for the
Knight and a Pawn.
i8. ...
Kt — Kt4
19. R-
-B2
Kt-K3
20. Q-
-B3
R— Q2
Had White on his 19th move played K R — B i in-
stead of R — B 2, Black could have played now
instead of the text move, R X Kt ; K P X R, Q X P ch ;
followed by Kt — B 4 with a winning game.
21. R— Qi K— Kt 2
It would have been better for Black to play K — Q i.
The text move loses very rapidly.
22.
P-Q4
Q-Q3
23-
R — B 2
PxP
24.
PxP
Kt-Bs
25-
P-Bs
Kt XKt
26.
PxKt
QxQP
27.
P — B6ch
K— Kti
28.
PXR
Q X P (Q 2)
29.
P-Qs
R— Ki
30-
P— Q6
PxP
31-
Q-B6
Resigns.
FRENCH DEFENCE
225
GAME 12. FRENCH DEFENCE
(New York, 1918)
White: J. R. Capablanca, Black: O. Chajes.
1. P— K4
2. P-Q4
3. Kt-QB3
4. B-Q3
P — K3
P-Q4
Kt — KB 3
Not the most favoured move, but a perfectly natural
developing one, and consequently it cannot be bad.
4 P X P
P — Q B 4 is generally played in this case instead of
the text move.
5- KtxP
6. Kt X Kt ch
7. Kt-Bs
^Kt — Q2
KtxKt
B — K2
226
GAME 12
8. Q— K2
This is played to prevent P— Q Kt 3, followed by
B — Kt 2, which is the general form of development
for Black in this variation. If Black now plays 8 . . . P —
Q Kt 3 ; 9 B — Kt 5 ch, B — Q 2 ; 10 Kt— K 5 and
White obtains a considerable advantage in position.
8 0-0
9. B — KKts P — KR3
Of course Black could not play P — Q Kt 3 because
of B X Kt, followed by Q— K 4.
10. B X Kt B X B
11. Q— K4 P— KKt3
This weakens Black's King's side. R — K i was
the right move,
12. P— KR4
12.
P-K4
This is merely giving up a Pawn in order to come
out quickly with his Q B. But as he does not obtain
FRENCH DEFENCE 227
any compensation for his Pawn, the move is bad.
He should have played Q — Q 4 and tried to fight
the game out that way. It might have continued
thus: 13 Q — B 4,B — Kt 2; i4QxBP,BxP;
IS Kt X B, Q X Kt ; 16 O— O— O with considerable
advantage of position for White. The text move
might be considered a mild form of suicide.
13. PxP B-B4
14. Q— KB4 BxB
15. — 0—0 B — Kt 2
16. RxB Q— K2
17- Q-B4
In order to keep the Black Queen from coming into
the game.
17 QR— Qi
18. KR— Qi
A better plan would have been to play R— K i,
threatening P — K 6.
18 RxR
19. RxR R— Ki
20. P — B3 P — QB3
Of course if B X P ; Kt X B, Q X Kt; R— K 3.
Black with a Pawn minus fights very hard.
21. R— K3
The Pawn had now to be defended after Black's
last move, because after B x P; Kt x B, Q x Kt;
228
GAME 12
R — K 3, Black could now play Q — Kt i defending
the Rook.
21 P— QB4
22. K— B 2 P — Kt3
23. P-R4
White's plan now is to fix the Queen's side in otder
to be able to manoeuvre freely on the other side, where
he has the advantage of material.
23-
24.
R-Q3
V— y 2
Q— B I
25-
Q-K4
Q-K3
26.
R-Qs
K — B I
27.
P— B4
K-Kti
Black sees that he now stands in his best defensive
position, and therefore waits for White to show how
he intends to break through. He notices, of course,
that the White Knight is in the way of the K B P,
which cannot advance to K B 4 to defend, or support
rather, the Pawn at K 5.
FRENCH DEFENCE
22g
Black persists in waiting for developments. He sees
that if P — K R s, P X P; P X P, the Queen goes
to R 6, and White will have to face serious difficulties.
In this situation White decides that the only course
is to bring his King to K Kt 3, so as to defend the
squares K R 3 and K Kt 4, where the Black Queen
might otherwise become a source of annoyance.
35-
K — K2
K— Kti
36.
K — B I
K— B I
37-
K— Kt2
K— Kti
38.
K-Kt3
K— B I
230
GAME 12
Now that he has completed his march with the King,
White is ready to advance.
39. P — KR5 *PXP
39... P — K Kt 4 would be answered by Q — B 5,
with a winning game.
40. PxP Q— K2
Against K — Kt i; White would play Q — Kt 4,
practically forcing the exchange of Queens, after
which White would have Uttle trouble in winning the
ending, since Black's Bishop could not do much damage
in the resulting position.
41. Q-B5 K-Kti
Black overlooks the force of 42 R — Q 7. His best
defence was R — Q i; against which White could
either advance the King or play Kt — R 4, threaten-
ing Kt— Kt 6 ch.
42. R— Q7 BxPch
FRENCH DEFENCE 231
This loses a piece, but Black's position was altogether
hopeless.
43- K— Kt4 Q— B3
44- KtxB Q— Kt2ch
45- K — B4 Resigns.
The interest of this game centres mainly on the
opening and on the march of the White King during
the final stage of the game. It is an instance of the
King becoming a fightmg piece, even while the Queens
are stiU on the board.
GAME 13. RUY LOPEZ
(New York, 1918)
White: J. S. Morrison. Black: J. R. Capablanca.
I.
P-K4
P-K4
2.
Kt — KB3
Kt-QB3
3-
B-Kts
P-Q3
4-
Kt-B3
B — Q2
5-
P-Q4
PxP
6.
KtxP
P-KKt3
In this form of defence of the Ruy Lopez the devel-
opment of the K B via Kt 2 is, I thmk, of great im-
portance. The Bishop at Kt 2 exerts great pressure
along the long diagonal. At the same time the posi-
tion of the Bishop and Pawns in front of the King,
once it is Castled, is one of great defensive strength.
Therefore, in this form of development, the Bishop,
232 GAME 13
we might say, exerts its maximum strength (Compare
this note with the one in the Capablanca-Bum game
at San Sebastian, page 197.)
7. Kt — B3 B — Kt2
8. B — Kt 5 Kt — B3
Of course not K Kt— K 2; because of Kt — Q 5.
The alternative would have been P — B 3; to be
followed by K Kt — K 2; but in this position it is
preferable to have the Kt at K B 3.
9. Q-Q2 P-KR3
10. B — KR4
An error of judgment. White wants to keep the
Knight pinned, but it was more important to prevent
Black from Castling immediately. B — K B 4 would
have done this.
10 0—0
11. 0-0-0
Bold play, but again faulty judgment, unless he in-
tended to play to win or lose, throwing safety to
the wmds. The Black Bishop at Kt 2 becomes a
very powerful attacking piece. The strategical dis-
position of the Black pieces is now far superior to
White's, therefore it will be Black who will take the
offensive.
II R— Ki
12. KR— Ki
RUY LOPEZ
233
White wanted to keep his Q R on the open file, and
consequently brings over his other Rook to the centre
to defend his K P, which Black threatened to win by
P — K Kt 4, foUowed by Kt x P.
12 P — Kt4!
Now that the K R is in the centre, Black can safely
advance, since, in order to attack on the King's side.
White would have to shift his Rooks, which he cannot
do so long as Black keeps up the pressure in the centre.
13. B — Kt3 Kt— KR4
Uncovering the Bishop, which now acts along the
long diagonal, and at the same time preventing P —
K 5, which would be answered by Kt X B ; P X Kt,
Kt X P ; etc., winning a Pawn.
14. Kt-Qs P-R3
Black drives the Bishop away so as to unpin his
pieces and be able to manoeuvre freely.
234 GAME 13
15. B-Q3 B-K3
Preparing the onslaught. Black's pieces begin to bear
against the King's position.
16. P — B3
With the last move White not only blocks the action
of Black's K B, but he also aims at placing his Bishop
at Q Kt I and his Queen at Q B 2, and then advancing
his K P, to check at K R 7.
16 P — B4!
Initiating an attack to which there is no reply, and
which has for its ultimate object either the winning
of the White Q B or cutting it off from the game.
(Compare this game with the Winter-Capablanca
game at Hastings.)
17. P — KR4 P — B 5
The Bishop is now out of action. White naturally
coimter attacks violently against the seemingly ex-
RUY LOPEZ
235
posed position of the Black King, and, with very good
judgment, even ofEers the Bishop.
i8. PxP!
PXP!
Taking the Bishop would be dangerous, if not actually
bad, while the text move accompUshes Black's object,
which is to put the Bishop out of action.
19. R— Ri
20. K— Kt I
B — B2
This move tmquestionably loses time. Since he would
have to retire his Bishop to R 2 sooner or later, he
might have done it immediately. It is doubtful, how-
ever, if at this stage of the game it would be possible
for White to save the game.
20
21. Kt X Kt
Kt— K4
RX Kt
It was difficult to decide which way to retake. 1
236 GAME 13
took with the Rook in order to have it prepared for
a possible attack against the Kiag.
22. B — R2 Kt — B3
Now that the White Bishop has been driven back,
Black wants to get rid of White's strongly posted
Knight at Q s, which blocks the attack of the Bishop
at B 2. It may be said that the Knight at Q 5 is
the key to White's defence.
23. P-KKt3
White strives not only to have play for his Bishop,*
but also he wants to break up Black's Pawns in order
to counter-attack. The alternative would have been
23 Kt X Kt ch, Q X Kt; and Black would be threat-
ening R — R 4, and also Q — K 3. The student should
notice that Black's drawback in all this is the fact
that he is playing minus the services of his Q R. It
is this fact that makes it possible for White to hold
out longer.
23-
24.
25-
RUY
LOPEZ
KtxP
BxKt
PxP
RxB
P-B3
237
26. Kt — K3
Kt — Kt 4 was the alternative, but in any event
White could not resist the attack. I leave it to the
reader to work this out for himself, as the variations are
so numerous that they would take up too much space,
26 Q — R4
27. P-B4 QxQ
28. R X Q PxP
29. Kt — Kt4 B — Kt3
This forces the King to the corner, where he will be
in a mating net.
30. K— Ri QR — Ki
Now at last the Q R enters into the game and soon
the battle is over.
31- P-R3
If RXP, R-K 8 ch; R-Q i, R (K i)-K 7.
238 GAME 14
31 R— K8ch
32. RxR RxRch
33. K — R2 B — B 2
34. K-Kt3 P-Q4
the quickest way to finish the game.
35. BxP PxPch
36. K— Kt4 P — B6
37. PxP R— Ksch
38. P — B4 RxPch
39. K-Rs RxB
40. R— Q8ch K — R2
41. R-Q 7 B-K 3
Resigns.
A very lively game.
GAME 14. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
(New York, 1918)
White : F. J. Marshall. Black : J. R. Capablanca.
1. P-Q4 P-Q4
2. Kt — KB3 Kt — KB3
3. P-B4 P-K3
4. Kt — B3 QKt — Q2
5. B — Kt5 B — K2
6. P — K3 —
7. R — B I P — B3
This is one of the oldest systems of defence against
the Queen's Gambit. I had played it before in this
Tournament against Kostic, and no doubt Marshall
expected it. At times I change my defences,
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 239
or rather systems of defence; on the other hand,
during a Tournament, if one of them has given me
good results, I generally play it all the time.
8.
Q— B 2
PXP
9-
BxP
Kt-Q4
10.
BxB
QXB
II.
0-0
KtxKt
12.
QxKt
P-QKt3
This is the key to this system of defence. Having
simplified the game considerably by a series of ex-
changes, Black will now develop his Q B along the
long diagonal without having created any apparent
weakness. The proper development of the Q B is
Black's greatest problem in the Queen's Gambit.
13. P — K4 B — Kt 2
14. KR— Ki KR— Qi
The developing stage can now be said to be complete
on both sides. The opening is over and the middle-
game begins. White, as is generally the case, has
240 GAME 14
obtained the centre. Black, on the other hand, is
entrenched in his first three ranks, and if given time
will post his Q R at Q B I and his Knight at K B 3,
and finally play P — Q B 4, in order to break up
White's centre and give full action to the Black Bishop
posted at Q Kt 2. In this game White attempts to
anticipate that plan by initiating an advance on the
centre, which, when carefully analysed, is truly an
attack against Black's K P.
IS- P-Qs
Kt — B4!
Against Kostic in a previous game I had played
Kt — B I. It was carelessness on my part, but Mar-
shall believed differently, otherwise he would not have
played this variation, since, had he analysed this move,
he woidd, I think, have realised that Black would
obtain an excellent game. Black now threatens not
only B P X P ; but also Kt X P ; followed by B P x P.
The position is very interesting and full of possibilities.
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED
i6. P X K P Kt X P (K 3)
241
17. B X Kt Q X B
played under the impression that White had to lose
time in defending his Q R P, when I could play P —
Q B 4, obtaining a very superior game. But, as will
be seen, my opponent had quite a little surprise for
me.
18. Kt — Q4I
18 Q— K4!
Of course, if 18. . .Q x R P; 19 R — R i would win
the Queen. The text move is probably the only satis-
factory move in the position. The obvious move would
have been Q— Q 2 to defend the Q B P, and then
would have come 19 Kt — B 5, P — B 3; 20 Q —
K Kt 3 (threatening Q R— Q i), K — R i ; 21 Q R —
Q I, Q — KB 2; 22 P — KR4, with a tremendous
advantage in position. The text move, on the other
hand, assiures Black an even game at the very least,
as will soon be seen.
242 GAME 14
19. KtxP
QXQ
20. R X Q
R-Q7
21. R— Kt I
A very serious error of judgment. White is under
the impression that he has the better game, because
he is a Pawn ahead, but that is not so. The power-
ful position of the Black Rook at Q 7 fully com-
pensates Black for the Pawn minus. Besides, the
Bishop is better with Rooks than the Knight (see pages
48-56, where the relative values of the Knight and
Bishop are compared), and, as already stated, with
Pawns on both sides of the board the Bishop is superior
because of its long range. Incidentally, this end-
ing wiU demonstrate the great power of the Bishop.
White's best chance was to take a draw at once, thus.
21 Kt — K 7 ch K — B i; 22 R — B 7 R — K i
(not B X P; because P — B 3 would give White the
best of it); 23 R X B (best; not Kt — Kt 6 ch, be-
cause of B P X Kt; followed by R X K P), R X Kt;
24 R — Kt 8 ch, R — K i; 25 RxR ch, KxR,
and with propyer play White wUl draw.
It is curious that, although a Pawn ahead, White
is the one who is always in danger. It is only now,
after seeing this analysis, that the value of Black's
1 8th move Q — K 4 can be fuUy appreciated.
21 R— K I
With this powerful move Black begins, against White's
centre, an assault which will soon be shifted against
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 24^
the King itself. White is afraid to play 22 P — B 3
because of P — B 4.
22. P-Ks P-KKt4
To prevent P — B 4. The White Knight is practicaUy
pmned, because he does not dare move on account
of R X K P.
A k
mz
a
t
23. P— KR4
This is a sequel to the previous move. White expects
to disrupt Black's Pawns, and thus make them weak.
23-
PXP
Though doubled and isolated this Pawn exercises
enormous pressure. Black now threatens R — K 3;
to be followed by R — Kt 3 and P — R 6 and R 7 at
the proper time.
24. R— K I
White cannot stand the slow death any longer^
244 GAME 14
He sees danger everywhere, and wants to avert it
by giving up his Queen's side Pawns, expecting to
regain his fortunes later on by taking the initiative
on the King's side.
24 R-K3!
Much better than taking Pawns. This forces White
to defend the Knight with the Rook atK i, because
of the threat R — Kt 3.
25. R(Ki) — QB I K— Kt2
Preparatory to R — Kt 3. The game is going to be
decided on the King's side, and it is the isolated double
Pawn that will supply the finishing touch.
26. P — QKt4 P — Kt4
To prevent P — Kt 5, defending the Knight and lib-
erating the Rooks.
R-Kt3
R— R7
27. P-R3
28. K — B I
QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED 245
Notice the remarkable position of the pieces. White
cannot move anything without incurring some loss.
His best chance would have been to play 29 P — K 6,
but that would only have prolonged the game, which
is lost in any case.
29. K— Kt I P — R6
30. P-Kt3 P-QR3
Again forcing White to move and to lose something
thereby, as all his pieces are tied up.
31. P-K6
RxKP
Not even now can White move the Knight because
of P — R 7 ch; KxP, R— R 3 ch; K— Kt i,
R— R 8 mate.
32. P — Kt4 R— R3
33- P-B3
If 33 P — Kt 5, P — R 7 ch; 34 K — R i, RxKt;
35 R X R, R X P, winning easily.
246 GAME 14
33-
34.
R-Q3
R(Q3)-Q7
Kt-K7
35-
Kt — B sch
K-B3
36.
Kt — R4
K— Kt4
37-
Kt-Bs
R— Kt7ch
38.
K-Bi
P-R7
39-
P — B4ch
KxBP
40.
Resigns.
An ending worth very careful study.
Finis
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