Chess Strategy · Chapter 18Game No. 10
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White: Teichmann. Black: Amateurs in consultation.
Two Knights’ Defence.
1. P-K4 P-K4 2. Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 3. B-B4 Kt-B3 4. Castles
The idea underlying this pawn sacrifice is to open the K file for the Rook. It will be seen that, with correct play, Black manages to castle just in time, and White, though winning back his pawn, has no advantage in position. The opening is seldom played by modern masters.
Instead of the move in the text, White can hardly defend the KP with Kt-B3, as Black simply captures the pawn and recovers his piece by P-Q4, with a satisfactory position. It is even better for Black if White plays 6. BxPch in reply to 5. … KtxP. The capture of White’s KP is far more important than that of the Black KBP, particularly as the White Bishop, which could be dangerous on the diagonal QR2-KKt8, is exchanged, e.g. 6. … KxB; 7. KtxKt, P-Q4; 8. Kt-Kt5ch, K-Kt1! Black continues P-KR3, K-R2, R-B1 and has open lines for Rooks and Bishops.
4. … KtxP
Black can, of course, develop his B-B4. Then he must either submit to the Max Lange attack (5. P-Q4, PxP) or play BxP, giving up the useful B, in which case he loses the pawn gained after 6. KtxB, KtxKt; 7. P-KB4, P-Q3; 8. PxP, PxP; 9. B-KKt5, and eventually Q-B3.
R-K1 at once would lead to nothing.
5. … PxP 6. R-K1 P-Q4 7. BxP! QxB 8. Kt-B3
This attack has been analysed extensively by Steinitz. The only square where the Queen cannot be attacked at once by the minor pieces is at QI. After 8. … Q-QI, Black obtains quite a satisfactory game: 9. RxKtch, B-K2; 10. KtxP, P-B4. This is Pillsbury’s move, intending to displace the Rook. Black has then open lines for his two Bishops as compensation for his shattered pawn position. 11. R-KB4, Castles; 12. KtxKt, QxQch; 13. KtxQ, PxKt. Now it is not easy to find a reasonable plan for White, as Black threatens to cramp White’s game with B-Q3 and P-B5. It is therefore necessary for White to take measures against that by playing R-B4 and B-B4. If Black still plays B-Q3, B-B4 follows, with the intention of exchanging and of provoking Black’s P-B4, which leaves the QP “backward.”
8. … Q-KR4 9. KtxKt B-K2 10. B-Kt5 B-K3 11. BxB KtxB 12. Kt-Kt3 Q-R3 13. QxP Castles KR 14. QR-Q1
Now White is ahead with his development, having both Rooks in play and his Queen better placed. Nor can the latter be attacked by R-Q1, as White would simply play QxR. On the Queen being driven away by the Black Knight, he exchanges the latter and plays the Queen back into the same dominating position, eventually producing a dislocation of the Black Queen’s side pawns.
14. … Kt-B3 15. Q-QR4 QR-Q1 16. Kt-Q4! KtxKt 17. RxKt RxR 18. QxR P-QKt3 19. Q-K5 P-QB4
It is instructive to watch how this very slight weakness created by Black’s advance of his pawns brings him into trouble. A White Knight settles down at his Q6, which is no longer guarded by the Black QBP, and paralyses the whole of Black’s game. Another factor in White’s superiority of position is the possession of the King’s file. The Black Rook cannot move until the King gets a loophole by a pawn move. As we have seen, such a pawn move often affords an entry to the opposing pieces.
Not BxP, of course, because of P-QKt3 and Q-Kt2. The Bishop which cannot remain at K3 is to go to Kt2, so that the threat of mate after Q-QB3 may also hold up a White piece.
21. P-B5 B-Kt2 22. Q-K7 Q-QB3 23. R-K2 P-B3
Compulsory, as otherwise P-B6 forces the KtP to advance, which is fatal in any case. After P-Kt3, White would cover his BP and play his Q to KR6. On the other hand, after PxP there is Kt-R5-B6, and Black is in a mating net.
24. Kt-K4 Q-Q4 25. Kt-Q6 B-B3
The threat was QxRch and R-K8 mate.
in order to retreat to R2 in case of Q-Q8ch. In a way P-KR3 creates a certain weakness, as the square at Kt3 is now defenceless, but Black has no pieces with which to take advantage of it: his Rook cannot move, his Bishop is on the White squares. If Black had a KB instead, the move would be very doubtful, because then Black might break in through White’s KKt3.
White’s threat was to repel the Black Queen by P-B4 and to mate in five moves, beginning with Q-K6ch.
This disposes of the winning of the Queen by the threatened mate. But it creates a weakness at Black’s Kt3, which White exploits in grand style. He decides to play the King himself to Kt6, threatening mate at Kt7. In spite of several raids by the Black Queen, this quaint device is crowned with success. The weakness created by P-KR3 could not be demonstrated more drastically.
28. K-R2 P-QKt4 29. K-Kt3 P-QR4 30. K-R4 P-Kt3
If White were to play PxP now, Black would mate him one move earlier (Q-Kt4). Of course he parries the threat first, and Black is helpless.
31. R-K3 QxKtP 32. R-Kt3 Q-B7
After P-Kt4ch White could not play 33. K-Kt4 on account of the pretty mate by B-B6. He would play K-R5-Kt6.
33. PxP Q-B5ch 34. R-Kt4 Q-B7ch 35. K-R5 Resigns.
A most instructive game, showing how the superior position of the pieces can lead indirectly to a win, by reducing the opponent’s pieces gradually to impotence and compelling him to move pawns, thereby affording opportunities for a decisive entry.