Chess Fundamentals Part 22

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 unquestionably the p.a.w.n 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, supported by a p.a.w.n at Q B 5, Black could only stop this by playing P - B 4 which would create a "hole" at Q 5; 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, however, can meet all 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. ........ Q R - Q 1 20. Q R - Q 1 P - K Kt 4

This move is preparatory to P - K Kt 3, which would {173} make Black's position secure. Unfortunately for Black, he did not carry out his original plan.

21. P - B 4 R R

P - K Kt 3 would have left Black with a perfectly safe game.

22. R R R - Q 1

A very serious mistake, which loses a p.a.w.n. 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. R R Kt R

[Ill.u.s.tration]

24. P - K R 4

This wins a p.a.w.n, as will soon be seen. Black cannot reply 24...Kt - K 3; because 25 P P ch, Kt P; 26 Q - R 4 wins the Knight. {174}

24. ........ P P 25. Q P ch K - K 3 26. Q - Kt 4 ch K - B 3 27. Q - Kt 5 ch K - K 3 28. Q P Q - Q 3 29. P - B 5 Q - Q 4 30. P K 4 ! Q - Q 8 ch 31. K - R 2 P - B 3 32. Q - Kt 4 ch ! K - K 2 33. Kt P Q Q 34. Kt Q Kt - K 3 35. P - K 5 P P 36. Kt P Kt - Q 5

The game went on for a few more moves, and, there being no way to counteract the advance of White's two pa.s.sed p.a.w.ns, Black resigned.

GAME 4. FRENCH DEFENCE

(St. Petersburg, 1913)

White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: E. A. Snos...o...b..rovski.

1. P - Q 4 P - K 3 2. P - K 4 P - Q 4 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 4. B - Kt 5 B - Kt 5

This const.i.tutes the _McCutcheon Variation_. It aims at taking the initiative away from White. Instead {175} of defending, Black makes a counter demonstration on the Queen's side. It leads to highly interesting games.

5. P P

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.

5. ........ Q P

This is considered superior to P 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 similar occurrence on the Queen's side_.

6. B Kt B Kt ch 7. P B P B 8. Kt - B 3 P - Q Kt 3

The plan of Black in this variation is to post his Bishop on the long diagonal so as to be able later on, in conjunction 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 will Castle on the King's side because of the broken-up condition of his Queen's side p.a.w.ns. {176}

9. Q - Q 2 B - Kt 2 10. B - K 2 Kt - Q 2 11. P - B 4 Q - K B 4 12. O - O - O

An original idea, I believe, played for the first time in a similar position in a game against Mr. Walter Penn s.h.i.+pley, 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 unprotected position of White's King. Two possibilities must be considered. 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. ........ O - O - O 13. Q - K 3 K R - Kt 1 14. P - Kt 3 Q - Q R 4

Unquestionably a mistake, overlooking White's fine {177} reply, but a careful examination will show that White already has the better position.

15. R - Q 3 ! K - Kt 1 16. K R - Q 1 Q - K B 4

[Ill.u.s.tration]

17. Kt - R 4

This move has been criticised because it puts the Knight out of the way for a few moves. But by forcing Q - K Kt 4; White gains a very important move with P - B 4, which not only consolidates 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 - K Kt 4 18. P - B 4 Q - Kt 2 19. B - B 3

{178} 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.

19. ........ K R - K 1 20. B B K B 21. P - Q B 5 ! P - B 3

White threatened P - B 6 ch.

22. Kt - B 3 Q - B 1

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.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

23. Kt - Q 2 ?

I had considered R - Kt 3, which was the right move, but gave it up because it seemed too slow, and {179} that in such a position there had to be some quicker way of winning.

23. ........ P P 24. Kt - B 4

Kt - K 4 or Kt - Kt 3 would have brought about an ending advantageous to White.

24. ........ Kt - Kt 3 25. Kt - R 5 ch K - R 1 26. P P Kt - Q 4 27. Q - Q 4 R - B 1

If R - Kt 1; 28 Kt P, R (Kt 1) - B 1; 29 Kt P would win.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

28. P - B 4

Kt - B 4 was the right move. I was, however, still looking for the "grand combination," and thought that the p.a.w.n 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 {180} defence. He could easily have gone wrong any number of times, but from move 22 onwards he always played the best move.

28. ........ P - K 4 !