Chess Strategy · Chapter 53Game No. 45
This chapter is not translated yet. You are reading the original.
White: Rubinstein. Black: Spielmann.
Irregular Opening.
With this move Black tries to avoid well-trodden paths of tournament practice. White can, at will, lead into a peaceful Queen’s Gambit by 2. P-K3 or into a Sicilian Defence by P-K4. It is more usual, however, to play P-Q5, which blocks up the Black centre to some extent.
If 2. PxP, Black regains his pawn after P-K3 without any disadvantage.
Coupled with 4. P-K4, this move is of doubtful value, as Black gains command of White’s Q4. It is advisable to keep the QBP back, thus retaining the option of driving off a hostile piece from Q4 by P-QB3. Moreover, the White KB is hemmed in by the pawn at QB4.
3. … P-KKt3 4. P-K4 B-Kt2 5. B-Q3 P-K3
The development of the KKt is not desirable at B3, where it would block the long diagonal. From K2, however, it commands KB4, where it can take up a strong position after the exchange of pawns in the centre, or else it can support the advance of the KBP.
6. Kt-QB3 Kt-K2 7. KKt-K2
Kt-B3 would have been slightly better, because the Black QKt might play to his K4.
7. … PxP 8. KPxP Kt-Q2 9. P-B4
This move weakens the King’s position, and would be justified only if there was a possibility of opening the file for the Rook by P-B5. But Black has too strong a hold on his KB4. The text move aims at preventing the exchange of White’s KB through Black’s Kt-K4. It would have been better to withdraw the B to B2.
9. … Kt-KB3 10. Kt-Kt3 P-KR4!
Now White cannot enforce P-B5, as Black can attack the Knight by P-R5. White cannot prevent this with P-KR4, as the Black Knight would take up a commanding position at Kt5. Black’s game is superior. He can concentrate all his minor pieces on the King’s wing, while White’s QB is ineffective on account of the ill- considered advance of the KBP.
11. Castles P-R5 12. KKt-K4 KtxKt 13. BxKt
White has to capture with the B, in order to exchange the Black Knight if it should play to B4. After 13. KtxKt, B-Q5ch; 14. K- R1, Kt-B4; White’s Knight would not be able to move from K4 on account of the threat: Kt-Kt6ch. Sooner or later, Black would get a deciding advantage by enforcing the exchange of White’s Knight, e.g. 15. Q-K1, Q-K2; 16. R-QKt1, B-Q2; 17. P-QKt3, Castles QR; 18. B-Kt2, QxKt; 19. BxQ, Kt-Kt6ch; 20. QxKt, PxQ; 21. P-KR3, BxP; 22. PxB, RxPch; 23. K-Kt2, R-R7ch; 24. KxP, RxB; or 21. BxB, RxPch, followed by PxB and QR-R1.
13. … B-Q5ch 14. K-R1 Kt-B4 15. BxKt BxB
White is helpless against the two powerful Bishops.
16. R-K1ch K-B1
Black forfeits his chance of castling, not a great loss under the circumstances. In any case his KR is needed on the Rook’s file, and Black would only have castled on the Queen’s side if at all.
Here P-KR3 was essential in order to prevent the further advance of the KRP. The weakness at Kt3 would not have been so serious in the absence of a Black Knight. Now Black forces the advance of White’s KKtP, and the Bishops become immediately effective.
17. … P-R6 18. P-KKt3
not P-KKt4 on account of Q-R5.
18. … Q-Q2 19. B-Q2 B-Kt5 20. Q-B1
If Q-Q3, Black plays Q-B4 and White cannot exchange Queens because of B-B6 mate.
threatening Q-B7.
21. QR-B1 K-Kt2 22. B-K3 B-B3
Black must not exchange his valuable Bishop.
23. P-Kt3 KR-K1 24. B-B2
There is no answer to Black’s threat of doubling the Rooks on the K file. If White plays Q-B2, Black’s Queen effects an entry at Q6, after which he would double his Rooks, and White’s Bishop cannot be defended. After the text move, Black forces the exchange of his two Rooks for the Queen. Generally speaking, this is no disadvantage, but in consequence of the exposed position of the White King, it means a speedy loss for White.
24. … B-B6ch 25. K-Kt1 B-Kt7 26. RxR BxQ 27. RxR Q-Q6!
If now RxB Black plays Q-B6.
In order to play R-K3 if Black plays BxKt.
28. … Q-B6! 29. KxB Q-R8ch 30. B-Kt1 Q-Kt7ch 31. K-K1 QxBch 32. K-Q2 QxPch Resigns
for the pawn queens.