Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership by Edward Lasker (reading fiction .txt) 📖

c3 and c6. However, as long as the opposing King’s Knight can exchange himself for the advancing Queen’s Knight there is no advantage in occupying the center. The position of Diagram 46 is a typical example. If White plays Kt-d5 he loses practically a move, as after Ktxd5, Pxd5 he has in no way improved the mobility of his men while it is Black’s turn to move. In addition, White, by transferring his Pawn to d5, gives up his Pawn-center and blocks a diagonal which his Bishop could use, while Black, in retreating with his Knight to e7, gains a move towards the efficient use of the Knight on the King’s wing.

All the same, the advance of the Queen’s Knight in the center is one of the most important maneuvers in King’s Pawn openings when it is properly prepared, and its consequences need thorough discussion.

The proper preparation consists in first fixing the object at which the Knight aims. This—from White’s, the attacker’s point of view—is the Knight f6. The developing move B-g5 serves this purpose in the most natural way, and a position arises similar to the one shown in Diagram 43 where Black prevented any further accumulation of white forces on f6 by B-e6. In the present case this move is of doubtful value as White, by P-d4, can force Black to give up his center-Pawn.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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DIAGRAM 46.

If Black is ready to admit that Kt-d5 is a disagreeable threat he will either exchange the Knight for his Bishop b4 or he will play Kt-e7 in order to take White’s Knight should he go to d5. Ordinarily Black plays first Bxc3 and then Kt-e7. The reason is that this maneuver enables Black to get his Queen’s Knight over to the King’s wing while White’s Bishop b5 is rather out of action, so that Black has a good chance to enter the battle on the King’s wing with one piece more than White. Of course, White can get his Bishop into play again by placing him on c4. But he has to spend a move in doing so, which does not add to the completion of the development.

In the position of Diagram 46 Black would not take any steps to prevent Kt-d5 unless a threat is involved in this move which cannot be counteracted by the most natural continuation, which is the development of the Bishop c8. Indeed, there seems to be no reason why Black should not answer (1) B-g5 with B-g4 and (2) Kt-d5 with Kt-d4; for the Knight f6, who after Kt-d5 is attacked twice, is defended twice, and there is no possibility for White to attack the Knight again. On the other hand, the attack on the Bishop b4 is balanced by the attack on the Bishop b5, and if White were to withdraw his Bishop to c4 Black could withdraw his to c5.

However, in the position resulting after these moves (Diagram 47) White gets the upper hand because he is one move ahead in the attack on the opposing King’s Knight. The danger of the concentration of two pieces on this Knight lies in the fact that Black is obliged to retake with the g-Pawn in case White exchanges on f6 and that thereby the squares f6 and h6 lose their natural protection.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 47.

Thus weak points are created of which White may find an opportunity to make use in a manner similar to the one illustrated by the discussion of Diagrams 26 and 29. On the other hand, Black gains an open file for his Rooks as soon as the g-Pawn is out of the way, and the exchange on f6 should therefore not be made until preparations for the occupation of the resulting weak spots are completed. The following variations will throw some light on this rather complex problem.

Supposing White wants to try the immediate exchange on f6, hoping that somehow or other he will be able to take advantage of the weakness resulting on f6 and h6. In exchanging he can give up either his Knight d5 or his Bishop g5. In both cases there are promising possibilities for attack, but Black, with correct play, can sufficiently defend himself and even get the better.

If White plays (1) Ktxf6 he has to lose a move before he can bring up other pieces to help in the attack, for after Pxf6 he must first move the Bishop g5. The only good square for the Bishop is h4 from where he maintains the pin on f6 which would become very dangerous for Black if he could not prevent White’s Queen from entering on h6 or render the double threat on f6 ineffective in some other way. The logical continuation for Black is to answer (2) B-h4 with K-h8 in order to occupy the g-file with his Rook as soon as possible. Indeed, this is at the same time the best defense against White’s threat, for if White now plays (3) Q-d2; Black replies Ktxf3+; (4) Pxf3, Bxf3; and he is the first to take advantage of the open g-file as his King has already made room for the Rook.

It would be dangerous for Black to play (3) …, Bxf3 instead of Ktxf3. For White would continue (4) Q-h6 and the only way for Black to prevent the disaster threatened on f6 is to give back the piece he just won: (4) …, Kt-e2+; (5) K-h1, Bxg2+; (6) Kxg2, R4-g8+; (7) K-h1, R-g6; or (6) …, Kt-f4+; (7) K-h1, Kt-g6. In either case Black’s defense is very difficult.

The play outlined in the last variation suggests a better method for White to institute the attack in the position of Diagram 47. This is the preparatory move (1) Q-d2. (1) Bxf6 is obviously not as good, as Black can soon drive away the Knight d5 by P-c6, relieving f6 of all pressure.

In answer to (1) Q-d2, which threatens (2) Bxf6, (3) Q-h6, (4) Ktxf6 and (5) Qxh7 mate, Black has three replies, namely: Bxf3 or Ktxf3 or P-c6.

That (1) …, Bxf3 is not sufficient can easily be seen. White continues (2) Bxf6, Q-d7; (3) Kt-e7+/-, and Black must give up the Queen for the Knight as (3) …, K-h8 would be followed by (4) Bxg7+, (5) Q-g5+ and (6) Q-f6 mate. It is interesting to note that it is just the one move which White is ahead in the development that gives him the win. If he tried to checkmate Black by (3) Q-g5, P-g6; (4) Q-h6 he would be checkmated himself by (4) …, Kt-e2+ followed by Bxg2+ and Q-g4+, etc.

(2) …, Pxf6 would not be of avail either. The consequence would be: (3) Q-h6, Kt-e2+; (4) K-h1, Bxg2+; (5) Kxg2, Kt-f4+; (6) Ktxf4, Pxf4; (7) K-h1, K-h8; (8) R-g1, R-g8; (9) Rxg8+, Qxg8; (10) R-g1 and the mate can only be averted by the sacrifice of the Queen for the Rook.

The second defense which Black could try is (1) …, Ktxf3+; (2) Pxf3, Bxf3. Now (3) Bxf6, Pxf6; (4) Q-h6 would be fatal for White as Black plays K-h8 and there is no protection against the threat R-g8+. But White can again make a preparatory move which secures for him the victory. This is (3) P-h3, with the view to make room for the Rook by K-h2. The only way to counter White’s threat is now P-c6. However, after (4) Ktxf6+, Pxf6; (5) B-h4, K-h8; (6) K-h2, R-g8; (7) R-g1, Q-e7; (8) R-g3 Black is unable to stave off defeat any longer. Whatever he plays, White succeeds in attacking f6 for the second time while Black has no second protection at his disposal. For instance, (8) …, B-h5; (9) Q-h6, B-g6; (10) R-f3—or (8) …, Rxg3; (9) Pxg3 and (10) Rf1.

The most interesting line of defense is the third one mentioned, that is (1) …, P-c6. After (2) Ktxf6+, Pxf6; (3) B-h4 a situation arises similar to the one discussed in the line of play commencing with (1) Ktxf6+, but with the big difference that White is now one move ahead in the attack. This is the move Q-d2 in answer to which Black was forced to make the move P-c6 which does not improve the constellation of the Black pieces in any way.

This one move is sufficient to secure for White an easy victory. After (3) …, Bxf3; (4) Q-h6, Kt-e2+; (5) K-h1, Bxg2+; (6) Kxg2, Kt-f4+; (7) K-h1, Kt-g6 the position of Diagram 48 is reached in which White can force the mate, or win Black’s Queen in a most ingenious manner. If White tried to win by (8) R-g1, threatening mate in four moves through Rxg6, Qxg6, Q-h6 and R-g1 Black could sufficiently defend himself with (8) …, P-d5, unpinning the Pawn f7 and enabling B-e7, which would supply the much needed protection for the square f6. However, White can frustrate Black’s intention by playing (8) P-d4!! If Black takes with the Pawn, (9) P-e5 follows forcing Pd6xe5 after which Black cannot any more intercept the diagonal of the Bishop c4 so that there remains no defense against (10) R-g1.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 48.

If, on the other hand, Black takes the Pawn d4 with his Bishop, White continues with (9) P-c3, B-c5; (10) Ra1-d1, again preventing the interception of the Bishop c4 and threatening R-g1. The consequence could then be: (10) …, K-h8; (11) R-g1, Q-e7; (12) R-d3, R-g8; (13) R-h3, Ktxh4; (14) Qxh7+ and (15) Rxh4 mate, or: (13) …, R-g7; (14) R-f3, Ra8-g8; (15) Bxf6, Q-d7; (16) R-h3 and the mate on h7 can only be avoided by the sacrifice of the Queen for the Rook.

The foregoing variations show conclusively that the position of Diagram 47 is lost for