Chess Strategy · Chapter 14Game No. 6
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White: Mason. Black: Gunsberg.
Giuoco Piano.
1. P-K4 P-K4 2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 3. B-B4 B-B4 4. P-Q3 P-Q3 5. B-K3 B-Kt3 6. P-B3 Kt-B3 7. QKt-Q2 Q-K2 8. P-QR4
A lost move. The logical continuation is Kt-B1-Kt3 and Castles.
8. … B-K3 9. B-QKt5 BxB
Generally speaking, exchanges such as this are doubtful. However, in the present case, although it opens the B file for White, White cannot prevent Black from obtaining the same advantage.
10. PxB P-QR3
Black gives up the move he has gained. There is no justification for this, as nothing prevents him from proceeding with his development at once with 10. … Castles.
11. BxKtch PxB 12. P-QKt4
White is anxious lest his KtP should be made “backward” by P-QR4 and P-B4. This is one of the drawbacks of the premature advance of the QRP.
12. … Castles KR 13. Castles Kt-Kt5 14. Q-K2 P-KB4 15. PxP BxP 16. P-K4 B-Q2 17. Kt-B4 Kt-B3 18. Kt-K3 P-Kt3 19. P-B4
This creates a weakness at Q4.
Unimportant as it appears to be, it is the cause of the loss of the game, as the opposing Knight gets in ultimately. The doubling of the Rooks on the KB file would seem to be the best plan.
19. … Kt-R4 20. P-Kt3
White’s weaknesses at KB3 and KR3 are more damaging than the corresponding ones in the Black camp, as Black still possesses a Bishop of the same colour as the weakened squares. But the move is now compulsory; for were White to allow the Black Knight to his KB5, and to drive him off then with P-Kt3, the Knight could play to his R6 and prevent the doubling of the White Rooks.
20. … B-R6 21. R-B2 Kt-Kt2 22. Q-Kt2
White begins to operate in the centre and on the Q wing, as his position on the K side begins to be doubtful. The intention is to play P-Q4, which, however, Black opposes at once.
22. … Kt-K3
If now White plays P-Q4, he loses a piece by PxP; 24. KtxP?, RxR; 25. KxR, Q-B3ch.
The Rook has no future here, and R-Q1, in order to play P-Q4, is more logical. But as Black obviously threatens to double his Rooks on the KB file, it would be advisable to play for an exchange of Rooks, with: Kt-Kt2, QR-B1 and Kt-K1.
23. … R-B2 24. QR-K2 QR-KB1 25. Kt-K1 Kt-Q5 26. R-Q2 Q-Kt4 27. Kt(K3)-Kt2 BxKt 28. KxB
KtxB is frustrated by Kt-B6ch.
All the Black forces are now in action, and White has no defence, as his pieces can hardly move.
29. K-B1 Kt-Kt6! Resigns.
If R-K2 or B2, there follows RxRch; 31. RxR, Kt-Q7ch; 32. QxKt, QxQ.