Chess Strategy · Chapter 12Game No. 4
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White: Tarrasch. Black: Capablanca.
Giuoco Piano
1. P-K4 P-K4 2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-B3
The beginning of interesting operations in the centre. The steady development with: 4. P-Q3, P-Q3; 5. Kt-B3, Kt-B3; 6. B-KKt5, B-K3 or Castles tends to a draw from the very first, and is thought dull.
4. … Kt-B3
Black can avoid the exchange of pawns, which White tries to bring about after P-Q4, by playing his Queen to K2. This covers his KP a second time, and White’s P-Q4 can be answered with B-Kt3. White’s QBP then obstructs the Kt’s natural development. In a game von Schewe-Teichmann (Berlin, 1907) the position discussed on p. 117 was reached after the following moves: 5. Castles, P- Q3; 6. P-Q4, B-Kt3; 7. P-QR4, P-QR3; 8. P-R5, B-R2.
5. P-Q4 PxP 6. PxP B-Kt5ch
The pawn sacrifice by 7. Kt-B3, KtxKP; 8. Castles! is much more interesting and more in keeping with the spirit of the opening. [Footnote: The following two short games will give an idea of the various lines of attack which are to be found in this opening:
a. Howell-Michell (cable match, England—America, 1907): 8. … BxKt; 9. P-Q5 (Moller attack), B-B3; 10. R-K1, Kt-K2; 11. RxKt, P-Q3; 12. B-Kt5, BxB; 13. KtxB, B-B4 (the only chance of a draw would be this: Castles; 14. KtxRP, KxKt; 15. QR5ch, K-Kt1; 16. R- R4, P-KB4!; 17. B-K2, Kt-Kt3!; 18. Q-R7ch, K-B2; 19. R-R6, Kt-B5; 20. B-R5ch, KtxB; 21. Q-Kt6 with perpetual check); 14. Q-B3,Q-Q2 (BxR; 15. QxPch followed by Q-K6ch and QxB); 15. B-Kt5!, QxB; 16. QxB, P-KB3; 17. QR-K1, PxKt; 18. RxKtch and mate in a few moves.
b. X v. Y, first 10 moves as before: 11. RxKt, Castles; 12. P-Q6, PxP 13. B-KKt5, Kt-B4; 14. Q-Q5!, BxB; 15. KtxB, Kt-R3 (QxKt; 16. QxPch); 16. Q R-K1, resigns.] White obtains a quick development and prevents Black from freeing his game by playing P-Q4. After 8. … BxKt; 9. P-Q5 follows (Moller attack), and after 9. … B- B3, White wins back his piece by R-K1 (10. PxKt would not be good, as Black could free his game by KtPxP and P-Q4). On the other hand, after 8. … KtxKt; PxKt, White in addition gains a move, as BxP is countered by Q-Kt3.
As played here, Black succeeds in playing P-Q4, and the game is even. Indeed the isolated QP is a weakness in the White position.
7. … BxBch 8. QKtxB P-Q4! 9. PxP KKtxP 10. Q-Kt3 QKt-K2 11. Castles KR Castles 12. KR-K1 P-QB3
Now the Knight is securely posted in the centre, and Black can accumulate forces for the attack on the White QP, possibly by Q- Kt3, R-Q1 and Kt-B4.
in order to drive the Queen from her Kt3, but this advance is “three-edged,” as Master Gregory would say, and the pawn is sure to prove weak in the end-game.
13. … Q-Kt3 14. Q-R3 B-K3 15. P-R5 Q-B2 16. Kt-K4
Kt-KKt5 would seem to be stronger here. B-B4 would then be answered by 17. B-Q3. After BxB, 18. QxB, White obtains opportunities for a King’s side attack, in which the Rook could co-operate via K4 and Kt4 or R4.
16. … QR-Q1 17. Kt-B5 B-B1 18. P-KKt3?
This produces weak points at KB3 and KR3, and there being as yet no definite threat in Black’s Kt-B5, should have been avoided. It is of course difficult to formulate a plan of attack, for there is no weak place in Black’s armour. In any case White could safely have played QR-Q1 and Q2 in order to double the Rooks on the King’s file or Queen’s file according to circumstances. But now as soon as a Rook moves to Q1—and that will have to be done in the end, to support the weak QP—Black’s B-Kt5 might become awkward.
18. … Kt-B4 19. QR-Q1 Kt-Q3! 20. BxKt Kt-Kt4
avoiding an isolated pawn in a subtle manner.
21. Q-Kt4 RxB 22. Kt-Q3 B-Kt5 23. QKt-K5 P-R4 24. KtxB PxKt 25. Kt-R4
Kt-K5 would be answered by KR-Q1; 26. KtxP, KtxP threatening both Kt-B6ch and Kt-B7. If White stops both threats with Q-B3, Kt-K7ch wins.
Now Black foregoes his well-earned advantage. He overlooks White’s subtle move 28. P-R6. 26 Q-B1 was indicated. White’s Queen’s Pawn could not escape, and there was time to dislodge the White Rook from the seventh by R-Q2, e g. 26. … Q-B1; 27. Q- Kt3!, QR-Q2; 28. Q-K3, RxR; 29. QxR, KtxP.
27. QxQ KtxQ 28. P-R6! PxP 29. RxRP Kt-Kt4 30. RxRP KtxP 31. K-B1 P-Kt4 32. Kt-Kt2 Kt-B6 33. RxR PxR!
The pawn threatens to queen. Taking the Rook’s pawn would not be so good, as it would displace the Knight. White would not only regain the pawn easily with Kt-K3, but would also get his King into play.
34. Kt-K1 R-K1
Here R-QB1 affords winning possibilities for Black. On account of the threat of R-B8, the exchange of Knights by White would be forced, and his game would have been badly cramped by the Black KBP, e.g. 34. … R-QB1; 35. KtxKt, PxKt; 36. R-R1 (K-K1?, R-B7; 37. R-Q6, R-K7ch; 38. K-B1, RxP; 39. K-K1, R-K7ch; 40. K-B1, R- K4), R-Kt1; 37. R-Kt1, R-Kt6. After the move in the text the game is drawn.
35. KtxKt PxKt 36. R-Q6 R-QB1
There is nothing in this move, as the Black passed pawn is now attacked.
37. K-K1 R-K1ch 38. K-B1 R-QB1 Drawn.