Andrew Lang - "Helen of Troy"

Georges Ohnet - "Serge Panine, v3"

Alphonse Daudet - "Fromont and Risler, v1"

Raphael Sabatini - "Love at Arms"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership

E >> Edward Lasker >> Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership




In the opening and in the middle game the main threat of a Rook
is the "pinning" of a hostile piece. What is meant by this is
illustrated in Diagram 31. Supposing Black, to save his Knight f6
which White has just attacked by P-e5, plays Kt-g4 and after (2)
P-h3 takes the Pawn e5 with the Knight g4, then White wins a
piece by (3) Ktxe5, Ktxe5; (4) R-e1. This move "pins" Black's
Knight to his place as the King would be exposed to White's Rook
if the Knight moved. (4) ..., P-d6 or Q-e7 is not a sufficient
defense, for White continues with (5) P-f4.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | #Q | #K | | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #Kt| | | #Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | #B | | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | ^B | #P | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 31.

Pieces that can be used for pinning a hostile man are, apart from
the Rooks, the Queen and the Bishops; in fact pinning is the main
activity of a Bishop throughout the game. Right after the first
few moves one of the Bishops, as a rule, finds an opportunity to
pin a hostile Knight. For instance: (1) P-e4, P-e5; (2) Kt-f3,
Kt-c6; (3) B-b5 and as soon as the Pawn d7 moves in order to give
an outlet to the Bishop c8, the Knight c6 is pinned. Or: (1) P-
d4, P-d5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-f6; (3) P-c4, P-e6; (4) B-g5 and the
Knight f6 is pinned, as the Queen would be lost if the Knight
moved.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | | | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #B | #Q | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | #B | #Kt| | | #Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | #P | | ^B | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | ^B | ^Kt| ^P | | ^Kt| | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^Q | | ^P | ^P | |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | | ^R | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 32.

The disadvantage arising from having a piece pinned is often that
the opponent might be able to concentrate more men to attack the
piece which is pinned than can be gathered for defense. The
position of Diagram 32 will serve as an illustration.

Two of Black's men are pinned, namely, the Knight f6 and the Pawn
e5, and of both pins White can take advantage.

The Pawn e5 is attacked twice and defended twice. White cannot
take Pawn, as he would lose Knight and Rook but would get for it
only Knight and Pawn. However, he can win the Pawn by playing (1)
P-d4. This attacks the Pawn for the third time and although Black
can defend him for the third time with R-e8, the defense is not
serviceable as Black would lose Pawn, Knight and Queen for Pawn,
Knight and Rook.

P-e4 in answer to P-d4 would not help either; for on e4 the Pawn
is twice attacked and only once protected as the Knight f6 cannot
be counted as protection on account of his being pinned by the
Bishop g5. All White needs to do is to take the Knight f6 first
and then to capture the Pawn e4.

It remains to examine whether in answer to (1) P-d4 Black can
take the Pawn with either Bishop or Knight. Apparently this is
possible as the Pawn d4 is protected only by the Knight f3 and
the Queen. Indeed, the combination would be correct if the Bishop
d7 were sufficiently protected. As it is White wins a piece in
the following way:

(1) P-d4 Bxd4
(2) Ktxd4 Ktxd4
(3) Qxd4 Pxd4
(4) Rxe7 Pxc3

Up to this move an even exchange of pieces has taken place, but
now Black loses the Bishop which is attacked by White's Rook,
because White can remove the Knight which protects the Bishop.

(5) Bxf6 Pxf6
(6) Rxd7, etc.

Instead of playing (1) P-d4 and taking advantage of the fact that
the Pawn e5 is pinned, White can direct his attack against the
other Black man which is pinned, namely the Knight f6. He can
play (1) Kt-d5 and thereby attack the Queen and at the same time
the Knight f6 for the second time. It will not be evident to the
beginner that White can derive any advantage from this double
attack, as Black can answer either Q-d6 or Q-d8 keeping his
Knight twice protected. Indeed, White does not gain anything on
f6, the square itself upon which the pin is effected, but he uses
the pin to force an opening into the chain of Pawns which
protects Black's King by exchanging on f6, compelling Black to
retake with the Pawn g7. The advantage resulting from this break
in Black's Pawn position will be explained later on when
discussing the strategy of the middle-game.



SACRIFICING



A player is said to SACRIFICE if he allows a certain amount of
his forces to be captured without recapturing himself an
equivalent amount of his opponent's forces. He will not, of
course, knowingly do so unless he expects to obtain some other
advantage which will at least compensate for his loss of
material. Such compensation can only be afforded by a superiority
of the position. In as much as a position can only be considered
superior if it enables the mating of the opposing King or the
obtaining of an advantage in material which will secure a win in
the ending, it is evident that in sacrificing a player really
never intends to give up more than he gets, but that on the
contrary he expects to gain more than he loses. In other words, a
sacrifice, if correct, is a sacrifice only TEMPORARILY, and very
soon yields either the same, if not more material, or an attack
on the King to which the latter falls victim.

The less evident the way is in which a player recovers the
material sacrificed or realizes an equivalent advantage the more
beautiful the sacrifice is considered. If the effect of a
sacrifice is a direct mating attack on the King, it is as a rule
not difficult to foresee as long as the typical mating positions
are known to the player, most of which have been discussed in the
previous chapter. The following diagrams illustrate examples of
such sacrifices which occur fairly often in actual games.

In Diagram 33, White on the move can play for a similar mate as
the one explained in the discussion of Diagram 29 by placing his
Rook on g3. The best protection against Rxg7 which Black has at
his disposal is P-f6. But if he does not know the mating position
illustrated in Diagram 29 he is liable to play P-g6, and then
White forces the mate by sacrificing his Queen on h7.

(1) R-g3 P-g6
(2) Qxh7+ Kxh7
(3) R-h3+ K-g8
(4) R-h8+

Black could have prolonged the agony one move by interposing his
Queen on h4 on the third move.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | | | #R | | | | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #R | | #Q | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #Kt| | #P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | #P | | | | ^Q |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | | ^P | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | ^P | | | ^P | ^R | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^B | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | | | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 33

In the position of Diagram 34 White institutes a mating attack by
(1) P-f6. The only move to protect the mate on g7 is P-g6. It
will then be White's desire to enter with his Queen on h6 again
threatening the checkmate on g7. He will, therefore, play either
Q-f4 or Q-g5. Black has no other way to defend himself against
White's threat than by K-h8 followed by R-g8. But after K-h8; Q-
h6, R-g8 White plays R-f3 and Black is unable to prevent White
from sacrificing his Queen on h7 and mating by R-h3.

If Black's Queen were standing on c5 instead of b5 he could avert
the mate by moving the Rook f8 and playing the Queen to f8
thereby protecting g7.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | | | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #Kt| | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | #Q | | #P | ^P | ^P | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | #P | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | ^Q | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | | ^B | | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | | | ^R | | ^K |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 34.

The mate with Rook and Knight demonstrated by the position of
Diagram 28 is liable to occur in several variations of the play
which might result from the following situation:

+---------------------------------------+
8 | | | | #R | | #Kt| | #K |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #B | #Q | | #R | #P | #P | |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | #P | | | #P | | | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | #P | | ^P | | | ^Q |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | ^B | ^P | ^Kt| | ^R | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | ^P | ^R | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | | | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | | | | | | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 35.

White starts his mating attack with (1) Kt-f6. This threatens the
sacrifice of the Queen on h6 followed by R-g8 mate. White's
Knight move can hardly be called a sacrifice as it is quite
evident that Black cannot take the Knight on account of Qxh6+,
Kt-h7; Q-g7 mate. The only way to parry White's threat is (1)
..., Kt-g6. However, this helps only momentarily as White
continues (2) R-h3 threatening Q-g5, Rxh6+ and Qxh6 mate, a
threat against which Black has no defense. White can very nearly
force the mate by sacrificing his Queen on h6 instead of the
Rook. But after (3) Qxh6, Pxh6; (4) Rxh6+, K-g7; (5) R-h7+, K-f8;
(6) R-h8+ Black does not take the Rook as White would like him to
do to enable the mate R-g8, but he goes back to g7 with the King
and White could not do any better than draw by perpetual check on
h7 and h8.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | | #Q | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | | #B | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | #P | #Kt| #Kt| | #P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | #P | #P | #P | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | ^P | | ^P | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | ^P | ^B | | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | | ^Kt| | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 36.

In the position of Diagram 36 White can make an attack which will
recall somewhat the play shown in connection with Diagram 25. (1)
Kt-g5 would not lead to anything, as Black could defend himself
by P-g6 or P-h6. White has a much more direct way to attack the
black King. This is by the sacrifice (1) Bxh7+. After Kxh7; (2)
Kt-g5+, K-g8; (3) Q-h5 Black can protect the mate only by
sacrificing his Queen for White's Knight. For (3) ..., R-e8 with
the view to escape with the King to e7 via f8 if attacked by Q-h7
and Q-h8 would be rendered futile by White through (4) Qxf7+, K-
h8; (5) Q-h5+, K-g8; (6) Q-h7+, K-f8; (7) Q-h8+, K-e7; (8) Qxg7
mate. Before making the sacrifice of the Bishop White will, of
course, have to make sure that Black cannot save himself by
evading altogether the attack which is threatened through Q-h5.
Black could, indeed, avoid this variation by going with the King
to g6 on the second move instead of g8. But in this case too
White has a winning continuation. He would play (3) Q-g4
threatening to win Black's Queen by the discovered check Ktxe6.
If Black moves the Queen, then White gives the discovered check
in any case forcing the King to h7 and leading over to the
variation which was originally intended. If, on the other hand,
Black tried (3) ..., P-f5, attacking White's Queen and thereby
rendering the discovered check ineffective, White would first
take the Pawn en passant and after (4) Pxf6, Kxf6 the Queen mates
on e6.

Frequently a sacrifice is brought to maintain a pin which is
bound to yield a piece in return sooner or later. The position of
Diagram 37 is typical for cases of this kind.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | #Q | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #Kt| #P | | #Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | #P | | ^B | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | #B | ^B | | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | ^Kt| ^P | | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 37.

Supposing Black plays (1) ..., P-h6; (2) B-h4, P-g5 to free
himself of the pinning Bishop. Then White can sacrifice the
Knight f3 for the two black Pawns and thereby maintain the pin
with the threat to regain the Knight immediately through Kt-d5.
The ensuing play could be the following: (3) Ktxg5, Pxg5; (4)
Bxg5, Bxc3; (5) Pxc3. Now White threatens to play P-f4 and Pxe5
opening the line of his Rook and thereby attacking the pinned
Knight for the second time. This threat cannot be effectively
countered. Black could try to unpin the Knight by (5) .... K-g7;
(6) P-f4, Q-e8. Indeed, Black saves his Knight in this way, but
the exposed position of his King leads to a speedy disaster. For
instance: (7) Pxe5, Kt-h7; (8) B-f6+, Ktxf6; (9) Pxf6+, K-h7;
(10) Q-h5+, K-g8; (11) Q-g6+, K-h8; (12) Q-g7+/-. Black could not
take White's Queen on the 11th move because the Pawn f7 was
pinned by the Bishop c4.

If Black had moved his King to g8 or g6 on the 8th move instead
of taking the Bishop f6, White would have forced the mate by
sacrificing his Rook on f5, thereby cutting off the Bishop c8 and
giving his Queen access to the square g4.

Sacrifices with the view to utilizing a pin occur in various
other versions which are essentially different from the one
illustrated above. Following are typical examples of the three
most frequent cases.

In the position of Diagram 38 Black must not take the Pawn e4
although he can protect the Knight with B-f5 in case White pins
him with R-e1.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | | #K | | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | | | | | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | #P | | | #Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | ^P | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | ^B | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | | | | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^R | | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 38.

The way in which White would obtain the advantage is this:

(1) R-e1 B-f5
(2) Rxe4 Bxe4
(3) R-e1

Through sacrificing one Rook for the Knight White has freed the
square e1 for the other Rook who now pins the Black Bishop
without Black being able to protect it.

The position of Diagram 39 is somewhat related to that of Diagram
38, as far as the possibility of a sacrifice for the sake of a
pin is concerned. If White plays B-b5+ Black must not interpose
his Bishop, for White will give up his Rook for the Bishop in
order to force the Rook d8 into a pinned position and then he
will win the Rook by R-d1.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | | | | #R | #K | | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | | #B | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | #P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | | | ^K | ^R | | ^B | | ^R |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 39.

In the position of Diagram 40 there is also a possibility of a
sacrifice with the view to pin a piece that defends a certain
threat as long as it is mobile. White plays (1) Q-d5, and Black
dares not take White's Knight with his Queen for White would
continue (2) Qxf7+, Rxf7; (3) R-e8+/-.

What Black could try is (1) Kt-h6.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | #Q | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | | #P | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | #P | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | | #Kt| ^Kt| |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | ^B | | ^R | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^Q | | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 40.

The Pawn f7 would then be three times attacked and three times
protected so that White cannot take him as now the pin of the
Rook resulting from Ktxf7, Ktxf7; Qxf7, Rxf7 does not lead to
anything, the square e8 being protected by the Queen. However,
White can force the win by (2) Ra1- e1, threatening again the
sacrifice of f7, as he now controls the square e8 twice. If Black
replies (2) ..., Q-f6, protecting f7 for the fourth time and
thereby making impossible White's sacrifice on that point, White
continues with (3) R-e8. This threatens Rxf8+, Kxf8; Ktxh7+
winning the Queen. Black cannot defend himself with Q-g6 on
account of (4) B-d3 followed by Bxh7+ and Rxf8, etc., nor can he
play (3) ..., Q-f4 on account of P-g3 followed by Qxd6, attacking
the defenseless Rook f8.

A sacrifice with the view to enabling a mating attack through the
cooperation of Rooks and Bishop somewhat similar to the examples
discussed in the previous chapter is possible in the position of
Diagram 41 which occurred in a Tournament game in London in which
the author conducted the black men.

Black's combination starts with the sacrifice of the Queen on f3.
After (1) ..., Qxf3; (2) Pxf3, B-h3+; (3) K-g1 White's King is
held in an immobile position by the Black Bishop and a check with
one of Black's Rooks in the g-file would be deadly.

However, White can, for a while, protect himself against all
mating attempts of Black. If Black continued (3 ) ..., R-e6,
White would take the Pawn d3 with the Queen thereby defending
the mate R-g6. After giving up his Queen for one of Black's Rooks
White would still have an advantage in material.

The correct way to carry on the attack is (3) ..., Ra8-e8, as
then White cannot take the Pawn d3 on account of R-e1+; Q-f1,
Rxf1+; Rxf1, R-e6 and R-g6 mate.

+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | | | | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | | | #Q | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | ^P | ^P | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | #P | | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | | ^P | | | #R | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^Q | | ^K | | ^R |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h

DIAGRAM 41.

The main threat of Black's third move is R-e6-g6 mate. Another
threat is P-d2 followed by R-e1+. The only way for White to
defend himself is (4) P-f4. If now P-d2, then (5) P-f3, R-e1+;
(6) K-f2 affords a sufficient protection. And if (4) ..., Re8-e6,
then (5) P-f5 prevents the Rook from going to g6.

However, by repeating the mating threat with (5) ..., Re6-e4,
which forces White to protect, g4 by (6) P-f3 Black opens the
second rank for a combined assault of the Rooks similar to the
one illustrated by Diagram 30. What makes matters worse for White
is that with (6) ..., R-g2+ he is forced into the line of the
Bishop h3 so that he is exposed to a discovered check. After (7)
K-f1, Rxb2 discovered check; (8) K-g1, Re4-e2 White must give up
his Queen for the Rook immediately, as otherwise Black would mate
in four moves by R-g2+, K-f1, Rxh2+, K-g1, Rb2-g2+; K-f1, Rxh1+/-.

Although White is still ahead in material after (9) Qxe2, Rxe2 he
cannot avoid the loss of the game on account of the continued
threat which Black exerts by the cooperation of his Rook and his
Bishop. The only move which would save the Rook a1 from getting
lost through R-g2+, followed by a discovered check with
simultaneous attack of the Rook by Black's Rook would be (10) R-
d1 with the idea of protecting the Rook with the King thus (10)
..., R-g2+; (11) K-f1, R-d2; (12) K-e1; but this plan fails as
Black checkmates with (12) ..., R-e2.

A mating position which has not been discussed up to now but
which occurs frequently enough in the actual game to warrant its
special mention is one in which the King is deprived of all
mobility by his own men who surround him and in which a hostile
Knight can check the King. Diagram 42 offers an example.