Hoyle's Games Modernized Part 46

WHITE. BLACK.

1. P to K 4 1. P to K 4 2. Kt to K B 3 2. Kt to Q B 3 3. B to B 4 3. B to B 4 4. P to Q Kt 4 4. B to Kt 3 5. P to Q R 4

The best move. 5. P to Kt 5 is inferior, as shown exhaustively in the following variations:--

5. P to Kt 5 5. Kt to R 4 6. Kt takes P 6. Kt to R 3 (!) 7. P to Q 4 7. P to Q 3 8. B takes Kt 8. P takes B

Not 8. ... P takes Kt, because of 9. B takes P, R to K Kt sq.; 10. B takes P: ch., K takes B; 11. B takes P, Q to Kt 4; 12. P to Kt 3, B to Kt 5; 13. P to B 3, with four p.a.w.ns for a piece, which is more than an equivalent.

9. Kt takes P ...

Not 9. B takes P: ch., because of 9. ... K to K 2; 10. Q to B 3, R to B sq. (!); 11. Kt to Q B 3, B to K 3; 12. Q to B 5, B takes B (if 12. ...

B takes Q; 13. Kt to Q 5, mate), and wins; or 12. Q to R 5, then P takes Kt, and wins.

... 9. Q to B 3 10. Q to R 5 ...

Not 10. Kt takes R, became of 10. ... B takes P; 11. Q to R 5: ch., K to K 2; 12. Q to B 7: ch., Q takes Q; 13. B takes Q, B takes R, and wins. Equally bad would be 10. P to K 5, P takes P; 11. Kt takes P, Kt takes B; 12. Kt takes Kt, B takes P, and wins.

... 10. Castles (quite legal) 11. Kt takes R P: dble. ch. 11. K to Kt 2 12. Kt to Kt 4 12. B takes Kt 13. Q takes B: ch. 13. K to R sq.

14. Q to K 2 14. B takes P, and wins.

{373}

... 5. Q P to R 3

Not 5. ... Kt takes P, which would be met by 6. P to R 5, with a winning attack. And not 5. ... P to Q R 4, which is inferior to the text move, and weakens the p.a.w.ns on the Queen's side for the End game.

6. Castles 6. P to Q 3 7. P to B 3 7. Kt to B 3 8. P to Q 3

The position is now equivalent to the Giuoco Piano, except that White has advanced his Queen's side p.a.w.ns, which is a slight disadvantage.

THE TWO KNIGHTS' DEFENCE.

Reverting to the opening moves of the Giuoco Piano, in answer to 3. B to B 4, Black may play (instead of 3. ... B to B 4), 3. ... Kt to B 3. This const.i.tutes the _Two Knights' Defence_. White may continue with 4. P to Q 3, or Kt to B 3, or adopt a more spirited line of play with 4. Kt to Kt 5.

Black's defences being 4. ... P to Q 4. or 4. ... Kt takes P. We append one or two leading variations:

WHITE. BLACK.

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

In the Giuoco Piano, where Black's Knight would be still at Kt sq., this advance would be bad, because Black could reply 4. ... Kt to R 3, {374} defending the K B P. Here, however, it is the best move. Black's best defence is

... 4. P to Q 4 5. P takes P 5. Kt. takes P (?)

Not to be recommended. The best move is 5. ... Kt to Q R 4.

6. Kt takes B P (!) 6. K takes Kt 7. Q to B 3: ch. 7. K to K 3

{375} In order to defend the Knight, which is twice attacked. 7. ... Q to B 3 would be bad policy, for in such case White would play 8. B takes Kt: ch., B to K 3; 9. B takes Kt, P takes B; 10. Q takes P, with three p.a.w.ns ahead.

8. Kt to B 3 8. Kt to K 2

White attacking the Knight once more, and Black defending it again.

9. P to Q 4 9. P to B 3

And we have the position depicted in Fig. 10. Black could not play 9. ... P takes P, for fear of 10. Q to K 4: ch., winning back the piece.

Black.

+---------------------------------------+ #R #B #Q #B #R --------------------------------------- #P #P #Kt #P #P --------------------------------------- #P #K --------------------------------------- #Kt #P --------------------------------------- ^B ^P --------------------------------------- ^Kt ^Q --------------------------------------- ^P ^P ^P ^P ^P ^P --------------------------------------- ^R ^B ^K ^R +---------------------------------------+ White.

FIG. 10.

[POSITION AFTER BLACK'S 9TH MOVE.]

10. B to K Kt 5 ...

Pinning the Knight, so as to take off one of the defences of the Kt at Q 4.

... 10. K to Q 2 11. P takes P 11. K to K sq.

12. Castles Q R 12. B to K 3 13. Kt takes Kt 13. B takes Kt 14. R takes B 14. P takes R 15. B to Kt 5: ch. 15. Kt to B 3 16. B takes Q 16. R takes B 17. P to K 6, and wins.

SECOND VARIATION.

Repeat as far as White's 8th move inclusive.

Should Black play, instead of 8. ... Kt to K 2, 8. ... Kt to Kt 5, the following variations may ensue:

{376}

9. Q to K 4 9. P to Q Kt 4 10. B to Kt 3 10. P to B 4 11. Kt takes P 11. B to R 3 12. P to Q R 4 12. R to B sq.

13. P to Q 3 13. B to K 2 14. Castles ...

White threatens now a formidable attack with 15. P to K B 4, to be followed by attacking the Knight with the Q B P, and so to win back the piece.

... 14. B to Kt 2 15. P to Q B 3 15. P to Q R 3

If 15. ... Kt to R 3, White would win with 16. P to K B 4.

16. Q to Kt 4: ch. 16. K to B 2 17. P to K B 4 17. R to B sq. (best) 18. P takes P: dis. ch. 18. K to Kt sq.

19. B to R 6 (!) 19. R takes R: ch.

20. R takes R 20. B to B sq.

21. Kt to Q 6, and wins.

For the immediate threat, 22. Q to K 6: ch., or Kt takes B, is fatal.

THIRD VARIATION.

Repeat the Opening up to Black's 5th move.

{377}