author - "Edward Lasker"
The best players at present are considered to be NewellBanks and Alfred Jordan.
PART I: THE GAME OF CHESS
I
THE RULES OF THE GAME
BOARD AND MEN
The game of Chess is played by two armies who oppose each otheron a square board or battlefield of sixty-four alternate whiteand black squares. Each army has sixteen men; one King, oneQueen, two Rooks (or Castles), two Bishops, two Knights and eightPawns. The Generals of the two armies are the two playersthemselves. The men of one side are of light color and are calledWhite, those of the other side are of dark color and are calledBlack.
The object of the game is to capture the opposing King. When thisis done the battle is ended, the side losing whose King iscaptured. To understand what is meant by the capture of the Kingit is first necessary to become acquainted with the lawsaccording to which the different men move on the board.
To start with, the board must be placed so that
1. ... K-Q3
2. P-B3 K-B3
3. K-B4 and wins.
This settles all typical end-games of King and pawn against King. There is, however, one exception to the rules set out, namely, when a ROOK'S PAWN is concerned. Here the isolated King always succeeds in drawing if he can reach the corner where the pawn has to queen, for he cannot be driven out again. The Rook's pawn affords another opportunity for the weaker side to draw. Diagram 55 will illustrate this, and similar positions are of frequent occurrence in practice. Here Black draws with 1. ... K-B5. As he threatens to capture the pawn, White must play 2. P-R4. Then after the reply K-B4, White is still unable to cut the opponent off from the corner with K-Kt7, as the loss of the pawn is still threatened through K-Kt5. And after 3. P-R5 Black attains the position which is typical for this end-game, namely the opposition against the King on the Rook's file. The latter cannot escape without giving up the contested corner, and the game is drawn. 3. ... K-B3; 4. K-R7, K-B2; 5. K-R8, K-B1; 6. P-R6, K-B2; 7. P-R7, K-B1: and White is stalemated.
Diag. 55
The best players at present are considered to be NewellBanks and Alfred Jordan.
PART I: THE GAME OF CHESS
I
THE RULES OF THE GAME
BOARD AND MEN
The game of Chess is played by two armies who oppose each otheron a square board or battlefield of sixty-four alternate whiteand black squares. Each army has sixteen men; one King, oneQueen, two Rooks (or Castles), two Bishops, two Knights and eightPawns. The Generals of the two armies are the two playersthemselves. The men of one side are of light color and are calledWhite, those of the other side are of dark color and are calledBlack.
The object of the game is to capture the opposing King. When thisis done the battle is ended, the side losing whose King iscaptured. To understand what is meant by the capture of the Kingit is first necessary to become acquainted with the lawsaccording to which the different men move on the board.
To start with, the board must be placed so that
1. ... K-Q3
2. P-B3 K-B3
3. K-B4 and wins.
This settles all typical end-games of King and pawn against King. There is, however, one exception to the rules set out, namely, when a ROOK'S PAWN is concerned. Here the isolated King always succeeds in drawing if he can reach the corner where the pawn has to queen, for he cannot be driven out again. The Rook's pawn affords another opportunity for the weaker side to draw. Diagram 55 will illustrate this, and similar positions are of frequent occurrence in practice. Here Black draws with 1. ... K-B5. As he threatens to capture the pawn, White must play 2. P-R4. Then after the reply K-B4, White is still unable to cut the opponent off from the corner with K-Kt7, as the loss of the pawn is still threatened through K-Kt5. And after 3. P-R5 Black attains the position which is typical for this end-game, namely the opposition against the King on the Rook's file. The latter cannot escape without giving up the contested corner, and the game is drawn. 3. ... K-B3; 4. K-R7, K-B2; 5. K-R8, K-B1; 6. P-R6, K-B2; 7. P-R7, K-B1: and White is stalemated.
Diag. 55