Books: Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
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Edward Lasker >> Chess and Checkers: The Way to Mastership
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DIAGRAM 44.
The advance of the d-Pawn, besides the possibility of opening the
d-file for the Rooks, has another very important purpose. It
invites, and often compels the opponent to take the Pawn with his
e-Pawn thereby losing control of "the center." What is meant by
center in King's Pawn openings will be understood from the
analysis of the Diagram 44 in which only the Pawn skeleton of a
King's Pawn game is given and in which it is assumed that Black
has exchanged the Pawn e5 for the Pawn d4. This Pawn formation
offers an advantage to White because the Pawn e4, White's center-
Pawn, controls the two squares d5 and f5 while the two
corresponding squares in White's camp, that is d4 and f4, are not
in the hands of Black and could be occupied by White men. It is
evident that it must be advantageous to have pieces placed in the
center of the board as there they have naturally more mobility
than towards the edge of the board where part of their radius of
action is cut off. A Knight, for instance, placed on d4 will
possibly have an opportunity later on to go to f5 from where he
helps an attack on g7. The square f4 may be useful for the Queen
in an attempt to reach the King's wing speedily, thus
accumulating on that part of the board superior forces. These and
other advantages connected with the control of the center will be
more readily understood after the discussion of the middle game
maneuvers of which the center squares form the basis. It is
necessary, however, to touch upon this matter at this time, as in
many openings the player is confronted after the very first moves
with questions in which the maintenance of the center-Pawn is the
point at issue.
Following are a few examples:
Supposing White, after (1) P-e4, P-e5, plays (2) P-d4. Then Black
is immediately threatened with the loss of his center-Pawn, which
he cannot defend with P-d6 as after (3) Pxe5, Pxe5 White would
exchange Queens and thereby deprive Black of the possibility of
bringing his Rooks quickly into cooperation through castling.
(2) ..., Kt-c6 is out of question too; not on account of (3) P-
d5, which merely helps Black in getting his Knight over to the
King's wing via e7 and allows him to maintain his center-Pawn,
but on account of (3) Pxe5, Ktxe5; (4) Pf4, which secures the
control of the center for White and does not leave Black a chance
to advance his Queen's Pawn to d5 with the view of depriving
White of his center-Pawn too.
For these reasons Black has no choice but has to play (2) ...,
Pxd4. True enough, Black gives up his center-Pawn with this
exchange, but White cannot prevent P-d5 in the long run, so that
he also loses his center-Pawn and has no advantage over Black in
that respect. The following variations are typical for the line
of play in cases of this kind. White tries to hold back Black's
Queen's Pawn as long as he can, but finally Black enforces the
advance.
I. (3) Qxd4 Kt-c6
(4) Q-e3
Now P-d5 is not possible because of Pxd5 check.
(4) ... Kt-f6
(5) Kt-c3 B-e7
(6) B-d2 P-d5
Threatening to win a piece by P-d4.
(7) Pxd5 Ktxd5
Now White has no center-Pawn either; Black has
a perfectly good game.
II. (3) Kt-f3 Kt-c6
Most players would be tempted to play P-c5 instead. But this
must be bad as it is a Pawn move which is not necessary. Black
does not need to defend the Pawn d4 as he is a Pawn ahead; and
the development of the pieces is much more valuable than the
advantage of a Pawn. White would obtain a far superior position
with (4) P-c3, Pxc3; (5) Ktxc3, after which Black cannot
hope ever to free his game by P-d5.
(4) Ktxd4 Kt-f6
It would be bad to exchange Knights on d4 because White's Queen
would be brought up into a dominating position from which she
could not easily be driven away.
(5) Kt-c3 B-b4
This attacks again the Pawn e4. Relieving the pin by (6) B-d2
would be no protection as Black could exchange on c3 and then
take the Pawn. Therefore, White must defend the Pawn with another
piece. The Bishop f1, which has to be developed in any case,
offers himself naturally for this purpose, but B-d3 is not
possible as long as the Knight d4 has to be kept protected by the
Queen. Hence, it is necessary first to exchange the Knight.
(6) Ktxc6 Pb7xc6
(7) B-d3 P-d5!
Again Black has succeeded in advancing his Queen's Pawn against
the opposing center-Pawn, and White cannot avoid the exchange. To
advance to e5 would be against the principle that no Pawn-move
should be made in the opening which is not absolutely necessary.
How easily (8) P-e5 could get White into trouble can be seen from
the following variation: (8) ..., Kt-g4; (9) o-o, o-o; (10) Pf4
??, B-c5+; (11) K-h1, Q-h4; (12) P-h3, Q-g3; (13) Pxg4, Q-h4
mate.
III. (3) P-c3
With this move White invites Black to lose time in winning a Pawn
or two while the White pieces are rapidly developed. If Black
accepts the Gambit [Footnote: A Gambit is an opening in which the
sacrifice of a Pawn is offered for the sake of a speedy
development of the pieces.] the continuation might be.
(3) ... Pxc3
(4) B-c4 Pxb2
(5) Bxb2
or
(4) ... Kt-c6
(5) Kt-f3 P-d6
(6) Ktxc3 or Q-b3 or o-o
In all of these cases White has by far the freer game and he
remains in the possession of his center-Pawn. For this reason it
is much more advisable for Black to decline the Gambit offered
and to hasten his development by immediately advancing his
Queen's Pawn, thus:
(3) P-c3 P-d5!
(4) Pxd5
The advance of the King's Pawn would be quite out of place, as it
would not add anything to White's development so that Black need
not mind the loss of the move either which he sustains from the
developing point of view in gaining a Pawn by Pxc3. The future
development of Black is not any longer endangered as he has a
Pawn in the center and an outlet for his Queen's Bishop.
(4) ... Qxd5
(5) Pxd4 Kt-c6
(6) Kt-f3 B-g4
(7) Kt-c3 Q-h5
and Black has, no doubt, the initiative.
If White, instead of playing (2) P-d4 as assumed in the above
examples, advances his f-Pawn against Black's center, Black has
ample time to make all preparations necessary to maintain his
center-Pawn, for White does not threaten Pxe5 as long as he is
not protected against Q-h4+, followed by Qxe4. Black's best move
is apparently B-c5, so that he may be able to reply P-d6 to (3)
Kt-f3 without blocking the way of the Bishop. On c5 Black's
Bishop is very disagreeable for White as he prevents his
castling. The natural development of this opening would be about
this:
(2) P-f4 B-c5
(3) Kt-f3 P-d6
(4) B-c4 Kt-f6
Although this move blocks the diagonal for Black's Queen, making
impossible a check on h4, it does not enable White to win a Pawn
on e5, because (5) Pxe5, Pxe5; (6) Ktxe5 would be answered by Q-
d4.
(5) P-d3 Kt-c6
(6) Kt-c3 B-g4
Black has one more piece developed than White on account of the
Pawn move P-f4 which is a wasted move from the point of view of
development, especially as White cannot very well castle on the
King's side and make use of the open f-file for his Rooks.
The two principles mentioned--namely the development of the
pieces without unnecessary Pawn moves or other loss of time and
the maintenance of a Pawn in the center--are a perfectly
sufficient guidance in all King's Pawn openings, as no particular
difficulty exists for any piece to be developed to a favorable
square. Even if Black tries to avoid the well-known openings
which result from the reply (1) ..., P-e5 by playing (1) ..., P-
e6 for instance, or (1) ..., P-c5;, or, in fact, any other of the
twenty possible first moves, White will find the right way to
mobilize his men if he strictly adheres to those two principles
and resists the temptation to institute an early attack. A few
examples will show how simple the application of the principle
is.
I. (1) P-e4 P-d5
This attacks White's Pawn and White has to decide whether to
protect, advance or exchange him. The advance P-e5 and the
protection P-f3 are out of question because these moves are Pawn
moves which do not contribute to the development and are,
therefore, to be classed as mere loss of time. The protection (2)
P-d3 is not sufficient either as Black, after exchanging on e4,
would hamper White's development by exchanging Queens so that
White would lose the right of castling. The protection (2) Kt-c3
cannot be recommended as Black could deprive White of his center-
Pawn and obtain one for himself by Pxe4, (3) Ktxe4; P-e5. For all
these reasons White cannot do better than exchanges on d5.
At first sight this might seem a violation of the principles, as
Pxd5 is a Pawn move which does not further the development of the
pieces while Black, in retaking the Pawn, develops his Queen.
However, as was already pointed out on several other occasions,
the early development of the Queen is not desirable as she is
sure to be exposed to the attack of minor pieces. Indeed, White
obtains the better game through (3) Kt-c3, Q-a5; (4) P-d4 or (4)
Kt-f3, followed by P-d4. Black cannot get his King's Pawn up to
the center [(4) P-d4, P-e5; (5) Q-h5] and in addition he is bound
to lose some more moves with his Queen as soon as White has
developed his Bishop to d2 threatening a discovered attack
through a move with the Knight c3.
II. (1) P-e4 P-e6
With this move Black switches the center from the e-file to the
d-file.
(2) P-d4 P-d5
Now White need not hesitate to protect his King's Pawn with Kt-
c3, for Black cannot, as shown in example 1, gain control of the
center by exchanging on e4 and playing P-e5.
The advance (3) P-e5 cannot be recommended for the reason
explained in example I. Of course, White, being a move ahead
anyhow, can afford to make a Pawn move which does not exactly
advance his own development, if that Pawn move hampers the
development of the opponent to some extent. This would be the
case after (3) P-e5, as Black could not develop his King's Knight
to the most natural square, namely, f6. However, the Pawns d4 and
e5, though forming a strong center, as long as they are both in
place, are liable to become subject to disagreeable attacks which
Black can institute with P-c5 and P-f6, and if White cannot
maintain his center, then the advance to e5 is mere waste of
time.
(3) Kt-c3 Kt-f6
Again White's King's Pawn is attacked. The first continuation for
White to think of would be (4) B-d3, developing another piece.
However, Black can then simply exchange twice on e4 and play P-
c5, so that White loses his Pawn center. P-e5 does not seem very
good either. It does not lose any time, as Black too has to lose
a move retreating with his Knight. But the latter is well posted
on d7 from where he assists the contemplated advance P-c5 against
White's center. The best continuation is apparently (4) B-g5,
which develops a piece and protects the Pawn e4 through pinning
the Knight f6. After
(4) B-g5 B-e7
White finally has to either advance the King's Pawn or exchange
him. The latter seems preferable. The drawbacks to the advance
have been discussed before. After the exchange White can develop
his King's Bishop to d3 where he is considerably better posted
than the corresponding Black Bishop.
QUEEN'S PAWN OPENINGS
The same two leading principles apply to Queen's Pawn openings
which were discussed in connection with the King's Pawn openings;
but there is one great difference between the two kinds of
openings which is not obvious to the beginner. This is the fact
that in Queen's Pawn openings, in most cases, neither player has
a chance to open a file in the center of the board through the
exchange of one of the center-Pawns, and that, therefore, an
additional Pawn move is necessary in the opening stage to provide
for an open file in which the Rooks later on may have an
opportunity of entering the battle.
In addition, it is in most variations not easy to find a good
place for the Queen's Bishop without further Pawn moves, and it
is here where the beginner is bound to err in the plan of his
mobilization unless he has adequate instruction.
In trying to open a file for the Rooks it will be advisable--just
as in the King's Pawn openings--to aim at the same time at the
clearing away of the opponent's center-Pawn, and this can only be
done by the advance of the c-Pawn. Therefore, it would mean loss
of time if the Queen's Knight were developed into the c-file
before the c-Pawn has moved; the Knight would have to be moved
away again in order to enable the opening of the c-file. This
consideration furnishes the key for the understanding of the most
popular Queen's Pawn opening, which is
(1) P-d4 P-d5
(2) Kt-f3 Kt-f6
(3) P-c4
White offers a Pawn to induce Black to give up his center-Pawn,
hence the name "Queen's Gambit." If Black could actually hold the
Pawn he would be justified in accepting the Gambit unless it can
be demonstrated that White's advantage in development yields a
winning attack. However, White can easily regain the Gambit-Pawn,
and so there is absolutely no reason why Black should give up his
Pawn-center.
The way in which White regains his Pawn in the accepted Gambit is
this: (3) ..., Pxc4; (4) P-e3, P-b5; (5) P-a4, P-c6 (if Black
takes the Pawn a4, White captures the Pawn c4 and then regains
the a-Pawn. (5) ..., P-a6, cannot be played on account of Pxb5,
opening the a-file for White's Rook so that Black cannot retake
the Pawn). (6) P-b3, Pxb3; (7) Pxb5, Pxb5; (8) Bxb5+ and Qxb3.
Now White is far ahead in the development and in addition he has
an open file for his Queen's Rook in which the black Pawn is
bound to be lost in the long run. Moreover, Black has no
compensation for White's strong Pawn-center.
For this reason the Queen's Gambit is hardly ever accepted and
the following defense played instead:
(1) P-d4 P-d5
(2) Kt-f3 Kt-f6
(3) P-c4 P-e6
(4) Kt-c3
Black has now the choice between either advancing his c-Pawn
right away or first developing the pieces of his Queen's wing. In
the latter case he cannot place the Queen's Knight on c6 as this
would block the way of the c-Pawn. He must develop him to d7.
This appears to be a bad move as it blocks the way of the Queen's
Bishop, but this Bishop will have to be developed in a different
diagonal anyway as the Pawn e6 cannot advance opening the
diagonal c8-h3.
I. (4) ... Ktb8-d7
(5) B-g5
The fact that White can develop his Queen's Bishop without
difficulty while Black cannot do so has made the Queen's Gambit
one of the most popular openings.
(5) ... B-e7
(6) P-e3 o-o
(7) B-d3 P-b6
(8) o-o B-b7
(9) Pxd5 Pxd5
(10) R-c1
White is two moves ahead in the development, as Black has still
to move his c-Pawn before he can get his Queen's Rook into play.
In the meantime White can mobilize his King's Rook with Q-e2 and
Rf1-d1, with a view to opening the Queen's file by Pd4xc5.
II. (4) ... P-c5
If White now Plays P-e3, holding his Pawn-center, a symmetrical
development follows on both sides. If, however, White takes his
opportunity to develop the Queen's Bishop, a game of entirely
different character ensues. The following variations show typical
examples of the way these two variations are liable to develop:
A. (5) P-e3 Kt-c6
(6) P-a3
If White played (6) P-b3 before castling he would get into
trouble because Black could pin his Queen's Knight with Pxd4 and
B-b4. For this reason the maneuver P-a3, Pxc5, P-b4 and B-b2 is
usually adopted to develop the Queen's Bishop. It is true that
this maneuver involves two Pawn moves, which mean a loss of time,
instead of only one, as for instance when playing (6) B-d3, (7)
o-o, (8) P-b3, (9) B-b2. But Black can hardly avoid a similar
loss of time. For if he plays (6) ..., B-d6, he loses two moves
with his Bishop through recapturing on c5 (after (7) Pxc5) and
going back to d6; and if he first exchanges on d4 and then
develops the Bishop to d6, White has an open diagonal for his
Queen's Bishop and need not make any more Pawn moves to develop
him while Black still must move his Queen's Knight's Pawn to get
his Queen's Bishop into play.
(6) ... P-a6
(7) Pxc5 Bxc5
(8) P-b4 B-d6
(9) B-b2 Pxc4
(10) Bxc4 P-b5
(11) B-d3 B-b7
B. (5) Pxd5 Pxd5
The idea of this exchange is to create a weak Pawn on d5 against
which later on an attack can be instituted. However, it is very
doubtful whether the Pawn on d5 is really weak. Experience has
shown that Black wins just as many games as White in this
opening; the reason is probably that White, in order to open the
Queen's file for attack on d5, has to give away his center-Pawn
so that Black has more freedom for his pieces in the center.
(6) P-g3 Kt-c6
(7) B-g2 B-e6
(8) B-g5 B-e7
(9) o-o o-o
(10) Pxc5 Bxc5
(11) R-c1 B-e7
(12) Kt-d4 or Q-a4 followed by
R-f1-d1.
Instead of developing the King's Bishop to g2 White can just as
well play (6) B-g5 or f4, (7) P-e3 and (8) B-d3. In either case
the success depends rather on clever maneuvering in the middle-
game than on an advantage inherent to the opening.
What has been said of irregular replies which Black may try in
King's Pawn openings holds good in Queen's Pawn openings too.
There is no series of opening moves which needs to be memorized.
The principles of speedy development and of the maintenance of a
Pawn center lead the right way in all novel openings which a
player might try to avoid the well-known paths which have been
studied out by the masters of many generations.
Following are again a few examples which show the application of
the principles:
I. (1) P-d4 P-c5
(2) P-e3
With Pxc5 White would give away his center-Pawn, and Black would
regain the Gambit-Pawn easily after (2) ..., P-e6. White could
play (2) P-d5, thereby depriving Black's Queen's Knight of his
best developing square. But in doing so he would lose time with a
Pawn move which does not improve the mobility of his own pieces,
and consequently (2) P-e3 is preferable.
II. (1) P-d4 Kt-f6
(2) Kt-f3
The advance P-c4, which, as explained, is customary in Queen's
Pawn openings, serves its original purpose only if Black has a
Pawn on d5 so that White can open the c-file. Therefore, it is
better for White to wait until Black shows what intentions he has
with his Queen's Pawn.
(2) ... P-d6
(3) Kt-c3
Black's last move clearly indicates that he intends playing P-e5
and not P-d5, and so White has no reason to expect that he will
be able to open the c-file for his Rooks. Consequently there is
no objection to his developing the Queen's Knight to c3, blocking
the c-Pawn.
(3) ... Ktb8-d7
(4) B-f4
This prevents P-e5 for the time being, and Black has to make
rather complicated preparations, such as P-c6 and Q-c7 before he
can advance the King's Pawn two squares. In other words, White
completes his development more quickly than Black and he has
consequently the better winning chances, provided, of course, he
knows how to maintain his advantage in the middle game and in the
end game.
THE MIDDLE GAME
It is not possible to draw a distinct dividing line between the
two stages of the game which are called the OPENING and the
MIDDLE GAME. Strictly speaking the opening comprises only such
moves as are NECESSARY for the development of the pieces, and any
move which a player--without being compelled--makes with a piece
that is already developed, ought to be regarded as a Middle-game
move. To give an example: If after (1) P-e4, P-e5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-
c6; (3) Kt-c3, Kt-f6; (4) B-b5 Black plays Kt-d4, he deviates
from the Opening and embarks on a Middle-game maneuver; for the
Queen's Knight was already developed.
This does not mean that it is bad under all circumstances to make
a Middle-game move during the opening stage of a game. But only
such moves should be considered in cases of this kind as a player
is fairly sure to make at any rate within the further course of
the game with a view to increasing the mobility of the piece in
question.
This is the main point. A second move made with a piece must
improve its position, otherwise, common sense tells us, it is
surely bad. For instance: After (1) P-e4, P-e5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-c6;
(3) B-b5, Kt-f6; (4) o-o, B-e7 there is no objection to White's
playing (5) R-e1 as the Rook will very likely want to get into
action in the e-file in any case, as soon as the development has
progressed with P-d4, Kt-c3, B-g5, etc.
But if in an opening like (1) P-e4, P-e5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-c6; (3)
B-c4, Kt-f6 White plays (4) Kt-g5 for instance, or (4) B-d5, it
is evident that he merely wastes time, for in the first case he
places the Knight on a square from which he is sure to be driven
away again as soon as the direct attack involved in his move has
been warded off, and in the second case he moves the Bishop to a
square which does not afford him any more mobility than the one
on which he stood before.
As a rule only Rooks or Knights are in a position, during the
opening, to add to their mobility by a second move; the Rooks by
occupying a file which is liable to be opened by an exchange of
Pawns, and the Knights by occupying a square in the center of the
board.
The Knights are really more often under the necessity of making
several moves in succession than any other piece, because they
can never pass over more than one line at a time, and they may be
required to hasten from one wing of the board to the other just
as often as the other pieces. This is the reason why the most
favorable spot for a Knight is a square in the center of the
board; there he is always ready for an excursion to either wing.
The establishment of a Knight in the center can more readily be
effected in Queen's Pawn openings than in King's Pawn openings.
This will be evident from the following consideration:
In Queen's Pawn openings the squares e5 and e4 are the ones which
are aimed at by the respective Knights. If the opponent exchanges
the Knight with either his Queen's Knight or his King's Bishop,
the Pawn which takes the place of the Knight in recapturing,
gains control of two squares in the heart of the hostile camp. To
illustrate this by a case which often occurs: If after (1) P-d4,
P-d5; (2) Kt-f3, Kt-f6; (3) P-e3, P-c5; (4) B-d3, Kt-c6; (5) o-o,
P-e6; (6) P-b3, B-d6; (7) B-b2, o-o; (8) Ktb1-d2, P-b6; (9) Kt-e5
Black plays Bxe5, White in retaking drives Black's King's Knight
away depriving the King's wing of an important protection and
also creating a weakness on d6, where White might be able at some
later stage of the game to establish his Knight.
+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | #Q | | #R | #K | |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | | | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | #P | #Kt| #B | #P | #Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | #P | #P | ^Kt| | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | ^P | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | ^P | | ^B | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^B | ^P | ^Kt| | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 45.
Another advantage of the position for White is that he can get
his King's Rook into play by P-f4 and R-f3-h3, while Black's Rook
cannot get to f6 as long as White has his Pawn on e5.
In King's Pawn openings the situation is different. Here the
squares d5 and d4 respectively are the aim of the Knights which
normally are posted on 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.
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