Common sense in chess [New 21st century ed.] 9781888690408, 1888690402

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Common Sense in Chess by Emanuel Lasker

Including Seven Additional Annotated Games by Lasker from Hastings 1895

New 21st Century Edition!

CoIDIDon Sense In Chess by Emanuel Lasker

Edited by Bruce Alberston

Including Seven Additional Annotated Games by Lasker from Hastings 1895

2007 Russell Enterprises, Inc. Milford, CT USA

Common Sense In Chess © Copyright 2007 Bruce Alberston

All Rights Reserved ISBN: 978-1-888690-40-8

Published by: Russell Enterprises, Inc. P.O. Box 5460

Milford, CT 06460 USA http://www.chesscafe.com [email protected]

Cover design by Janel Lowrance

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments, Symbols and Abbreviations

4

Editor 's Introduction

5

Author 's Preface

7

Chapter One - Opening Principles

8

Chapter Two - Ruy Lopez, Part One

14

Chapter Three - Ruy Lopez, Part Two

19

Chapter Four - Evans Gambit

26

Chapter Five - King's Bishop 's Gambit

32

Chapter Six - French Defence

36

Chapter Seven -The Attack

44

Chapter Eight - The Defence

62

Chapter Nine -The End Game

73

Chapter Ten - Last Round at Hastings

94

Chapter Eleven - Lasker Annotates

99

Analytical Endnotes

115

Summary of Tournament Results 1 889- 1 93 6

1 24

Summary o f Match Results 1 889- 1 92 l

1 25

Index of Players

1 26

Index of Openings

1 27

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Taylor Kingston for analytical endnotes and to Mark Donlan for edit­ ing at the production end. The persistence award goes to Hanon Russell and my agent Julia Lord . Without their efforts this book might never have seen the light of day. Also, thanks to Fred Wilson for analysis and general sound advice.

Standard Symbols and Abbreviations

K stands for King Q stands for Queen R stands for Rook B stands for Bishop N stands for Knight P stands for Pawn although in practice the "P" is rarely used. - (the dash) means "moves to" x means "captures" 0-0 means "castles kingside" 0-0-0 means "castles queenside" t stands for check

# or mate stands for checkmate

1 -0 means White wins

0- 1 means Black wins

Yi-Yi means tie game, a draw !

indicates a strong move

!!

ind icates an excellent, bril liant move

!?

ind icates an interesting but unclear move

?

is a bad or questionable move

??

is a serious blunder

Editor's Introduction by Bruce Alberston 1 895 was a year of peace and prosper­ ity. It was a time of great optimism, when advances in science and technol­ ogy pointed to a future of unending progress, when all matters appeared ul­ timately comprehensibl e . The newly crowned chess champion of the world fit ne atly into the period. Emanuel Lasker, then 26, had wrested the title from Steinitz the year before and was supremely self confident. For a lecture series in the spring of '95, Lasker con­ ceived the ambitious proj ect of reduc­ ing the game of chess to a small set of basic principles, which could then be applied to wide variety of situations. The result is Common Sense in Chess, long regarded as a classic both during Lasker's lifetime and for generations afterwards. It is a masterpiece of com­ pression and exposition, and in the whole of chess literature, there is noth­ ing that quite compares with it. For the present reworking I have con­ verted to algebraic notation, added dia­ grams, and reformatted. Editing to text is l argely cosmetic and the reader can rest assured that nothing of substance has been deleted. I 've fleshed out game scores, but otherwise have kept my hands offthe variations. Lasker wanted his analysis short, to the point, and on the whole rel iable. Readers wanting a bit more depth may avail themselves of the analytical endnotes . I h ave also added two chapters, on the key games of the last round of the Hastings 1 89 5 tournament, and the other games Lasker annotated for the book of that historic event.

But the reader really wants to know not what I did, but what L asker did. To start with, Lasker gave a series of 12 lec­ tures in London, in the spring of 1 895. These were geared to the level of the club p l ayers, or intermediate level . Later that year Lasker gathered his lec­ ture material together and wrote it up in manuscript form to be published, retaining still, the informal, conversa­ tional tone of the lectures. So what's in the lectures? Well, a little bit of everything. Or at least everything Lasker thought a club player should know. There 's b asic opening theory built around a handful of simple, easy to remember ru l e s . There's middle game strategy and tactics, embedded in the chapters on attack and defence, and finally a long endgame section, three lectures rolled into one chapter. The first six chapters deal with the openings. Chapter One devel ops fun­ damental principles which are then ap­ plied to the later chapters. The two sec­ tions on the Ruy Lopez, Berlin and Open Defence, as well as on the French were l i k e l y prepared b e fore h and . Lasker had plenty of experience with these lines, having played both sides, so he knew whereof he spoke. It's state of the art theory (for 1 895), much of which had not yet percolated down to the masses. Two other openings, the Evans Gambit and B ishop 's Gambit, were at the spe­ cial request of the club members. Here Lasker was on shakier ground. Garn-

bits were disappearing from seriou s tournament and match play and Lasker had very little experience with either of t h e s e o p e n i n gs . H i s v e ry fi r s t Bishop 's Gambit came the following year at Nuremberg; defend ing as B lack he lost to Charousek. The only thing to be said in mitigation is that it was the fi n al round and Lasker had already clinched first place. In the Evans Gambit, Lasker was some­ what more successful, having discov­ ered (perhaps red iscovered is more ac­ curate) a quiet l i ttle b i s hop move, 7. . Bb6, that eliminates practically all of black's problems. This i n fact was a maj or openings innovation, and it ap­ pears for the first time in the lecture series. When sprung on the great Evans guru, Tchigorin, later in the year, it knocked the Evans Gambit out of com­ m1ss1on. .

The chapters on attack and defence re­ veal Lasker 's unique abi lity to con­ dense matters to a single underlying p r i n c i p l e , o b s t r uc t i o n s . I t' s t h e attacker's business t o remove them, the defender's to create them. Can chess really be that simple? In Lasker's hands yes. F i n a l ly, the three l e ctures o n the endgame (Chapter Nine) and the three basic endgame concepts: the passed pawn, the active king, and the principle of exhaustion. This last has since been c o - op ted by t h e G e rman w o rd , Zugzwang. But the original notion of corresponding squares, here first intro­ duced by Lasker, turns out to have a

even wider application than anyone could have imagined . Naturally, this is just the bare bones, a mere outline of Lasker's book. The im­ pressive part is Lasker's amazing power of selection, discarding the trivial, fo­ cusing only on what is important. That and Laske r ' s manner of exp laining things using clear, s i mple l anguage . This is a rare gift. So too are Lasker's unique insights, scattered throughout the book and tossed out to his audience almost en passant. Of course it's all an illusion. Lasker knew perfectly well just how difficult chess can be when played at the Mas­ ter level . B ut then he wasn't writing for Masters. He was speaking to the aver­ age c lub player. And for his literary aud ience he adopted the same informal tone of writing, a conversational, col­ loquial style, a tool to put his readers at ease and to create the impression of being at the lectures. This too is an illusion. Nobody talks as in Lasker 's sentences, chock ful l of long subord inate clauses. There's no place to catch a breath. Missing also is the interaction with the aud ience, the questions and answers, and the verbal j ousting. Nor wou ld there be long blocks of moves presented without any commentary. That's dead air time and Lasker certainly knew better. But we' l l stop here. Lasker's work was not meant to be dissected . It was meant to be read, studied, and enj oyed . It's a grand tour deforce; so enjoy and maybe learn something. Bruce Alberston June 2006

Author's Preface The following is an abstract of twelve

very nice differentiation, such as all

lectures given before an audience of the

questions relating to the manoeuvering

London chess players during the spring

of the king and the exchange of men.

of 1 895. It may be regarded as an at­ tempt to deal with all parts of a game

The games and positions given in this

of chess by the aid of general principles.

book are comparatively few, but they

I there­

The principles laid down are deduced

have been selected with care .

from considerati ons concern ing the

fore woul d advise the student not to

nature of Chess as a fight between two brains, and their conception is based on

attempt to read the matter only, but to study it and sink some work into it. The

simple facts. Their practical working

rules deduced are, I believe, very plau­

h a s b e e n i ll u s t r a t e d by p o s i t i o n s

sible. This need not deceive the student

adapted t o t h e purpose, and likely to

who wi l l see the i r significance in a

occur over the board.

clearer l ight i f he tri es to be reasonably

It has been my aim to reduce the differ­

proofs.

skeptical and exacting in the matter of ent rules in number as much as was compatible with clearness. They all will

As regards the analytical notes about

be found to have a remote likeness, and

games or openings,

it would therefore not have been very

short and to the point. Analytical detail

I have tried to be I think

di fficult to reduce the ir number stil l

is therefore not abundant, but

more. Indeed, they may ultimately be

reliable. The method of enumerating all

united in one single leading principle,

the variations thought possible, or prob­

which is the germ ofthe theory not only

able, has been laid aside, and in its place

of Chess, but of any kind of fight. This

an anal y s i s has b e e n g i v e n , wh i c h

principle is sufficiently indicated here,

makes use of both the consideration of

but it is so general in its conception,

the leading variations and general prin­

and the difficulty of expressing the

ciples. The diction and style of the work

whole compass of its meaning in defi­

are those of a lecturer. Fee l i ng that

nite terms so enormous, that I have not

have not been able to make them as

ventured to formulate it. In a future

perfect as I should have desired,

work, for which the present one shall

ask for the l e n ient judgment of the

pave the way, I hope to be able to illus­

reader.

I

I must

trate the significance of that principle , and its capacity for showing facts in

I take this opportunity for expressing

their right relation to one another. For

my hearty thanks to Professor Vi l l i n

that work I have also deferred the dis­

Mamery for h i s kind assi stance in look­

cussion of some points which require

ing over the proofs. Emanuel Lasker

7

Chapter One Opening Principles Gentlemen:

an army into the field-we know where to find the enemy, and the strength at

It is customary to begin with defini­

his disposal. We have the gratifying

tions, but I am sure that all of you are

knowledge that as far as material

so well acquainted with the essential

strength is concerned we shall be equal

parts of the history, the rules, and the

to our opponents. Nevertheless, our

characteristics of Chess, that you will

first step will be exactly analogous to

allow me to jump at once in medias res.

that of a commander of an army. First of all we shall mobilize our troops,

Chess has been represented, or shall I

make them ready for action, try to seize

say misrepresented, as a game-that is,

the important lines and points which are

a thing which could not well serve a

yet wholly unoccupied.

serious purpose, solely created for the enjoyment of an empty hour. If it were

This proceeding will take as rule, no

a game only, Chess would never have

more than six moves, as we shall see

survived the serious trials to which it

later on. If we should neglect to do so,

has, during the long time of its exist­

our opponent would avail himself of the

ence, been often subjected.

opportunity thus given him, would quickly assail some vital point, and ere

By some ardent enthusiasts Chess has

we could rally, the battle would be fin­

been elevated into a science or an art.

ished.

It is neither; but its principle character­ istic seems to be-what human nature

Let me, in illustration of my assertions,

mostly delights in-a fight. Not a fight,

go over some well known little games,

indeed, such as would tickle the nerves

in which mistakes and the punishment

of coarser natures, where blood flows

thereof are clearly traceable.

and the blows delivered leave their vis­ batants, but a fight in which the scien­

Game #1 White vs. Black

tific, the artistic, the purely intellectual

Philidor Defence

ible traces on the bodies of the com­

element holds undivided sway. From this standpoint, a game of Chess becomes a harmonious whole, the out­

1. 2. 3.

e4 Nf3 Bc4

e5 d6

h6

lines of which I will endeavor to de­ scribe to you in this course of lectures.

Except for his last move Black has played well. He's opened lines for his

The requisites in Chess are a board of

two bishops and for the queen, and

sixty-four squares, and two bodies of

should now bring his knight to c6. In­

men . We have therefore, one great ad­

stead, afraid of some premature attack,

vantage over the general who is to lead

he unnecessarily makes a move that

Opening Principles

Another tune to the same song:

does not give add itional force to any of his pieces.

Game #2 White vs. Black Petroff Defence 1. 2. 3.

4.

e4 Nf3 Nxe5

e5 N f6 Nc6

Bg4

Nc3

A mistake. The knights should be first developed, then the bishops.

Black evidently believes in the principle o f quick d evelopment and even ne­ glects to take White 's e-pawn, in order to gain time. 4. 5. 6. 5. 6. 7.

Bxd l Ke7

Nxe5 Bxf7t Nd5#

Nxc6 d3 Bg5

dxc6 Bes

A mistake. He ought to guard against the threatened . . . N g4 with Be2. After the move played he is overtaken by ca­ tastrophe.

1 -0

Checkmate.

6. 9

Nxe4

Common Sense in Chess

7. 8.

Bxf2t Bg4#

Bxd8 Ke2

0-1

Checkmate.

g5 Qh5

A good move which gives our rook something to do. The attack on Black's

Another variation:

g5-pawn, however, is only an apparent one for the moment, because both the

Game #3 White vs. Black

knight and the h-pawn are pinned.

King ' s Gambit

1. 2.

Bxd5 Nf3 h4

5. 6. 7.

e4 f4

7.

e5 exf4

h6

He ought to develop a p iece, for in­ stance, ... Bg7 . This omission will cost him the game.

White, in order to aid h i s development, sacrifices a pawn. Whether with good

8.

reason or not, we shall not argue for the present.

B xf7t

Qxf7

Not 8 . Kxt7 on account of 9. Ne5t ..

3. 4.

Bc4 Kfl

Qh4t d5

9. 10. 11. 1 2. 13.

A n excellent move. Black also sacri­ fices a pawn, to invest it, so to say, i n facilities fo r bringing out h i s pieces. 1(\

Ne5 Qh5t Ng6t Nxh8 hxg5

Qg7 Ke7 Kd8 Qxh8

Opening Principles

We have two pawns and an excellently p l aced rook for tw o p i ec e s , w h i l e B lack's pieces are all still a t home, and his king in an unsafe position. Between fairly even players the issue of the game is therefore decided in favor of White.

7. 8. 9.

Bd3 e5 h4

b6 Be7

Let me go over the moves which fre­ quently occur in games of a close char­ acter. Game #4 Fritz vs. Mason Nuremberg, 1 883 French Defence 1. 2. 3. 4.

e4 d4 Nc3 Bg5

e6 d5 Nf6 Be7

He ought to first exchange the pawns and then bring out his bishop to e7 . In such manner he would obtain an almost unassailable position. 5. 6.

Bxf6 N f3

White consistently takes aim against Black's kingside. Black 's queenside pieces have so l ittle bearing upon the actual scene of battle that his game is already greatly compromised. 9.

The only comparatively safe move would have been . . . Ba6.

Bxf6 0-0

There is no necessity for him to castle so early. His first aim should be to bring his queenside into action. For instance 6 . . . dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nd7 8. Bd3 b6 9. 0-0 Bb7, would be, although not the very best, a sufficiently safe plan for bring­ ing his pieces out.

Bb7

10. 11.

Bxh7t N g5t

Kxh7

Kg6

11 .

If instead l l . . .Kg8 1 2. Qh5 Bxg5 1 3 . hxg5 f6 1 4. g 6 and mate cannot be avoided. 12. 1 I

Ne2 1

Bxg5

Common Sense in Chess

13.

hx g 5

19. 20. 21.

f5

If 1 3 . . . QxgS 1 4. Nf4t Kf5 ( 15. . . Qxf4 1 6. Qh5#) 1 5. Qd3t Kg4 1 6. Qh3 t Kxf4 1 7 . Qf3 mate. 1 4. 1 5.

g xf6 Nf4

Q g 7t Q g 8t Qxe6t

Ke8 Ke7 Kf8

First White drives the black king into the most dangerous spot and then comes the finishing stroke.

Kf7 Rh8

22. 23. 24. 25.

Kg7 Kxh7 Kh8

Rxhl Rh7t Qf7t N g6# 1 -0

To protect himself against White play­ ing Rh7 . But the defence is of no avail as his cruel foe does not allow him a moment's repose . 1 6.

Qg4!

Checkmate.

Rxhl t

If we again critically glance over the few variat i o n s that we have gone through, we must b e struck b y one fact, namely, that the losing side had the greater part of his army in positions where they had no great bearing what­ ever upon the questions at issue . They might have been just as well anywhere else but on the board.

1 7. 1 7.

I have formulated the rules for the de­ velopment of the pieces according to my own experience over the board, and I think, also in accordance with estab­ lished facts, in the following manner:-

Kd2 gxf6

What s h a l l he d o ? I f 17 . . . R h 7 1 8 . Qxe6t Kf8 19. Ng6 mate . 1 8.

Q g 6t

1 . Do not move any pawns in the open­ ing of a game but the king and queen pawns.

Ke7 '"'

Opening Principles

2. Do not move any piece twice in the

i ngs, find it a better plan to advance

opening, but put it at once upon the

the c-pawn two squares b efore ob­

right square. In my practice I have usu­

stru c t i n g i t by your que e n k n i g h t .

a l l y foun d it stro n g e s t to post t h e

This, however, is t h e only exception

knights at b i shop t h r e e (f3, c3 for

where the v i o lation of the principles

White, c6 and f6 for Black), where they

just laid down is unquestionably jus­

have a magnificent sway, and the king

t i fi e d .

bishop somewhere on his original di­ agonal, i f not exposed to exchange at

You w i l l see that according t o this plan

queen bishop four (c4/c 5 ).

the mobilization takes altogether six

3. Bring your knights out before devel­

of two pawns, the two knights, and the

oping the bishops, especially the queen

two bishops. You may be obliged to

bishop.

spend some of your time in the begin­

4. Do not pin the adverse king knight

pawn or piece, or it may be necessary

(by Bg5 /Bg4) before your opponent has

to make one or two defensive moves.

moves, consumed in the development

ning of a game for the exchange of

a

castled.

But the real business of development

In regard to Rule l you w i l l some­

ought to be accompl ished in no more than six separate moves devoted to that

t i mes, especially in queens i d e open-

purpose.

Chapter Two Ruy Lopez, Part One be done. Both of these moves very fre­

Gentlemen:

quently We have given i n our former lecture the

are

made , and on the whole

with satisfactory results . I favor the

theory of the first part of a game of

immediate development of the knight,

Chess and have to a certain extent at­

as 3 . . . d6 deprives the king bishop of the

tempted to prove and to illustrate it. It

possibility to occupy the line from c 5 .

now remains to put it to a practical test.

3.

For thi s purpose we shall discuss to­

Nf6

day a popular form of opening called the Ruy Lopez, from the name of the

Wh ite 's next move may be 4. Nc3 or 4.

Spanish bishop who invented it. It starts

d3 which would give him a solid and

out. . .

on the whol e , strong gam e . But these vari ations would not present any spe­

1. 2. 3.

Game #5 White vs. Black

cial difficulty to B lack, who would con­

Ruy Lopez

terward adopt exactly the tactics rec­

e4 Nf3 Bb5

e5 Nc6

tinue, for instance, with 3 . . . d6, and af­ ommended in our first lecture . White has, however, other continuations at his disposal which give him a harassing attack, which Black must exercise great j udgment to meet.

4.

0-0

O f course you w i l l a t once perceive that the threat w h i c h W h ite's l ast move seems to i mply, viz. Bxc6, fo l lowed by Nxe5, is only an apparent one, as Black

What is Black to do next? According

will regain his pawn easi ly. We are

to our princ i ples he may play either

therefore at liberty to make any devel­

4 .. Be7 or 4 . Bc 5 , and actually either

oping move we please.

of these moves may be made without

.

. .

any real danger. But th is i s not the ques­ According to the princ iples of our last

tion at issue. The black king knight at­

l ecture either 3 . . . d6, or 3 . Nf6, should

tacks the white king pawn which White

.

.

Ruy Lopez, Part One

has left unguarded. Is B lack to accept the offer? I consider this matter at some length because it frequently presents itself in all gambits.

possibilities of the position when we let Black pay the penalty for his daring. 5.

Re l

My answer is this: When you are con­ scious not to have violated the rules laid down, you should accept the sacrifice of an important pawn, as the king pawn, queen pawn, or one of the b i shop pawns. If you do not, as a rule, the pawn which you have rej ected will become very troublesome to you. Do not accept the sacrifice, however, with the idea of maintaining your ma­ terial advantage at the expense of de­ velopment. Such a pol icy never pays in the end. By far the better plan is to give the pawn up after your opponent has made some exertions to gain it. By the same process, through which your opponent has achieved greater scope for his pieces, you will then always be able to recoup yourself, and as a rule, be a gainer in the bargain. I am speaking rather authoritatively in this matter, as I cannot prove my asser­ tions for the moment. However, I do not ask you to believe me blindly. In the course of this lecture, and in those that are to follow, enough, I trust, will be found to warrant what I said. This principle is the one amendment which I wish to add to the four rules given in the last lecture. 4.

N xe4

This move exposes Black to some dan­ ger and I do not think it would be right of me to show you only how Black gets out of it with flying colors. We shall come to a fuller understanding of the

Not the best move, but one that most naturally suggests itself. Nd6 5. To gain time by the attack on the white bishop. 6. 7.

Nc3 Nxe5

Nxb5

Cunning play. If Black now takes one of the knights he loses, e.g.: (a) 7 . . . Nxc3 8 . Nxc6t Be7 9. Nxe7 ! Nxd l 1 0. Ng6t Qe7 1 1 . Nxe7 and re­ mains a piece ahead . (b) 7 ...Nxe5 8 . Rxe5t Be7 9. Nd5! 0-0 2 I 0. Nxe7t Kh8 Now see White 's mode of attack which is rather instructive and of frequent l'i

Common Sense in Chess

occurrence. 1 1 . Qh5 g6 - White threat­ ened mate in two by Qxh7t etc. 1 2. Qh6 d6 - White mates in two. Which is the move? 1 3 . Rh5 gxh5 1 4 . Qf6 check­ mate.

attack has spent itself out. But then he did not make the best of his position at move five. Let us therefore return to that point. 5.

Let us now return to the original posi­ tion at B lack's seventh tum to move .

We develop and attack at the same time, while our pawn cannot be taken, viz . 5. . . exd4 6. Re l f5 7. Nxd4 threatening to gain a piece (among other things) by f2-f3, and should win.

Be7

7.

d4

Be7

5.

5 . . . Nd6 instead leads to an early ex­ change of queens . The resulting posi­ tion is rather somewhat in favor of White, viz . 5 . . . Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8t Kxd8 9. Rd l t Ke8 1 0. Nc3 Be7 11. h3 Be6 1 2. Bg5, with an occasional onslaught of the kingside pawns.

We thus intercept the dangerous file against our king and develop a piece­ two great advantages. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Nd5 3 Nxc6 Nxe7t Nxc8 d3 Be3

6.

Qe2

0-0 dxc6 Kh8 Qxc8 Qf5 h6

This last move is more aggressive than 6. dxe5 at once, which would allow B lack time to do anything he pleases, for instance to castle at once, or to ad­ vance . . . d5 .

And B lack's game is, if anything, pref­ erable. You see how quickly White's Hi

Consider the following variation as an example of what is likely to follow af­ ter 6. dxe5 d5 7 . exd6 Nxd6 8 . Bxc6t

Ruy Lopez, Part One

bxc6 9. Ne5 Bb7, and in spite of his doubled pawn B lack's pieces are excel­ lently placed. 6. 7.

Bxc6

Nd6 bxc6

to the party that has kept its forces a little back. Ere we proceed any further let us con­ sider some sub-variations:

Not 7 . . . dxc6 which would open the d­ file to White's rook, e.g. 8. dxe5 Nf5 9. Rd! Bd7 .

Analysis: after 9 Bd7 . . .

9. Nd4 0-0 1 0. Rd ! Qe8 1 1 . Re l (to prevent either . . . f6 or . . d5) I I . . . Nc5 (not to be recommended, although in fre­ quent use) 1 2 . Nc3 Ba6 1 3 . Qg4 Ne6 1 4. N f5 Kh8 1 5 . Ne4

Analysis: after 15. Ne4 The black d7-bishop and the queen are now so badly placed that White has an opportunity of bringing the game to a virtual finish by energetic attack: I 0. e6 fxe6 1 1 . Ne5 threatening the bishop and 1 2 . Qh5 t . 8.

dxeS

Nb7

We have now come to a critical stage. Black's pieces have retired into safety, ready, with one single move, to occupy points of importance. White on the contrary, has the field to h i m s e l f, but h e can do nothing at present, as there is no tangible obj ect of attack. Various attempts have been made to show that White has here the superior position. I do not believe that White has any advantage, and am rather incl ined to attribute the greater vitality

Black is quite helpless against the threat Re3 and Rh3 etc . Or again: 9. Nd4 0-0 1 0. Rd ! Qe8 1 1 . Re l Nc5 1 2. Nc3 Ne6 1 3 . Nf5 d54 1 4 . exd6 cxd6 1 5 . Qg4 g6 1 6. Bh6 Ng7 1 7 . Nxe7t Qxe7 1 8 . Qd4 and wins at least the exchange. These variations show that it must be Black's aim to post his king bishop on li

Common Sense in Chess 9. 1 0. 11. 1 2.

a line where he can do some effectual work, and to advance his d-pawn. From this position (after 8 Nb7), the fo llowing variations suggest themselves: . . .

9. 10. 11. 1 2. 1 3.

Nd4 Rd l Rel Nb3 Nc3

Nc3 Nd4 Be3 f4

0-0 Bc5 Qe8 d6

0-0 Qe8 Bc5! Bb6 d5

B lack's pieces are again all well in play. White has, to a certain extent, compro­ mised himself by the advance of the f­ pawn . We can now make our final j udgment. The defence considered, initiated by 3 Nf6, yields, in all respects, a satis­ factory game to the second player.

I f Black has not the best of the posi­ tion, at least all danger is past.

. . .

Another attempt.

IB

Chapter Three Ruy Lopez, Part Two Gentlemen:

does not extend beyond a certain circle.

Though we have established in our last lecture a l ine of play which wi ll yield a good defence to the usual form of the Ruy Lopez, we may nevertheless look at others well worth noticing. Truth derives its strength not so much from itself as from the brilliant contrast it makes with what is only apparently true. Thi s app lies especially to Chess, w h e r e it is o ft e n foun d t h a t the

Therefore :

profoundest moves do not much startle 4.

the imagination.

Ba4

A defence which is frequently played

4 . . . d6 is not to be recommended on ac­

is initiated in the third move by advanc­

count of 5. d4 Bd7 6. c3 f5 7. exf5 e4

ing the a-pawn against our bi shop. I

8. Ng5 with an all-round healthy posi­

need not dwell on the point that this

tion for White .

move is against the principles of our

4. 5.

first lecture, just as much as 3 . .. Nf6 i s in accord with them. Neither does i t ,

I

Nf6 0-0

believe, lead to an even game--an opin­ ion which

I shal l attempt to substanti­

ate in the following variations: Game#6

White vs. Black Ruy Lopez

1. 2. 3.

e4

e5

Nf3 Bb5

Nc6 a6 B oth 5. Nc3 or 5. d3 would yield White

White has now the option to exchange

a good game. However, his chances of

his bishop against the adverse knight,

s uccess are greatly i n creased if he

or to retreat it. As a general rule, it is

adopts a more dashing form of attack.

not good policy to exchange in the early stages of a game the long-reaching

B lack cannot well refuse the acceptance

bishop against the knight, whose power

of the (momentary) sacrifice, as other19

Common Sense in Chess

wise White will obtain a good position

attack agai nst the black king, i n the

by d4 followed by e5, or else 5 ... d6 6.

moment (wh ich must soon arrive) that

d4 b5 7. dxe5 with a good game.

he castles on the K-s ide. We therefore preserve it against the possible attack

5. 6.

d4

7.

Bb3

Nxe4

of the b l ack knights , which are driven

b5

into exposed points. 9.

Bc5

e7 would also be a favorabl e spot for the bishop, but it seems necessary to reserve this point for the queen knight. M oreover, there i s a certain want of protection on the queenside, for which you provide by putting the bishop into the rear of your pawns. No fault is now to be found with black's

development,

all his pieces being well

B l ack would be rather venturesome to

in play, but his pawn position on the

take the d-pawn because White could

queenside is compromised. How White

continue with Re 1 and molest the b l ack

w i l l take advantage of that weakness

knight, in fact finally win i t.

the following w i ll explai n.

d5

7. 8.

dxe5

9.

c3

Be6

10.

Nbd2

11.

Bc2

0-0

The position becomes now very instruc­ White's last is an exception to the rule to develop as quickly as possible. The game has already assumed a character of its own, which i n consequence, adds

tive. Whether the twice attacked knight is removed, or exchanged, or guarded, in each case White obtains a splendid game .

to the importance o f some pieces in

Variation A

preference to others . Our K-bishop is destined to serve as the backbone of our

11.

Ng5

Ruy Lopez, Part Two

1 2. 1 3. 14. 1 5. 1 6.

Nxg5 Ne4 Nxc5 Be3 f4

Qx g5 Qe7 Qxc5 Qe7

Let us consider some variations in this interesting position: Variation B l 14. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 1 8.

Nh75 Nf6t Qxh6 Bg5

h6 Re8 gxf6 f56

and Black is without defence. Variation B2 14. 1 5. 1 6.

Sooner or later threatening f4-f5 with a beautiful position. Variation B 11. 12.

Nxd2

1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 2 1. 22.

Qxd2!

b4 Ng5

Ng6 hxg6

Threatening Qh4 etc.

Now we threaten 1 3 . Ng5. With 1 2 .. . h6 he cannot defend as 1 3. Qd3 would force 1 2 . . . g6 and thus the gratuitous win of the h-pawn. If 1 2 . . . B e7 1 3 . Re l to be followed by Nd4 and then speed­ ily f4 would give us the pull; so he plays . . . 1 2. 1 3. 1 4.

Bxg6 Qf4

Qh4 Qh7t Qh8t exf6 Nh7t Bh6

Re8 f6 Kf8 Bg8 gxf6 Kf7

Ne7 Bb6

and wins. Variation B3 1 4. 15.

21

Bxf5

Bf5 Nxf5

Common Sense in Chess

Qd3 Qh3 g4 gxf5 Rel

g6 h6 hxg5 Qe7

of our K-s1·d e pawns, which have swept verything befor� them, as a matte� of . t d the opposmg act, totally anm hila e time Black's force. Wh·1 I e at th e s a . ueens1 d e P awns h ave been lazy spectators o f the fight. q

�

�

. Let us go b �c k gam to w here we rleft offthe exammat1on � of our principal me of play. , �., rJ ;�: �, s�'�.,.1'. .E �P.,f ,�ti� t l•�rJ �� /�� �-� � t�tifil �- · ··� �� · .

�

'

*m �� ??� IJP�A �N··�r-· ��t�,f� Jl.f" ,2'.�f·if¥ � � a �' � ,.,. 4>

'.��

20. 21. 22.

fxg6 Rxe5

.f;Z_J

;;

11. 1 2. Bxf2t Qg7' Kh8

. ... exf6

. wmnm · g easily. . . must stnke us most forc1 bly in . this variatmn I s the tremen dous power .

��

C

f5

Als o 12. Nb3 and th �n 1 3 . Nbd4 would be a good continuat10n.

Ng5 Ndf3 Bf4

Wh at

�

Variation

regardless of expense,

Khl Qe6t Rxg5

�

Nxf6 Bg4 N e5 Nxf3t

Ruy Lopez, Part Two

1 6.

Bc8

1 6 . . Bd78 would be still worse on ac­ count of the rej oinder 1 7 . Be5 . .

1 7.

Qd3

g6

He has no other mode of defence. I f for instance l 7 . . . Ne4 1 8. Nxe4 dxe4 1 9. Qxd8 etc. 18.

Nxh7

My object in thus diving down into the depths of this position is not by any means to provide your memory with ballast. All I want to show is that the superior position will perforce become overpowering, whichever turn you may try to give to the game. And why have we got what we termed the superior position? You see, Black 's queenside pawns do not work, they only requ i re prote c t i o n , w h i l e W h ite ' s pawns, either actively o r only a s poten­ tials of future action, are contributing to White 's success. But we must not yet rest satisfied with the analysis. There may be a way of escape, at move eleven, namely: Variation D

Bf5

1 8.

1 1. 12. 1 3.

Nb3 a4

Bf5 Bb6

Obviously, if 1 8 . . . Kxh7 1 9 . Qxg6t Kh8 2 0 . Kh I w o u l d s p e e d i ly decide the i ssue . 1 9. 20. 21.

Nxf6 t Qd2 Bg5

Rxf6 Bxc2

The unfortunate queenside pawns serve us again as a mark for attack. Now we threaten to exchange the pawns, then the rook, and to gain the d5-pawn . 13.

Or else 21 . Qxc2 with a winning ad­ vantage.

Rb8

This move seems to be the only practi­ cable reply, as otherwise, for instance,

Common Sense in Chess

after 1 3 . . .Ne7, 1 4 . Nbd4 would become very dangerous. 1 4. 1 5.

Nbd4 Nxd4

Nxd4 Bxd4

Or if 1 5 . . . Bd7 1 6. axb5 axb5 1 7 . Qd3 16.

cxd4

We now want our most powerful piece on the K-side. 2 5. 26.

Qh4

Kh8 Qb7

He must, after all, try to get something out of his Q-side. Now we have obtained our purpose. Firstly, we have the two bishops beau­ tifully bearing down against the adverse kingside, then the black c-pawn is now kept backward by our d-pawn, and will never be able to advance.

27. 28. 29. 30. 31.

f6 9 Qh6 Ra3 10 Bd2 Bb4

g6 Ne6 Rg8 Nf8

B g6

1 6.

Or else f3 will win a piece. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 2 1. 22. 23.

axb5 Ra7 f3 Ra6 Be3 f4 Qxc2

axb5 c6 Ng5 Rc8 Ne6 Bxc2 Qd7

A desperate attempt to free himself by 23 . . . c5 would fail against 24. dxc5 d4 2 5 . Rd6 Rxc5 26. Qd3 . 25. 26.

f5 Qf2

Nd8

and Black is quite helpless. Again I beg to draw your attention to the difference in power exerted by the white and the black pawns. Taken all round you will perhaps agree with me when I declare that Black, by choosing the defence 3 .. . a6 to the Ruy Lopez, unnecessarily damages his queenside

Ruy Lopez, Part Two

pawns, while the development of his pieces gives him no compensation for that disadvantage. To relieve your chess nerves from the tension which they must have under­ gone today, allow me to introduce as a finale, a more pleasing matter. In my match with Mr. Steinitz, that master chose, for a long while, a somewhat close defence to the Ruy Lopez, begin­ ning with 3 d6. The game usually ran as follows: . ..

Game #7 White vs. Black Ruy Lopez 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

e4 Nf3 Bb5 d4 Nc3 Bc4

e5 Nc6 d6 Bd7 Nge7

was never executed by Mr. Steinitz, for the reason appearing in what follows. If 7. 8.

g6 Bg5

In order to take possession of the di­ agonal which Black attempts to occupy. 8. 9.

Bg7 Nd5

Attack and counter attack. Bxd4

9.

Anything else would be clearly disad­ vantageous. Black, of course, is now under the expectation that White will continue with 1 0. Nxe7 when l O Bxb2 would allow Black to get out of dan­ ger. But White has a more efficient move at his disposal. . . .

1 0.

Qxd4!

Threatening of course Ng5 . 6. 7.

exd4 Nxd4

This is very awkward for Black. If now 1 0 . . . Nxd4 l 1 .Nf6t Kf8 1 2 . Bh6 check­ mate. So nothing remains but to castle. Now it seems that B lack, in order to keep White's queen at bay, has a good way of developing his KB by means of . . . g6 fo l lowed by . . . B g 7 , where th e . bishop would certainly have an excel­ lent diagonal. This little plan, however,

1 0. 11. 1 2. 13 . 1 4.

0-0 Kh8 Nxd4 Kg8

Nf6 t Ng4t Bf6 t N h6# 1 -0

Chapter Four Evans Gambit Gentlemen:

w h ic h in accor­ with yo ur desire I have chosen to nig ht as subject of discussion, is con­ stituted by these four move s : The Evans Gambit,

dance

Game #8 White vs. Black Evans Gambit 1.

2. 3. 4.

e4 Nf3 Bc4 b4

soon to be followed by . . . c6 and . . . d5.

e5 Nc6 Bes

Black's pieces are all well placed, no matter whether White castles at h i s eighth tum t o move, o r defers that yet for some time. If White therefore sac­ rifices a pawn by giving the gambit, B lack sacrifices the sure prospect of positional advantage by taking it. The i dea of the gambit is very obvious. We want to continue, if 4... Bxb4 (or . . . Nxb4), with 5.

c3

There is no necess ity for Black to ac­ cept the offer of the pawn. On the con­ trary, if he retires his bishop to b6 in reply, he will, as White's last move has in no w ay furthered his development, gai n a small but distinct advantage i n po sitio n . The pla y which would then ensue will be of the fol lowin g charac­ ter: 4. 5. 6. 7.

8.

a4 c3

d3

0-0

Bb6 a6 Nf6 d6 Ne7

and later on proceed with the advance of the d-pawn, so as to obtain a very strong centre and to open several lines for the attack of the pieces. 16

Evans Gambit

The bishop can retire to either c5, a5, e 7, to his own square f8, or to d6, where he is not as badly placed as at first sight appears. The best players favor . . . Ba5 or . . . B c 5 , w ith a preference for the former. Ifwe retire to c5 the bishop may be attacked again by 6. d4, while, on the contrary, . . . Ba5 counteracts that advance. On the other hand, the bishop at a5 will take away from the queen knight an important point, from where he might attack the white king bishop. But taken all around, Ba5

5.

Black can reply with either . . . Qe7 or . . . Qf6. From e7 the queen has hardly any move that is not commanded by White 's pieces, therefore 8. 9.

in the expectation of embarras sing Black's development, as neither the d­ pawn nor the f-pawn can advance for the present without being taken, with the effect that all lines are opened up to our pieces. 9. 10.

seems to be the preferable move. White now has two formidable continu­ ations. 6.

Qf6 e5

Nxc3

Qg6 Nge7

d4

naturally suggests itself first, although it is not of such lasting effect as another move which we shall consider later on. Black will answer 6. 7.

0-0

exd4 dxc3

I n this position we already see that White's attacking moves are pretty well exhausted. He has only a very unsatis­ factory continuation. 11.

Ba3

Which gives to the bishop a long diago­ nal merely in exchange for another one.

The weakest point in Black's camp is the f7-pawn, so we follow up our at­ tack by 8.

Qb 3

This position has been the subject of analysis for many decades and several variations have been found which seem to leave Black with a comparatively safe king position and a pawn ahead. None of the continuations given seem to be super ior to the one that follows. 27

Common Sense in Chess

Bxc3

11.

(Th is move was suggested by Mr. Lord during the l ecture.) 12. 13.

Qxc3 Bd3

1 2. 13. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6.

Rad I Ne4 Bxf7t Bg8 exd6

Re8 Qxe4 Kf8 d5 11 Nxg8

b6 Qh6

Not 1 3 . . . Qh5 as 1 4 . Bxe7 Kxe7 1 5 . e6 might follow. 1 4.

Rfd l

Bb7

1 7. 1 8. 1 9.

Ng5 Qf7 t Nxh7# 1-0

Qf5 Qxf7

and it is difficult to see in which way White will make good his minus of two pawns . T his l i n e of play, the s o called compro­ mised defence of the Evans Gambit, leads sometimes to very bri lliant com­ binations. Let me give you an instance of this at move 1 1 of our principal varia­ tion. 11.

0-0

Instead of 6. d4, the greatest connois­ seur of the Evans, Mr. Tchigorin, fa­ vors 6. 0-0, with the obj ect of main­ taining his centre. It cannot be doubted that this line of play is more in keeping with the original idea of the gambit. Black, in accordance with the principles laid down in lecture 1, must either play his d-pawn or his king knight. It is usu­ al ly the best policy when you are sub­ j ect to a violent attack to move the d­ pawn, and when you are the aggressive party to develop your pieces first.

Evans Gambit

In the position before us 6.

0-0

11. 1 2.

Bd3 Nc3

f6 0-0

d6

appears therefore to be the al lowed sounder play.

7. 8.

d4 cxd4

exd4 Bb6

leads to the "normal position" of the Evans. The five pawns that White has gathered on his king's wing against B lack 's four, exert a considerable amount of pressure on the black p ieces, the more so as Black will be obliged to leave his king on the dangerous side. It i s true that Black may establish three pawns to one on the other wing, but then it will take him a great deal of time to force the fighting on that side, while White 's p ieces w i l l soon be in direction and ready for assault . Various continuations have recently been recommended as best for White, but it seem s to me that the old way of playing is as good as any. The line of play usual ly followed by the old mas­ ters i s 9. 1 0.

d5 Bb2

Na5 Ne7

It is not my intention to analyze the position by the method usua l ly fol­ lowed, of simply enumerating all pos­ sible variations. Such analysis, unless it is very thorough, I contend, is quite useless. It certainly, as the experience of many centuries indisputably shows, would by no means exclude the possi­ bility of committing grave errors, and it usually puts into obscurity the points of view from which the essential char­ acteristics of the position may be de­ duced. Without going into detai ls, this much is certain, either: (a) Black will advance his f-pawn to f5 , or (b) He w i l l in itiate an attack on the queenside with . . . c5, . . . a6, . . . Bc7, . . . b5 etc . , or (c) He w i l l be content to break up White 's strong centre by . .. c6. There is i n d e e d n o other plan de campagne to follow. As regards the first point, it is easily seen that such an advance would not i n c rease the d e fe n s i v e strength of Black 's position. It would open the di29

Common Sense in Chess

tically no chance of winning, in spite of his extra pawn, while the attack of White is very lasting and dangerous.

agonal of the white QB, the point e4 to the white knights (after the exchange of pawns), and probably facilitate the joint attack of the white f-pawn and g­ pawn.

It seems that the normal position will yield to White much better chances of winning than it will to Black.

(b) This was the plan of defence, or rather counter attack, in Anderssen's tierce. White will obtain the advantage in the following manner: 1 3. 1 4. 15. 16. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9.

Khl Nd2 f4 Ne2 Nf3 f5 Nf4

If you want to simplify matters, I ad­ vise you to play 7.

Ng6 c5 a6 Bc7 b5 Ne5

Bb6

at once, with the obj ect of converting your extra material into positional ad­ vantage. If then 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qxd8t Nxd8 10. Nxe5 Nf6.

Analysis: after 1 O Nf6 . . .

This will represent pretty accurately the state of affairs ten or twelve moves af­ ter the normal position has been arrived at. It takes at least seven moves to bring the black pawns to their destination. In the meantime White is free to advance his g-pawn in two steps to g5, and to open up a pernicious attack against Black's kingside. (c) White 's policy will be exactly as in (b), to advance his f-pawn. If Black ex­ changes the c-pawn against the d5pawn, the e4-pawn will retake, and the black queen knight will be unfavorably situated. Black has in this variation prac-

B lack's solid pawns and good, sound dev e l opment w i l l m ake it hard for White to keep up the equilibrium as his a-pawn, and more so the c-pawn, re­ quire constant care. 30

Evans Gambit

If, on the other hand, 8. dxe5 dxe5 9. Qb3 Qf6 1 0 . Bd5 Nge7 1 1 . Bg5 Qg6 1 2 . Bxe7 Kxe7 1 3 . Bxc6 Qxc6 1 4 . Nxe5 Qe6 1 5 . Qa3t c 5 (or 1 5 . . . Kf6)

Analysis: after l 5 .. . c5

with two bishops, a healthy develop­ ment of forces, and a solid position.

12. 13. 14. 15. 1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 19.

Bxb5 Qa4 Nbd2 Ne4 Bxd3 Nf6t exf6 Rad l

Rb8 Bb6 Bb7 Qf5 Qh5 gxf6 Rg8

One of the finest games on record was played at a time when the analysis of the Evans Gambit was not yet far ad­ vanced. It has been named "The Ever­ green Partie." The leader of the white forces was Professor Anderssen. Game #9 Anderssen vs. Dufresne Offhand, Berlin, 1 85 2 Evans Gambit 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

e4 Nf3 Bc4 b4 c3 d4 0-0

e5 Nc6 Bc5 Bxb4 Ba5 exd4 d3

A now obsolete defence. 8. 9. 1 0. 11.

Qb3 e5 Ba3 Re l

Qf6 Qg6 Nge7 b5

One of the most subtle and profound moves on record. 1 9. 20. 21.

Rxe7t Qxd7t

Qxf3 Nxe7

Grand ! 21. 22. 23.

Kxd7 Kc6

Bf5t Bd7# 1 -0

If at move 20 Black continues 20 . . .Kd8, then 21. Rxd7t Kc8 22. Rd8t Nxd8 23 . Qd7t and mates in two more moves.

Chapter Five King's Bishop's Gambit

According to the principles of devel­ opment, either the d-pawn or one of the knights should now move. White is threatening to bring forth an enormous force in no more than three moves, to bear on the centre of the board, namely, N f3 , Nc3 , d4. B lack dare not quietly submit to that, as for the moment his queen is exposed to danger. To keep the white king in his unsound position, to spoil the plan of White, and to aid the quick development of B lack 's forces, the best policy is the most aggressive one, that is, the one initiated by the sac­ rifice of the d-pawn.

Gentlemen:

Accord ing to the request you made to me last Monday, we shall consider to­ day the King's Bishop's Gambit, which as you do know, is constituted by these moves: I.

2. 3.

e4 f4 Bc4

e5 exf4

4. 5.

d5 Bxd5

Now, before anyth ing else is under­ taken . . . If I

remind you of Rule 3 you will ad­ mit that the development of the bishop is not in accordance with our funda­ mental principles. Actually the move of the king knight to f3 would be far stron­ ger, as it leads to a fairly even game, while the King Bishop Gambit should be lost to the first pl ayer.

5.

g5!

The defence will, before all, disturb the quiet course of White's development, by Our bishops have two long lines; our knights have only one move to make to occupy points of importance, and to add to the firmness of our position. We can , therefore, spare the time for this ad­ vance of g-pawn, destined to protect our f4-pawn against all possible attack,

Qh4t

3.

to which White is bound to with .

answer

. .

4.

Kfl 1?

King's B ishop 's Gambit

and to render the kingside unsafe for White 's pieces. 6.

Nf3

Qh5

7.

h4

Bg7

12.

d4

h6

Kg l

Q g6

Nc3

Ne7

So far, everything went all right, be­ cause White consistently p layed for the development of his minor pieces. Now i t becomes apparent that the white queen rook is awkwardly placed, and the queen bishop no less. The king position need not give any anxiety, but the queen has somehow no good pros­ pects of serving her cause. At the same time, Black is quite safe-there is only one weak point in h i s camp, the f­ pawn-and any possible attacks of the white minor pieces in the centre are obviated by the clever sacrifice of the 4th move. 11.

13. 14.

Bd2 Kf2

Nd7 0-0-0

All the weakness of the white game becomes now at once apparent. His e­ and d-pawns are exposed to the most direct attack of the hosti le rook and knights, and king bishop. Try what he may the day is gone. B lack threatens 1 5 . . . Bxf3 and 1 6 . . . Ne5 . If 1 5 . Ne2 Nc5 wins easily. If 1 5 . hxg5 hxg5 1 6. Rxh8 Bxh8 the danger is not obviated. If finally 1 5 . Qc4 Bxf3 ! 1 6 . gxf3 Ne5 1 7 . dxe5 Rxd2t 1 8. Ke l Rhd8 1 9. Qxf7 Qxf7 20 . Bxf7 Bxe5 2 1 . Bb3 Bxc3 22. bxc3 Ng6, followed by . . .Ne5, is at least one way of obtaining a great advantage. Let us retu rn to move 1 1 and vary White 's play.

Qd3

11. 12. 13 . 14.

Preparatory to Bd2 . 11.

Bg4!

Here the queen bishop has a splendid position safe from all possible attack by inferior pieces and with h5 as a safe retreat.

An excellent reply. The bishop not only protects the rook, but guards the two centre points, d4 and e5. 8. 9. 1 0.

Bb3

c6 33

e5 Be4 Qe2 Bxf5

c6 Bf5 Nd7 Nxf5

Common Sense in Chess

shou l d Wh ite, i n an abso l utely even position, such as after move one, when both s i d e s have a d v an c e d t h e i r e­ pawns, sacri fice a pawn, whose recap­ ture is quite uncertai n , and open up h i s kingside t o attack? And then fo l low u p thi s p o l i cy by l e a v i n g the check of the b l ac k queen open? None whatever! The idea of the gambit, if it has any j usti fication, can be only to lure B lack

White i s obl iged to undertake some

into the too violent and h asty pursuit

k i n d o f attack, o r B l a c k will castle

of h i s a tt a c k . I f, t h e r e fo r e , w e c an

q u e e n s i d e , and the b re a k d o w n o f

o b t a i n by sound and cons istent p l ay

W h i t e ' s c en t r e w i l l b e p r ac t i c a l l y

the superiority o f po s iti on, common

c e r t a i n.

15.

s e n s e t r i u m p h s over t r i c k e ry, a n d

Ne4

rightly so.

g4

W h e n t h e anal y ti c a l a n d theoretical

Now at l ast th i s advance i s j u st i fi ed,

knowledge of Chess was not so far ad­

because the d-pawn has lost its protec­

vanced as at the present time, famous

tion by the queen .

1 6. 1 7.

Nd6t Nxf5

p l ayers freq u e n t l y c h o s e the l i v e l y forms of deve l opment which are the

Kf8 1 2 gxf3

o u t c o m e of g a m b i t s . O n e of t h e s e games, though unsound i n t h e highest degre e , has been o f suc h exceptionally bri l l i ant character that it was honored by the p l ayers o f the time with a spe­ cial name. We know it as "The I m m or­ tal Partie."

Game # 1 0 Anderssen vs. Kieseritzky O ffhand, London, 1 8 5 1 King ' s Gambit And wins a piece. I f in stead 1 7 . h 5 gxf3

1.

or 1 7 . Ne l Nxd6 1 8 . exd6 Bxd4t and

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

should w i n . We m u s t there fo re come t o t h e conclu­ s i on that the King B ishop G am b i t i s unsound . I w i l l n o t preten d that there is any right or wrong in Chess from an eth ical standp o i nt, but by what ri ght

3.4

e4 f4 Bc4 Kfl Bxb5 Nf3 d3 Nh4 N f5

e5 exf4 Qh4t b5 Nf6 Qh6 Nh5 c6 QgS

King's Bishop 's Gambit

that none of his pieces are developed, and here White could have smashed Black up by advancing first 1 7 . d4. 17. 18.

Qxb2 Bd6 1 3

A fine coup.

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 1 5. 16. 1 7.

g4 Rg l h4 h5 Qf3 B xf4 Nc3 Nd5

1 8. 19.

Nf6 cxb5 Qg6 Q g5 Ng8 Qf6 Bc5

Bxgl e5

Obstructing the l ine from a l to g7. A glorious finish. 1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23.

I have not dwelt on the constant viola­ tion of principle by Black. The conse­ quence of his imaginative schemes is

K e2 Nxg7t Qf6t Be7# 1 -0

Checkmate.

35

Qxa l t Na6 Kd8 Nxf6

Chapter Six French Defence

These two peculiarities give to the French Defence a character of its own, which, with good play on the part of White, it should never lose.

Gentlemen: As you have expressed the desire to have one of the close openings dis­ cussed, I have chosen tonight the popu­ l ar and important French Defence, which arises when B lack replies to White 's l .e4 with I . . . e6 . 1.

e4

The move which gives the white pieces as much freedom as can be obtained in one single move, is . . .

e6

2.

d4

And j ust s o o n the part o f Black. 2.

This defence had for a long time the reputation of leading to a dull kind of game. In later years it has been found that it gives opportunities for a great many violent attacks of a character which it is difficult to obtain in any other opening.

d5

As early as this opinions greatly differ as to the best continuation to be cho­ sen by White. The attack has namely the choice-

The difference between black's first move . . . e6 and the other . . . e5, com­ monly chosen, is twofold. The pawn at e6 blocks the long diagonal of the black queen bishop reaching up to h3 , which is, I m ight say, almost naturally open to him. On the other hand, in the ordi­ nary games which open with I . e4 e5, the white king bishop can take up a very strong diagonal from c4, pointing to­ ward the initially weakest point i n black's camp, the square fl . This line also is obstructed.

(a) To sacrifice the e-pawn. (b) To exchange it. (c) To advance it. ( d) To guard it. (a) May be at once dismissed. If we play 3 . Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 , this may lead to a tricky game, but with sound and ener­ getic play on the part of B lack, a great advantage ought to accrue to the sec­ ond player. 36

French Defence

( c) is equally inadvisable, as the early a � vance of the pawns unbacked b pieces always is. This may be the lin of play to follow-

�

3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

es c3 Nf3 Be2 0-0

cS Nc6 Qb6 Nge7 NfS

(b) The exchange of pawns in the th Ir " d move 3.

f4 Nf3 b3 Be3 Bt'2

Qb6 Bd7 Nh6 NfS cxd4

cxd4

Bb4t

exdS

leads to a very even game, in which the advan�age of the first move counts for very little. The game might go on . . .

or 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

exdS

4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0.

Nf3 Bd3 0-0 BgS Nbd2 Rel NeS

Nf6 Bd6 0-0 Be6 Nbd7 Re8 Nf8

1 0. 11. 12. 13. 1 4. 1 5.

c3 Qc2 Re2 Bxf6 Rae l g3

Nf8 c6 Qc7 gxf6 Ng6

And if 1 0.

or

Yo � see White comes, without compen­ _ sation, mto great difficulties. 1 "'7

Common Sense in Chess

8. 9.

Bg4 Qxf6

Bg5 Bxf6

White is greedy to win a pawn and vol­ u nta ril y e x c hange s b i s h op vs. pinned

knight-always a great mi stake .

10. 11.

NxdS h3

Qh6 Nxd4

W h e n t he a dv anta g e o f th e doubled rooks on the open fi le is counterbal­ anced b y the strong po s i t i o n of the tw o

b l ack b i s h ops. And B l ack may even have, on account of the somewhat ques­ tionable ex chang e at move thi rtee n t h e ,

s u p e r i o r g am e

.

A game w e l l worth know i n g in the ex­ chang e variation of the French is the one p l ayed by B l ac k burne vs. Engli sch

and B lack ( B l ackbume) won ea s i ly as ,

White 's king position i s exposed.

.

Game # l l Englisch v s . Blackburne

12 1 3. 14. 15 1 6. 17. 18. 19.

.

London, 1 8 83 French Defence

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

e4 d4 exdS N f3 Bd3 0-0 Nc3

.

e6 d5 exd5 Nf6 Bd6 0-0 Nc6

Nxf3t Bxh3 Be6 Rad 8 Bxd5 Bxg3 Rd2 Bh2 t

Be2 Bxf3 Rel g3 Qe2 Bxd5 B e4 Qxd2

0 1 -

The w an t of finesse in variation (b) is acc o u nte d for by the pawn position. The 19

French Defence

4. s. 6. 7. 8.

pawn at d4 takes away a good square from the king knight; it blocks the line of the bishop from e3 to a7, or from c3 to g7; it further obstructs the d-file. I f the two pawns o n the d-file could

by

Nxe4 Bxf6 Nf3 Ng3

dxe4 Be7 g xf6 rs cs

some means be exchanged, the position would assume a very different charac­

ter. As it is, they are never to be got rid of, unless with the friendly assistance of your opponent. ( d) The strongest move that comes un­ der this heading is 3 . Nc3 . A custom has lately sprung up of posting this knight at d2, where it obstructs the queen b i shop and the queen . A good reply against such sickly policy is always to open up all lines quickly;

for instance,

in the given case to advance 3 . . . c 5 . To the move actually chosen

3.

And B lack will have a very good game . The better play is the more audacious one,

4. s.

Nc3

es f4

Nfd7

B lack's answer is as a rule

Nf6

3.

According to one of Steinitz ' s prin­ ciples, which is, whenever you advance your pawn to e 5 , back it up by Now most players choose as continuation

4.

s. 6.

BgS This

rules of

In

ought to reply by

cs dxcS

ex chang e of pawns is imperative. former years White invariably tried, in close games, to ke ep his pawn at d4,

A move unquestionably against the

development, to which Black

f4 as

soon as possible.

Common Sense in Chess

and has now a fine attacking gam e . Assume for instance

backing it up by c3 . This policy has the two great disadvantages that it leaves a weak pawn at d4 open to attack, and that it opens a file (the c-fi le) for the intervention of the black rooks . 6. 7. 8. 9.

Qg4 Bd3 Nf3

11. 12. 13. 14. 1 5. 1 6.

Bxc5 0-0 Nc6

Qh3 g4 1 4

Nxd3 t Nb6 Bb4 Nc4 Nxd2

And the white game is altogether pref­ erable. Or

White threatens the sacrifice so com­ mon in close games, that of the bishop against the h7-pawn . 9. 1 0. 11.

cxd3 d4 Bd2 a3 Kxd2

11. 12. 13. 1 4. 1 5.

f5 N b4

White has only one aim-to make play on the ki ngside, whi le the development of the b l a c k q u e e n b i s h op i s yet unaccomplished. H e therefore does not lose any time by advancing the a-pawn,

a3 cxd3 b4 Nd4

Nb6 Nxd3t Bd7 Be7

To make another attempt 11. 12. 13. Ml

gxf5 cxd3

Qb6 Nxd3 t Rxf5

French Defence

1 4.

NxdS

and should win. 1 5 I f then Black is reduced a t move t e n t o the necessity 1 0.

The pawn must be taken now as ot her­ wise b4 will save it. To capture with the knight ( . . . Nxc5) does not appear to be superior, as the knight is not very happily placed at c5, and obstructs the king bishop somewhat .

h6

8.

Qg4

0-0

Here B lack m ay defend himself by 8 . . . g6, when a very difficult game will ensue, i n which, however, the black kingside pawns will furnish White with good objects of attack. 9.

White can, nevertheless, pursue the policy of aggression by immediately advancing the g-pawn . 1 0.

g4

To take advantage of the opportunity thus offered of opening up the adverse kingside.

Bd3

a6

It is difficult to suggest a different line of play. B lack must do something to bring White's queenside under pres­ sure, as otherwise White gratuitously obtains a good kingside att ack . The advance of the a-pawn and the b-pawn seem to be the only means of accom­ pl ishing that purpose. 1 0.

N f3

threatening Bxh7t . B l ack may strengthen his defence at move six . . . 6.

7.

a3

1 0. 11. 12. 13.

Nc6 BxcS 41

Q h3 g4 Qg3

fS bS g6

16

Common Sense in Chess

5.

N g3

c5

6.

Nf3

Nc6

7.

Be3

Qb6

A very important manoeuvre, but it is difficult to say if thi s move, or Qg2, will, in the end, prove superior. 1 3.

or

Kh8

Again, it is hard to find out better play. The threat is to obtain a passed e-pawn by gxf5 . 14.

5.

Bd3

c5

6.

dxc5

Bxc5

7.

Nxc 5

Qa5 t

c3

Qxc5

Be3

Qc7

Nf3

Nc6

0-0

b6

8. 9. 10. 11.

h4

with a first rate attack. I think you will agree with the proposi tion that I have to lay down, viz. , that 3 . Nc3 subj ects the defence to a diffi­ cult game. As a good reply to 3. Nc3 I advise you to choose the following con­ tinuation ­

dxe4

3.

It

is dangerous to castle into the two bishops' diagonals, so Black first brings out . Bb7, then . . . Rd8 , and waits with moving his king until White has spent some of his accumulated "potential force" (gathered in the centre). . .

4.

Nxe4

You may vary your tactics at move five, by playing 5 .... Nc6 6. c3 e5 with a good game for Black.

Nf6 4?

French Defence

as laid down i n l ecture one req u i re one

amendment, viz. , do not obstruct

y o u r q u e e n b i s h o p p a w n by y o u r queen kn ight (unless you wish t o open the game at once by e4/e 5 ) , and ad­ vance that pawn as early as you can to c4/c5 . After the Easter holidays w e shall dis­ cuss the general principles of the re­ maining parts of the game, when much One word about c lose games in gen­

that has been said hitherto w i l l obtain a

eral. The rules of quick development

different and a deeper meaning.

Ch apter Seven The Attack Gentlemen :

relation of the forces engaged to the rest of the army.

So far we have considered the first part of a game of chess, called the open ing,

The third consideration w i l l influence

u s u ally e m b ra c i n g a b o u t a d o z e n

the

moves . T h e obj ect of development i s ,

executed, whether rap idly (if the advent

a s w e have seen, t o get the pi eces into

of reserve force must under a l l c i rcum­

action, and to pl ace them on favorable

stances be avo ided) or step by step. In

l ines, in order to have them at hand

other words , i t determines whether we

when you i ntend to make them "work." The process o f mak i n g pieces i n Chess do something useful (what ever it may be} has rec eived a special name: it i s cal l ed t h e attack.

The attack is that process by means of which you remove obstructions. That is so in every fi ght, whether it be a battle, or a fight w i th swords , or a box­ ing encounter, this de fi n i tion w i l l al­ ways apply. Let us compare the game of Chess to some other fight-for i n stance a batt l e . Two arm i e s oppos i te e a c h oth er are at­ t e m pt i n g to de stroy, o r at l e ast to frighten each other. The arm ies, i f about even in numbers, and also as far as fa­ vorable position is concerned, will each have a s u pe r i o r i ty in s o m e quarter which w i l l enable them not only to hold

time

in which the attack must be

should m ake it our obj ect to economize i n time, or in material force at our dis­ posal. The surroundings will i n part add to the defens ive strength o f our opponents, and in part take away from it. The ir character will determine which part of the hostile force is exposed to the ef­ fec t of o u r w e ap o n s , and w h i c h i s shielded; where we can advance with comparative safety, and which part of the ground we have to traverse rapidly. In other terms , which are weaknesses to be assailed, and which are strong points toward which to advan c e . The fi rs t c o n siderat i o n w i l l t e l l u s whether, after we have gained, b y the methodical destruction of the obstacles i n our way, a position of advantage, we are able to destroy or drive away the oppos ing forc e ; or whether the object

th e i r opponents there i n check, but also

of our attack, i f obtained, is a suffic ient

to drive them out of th e i r pos i t i o n .

compensation for the lives sacrificed.

Three things determ ine whether a n at­

tack are laid down, the three th ings

tack should be made, and if so, in which

mentioned must be studied.

If in any k ind of fight, the rules for at­

m anner. F i rst o f all the proport i on of the attac k i n g force to that directly op­

In Chess the soldiers are th e men and

pos i n g i t i n numbers; second ly, the na­

the general is the m i nd of the player. I f

ture of the surrou ndings; t h irdly, the

anything that i s subj ect t o t h e possibil-

The Attack

ity of an attack be a weak point, all men,

Chess is given beforehand-it is the

and espec ially the king and the heavy

capture by force of the hosti le king. For

pieces (queen and rooks) would be

that purpose we must command nine

such; we shall , however, call a weak­

squares, the eight around the king and

ness only such p i e c e s , or group o f

the one he occupies . We can reduce that

pieces, as in proportion t o their impor­

number only by driv ing the king to the

t a n c e h a v e a d e fe c t i n d e fe n s i v e

edge of the board, or by forcing his own

strength, fo r instance : a queen that has

pieces to obstruct h i s escape.

only a very l imited range of action, or a pawn that cannot advance nor yet be

Finally, the check-giving piece must not

protected by other pawns.

be l i able to capture, nor must any of the hostile pieces be able to intercept

A weak point is a square-not neces­

its line of attack. This is the "work to

sarily occupi ed-which can only be

be done," and it is enormous consider­

attacked by heavy pieces l ike the queen

ing the large amount of force gifted with

or the rooks. So that pawns, knights,

capacity to capture and obstruct at the

and bi shops, or eventually also rooks

enemy's disposal. This task is still made

protected by other men, are there quite

more difficult by the other one which

safe. Our opponent's weak points we

you have to perform-to protect your

shall name strong points, speaking from

own king against your opponent's as­

our point of view. If we can occupy a

saults.

strong point by one of our pieces, which has from there a large sphere of action,

The Chess world went about the task

the battle is often half decided in our

thus voluntari ly undertaken and at­

favor.

tempted to solve the problem involved by the humanly most direct method; it

Obstructions in Chess are pieces of

simply tried it, piling variation on varia­

minor importance which intercept the

tion, correcting and re-correcting them,

l i nes of action of our men. It is, as a

for say two thousand years. Many beau­

rule, easier to remove them when they

tiful games were played and startling

are h o s t i l e m e n , b e c a u s e we m a y

discoveries made, but the real problem

threaten them b y so many of our own

was never solved.

pieces that we can finally safely cap­ ture them; it is different when for in­

And why, may we ask, have for so long

stance, one of our own pawns, blocked

a time the exertions of the best brains

by one of the pawns or pieces of the

of the human race continually failed?

enemy, stands in our way. And worse

There i s one answer whose cogency is

still when this pawn is isolated. The

i rre s i s t i b l e , an answer whose truth

only way of removing it by force con­

seems to be proved by experience be­

sists then usually in placing a piece

yond doubt, viz . , there is no solution .

under the protection of this pawn and

And for this reason. The resources on

forcing the exchange of that piece.

each side are so evenly balanced that the trifling advantage of the first move

Let us now consider the initial position. The ultimate obj ect of every attack in

is not sufficient to force the defence to resignation.

Common Sense in Chess

This admitted, we must begin, before entering upon our task, with the sup­ position that the initial position has been d i fferentiated to such an extent that the win of the game becomes pos­ sible to the one or the other party. After having granted this much the problem is transformed and it assumes the fol­ lowing shape : the balance of position and forces has at least been partly dis­ turbed and to checkmate the king of the i n fe r i o r fo rce b e c o m e s a fe a s i b l e achievement. Whether a nearly balanced position al­ lows a forced win to one or the other party depends usually on the slightest differences, so much so i ndeed, that it would be a hopeless undertaking to search for certain rules, or a mathemati­ cal formula that would give you its so­ lution without the applicati on of intel­ lectual power in each special case. The question involved is of such a compli­ cated nature that the only way to ob­ tain an answer is to divide the board into parts, to analyze the partial ques­ tions by the experimental method, and to finally draw the sum total of all the answers. Now, given a position in Chess where, on the one w i ng ( fo r i n stan c e , the kingside), we have the superiori ty, on another (the queenside or the centre) we may be at a disadvantage, but where on the whole, our advantage is prevai l­ ing, in what manner are we to make capital out of that superiority? The answer depends of course on the analysis of the position. But if this analysis is methodical it will greatly acquire clearness and sharpness, and

the mental labor required wi l l be re­ duced to a min imum. The moves in Chess are of three kinds, they are either (a) Developing, i. e. bri nging new force into play. ( b ) Attac k i n g , i . e . m a k i n g p i e c e s threaten the hostile men, give a check, thre aten a che ckmate, etc. In other words, making pieces do something, or work. ( c) Serving defensive purposes, i. e. giv­ ing protection to a weak point, obstruct­ ing an important l i ne , etc . In other words, undoing the work of the hostile men. What kind of move is required is deter­ mined by the exigencies of the position. If you have a large superiority of force in a quarter where the enemy has im­ portant weaknesses, like the king or the queen in a bad position, etc . , you must assail quickly. Every one of your moves must be intended to do much . Your re­ serve force must be made useful for the attack with as much gain of time as possible-by attacking, for instance, some weaknesses while on the way­ and the reserve force of the opponent must be kept back, if possible, by ob­ structions that you can place in their way (think ofMorphy's pawn sacrifices for that purpose). The devices are mani­ fold, but the variations, on account of the many forced moves on the part of the defence, are usual ly few, and there­ fore subj ect to direct anal ysis. Of such attacks we say that their "pace" is quick. A l l the games given, especially the French Defence of the previous lecture, have contained attacks of quick pace.

The Attack

28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33 .

Here follows another.

Game # 1 2 Lasker vs. Bauer Amsterdam, 1 8 89 B ird 's Open ing

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11. 1 2. 13.

Rb7 f6 Bxf6 Ke8 Ke7

e6 Qg6 Rxf6t Qxf6t Qh8t Qg7t 1 -0

d5 Nf6 e6 Be7 b6 Bb7 N bd7 0-0 c5 Qc7 N xe5 Qc6 a6

f4 e3 b3 Bb2 Bd3 Nc3 Nf3 0-0 Ne2 Ng3 Ne5 Bxe5 Qe2

· �� �"�}�� t �� t �.tn t �•• t � � � r�rr� t � • �- • . � �� � . �

� ��jfj� �r,

.

i

,� �.

When your superiority is not cl early defined you must be satisfied with at­ tacking in a moderate pace, advancing on your strong points and methodically creati ng new ones near your opponent's lines of defence. Then the plan i s ev­ erything, and the time a matter of sec­ ondary i mportance (compare the 3 rd, 4th, 5th and 6th game given i n these lectures). General ly the "pace" of your

:a: m :a: ��• :a: �

attack must s l acken down, the less pro­

� �� · � ;g �

nounced your advantage is. A very good

14. 1 5. 1 6. 17. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.

Nh5 Bxh7t Qxh5t Bxg7 Qg4t Rf3 Rh3t Rxh6t Qd7 Qxb7 Rfl Q d7

Nxh5 Kxh7 Kg8 Kxg7 Kh7 e5 Qh6 Kxh6 Bf6 Kg 7 Rab8 Rfd8

Q g4t fxe5

Kf8

player w i l l seldom give you opportuni­ ties for violent and short attacks, which require an amount of acting force that is o ften underrated. Some of Morphy 's games :

Game # 1 3 Scholten v s . Morphy New York, 1 8 5 7 King's Gambit 1.

2. 3. 4.

B g7 47

e4 f4 Bc4 exd5

e5 exf4 d5 N f6

Common Sense in Chess

5. 6. 7.

Nc3 d4 Nge2

Bd6 0-0 f3

O c c up y i n g one o f W h i t e ' s s trong points, that can be attacked only by the f-pawn or the queen bishop, therefore an excellent obstruction .

10. 11. 12.

Kd2 Kc3

Bg3t Bd6

Here he unnecessarily exposes himself to new dangers . 1 2 . c3 would have pro­ vided a safe retreat to the king.

b5

12. The white king stands in an obstructed fi le, so Morphy sacrifices his pawn to prevent the king from castling w ith safety. It will be remarked that after the sacrifice, the defensive power of the white h- and f-pawns becomes very weak, both of these pawns being iso­ lated.

8. 9.

gxf3 h4

Nh5 Quickly opening u p a l l the lines on the

It would have been better to defend by a developing move such as 9. Be3 , when the following play might ensue : 9. . . Re8 1 0. Qd2 Qe7 1 1 . Ne4 Bf5 1 2 . Bd3 .

9. 10.

side which the white king has chosen to take refuge.

13.

Bxb5

c6

Now he threatens 14 . . . Qa5 t, so he in­

Re8 Ne4

directly forces White to remove the well posted knight from e4.

14. 15. 1 6. 17. 18.

Nxd6 Ba4 Rel b3 Bxc6

Qxd6 Ba6 Nd7 1 7 Nb6 Rac8 18

Every one of Black's pieces has now long open lines in consequence of the energeti c attacking manoeuvres of the last six moves.

The Attack

Game # 1 4 Paulsen vs. Morphy New York, 1 85 7 Four Kn i g ht s Game

Kd2 19

1 9.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

e4 N f3 Nc3 Bb5 0-0 Nxe5

7.

Nxc6

e5 Nc6 Nf6 Bc5 0-0 Re8

B lack t h reatened to win a piece b y k n i g h t or queen takes d 5 . 1 9 . K b 2 w o u l d have l o s t immed i ately on ac­ count of 1 9 . . . Rxc6 20. dxc6 Bxe2 2 1 . Rxe220 Rxe2 22. Qxe2 Na4t either win­ ning the queen or c h eckmating the king in the next move .

1 9. 20. 2 1. 22. 23. 24. 25.

dxc6 Rxe2 22 Ke l Kd2 Kc3 Kb2 0-1

Rxc6 2 1 Bxe2 Qxd4t Qgl t Rd St QcSt Na4t

This capture only develops B lack. it would have been quite as good to re­ tire 7 . N f3 and to fo l low t h i s up, if 7 ... Nxe4, by 8 . d4.

7. 8. 9.

Bc4 Be2

dxc6 bS

The b l ac k paw n s by thus advancing do not of course gain in defensive strength

,

but B lack is so far ahead in de v elop­ ment that W h ite will never be able to take advantage of th at weakness.

9. 10. 11.

R es i gn s for if 26. bxa4 Qb4 mate. I f ,

2 6 . Kb l Nc3t wi nning first the queen and then the rook.

His famous game ag ai n s t Paulsen in the New York Tournament runs as follows.

Nxe4 Bf3

N xe4 Rxe4

If here 1 1 . c3, which loo k s at first sight

stronger, then B l a c k w i l l assail the Ml

Common Sense in Chess

castled king, which for the present has only the support of the h- and g-pawns. The game might proceed l 1 . . .Qh4 1 2 . g3 Qh3 1 3 . Bf3 Rh4 1 4. gxh4 Bd6 or 1 2 . d4 Bd6 1 3 . g3 Qh3 1 4. f4 Bd7 1 5 . Bf3 Re7

A nalysis: after l 5 Re 7 . . .

when B l ack will double his rooks on the e-file and obtain a sound position with many attacking possibilities. 11. 1 2.

Re6 c3

A somewhat elaborate process for so simple an obj ect. First, 1 2 . d3 was the proper play. 12

Qd3

struction. The queen cannot be attacked in her present situation by any hostile man but exerts a considerable amount of pressure, preventing, for instance, such moves as Qc2 or Be2 . 13. 14. 1 5. 1 6.

b4 a4 Qxa4 Ra2

This move may serve as a preparation for Qc2. White evidently i s beginning to feel the restraint which he suffers through the blockade of his queen pawn by the adverse queen. H i s plan, how­ ever, is frustrated by B lack, whose at­ tack has already become ripe for the decisive blow. If 1 6. Qa6 (instead of 1 6. Ra2), B lack's best reply seems to be 1 6 . . . Qf5 1 7 . d4 Rae8 1 8 . Be3 c5 1 9. bxc5 Bxc5

A nalysis: after

This is one of the rare cases in which a heavy piece like the queen can with success be used for the purpose of ob-

Bb6 bxa4 Bd7

19

. . .

Bxc5

The Attack

2 0 . Qa5? Rg6 with a winning advan­

22 . . . Rg2 w ith the d o u b l e threat o f

tage. For i f 2 l . Kh l Qxf3 22. gxf3 Bc6

23 . Rxf2t and 2 3 . . Rxh2 . . .

leaves White helpless. Therefore White 's best would be 20.

.

23. 24.

Kg l Kh l

25.

Qfl

Bh3t 23 Bxf2

Qe2 Bb6 2 1 . B g4 Rxe3 2 2 . Bxf5 Rxe2 2 3 . Bxd7 with an even ending.

1 6.

Raes

The strongest move for devel opment and s i multaneously for attack. B lack threatens now 1 7 . . . Qxfl t.

1 7.

Qa6

Qxf'3

An effecti ve, surpri sing, and beautiful coup .

H i s only resourc e .

1 8. 19.

gxf3 Kh l

Rg6t Bh3

25. 26.

Bx fl Rel

Rxfl

Again binding the hostile d-pawn to his post.

27. 28.

Rh6

Rat d4

At last!

28.

Be3 0-1

B lack threatens 20 . . . Bg2t fo llowed by 2 1 . . . B x f3 mate . 20. Rg l is no safe­ guard, as a fter the exchan g e o f the rooks, the queen rook will checkmate him. Nor would 20. Qd3 mend matters, as B lack w i l l answer with 20 . f5 , and ..

i f then 2 1 . Qc4t by 2 1 . . .Kf8 .

20. 21. 22.

Rd l Kgl Kfl

Bg2t Bxf3t Bg2t

He might have decided the issue by

Resigns, for i f 29. B xe3 Rhxh2t 3 0 . Kg ! Reg2 checkmate . El

Common Sense in Chess

Let us now pass over to more recent times.

9. 10.

Bg5 Be3

h6 c5

Game # 1 5 Anderssen vs. Steinitz 1 3th match game London, 1 866 Ruy Lopez I.

2. 3. 4. 5.

e4 Nf3 Bb5 d3 Bxc6 t

e5 Nc6 Nf6 d6

An excellent coup. Black's plan as will be seen is to make the fighting on the kingside with his pawns. He therefore keeps the white d-pawn back to pre­ serve the obstructions in the centre. 11.

Rb l

It would have been much more to White's interest to forestall the immi­ nent attack, for instance, by 1 1 . Qd2 Kh7 1 2 . g4 Ng8 1 3 . Nh2 f5 1 4. f3 . This exchange is decidedly uncalled for. Black's queen rook gains thereby an open l i n e as w e l l as the queen bishop. White has no compensation whatever; for to speak in the early stages of a game of the weakness of a doubled pawn, or an isolated pawn, for end game purposes is nothing but a chimera. 5. 6.

h3

11. 12. 13. 14. 1 5.

b4 Rxb4 Ra4 Ra3

Ne 8 cxb4 c5 Bd7 f5

bxc6 g6

Black has already the advantage and can therefore afford to lose a move for development, which will later on sup­ port his plan of attack. 7.

8.

Nc3 0-0

Bg7 0-0

The white e-pawn, which intercepts the line of the bishop from c6, blocks the e5-pawn, and holds back the d6-pawn,

The Attack

dare not be removed. It is, therefore,

pawns, nor in front of them, during the

an excellent obj ect of attack.

whole of the tedious process.

1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 19.

Qbl Qb7 Rb l QdS

Kh8 as a4 Qc8

White 's game suffers from want of de­ sign. There is no possible o bj ect in all th i s manoeuvering of the heavy pieces. His p o l icy should have been one of defence, which he might conduct by 1 9. Nh2, 20. f3 and so on, and perhaps suc­

26. 27. 28 29. 30. 3 1.

cessful ly.

20.

.

Ra7

Rb6

Kfl Ngl hxg4 f3 Ndl Bel

hS g4 hxg4 Qh4 NgS Qh2

I n order to have his queen free for the following threat: 2 l

...

f4 22. Bd2 Bxh3

2 3 . gxh3 Qxh3 24. Nh2 f3 etc.

21. 22. 23. 24. 25.

Kh2 Bd2 Qc4 Rb l Kgl

f4 gS Qd8 Nf6 Nh7

Here w e have the

beau ideal of the con­

cluding stages of a kingside attack sup­ ported by a chain of pawns . I f 3 2 . fxg4, all the lines are opened by 32 . f3 with .

.

tremendous effect. White cannot much improve his position as his p i eces have no space to execute any movements. So

The h-pawn shal l advance a n d then the

B lack has any amount of time to pre­

g - p aw n , to be fo l l ow e d by . . . Ng 5 ,

pare the finishing stroke.

where the knight wil l have i n conjunc­

32. 33. 34. 35.

tion with his advanced pawns, a com­ manding sway. Mark how carefully all this is prepared. No strong point i s left to the white party i n the rear ofthe black �2

d4 gxf3 Bf2 dxc5

gxf3 Nh3 Nxgl

Common Sense in Chess

was the real reason of all the trouble that he had to undergo later. Game #16 Steinitz vs. Zukertort 2nd match game New York, 1 886 Scotch Game

Of course if 3 5 . Bxg 1 Bh3 t wins. 35. 36.

1. 2. 3. 4.

e4 N f3 d4 Nxd4

es Nc6 exd4 Nf6

Qh3t Kel

or 36. Kxg l Bf6, the white king being quite helpless. 36. 37.

Nxf3t Qxf3

Rxf3

According to our rules this should be the strongest reply. It certainly is a move that answers all purposes.

and B l ac k won easi ly a few moves later. . . 38. 39. 40. 41 42. 43. .

Nc3 BxcS NdS QxcS Kf2 Nc7

dxcS Rc7 RxcS Qxe4t Rc8 Qe3t 0-1

Do not overlook how the apparently unimportant sixth move of White (h3 )

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11.

Nc3 Nxc6 Bd3 exdS 0-0 BgS Ne2

Bb4 bxc6 dS cxdS 0-0 c6 Bd6

The Attack

12.

Ng3

The knight occupies a square which is better reserved for the bishop . 1 2 . Nd4 seems therefore preferable. 12. 13.

Bd2

h6 Ng4

Excellent ! Black threatens . . . Qh4 . If White replies by 1 4 . h3 , then 1 4 . . . Nxf2 1 5 . Kxf2 Qh4 1 5 . Qf3 f5 winning. 1 4. lS. 16.

Be2 Bxg4 Qcl

Qh4 Bxg4

20. 21.

Of course he cannot take the pawn without losing a piece . 21. 22. 23 24. 2S. 26. 27. .

16.

Rxd6 Bb4 Rd l Bxf8 NhS Nf4

Rd7 Rxd6 Qf6 RdS Qxf8 Qe8 Res

Be2

What he proposes with this is not very clear. He ought to strike hard while White is yet behind in the development of his rooks, thus: 1 6 . . . f5 1 7 . Bf4 Bc5 1 8. Re 1 g5 1 9. Be3 Bxe3 20. fxe3 f4 w i th an e x c ellent attac k . O r even 16 ... Bd7 will give him a lasting attack, difficult to meet. 1 7. 18. 19. 20.

d4 Bas

Rel Bc3 Re6 Qd2

Ba6 rs Rad8

Now he threatens Qd4, or the doubling of rooks on the open file; but mark how finely Black fru strates all this.

Black is the first to take the open file­ a great advantage, which White should not have yielded at move 26. 28. 29.

h4 hS

cs

T h i s manoeuvre w ith the h - pawn , which shall make the position of the N unassailable, is misplaced. The pawn

Common Sense in Chess

exposes itself only to the attack of the bishop. 29. 30.

41. 42.

Qxf2t Bxf3

Rxf2

Re4 c3

This unnecessary advance is the prin­ ciple reason for the speedy conclusion that follows. Black's play from now to the end is admirably consistent and strong. 30. 31. 32. 33.

g3 Ng6 Nf4

Qb8 Qe5 Qd6 d3

Decisive. The d-pawn must now win. 43. 44. 45. 46.

Be2 d2 cxb3 Bxg4

g4 Ng2 Ne3 axb3 0-1

34.

b3

If 34. Nxd3 Bxd3 3 5 . Qxd3 Re l t wins the rook or the queen. 34. 35. 36.

Rb l Kh2

First rate; he now threatens 37 37. 38. 39. 40. 41.

Kgl Rb2 f3 Qf2 Kh2

or 4 1 . Kg2 Re3 .

I f we glance critical ly over the games given, we find two rules confirmed:

c4 Kh7 Qb6

Bb7 Qc6 Qc5t Re l t

. . .

Re2 .

( 1 ) Don 't attack unless you have some tangible superiority, either in the stron­ ger working of your pieces, or in longer reach. Corollary: If you do, the reac­ tion will place your army in a critical position, and the inevitable counter at­ tack will find you in disorder. (2) Let it be the first obj ect of your at­ tack to create strong points as near your opp onent s camp as possible, and oc'

The Attack

cupy them with pieces which have from

Immediately bearing down on the weak

there a large field of action.

points of White, d3 and c 2 .

Corollary: Try to force your opponent 's pawns to advance on the side where you attack.

Game #1 7 Dr. Noa vs. Dr. Tarrasch Dresden, 1 892 Ruy Lopez

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

e4 Nf3 Bb5 0-0 Rel Ba4 Nxe5 Rxe5

e5 Nc6 Nf6 Nxe4 Nd6 Be7 Nxe5 0-0

12. 13. 14.

Nd2 Bxd2 Qh5

Nxd2 Bd6

Thi s manoeuvre has not much point. 1 4. Bc2 is m ore to the purpose.

14. 1 5.

Qh3

Bg6 c6

Now Black's development i s excellent and the pawn position unassailable .

9. 10.

d4 Rel

Nc4 d5

From here to the end Black's play is simply c l assical. Mark now how fi nely B lack will combine the advantage re­ sulting from the weak po s ition of the white queen, the s light weakness con­ tained in the loose, ineffective positions o f the w h i t e bi s h o p s , and h i s own strongly posted queen bishop, and the lack of protection of the white b-pawn, fo r a h i g h l y l o g i c a l and s u c c e s s fu l attack.

1 1.

16. 17.

c3

White has no time for such a move. 1 1 . Bb3 Na5 1 2. Nc3 Nxb3 1 3 . axb3 Bd6

1 4. Qf3 c6 1 5 . Bf4 is a sounder line of p lay.

11.

Bf5

Re2 Bb3

Qb6 a5

Capital ! Developing the QR, dislodg­ ing the obstruction, and keeping the b­ pawn in its unsafe pos ition.

1 8. 1 9. 20.

Be3 Bd l Rel

a4 Rfe8 fS

Common Sense in Chess

37

Grand! He forces White to advance ei­ ther the g- or f- pawn. I n the latter case e4 becomes a very strong point, in the former, the queen is obstructed and the pawn position weakened. f4 R l c2 Bel

21. 22. 23.

Bxc3

.

Energetic and decisive, but not very difficult to foresee. 38. 39.

Re7 Raes Qb5

dxe4 Bb3

Bxe4 bxc3 0-1

Preventing Qd3 and again bearing down on the central weak points of the White game. 24. 25. 26.

Qf3 a3 g3

Qc4 Re4 c5

To get h i s r e s e rve force, the king bishop, into play .

27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37.

Rxe4 Qe3 Qxd3 Rf2 Bd2 rs Rfl cxd4 Bc3 Bf3 Kg2

and White resigns, for after 40 . Kf2 d2 4 1 . Ke2 Bc4t he will lose his rook.

fxe4 Qd3 exd3 b5 Be7 Bf7 cxd4 Bf6 Re4 Bxd4t

One of my match games

.

Game # 1 8 Lasker vs. Blackburne 1 0th match game London, 1 892 Queen 's Gambit Declined 1. 2. 3. 4.

A mi stake 3 7 . Bxd4 R xd4 3 8 . Rd l is by far the preferable policy. .

E' R

d4 N f3 c4 Nc3

d5 Nf6 e6 Nbd7

The Attack

5.

Bf4

c6

1 8.

Re l

On account of the l ast move which i s more o r less forced (not t o allow Nb5) the development chosen by B lack i s not adv isable.

6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11.

e3 BgS Bxe7 Bd3 Qe2 0-0

NhS Be7 Qxe7 g6 0-0 rs

White intends a queenside attack ; and , therefore makes first preparations to take advantage of any forward move­ ment that Black might undertake on the kingside, beginning w i th f5 -f4 .

18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Attacks on the kingside in thi s opening have usually l ittle hope of success. An inspection of the position shows that the K-side does not present weakness

b4 NeS Qxc3 a4 bS Nf3

N f6 Ne4 Nxc3 Nh5 Nf6 Nd7

White threatens now 2 5 . c5, fo llowed by a4-a5-a6, to establish a dangerous passed pawn at c 5 .

that could b e assai l e d . The fight i s

24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29.

t h e re fo re i n t h e c entre a n d o n t h e queenside.

12. 13. 1 4. 15.

Rfd l Rael NeS Qc2

Ndf6 Bd7 Be8

With his 1 1 th move B l ack has stopped the advance of the white e-pawn . The white queen is therefore available for the Q's wing.

15. 16. 1 7.

a3 Nf3

Rd8 Nd7 Ng7 ""

Qxc4 Qb3 axbS NeS Rat

dxc4 Nb6 cxbS Bti Rc8

Common Sense in Chess

The obj ect of White 's attack was to keep the queen rook pawn back, which is now indefensible. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

Re2 R2a2 g3 Qxc3 Rxa7 Rxa7

Ra8 Rfc8 Qc7 Qc3 Rxc3 Rxa7 Rc7

46. 47. 48.

hxg6 Rh l

Kf6 hxg6 Kg7

Here, after some manoeuvres to com­ plete the third hour (we played eigh­ teen moves an hour) the game went on at move 5 5 , the position being un­ changed.

The attack has succeeded. White has the advantage of a pawn plus on the kingside. What remains is to convert this into positional superiority-not any easy process, as still there are hardly any assai lable points in the black camp. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46.

Kfl Ke2 Kd2 Ra3 f3 e4 Ral h4 Rb l Ke3 h5

Be8 Kf8 Ke7 Kd6 Rc8 Rc7 Rc8 Rc7 Rc8 Ke7

The decisive manoeuvre. If the pawn is taken, the two isolated h-pawns will be a splendid obj ect of attack, well worth the sacrifice.

49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57.

Ral Re l Rb l Rh l Ral Rh l g4 fxg4 g5

Ra8 Rc8 Kf6 Kg7 Ra8 Rc8 fxg4 Ra8

Threatening Ng4-f6 . And so on . 57. 58.

Kd2

Ra3 Ra2t

The Attack

Ke3 Kf4 Bc4 Rel

62. 63. 64. 65. 66. 67.

Ra3 Nd7 Nf8

The fims h'mg stroke. The rook will now . enter via c7 mto the black camp. ·

61

Bd3

RaS BxbS Ra4 Rxd4 Kg8

Chapter Eight The Defence Gentlemen:

You w i l l therefore, first of all, evacu­ ate these points i f they are occupied by

The principles of defence w i l l be the

men of great i mportance , the queen or

subj ect of our lecture tonight. If the at­

rook , for instanc e , and also frequently

tack is the process through w h i ch ob­

a knight and a bishop. Secondly, you

structions are brought out of the way,

will have to give them support; place

the defence is the art of strengthening

the support in points which are not eas­

them , of giving finnness to your posi­ tion, and of ave rting the blow d i rected agai nst you . When your position i s not inferior to that of your opponent, and he nevertheless makes preparations to attack you , disregard them altogether, develop reserve forces, avoid his attack by the slightest defensive movement possible (like a first-rate boxer, who in the nick of time and with an almost im­ p e r c e pt i b I e m o v e m e n t e v a d e s t h e blow ) , a n d institute a qui c k counter action. When you , however, have been unfor­ tunate enough to compromise yourself, to give your opponent an undeniable reason for and tangible obj ect of attack (which may occur to the best and most cautious player as the result of an un­ successful attack), you have to act very differently. A lso here common sense tells us ex­ actly how to proceed. Every position

ily accessible by the enemy. The rest of your anny is best employed in engag­ ing the reserve force of the enemy­ that i s , such force which it w i l l take h i m time a n d l abor to utilize for t h e pur­ poses of his attack. The object of your opponent's attack is generally speaking, to change the posi­ tion of your men in a certain quarter by force. Abstain from changing it volun­ tarily, except for the most forcible rea­ sons. This is w here most Chess p layers fai l . In order for i nstance to avoid the ap­ proach of a knight or bishop to g5/g4 , they advance thei r h-paw n s to h3/h6 , losing a move and besides , as a general rule , impairing the defensive strength of the chain of pawns on the w ing. Or they advanc e the g-pawn to g3 /g6, to drive a kn ight away posted on f5/f4 , which however well placed, i s usually not half as dangerous as this move it­

will comprise points which are exposed

self. Or they retire a piece because it

to the action of the hostile forces and

may be driven away.

other points which are well guarded. An attack will direct itself in the first in­

Wait w ith all such moves until your

stance against your weakest points­

antagonist has expended some time ,

for instance, against the h- and g-pawn

material, position, etc . ,-well, call it

after c astli ng. Or against a knight on

taken altogether, some of the "powe r"

f3/f6, etc.

at h i s d i sposal-on them.

The Defence

For the rest your defensive movements must of course be subservient to the obj ects of the enemy's attack. You may therefore reverse the rules for attack. Let it be your obj ect to prevent your opponent from creating strong points very near your line of defence. That comprises everything, as we shall see in the instances that are to follow.

shows how unsound all White's play has been.

Game # 1 9 Delmar vs. Lipschutz New York, 1 88 8 Scotch Game 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

e4 Nf3 d4 Nxd4 Nxc6 Bd3 e5

9. 1 0. 11. 12. 13. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6.

e5 Nc6 exd4 Nf6 bxc6 d5

0- 1

Black has followed up to this point the rules of development. He has given White no obj ect of attack nor are any of his pieces in a weak position. White's attacking manoeuvre is therefore pre­ mature . 7. 8. 9.

0-0 h3

Nxe5 Qf6 0-0 Qxf2 t Bxh3 Qf3 t Bd6 Qf2t

Rel Qe2 Qxe5 Kh l gxh3 K h2 Qxd6

Game #20 White vs. Black Max Lange Attack 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ng4 Bc5

e5 Nc6 exd4 Bc5 N f6

5 d6 would be more in conform ity with our rules. The text move is slightly . . .

Now follows a clever stroke which

e4 Nf3 d4 Bc4 0-0

Common Sense in Chess

inferior and gives White the opportu­ n ity to i n i t i at e a v i o l ent o n s l aught,

1 0. 11.

Qf5 Qg6

Nc3 g4

which, however, in the face of B lack 's splendid development, fa i l s against the

B lack must not take l l

best line of defence.

would answer 1 2 . Nd5 Qd8 1 3 . Rxe6t

6.

...

Qxf6 as White

fxe6 1 4 . Nxe6 . Now B l ack threatens to

e5

castle queen s i d e with a magn i ficent game, as White, through h i s attacking manoeuvre s , has vastly impaired the solidity of h i s position.

N ce4 f4 G gxf5

1 2. 13. 1� 1 5.

Bb6 0-0-0 BxG Qxf5

d5

6.

The right reply. To remove the knight woul d be vastly inferior. If6 . . . Ne4 then 7 . B d 5 w o u l d d i s o rg a n i z e B l a c k ' s game, and i f 6 . . . N g 4 7 . Bxf7 t K x f7 8 . N g 5 t might follow.

exf6 Re l t Ng5

7. 8. 9.

dxc4 Be6

At last White has recouped himself in material, but at what an expens e ! He is three pawns behind, h i s king i s in a to­ tally unsafe position, h i s enemy is bril­ liantly developed. In addition the d- and c-pawns, far advanced and well pro­ tected, are ready for decis ive action whenever the sli ghtest opportunity is offered. All thi s for a minor piece.

Qd5

9.

1 6. 1 7. 18. 19.

fxg7 Ng3 Be3 Rxe3

Rhe8 24 d3 t Bxe3t Qc5

N ot 9 . Qd7 as 1 0 . Nxe6 fxe6 l l . Qh5t

Or l 9 . Qxg5 winning. Simi lar conclu­

would allow Wh ite to gain the king

s i o n s fo l low i n any vari ations that

bishop.

W h ite m ay c h o o s e aft e r move 1 3 .

.

.

. .

The Defence

Therefore let us go back to that posi­ tion and vary the attack.

return to their camp. The tide turns and the reaction sets in. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7.

Nfg5 fxg7 Ng3 Nh3

Bd5 Rfe8 h6 Ne5

And B lack should w i n . Or perhaps more effectively. . .

13.

1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20.

Nxf7

Qxel Qd l Nf4

Rxe l t Re8 Ne5 Qc6

A bold sacrifice to maintain the attack. If king or queen takes knight, 1 4. Ng5 will regain the piece with an excellent position. If 1 3 Bxf7 White must be satisfied with driving the king into a somewhat exposed position by 1 4. fxg7 Qxg7 1 5 . Nf6t Kd8 1 6 . Qf3 , with good attacking possibilities against the ex­ posed king. . . .

Bl ack, however, has just as bold a re­ ply, which utterly turns the tables, and gives him the attack against the weak­ ened K-side of White. 13.

With a brilliant attack. Game #2 1 N.N. vs. Rutherford Liverpool, 1 800s Ponziani Opening

0-0 1. 2. 3.

Now at once, all the white pieces be­ come b adly p laced and must speedi ly

e4 Nf3 c3

e5 Nc6

Randolph Twp . Free Public Library

Common Sense in Chess

The Ponziani Opening. I cannot recom­ mend it to you on account of the ques­ tionable early advance of the c-pawn which it involves. d5

3.

An excellent answer. By his third move White has weakened the square d3 , so B lack tries to open the d-file to get p o s s e s s i o n of that v e ry i m portant point.

B lack has by far the better development and now threatens 1 0 . . BcSt. .

4. 5. 6. 7.

Qa4 Nxe5 Bb5 f4

dxe4 Qd5 Nge7

This is the move given by Staunton. It is intended to keep up the attack which by the exchange of minor pieces would be utterly lost. White threatens now 8 . Bc4 and Staunton lets Black, therefore, reply by 7 . . exf3 . A fin e Liverpo o l player, looking a t the position with the instinct of a true chess player, thought that there must be, against such a pre­ cipitate attack as White has undertaken, a better reply. And this is how he de­ feated one of his opponents in a match game. .

7. 8. 9.

Nxd7 0-0

Bd7 Kxd7 Nf5

1 0. 11. 12. 13.

b4 Kh l Bxc6t Qxa8

a5 axb4 bxc6 Bc5

1 4. 1 5.

Qxh8 hxg3

Ng3t Qh5# 0 1 -

Checkmate. Game #22 Blackburne vs. Burn Bradford, 1 8 8 8 French Defence 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

e4 d4 Nc3 e5 f4

e6 d5 Nf6 Nfd7 c5

The Defence

6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0.

dxc5 Qg4 Bd3 Qh3 Nf3

Bxc5 0-0 f5 Nc6 Re8

1 6. 1 7. 1 8.

B lack is evidently preparing his K-side for a l ong siege. His last move answers that purpose excellently. The rook va­ cates the square f8 for the knight, which is there quite secure, and gives support to the weakest point, the h7-pawn; be­ sides to e6 and g6, and is always ready to obstruct the g-file. 11. 12.

g4 a3

Rxg l t Ne2

Bxg l Ng6 Ra7

Again an excellent defensive manoeu­ vre. The rook protects several of the weakest points and can be used as a means of obstructing the open g-fi le. 1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23

.

Ng3 Nh5 Nf6 Qh6 Ng5

Ree7 Kh8 Rg7 Nf8

g6

One of those harmless looking moves, to prevent something that really is no threat at all. These superfluous defen­ sive moves spoi l many a game. Why not at once 1 2 . Qg3 , and then a vigor­ ous advance of the h-pawn? 12. 13. 1 4. 1 5. 16.

Bd2 gxf5 0-0-0 Rhgl t

a6 b5 gxf5 Nf8

Black is practical ly out of danger but must yet p l ay very c arefu l ly. W h ite i ntends now to c o n t i n u e with 2 4 . Q x g 7 t Rxg7 2 5 . N f7 t Rxf7 2 6 . Rg8 mate.

A bold and promising sacrifice which yi elds a v iolent attack, difficult to meet.

23. 24. 25. ft7

Qh5 R g3

Rg6 R7 g 7 Qe7

Common Sense in Chess

33.

Bc3

Rf7

34.

NgS

Nxf4

35.

Nxf7

Nxe2t

36.

Kd2

Nxc3

Another protection to the h7 -pawn. White ' s attack slackens down because his two bishops cannot find an outlet to add their weight to it. 26.

Be 2 25

Rxf6

and B lack won after a few more moves. Game #23

Vi gorous and decisive.

Lasker vs. Steinitz

27.

exf6

28.

Rc3

Bd7

29.

Nf3

Kg8

3rd match game

Qxf6

New York, 1 894 Ruy Lopez 1.

e4

es

2.

Nf3

Nc6 d6

3.

BbS

4.

d4

Bd7

5.

Nc3

Nge7

6.

Bc4

exd4

7.

Nxd4

Nxd4

8.

Qxd4

Nc6

9.

Qe3

NeS

10.

Bb 3

Be6

11.

f4

Nc4

White threatened 30. Rxc6 fol lowed by 3 1 . Bc3 . 30.

Qh3

Ng6

31.

Qh6

Qe7

32.

Rxc6

A l ast attempt to neutra l ize B l ac k ' s material superi ority b y attack. 32.

Bxc6

The Defence

12. 13. 14. 15. 1 6. 17. 18.

Qg3 Be3 rs axb3 Bf4 b4 Ne2

Nxd7 leads to a draw by perpetual check. However, thi s is not the case as pointed out by Tchigorin, e.g. 27. Nxd7 Qb 1 t 2 8 . Kd2 Qxb2t 29. Kd 1 Qb3 t 30. Ke2 Qc4t 3 1 . Ke 1 ! Qxc3 t 3 2 . Bd2 Qa l t 3 3 . Ke2, and White should easily win.

Nb6 c6 Bxb3 Nd7 Qc7 f6 Ne5

27. 28. 29.

1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

Nd4 c3 Ne6 Be3 Rxa7 Ra8t Rxf8 Nxf8

Qb6 0-0-0 Rd7 Qb5 b6 Kb 7 Rxf8 Qd3

Bd2 Ne6

Qc2 Re7 Qxe4t

Here White must be extremely careful in selecting his reply. If he plays the plausible 30. Kd l Qb l t 3 1 . B e l Nd3 3 2 . Qxd6 Nxb2t 3 3 . Ke2 Qe4t 34. Be326 Qxe3 t equalizing the material forces, with good chances for a draw. 30.

Qe3

Qxg2

Now follows a very important manoeu­ vre, the key to White 's defence. b3

31.

If 3 1 . Qe2 instead, Black will answer by 3 l . . Qd5 and have all the queenside at his own disposal . .

The annexed position occurred in my match with Mr. Steinitz; White to move. I played somewhat hastily 27.

Rfl

being under the i m pre ss i on that

27.

31.

Re8

To take the h2-pawn would not be suf­ ficient to keep the balance of forces. White would rep l y 3 2 . Kd l or 32. b 5,

tiQ

Common Sense in Chess

and very soon be able to assume the attack. 32.

Qe2

Qh3

Qd3

37.

3 7 . . . c4 is a n s w e r e d by 3 8 . b x c 4 ; 3 7 . . . Nd3 t by 3 8 . Kb l . The resulting exchanges leave White always in the possession of his advantage. 38. 39. 40. 41.

Nxd3t Rb2t Rxb3

Qxd3 Kb l Ka l Rf3

The first symptom of the gradual ex­ haustion of B lack's attack. The queen would be better posted somewhere on the queenside. But 32 . . . Qd5 is not play­ able as 3 3 . c4 forces the exchange of queens. 33. 34.

Kd l Rf2

Ra8 Ra2

Black's pieces are well placed, but they do not threaten anything. 35. 36. 37.

b5 Nxg7 Kc l

c5 d5

And White won the ending: 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52.

c4 Nb4 Ra3t Rb3t Nd3t cxb3 Rxb5 Kc6 d4 dxc3 Rg5

Ne8 Rg3 Kb l Kcl Rxd3 Nxf6 Ne8 f6 Ng7 Bxc3 f7 1 -0

Game #24 Steinitz vs. Lasker 1 8th match game Montreal, 1 894 Queen 's Gambit Declined

White threatens to drive the rook away, in order to bring matters speedily to a climax.

1. 2.

d4 c4

d5 e6

The Defence

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. I O.

II.

12. 13. 1 4. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 18. 1 9. 20. 21.

Ne3 Bg5 Nf3 e3 Rel Bd3 Bxe4 Bxe7

Nf6 Be7 0-0 Nbd7 e6 dxe4 Nd5 Qxe7

e4 g3 0-0 Qe2 Bb3 Qe3 Ne2 Rfd l Net dxe5 Be2

N f4 N g6 Rd8 b5 Bb7 a6 Rae8 Re8 e5 Nxe5 Re7

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.

Re2 exf5 Qfl Nf4 Nd5 Red2 Ne3 Nxdl

f5 exf5 g6 Ned7 Qd6 Rel Rxd t Qe6

This diagram shows the state of my game No. 1 8, at move 33, White to play, of my match with Mr. Steinitz. I rec­ ommend to you the careful study of this position, in which White can keep the balance only by a very ingenious ma­ noeuvre of defence. The question con­ cerns only the next move of White . B lack threatens 3 3 . . . Nxf3 t 34. Nxf3 Bxf3 3 5 . Qxf3 Qe l t winning. How is White to save his game? lf 3 3 . Rc2 Rxc2 34. Bxc2 Qc6 3 5 . Kg2 Nxf3 3 6 . Nxf3 Ne5 w i l l regain the piece and keep the pawn plus. I f 3 3 . Re2 Re l 34. Bc2 Qd5 3 5 . Ne3 Qxf3, or else 3 5 . Rd2 Nxf3t 36. Nxf3 Qxf3 3 7 . Qxf3 Bxf3 3 8 . Rxd7 Rxc2 should win.

22. 23. 24.

f3

Bb l b3

R8e8 Ne5 f6

33. Ne3 may be answered by 3 3 . . . Rc l 34. Rd l Nxf3 t 3 5 . Nxf3 Rxd l t 3 6 . N x d I Q d 5 again remaining a pawn ahead, with at least an even position . ., 1

Common Sense in Chess

I f 3 3 . Kg2 Nxf3 34. Nxf3 Ne5 3 5 . Rd3 Re l 3 6 . Rd8t Kg7 3 7 . Qa7 Qc6 will yield an irresistible attack to the sec­ ond player. The move actually made, and the only one to save the game (which ended in a draw) was . . .

33.

Kfl !

against which B lack must p lay very cautiously not to be at a disadvantage. Any too violent attack will fail . 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Qe3 Rxd5 N c3 Kf2 N e2 Nd4 N g2

Res Rd5 Qxd5 Qc6 Kg7 Qd6 Qf6 Nc6 27

41. 42. 4 3. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51.

Ne6t Bc2 Ngf4 Kxe3 Bb l Nd4 a3 Nxd5 Bd3 Be2 f4

Kg8 Qe5 i s Qxe3t Nb4 Ne5 Kf7 NdSt Bxd5 Ke7 Kd6 Nd7

52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61.

g4 Bxg4 h4 Be6 Bxd5 Nf3 N g5 N e4 N c3 t Ne4t

fxg4 Nb6 Bb7 NdSt Kxd5 Bc8 h5 Bf5 Kc5 Kd5

Yi-Yi

Sometimes you will have to look very deeply into the position to fi nd a good move for the defence. But this much I believe I can promi se you, that if you follow the rules laid down, you will not search in vain. If you will seek, you will find, no matter how dangerous the at­ tack may look.

Chapter Nine The End Game

Gentlemen : When both parties through the struggles of the middle game have held their own, when by the exertions undergone in at­ tack and defence, the material forces on both sides have become decimated, and direct attacks on the king have con­ sequently lost any chance of success, the game enters upon a new stage, dif­ fering in many points from those pre­ ceding it. Of this part of the game, called the end game, it is a characteri stic that the king-hitherto the direct or indirect obj ect of attack on the part of your op­ ponent-over whose safety you anx­ iously watched, and whose power was limited to protection of a few pawns needed for his own security, now be­ comes a powerful weapon of offence and aggression in your hands. When the game enters this last stage, the general rules for attack and defence are not changed in any particular. Weak­ nesses will principally be represented by pawns which are blocked or cannot advance for some other reason, and which besides, cannot be defended by other pawns. Here again the attack wi II direct itself against the weaknesses. Our weak points will be such as are open to the enemy's men, and not commanded by any of our own men; our opponent's forces will be directed towards those strong points, and will attempt to cre­ ate new ones as near the hosti le weak­ nesses as it has the power to do. Here also the attacking party needs for suc­ cess a superiority of some kind. But in

combination with all this two new fac­ tors enter into the end game which give it its peculiar character. The first is based on the greater facility acqui red (in consequence of the ex­ haustion of the material forces) to lead your passed pawns to queen . For that purpose there are never more than five separate moves required and often less. I f the line where the pawn advances consists entirely of strong points, the enemy will obliged to engage one of his men, perhaps his king, whose func­ tion it will be to command one of these points or to obstruct that line. Points and lines through which the hos­ tile men prevent the advance of the passed pawn may be called points of vantage in regard to it. The game will very often then present a fight for com­ mand of these points or lines of ad­ vance, which may be intercepted by our men, or from which the hostile forces may be driven back. On the other hand, being quite satisfied with the result that part of the hostile army is engaged in watching our passed pawn, we may undertake an attack with all our forces in some other quarter. When attack and defence in the very latest stages of the game are so evenly balanced, and both our own men and those of the opponent are so favorably placed, that, unless the adversary vol­ untarily gives way, neither party can improve his position, when, in other words, the move ceases to be a privi­ lege, "time" (the right to move, that is Tl

C ommon Sense in Chess

to do someth ing useful), will assume a new and very different aspect. In such positions as are frequent in wel l contested games, and the occurrence of w h i c h can o ften w i th certa inty b e forecalcu lated, to have t o move means often a loss in the working power of your pieces, and it may consequently lose you the game. We shall speak of this as the principle of exhaustion, (that is, ex haustion of moves to improve your pos i t i on) Thi s principle will manifest itself in the great care with which the two c o m batants h o l d back certain moves, which either would improve their pos i ti on or at l east not affect it harmfully, unt i l a favorable opportunity has arrived for executing them

occupy that square our king must be ready to march to e3 or e5. From this we deduce the following line of play. . . 1. 2. 3.

Kh3 Kg2 Kg3

Kh6 Kh5 Kh6

The first manifestation of the principle. 4.

Kf2

5.

Ke2

Kh5

.

.

The principle of exhaustion may be i l l ustrated by the diagrams .

Not 5. Ke3 , as 5 . Kg4 would win a pawn. . .

Wh i te manoeuvering on the h- or g­ file, has no chance to force the win. There is not suffici ent space at his dis­ posal . For instance, after I . Kh3 Kh6 2. Kh4 Kg6, he would have to recede. Therefore we must l eave that quarter of the board to the black king Our h­ pawn will consequently be a weakness and it w i ll be wise to hold it back as long as possible.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Kd3 Ke3 Kd4 Ke5

,

.

The best position for the b lack king to occupy w i l l be g4. Whenever he will

In this position ,

Kh4 Kg4 Kh3 Kxh2 winning

The End Game

White has two chances of winning, one based on his passed pawn, the other on the weakness ofthe a6-pawn. The black king occupies at present a position of advantage in regard to both. This i s changed b y the following manoeuvre: 1.

2. 3. 4. 5.

Kd5 Kc4 Kd4 Kd5 Kc5

Kc8 Kd8 Kc8 Kc7

White has two dangerous attacks; the one agai nst the weak black g-pawn, the king threatening it from f4; the obj ect of the other is to advance his pawn to e5, supported by the K at d4. Therefore when the white k i n g w i l l be a t e 3 , t h e b l a c k k i n g m u s t be able to o ccupy i n th at m o m ent g 5 . And when the white k i n g stands on d4 th e black k i n g must prevent the threat­ ened advance by marching to f6 . I f

Now the move i s changed, and White wins easily, or

then the white king i s at d3 , ready to go in o n e m o v e to e i th e r o f t h e s e squares ( d4/e3 ), t h e hostile k i n g must stand on g6. Thus the different squares on each side correspond to each other. This mode of reasoning followed up, we come to the conclusion that White w ith the move draws, B l ack with the move loses . For example, if B l ack moves first, 1.

4. 5. 6. 7.

Kd6 c7 Kd7

Kd8 Kc8 Kb7

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

And mates in a few more moves. A n ending by Mr. Locock.

7?

Kb2 Kb3 Kc2 Kd2 Kc3 Kc4 Kd3 Ke3

Kh8 Kg8 Kh7 Kh6 Kh5 Kg5 Kg6 Kg5 winning

Common Sense in Chess

5. 6. 7.

Kc2 Kc3 Kc4

Kh7 Kg7 Kf7

8. 9. 10.

Kd4 Kd3 Ke3

Kf6 Kg6 Kg5 etc.

Or

One of the gentlemen present, Mr. McLaren, asked for an explanation of the following position [a study by H . N eustadtl published in 1 890] : 8. 9. 1 0. 11. 12.

Kd4 e5 Kxe5 Kf5

Kf6 Kg6 dxe5t Kf7 winning

Now let White have the move.

1. 2. 3. 4.

Kc2 Kd2 Ke2 Kd2

This position depends also on the prin­ ciple of exhaustion. B lack's points of advantage, from which he attacks the white pawn are three-e2 , e3 , f4. The most forward and therefore best o f these is e2 . Whenever the black king i s there, the white king must b e ready to occupy g2 . And whenever the black king marches to e3 , the white king must take the point g3 . The game will run therefore . . .

Kh7 Kh6 Kh5 Kh6 16

The End Game

1. 2. 3. 4.

Kh l Kh2 Kh3 Kg4

5.

Kd2 Kd3 Kd4 Ke3

Kg4

Kg2

Winning. The fo llowing positions are illustrative

5. 6. 7.

Kg3 Kg2 Kh l

Ke2 Kd l

of the power of the passed pawn.

(Or 7 . Kh3 29 ) and draws. A n attempt to force one of the passed pawns will fail.

1. 2.

Kh l Kg2

g4

White wins by a c l ever stroke, in which all the powers of the b7-pawn are made use of.

1. 2. 3.

And draws. B lack with the move will win:

1. 2. 3. 4.

Kg2 Kg3 Kh3

Ke l Ke2 Kfl Kf2

77

RcSt Qxa7t bxc8=Nt

Rxc8 Kxa7

Rblt Rel 1. l. 3. 4.

Nf3 NeS Ng4 Nf6

Bd8 Kh7 Kh8

Rblt Rel

1. l. 3. 4. 5.

Bd4 Ba7 Bb8 Bc7 Bb6

B g3 Bf4 Be3 Ba7 .. .

.

And wins in a fiew more moves . I n b oth o f the latter cases th e kmg of th e wm­ . . nmg party is exceeding)Y well placed. .

.

7. '78

Kb7

Rblt

The End Game

8. 9.

10. 11. 12. 13.

Ka6 Rf4t Kb6 Ka5 Rf3 t Rxf2!

Rc2 Ka3 Rh2t Rc2 Ka2

I f pawn queens instead, 3 ... Rf4 t sacri­

ficing itself, woul d force the stalemate.

3. 4.

Ra8

Ra4 Kg4

An excellent move. White threatened And wins by queen against rook.

5. a6, 6 . a7 , and then a check w ith hi s

B l ack t o Play

w i l l force the draw, for instance 6. Ke I

rook. If now 5 . a6 Kf3 threatening mate, Ke3 7 . Kd l Kd3 8 . Kc l Kc3 9. Kb ! Rb4t and so on .

5. 6.

Ke2 a6

Kf5 Kf6

Not 6 . . . Ke6 as 7 . a7 Kd7 8 . Rh8 would gain the rook .

7. 1. 2. 3.

Kfl f8=R

Kd3

Rg2t Rg4

The dec i s i v e manoeuvre. T h e k i n g comes to the support o f the p awn, in order to l iberate the rook, while B l ack can do n othing to change the position 79

Common Sense in Chess

to his advantage . The square a7 is left free for the king, to allow him a place of safety against the checks of the black rook . 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11. 1 2. 13. 1 4.

Kc3 Kb3 Kb4

Kb5 Kc6 Kb7 Ka7

Kg7 Kh7 Ra5 Ra l Rb l t Rc l t Rb l t

Here White wins by his superior king position and because his pawns are fur­ ther advanced than those of Black.

Without this p lac e of refuge the game would never be won. Now it is a very simple m atter

1.

Kf4

It i s necessary to time the winning ma­ noeuvre correctly. Therefore we must not at once march to e4.

.

1. 2. 3. 4.

K f8 c5 Ke8

Ke4 Kd3 e7

The right moment for the advance. Now Black's movements are forced. 4. 1 4.

15. 1 6. 1 7.

Rb8 Rb6 Kb7

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Kg7 Ra l Kt7

Kd7 Ke8 d3 d2 d l =Q

Kc4 Kxc5 Kd6 Ke6 f7# 1 -0

Ch e ckm ate.

Winning easi ly.

The End Game

And the pawn w i l l queen. When the end game stage i s nearing, the power of the various pieces i s al­ tered to a marked degree. Different is­ sues being at stake, d i fferent measures must be adopted, and ideas, correct in the earlier part o f the game, become sensibly modified. The value of e ach piece varies of c ourse with each end

1.

a5

Bh6

The a-pawn has only to pass one more d a r k s q u are a n d t h at w i t h i n t w o moves; therefore the bishop must hurry to stop it.

2.

game position in a greater or lesser de­ gree; but the men have a certain aver­ age value which will serve as a guide. Thi s value will be determined(a) By their fighting capacity against the adverse king as an aggressive piece,

g5 t

Bxg5

(b) and against passed pawns, ( c) and finally their

reach or power of

offence, when obstructions (as i s usual in endgames) are few. Let us first consider the king. Being well placed i n opposition to the adverse king, he will take three squares from him, and can thus hinder him from ad­ vancing. He can, single-handed, stop three united The b ishop i s obstructed by his own king.

3. 4.

passed pawns, not advanced beyond the sixth row ; and two, o n e of which is on the seventh row. He can attack every

Ke4 KO

Bh4

square on the board and that, if he is in a central point, for instance at e4, in no more than three moves. His reach i s totally uninfluenced by ob­ structions other than the natural l imits of the board. He i s therefore, a power­ ful weapon, if well developed in one of the central points or near im portant points. He can, however, never be used as an instrument of obstruction, never be ex81

Common Sense in Chess

posed to any direct attack, which sen­ sibly d i m i n i shes h i s o ffe n s i v e value against strong pieces of offence.

Game #25 Harrwitz vs. Morphy 5 th match game Paris , 1 8 5 8 Dutch Defence

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

d4 c4 Nc3 Bg5 e3 Bd3 Nge2 0-0 Bxe7

f5 e6 N f6 Be7 0-0 b6 Bb7 Nh5 Qxe7

1 0. 11. 1 2. 13. 14. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Ng3 h xg3 f4 g4 gxf5 Qd2 Rael Bb l Qf2 dS Qf3 a3 b4 Ne2 Ng3

Nxg3 d6 Nc6 Nb4 exf5 Rae8 Qh4 Re6 QhS Rh6 Qh4 Na6 Nb8 Nd7 g6

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

Kf2 Rh l Kgl Rxh6 Qdl Qd2 Nfl g3 b5 Qg2 Kxg2

Nf6 � g4 t Qf6 Nxh6 Ng4 Qh4 Re8 Qh3 Nf6 Qxg2 t

The annexed position occurred in one of M orphy 's match games. The game went on . . .

35. 36. 37.

a4 axb5

a6 axbS Ra8

The first advantage, an unopposed open file for the rook i s now establ i shed.

38.

Nd2

Ra3

The End Game

39. 40. 41.

50.

fxe4 Nxe4 Rc3

Ra2

h4

Forcing the w a for his king wh.IC h soon becomes a dangerous Y assailant. 51. 52. 53. 54.

Kxf4 Rh3 Rh2t Ke3

gxh4 Ra7 Rxc7 Kel 0-1

42. 43. 44. 45.

Kf7 Bc8 BfS hS

Re4 Be2 Rd4

Crushing every resistance.

Through this last move th e important . t at f5 becom es strong. pom Kf6 Bc2 Be4 KfS

Kf2 Rd2 Ke t Kf2

es Nc6 d6 a6 Be6 fxe6

. . The white kmg I S kept bac k b y the black . T O Ok The black kmg, however, can ad vance unchecke d -

·

·

Game #26 Lasker vs. Steinitz 9th match game Philadelphia, 1 894 Ruy Lopez

Common Sense in Chess

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 18. 1 9. 20. 21.

d4 Nxd4 Qxd4 Bg5 Bxd8 0-0-0 Nxb5 Bxc7 Bb6 c3 Kc2 Kb3 f3 Bd4 Rd3

exd4 Nxd4 Ne7 Nc6 Nxd4 Nb5 axb5 Rxa2 Be7 Kti Rha8 R2a4 R8a6 g6 Ke8

The initiation of a subtle counter attack which nearly succeeds in turning the tables. 29.

Ka5

It might have been wiser first to accept the offered pawn thus: 29. fxg4 Re l 30. Ka5 Bd8 3 1 . Rxb5 Ra6t 3 2 . Kb4 Rxe4t 1 2 . Kb3 , remaining a pawn ahead. 29. 30.

Kxb5

Ra6t h5

In one of my match games with Mr. Steinitz the above position occurred, with White to move. 22.

Rhdt

es

If 22 ... Kd7 at once, 23. f4 will give White a good game. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

Be3 Bc5 Rld2 Ba3 Rd5 Kb4

Kd7 Rat Ke6 g5 Rb6

Now the king actively enters the fight. 28.

g4

Or 3 0 . 3 3 . c4.

. .

31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36.

Rh l

3 1 . fxg4 Re I 32. h3 Rxe4

Rdl Rxd l gxf3 Kb6 Kxb7 h4

Rxd l gxf3 Ra8 Rg8 Rg2 Rh2

The End Game

37.

41.

Kc6

h4

42.

Rd l

h3

This manoeuvre makes the black game

43.

Rg l t

Rg2

untenable.

44.

Rxg2 t

hxg2

45.

Bc5

37.

Bxh4

38.

Rxd6t

39.

Kd5

Kf7

And wins after a few more moves with his passed pawns.

If 3 9

. . .

Bd8

45.

Bf6

39.

Rd2 t 40. Kxe5 B g 3 t 4 1 . f4

Rxd6 42. Bxd6 h4 43 . Bc5 h3 44. B g l and the four passed pawns w i n easi ly

46.

b4

Kg5

47.

Kd7

Bf6

48.

b5

Kf4

49.

b6 1-0

against the b ishop . 40.

Rd7t

41.

Ke6

Kg6

An other of M o rphy 's energetic end game attacks. Game #27 Morphy vs. Salmon One of e i ght blindfold B irmingham, 1 8 5 8 Evans Gambit

To check the advance of the black king.

If now 4 1 . . .Kg5 42. Rf7 Bd8 43 . Rf8 Bb6 44. Be7t Kg6 45 . R g8t Kh7 46. Kf7 followed by Bf6 would draw the black king into a mati ng net. gs

1.

e4

e5

2.

Nf3

Nc6

3.

Bc4

Bc5

4.

b4

d5

5.

exd5

Nxb4

6.

0-0

Ne7

7.

Nxe5

0-0

8.

d4

Bd6

9.

Nc3

Bf5

10.

Bb3

a5

11.

a3

a4

Commo n S ense in Chess

1 2.

N x a4

13.

c4

1 4.

cxd5

1 5.

Q f3

35.

B x d6

36.

Re8

Rf8

37.

Kf2

g5

38.

Ke3

g4

39.

Kd3

g5

1 7.

Rel Re2

N f5

1 8.

40.

Bc6

gxf4

Bb2

Qa8

41.

gxf4

Rg8

1 9.

g3

Qa7

Kc4

20.

42.

Nxg6

h x g6

21.

Re5

Bxa3

d6

Bb4

1 6.

22. 23.

Rexa5

24.

Qd5

25.

d7

26.

Rel

27.

Bxd5

Bb4

. The black forces bemg all engaged by ' the combined act ton of the white . rook '

P assed pawn, and bishop, the coopera. . . necessary twn of the king is all that is . to dec1de the day.

42.

Rf8

43.

Kb 5

Rg8

44.

Ka6

Rf8 Rg8

28. 29.

Bc6

N d6

d5

Bd2

45.

Kb7

30.

Rd l

Bg5

46.

Kc8

Bb6

31.

f4

Bd8

47.

Rxg8

Kxg8 Bxd8

32.

Ba3

f5

48.

d8=Qt

33.

Re l

Kf7

49.

Kxd8

34.

Bxb5

Rh8

1-0 ""

The End Game

Examples concerning the power of the king could be readily multiplied. But we leave this for a future occasion. The king as an assailant, or as a strong pro­ tective power, being an essential ele­ ment, yea, almost an organi c part of each approximately even end game. Another piece whose power increases the more the end game stage i s ap­ proaching is the rook. His fighting ca­ pacity against the adverse king is enor­ mous, and exactly what makes him a valuable instrument for attack as well as defence. In conjunction with his own king he can checkmate the hostile king driven to the edge of the board. And in combination with a knight and pawn and a single obstruction he can give checkmate to a king on any square of the board . An example:

But he is less fit for fighting against them. And really too valuable a piece to be given away for such a purpose, if other alternatives are open. The best way to stop an adverse passed pawn with a rook is to place the rook behind it, as his reach will increase the more the pawn advances. He can stop, and even win (if they are unsupported) two passed pawns , of which one is on the sixth, the other on the fifth row. But two passed pawns on the sixth row will queen against him if united. Used against advanced pawns he is therefore not as manageable as the king or even the b i shop . But he is more dangerous to the pawns before they assume a threatening attitude, as his reach is very great, and exactly cal­ culated to serve against pawns in their strongest position-that is, when they are abreast. He can attack, if unobstructed, any square of the board in one move, and will command fourteen at a time. This enables him to restrict the opposite king to a portion of the board.

Without any kind of support he can give unto l d checks to the adverse king, unti l the same is obliged to ap­ proach the rook, perhaps against the best interests of his game, or forced to protect himself behind some kind of obstruction. On account of his attack­ ing qualities he is always a valuable ally when you want to force any obstruc­ tions out of the way, for instance, of passed pawns.

The bishop is very much less fit for assault against the king, or for restrict­ ing his approach, than the rook. The bishop can take away two squares from the king, and eventually give check and command two squares of the reach of the king. His capacity for yielding sup­ port to passed pawns is not very great as the line in which the pawn advances will usually contain some points where obstructions are total ly safe against him. His great value consists in two things: 87

Common Sense in Chess

has shown that, o n an average, during the opening or middle game, the bishop will be at least as strong as the knight, this will be the more true the more ob­ structions disappear, that is, in endings with only a few pawns scattered about the board. In complicated end game positions, where pawns partly form blocks, the knight w i l l find his best chance.

( I ) That he can stop adverse pawns from a long distance and from a num­ ber of squares. (2) That a pawn and a bishop may pro­ tect each other, so as to make both of them comparatively safe against the king or superior pieces. His chessboard, however, contains only thirty-two squares, and whichever in­ fluence they may have on the i ssue of the game, very much determi nes his share in it; so that his importance may be exaggerated when you have the su­ periority of position, or almost annihi­ lated when the opposite i s the case.

The value o f two bishops varies, of course, as they dominate the whole chess board, very much less than that of one; in consequence, two bishops are as a rule appreciably stronger than two knights or a bishop and a knight.

The knight is, unless circumstances are very favorable, the weakest piece of all. He may take two squares from the king, or give check, and besides take away one square from him. But the adverse king may approach him then and get rid of him if no more support is near.

From a correspondence game.

His great power is that he cannot be obstructed. When obstructions abound, and when he can often occupy a strong point near the enemy 's line, he can be an i nvaluable ally. His reach never ex­ ceeds eight points, situated in a circle. And he may be obliged to take five moves to cross the board from one point to another (for instance, the two diago­ nally opposite comer points). On an extended field of battle he must there­ fore choose the wing to which he will give his support, or very much l ose in value.

1. 2.

Ne4 a3

b5

Now a l l the dark s q u ares o n t h e queen side are in possession of White; nor can this be changed as the black king is necessary on the kingside to fight against the white pawns . 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

To refer to the oft mooted question, "Which piece is stronger, the bishop or the knight?" it is clear that the value of the bishop undergoes greater changes than that of the knight. If experience RR

f3 Kf2 Ke3 g4 Nc3t

Bg6 Kf7 Ke6 h6 Kd5 Kd6

The End Game

8.

f4

Be8

From another game by correspondence. B lack to move.

It would have been more advisable to keep the b ishop i n the rear of the ad­ vancing pawns .

9. 1 0.

f5 Ne4 t

Bd7

1.

c5

Strong and embarrassing to White. The pawn engages the d4-pawn w h i ch i s t h e only white u n i t that commands the

1 0.

Ke7

If I O . . . Kd5 I I . f6 w i l l force the ex­ c h ange of knight for b i shop and the extra pawn w i l l easi ly win.

11. 12. 13. 1 4. 1 5. 16.

Kf4 Ke5 h4 g5 hxg5 g6

Be8 B f7 Bd5 hxg5 Bg8

point e 5 . I t can there fore , not take the h o st i l e pawn, as after 2 . dxc 5 t bxc 5 , White h a s no means to stop t h e check at e5, which would soon prove fatal to him.

2.

Rh7

Unsati sfactory enough, b u t the kni ght cannot move to any square improving h i s position, and without expos ing the white pawns to the attack of the rook.

1 -0

2. 3. 4.

B l ack resigns as f5 - f6 will soon prove d ecisive. 89

exd4 Kc3

cxd4 Nf4t Ne6

Common Sense in Chess

Now White can do nothing effectual. If the rook moves Black will win the d4-pawn, 5 . . . Nxd4 6. Kxd4 Rxd2t . 5. 6.

a5 Rgl

Kd3 Ke3

And White resigns, for after 1 3 . gxf6 gxf6 1 4 . Rf7 f5 , his position becomes altogether untenable.

This manoeuvre with the rook is splen­ d i d . He threatens now 7 . . . Rc l and 8 ... Rc3t, winning the d-pawn. White can­ not frustrate that p lan, e.g. 7. Kd3 Re l 8. a4 Nf4t 9. Ke3 g5 1 1 . Kf2 Rd l etc . 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11.

Rh8 Rb8 Kf2 Rxb6t Rb7

Re l Rc3 t Nxd4 Ke5 Kf4

Game #28 Schlechter vs. Tchigorin Hastings Rd. 2 1 , 1 895 Ruy Lopez 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11. 12.

e4 N f3 Bb5 Ba4 0-0 d4 Nc3 Ne2 c3 Ng3 Bb3 Be3

e5 Nc6 a6 Nf6 d6 Nd7 Be7 0-0 Bf6 Ne7 Ng6 Re8

13. 1 4.

Qd2 dxe5

Ndf8 dxe5

I f now 1 2 . Rxg7 Rc2 1 3 . Ke l Ke3 1 4 . Re7t Kd3 1 5 . Nfl Nxf3 t 1 6. Kd l d4, and White has no satisfactory move left. 12.

Re3

g5 0-1

The End Game

1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

Qxd8 N g5 Bxg5 Ne2 axb3 Be3 Rfd l f3 Kf2 g3 Ket Net Nd3 Ke2

Bxd8 Bxg5 Be6 Bxb3 Ne6 Rad8 f6 Kf7 Ke7 Ngf8 Nd7 g5 h5 Rh8

He ought not to leave the important d­ file with his rook. All defensive pur­ poses could be served j ust as well by 30. h3 , which would enable him to re­ ply to 30 . . . g4 with 3 1 . fxg4 hxg4 3 2 . h4, and t o 30 . . . h4 with 3 1 . g4 . 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.

f4 f5 Nf2 Bc5

34.

It was White 's tum to move and the game went on 29.

29. 30.

Nb6

Not 34 ... Nxc5, as 35. bxc5 N-moves 36. c6 would follow. 35.

b4

A pawn move without a clearly defined purpose is to be blamed. The pawn at b4 takes away a good square from the knight, which that piece ought to have occupied at once in order to threaten 3 0 . Nd5 t and to force the advance 29 . . . c6, which would greatly increase the strength of the bishop. Moreover, it leaves a strong point at c4 to the black knights, which White can only guard by another advance of a pawn (b2-b3 ) .

g4 Nd8 Nf7 Nd6

Ndl

Now decidedly 3 5 . Rd l was the right place, when for instance 35 . . . Rd8 36. Rxd6 Rxd6 3 7 . Rd 1 would lead to a probable draw. 3 5. 36.

Ne3

Nbc8 Kf7

Now the e4-pawn has become i nde­ fensible. 37. 38. 39. 40.

Rdg8 Rgl Al

Nd5 Nc7 Rad l bxc5

c6 Nxe4 Nxc5 Rd8

Common Sense in Chess

41. 42.

Ne6 Rxdl

Rxd l Ke7

Ke3

51.

Kt7

It remains to force the exchange of the last pawn on the kingside, in order to have there all lines free, and a clear superiority.

52.

43.

b4

h4

In th us opening up fi les for the b lack rook he plays Black's game . 4 3 . c4 is by far preferab l e . N either the black knight nor the rook w i l l then ever be to obtain good pos i t i o n s . 43 . . . h4 could then be answered by 44. gxh4 Rxh4 45 . Rd8 Na7 46 . Ra8 winning the piece.

52.

Kg6

If the plausible 52 . . . Kg8 instead, then 53 . Ke4 Rh7 54. Rxh7 Kxh7 5 5 . Kf5

43. 44. 45. 46. 47.

Rhl Rx h3 g4 c4

gxh3 Kt7 N e7 h4 Ng6

A pretty l ittl e move which threatens

Kg7 5 6 . g 5 fxg5 5 7 . Kxg5 , drawing without difficulty.

53. 54.

Rh8

55.

Rh5t

gxf5t

f5 Kxf5

48 . N f8 . ..

5 5 . R f8 t w o u l d fi n d i t s re p l y i n

48. 49. 50.

fxg6t g7 Rxh4

Kxe6 Rg8 Rxg 7

5 5 . . . Ke6 5 6 . Re8t Kd7 5 7 . Rxe 5 Rg3 t 5 8 . K-moves Rb3 when B l ack will re­ main with a winning advantage.

The End Game

55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62.

Rh6t b5 cxb5 Ke4 Rb6 Rxb5 Ra5

68. 69. 70. 72. 73. 74. 75. 76. 77.

Ke6 Kd7 axb5 cxb5 Re7 Kc7 Kc6 Re8

Kd7 Kd6 Kc6 b5 Kb6 Re8 Kc5 Kb4 Kc4

Rc l t Rc5 Rb5 Rb l Rc l t Rb l Rb2 Rc2t Rb2t 0-1

This manoeuvre with the rook, which wins a move, decides the game. The white king dare not move as otherwise the black e-pawn advances still further; so all White's moves are forced.

And White resigned the struggle which B lack had masterfully conducted. THE E N D

63. 64. 65. 66. 67.

Ra7 Ra5 Rat Rcl t Rd l t

Re6 Re7 Kxc5 Kd6 Kc6

This brings to a close the original ver­ sion of Common Sense In Chess. The two chapters fol lowing contain addi­ tional Lasker material from the period, and were added by the editor.

9'1

Chapter Ten Last Round at Hastings

Your editor was curious. How d i d Schlechter-Tchigorin work its way into Common Sense? It was played in early September 1 895, so it was not part of the lecture series given in the spring. Mechanically it was easy enough to do, work up the manuscript and add the game at the end, which is what Lasker did. But what sparked his interest in the first place? A check in the tournament book shows that it was annotated by Steinitz, so it was not one of six games Lasker had contracted to comment upon . Then it hit me. It was the last round. To get our bearings let's look at the scores going into the final round:

or drew there was sti ll a shot at second place, clear if Tchigorin lost, but only tied if he drew. Here 's how it looked to the editor of the tournament book: "The three lead­ ers all had dangerous opponents of the first rank. As the day goes on the first two leaders seemed l i kely to draw, whi lst Lasker has made a brilliant sac­ rifice which wins." So Lasker did what he had to do, beat­ ing Burn in twenty moves. That meant waiting around for the other two games to finish. Pillsbury-Gunsberg was even­ tually decided in Pil lsbury 's favor at move forty, a classic ending that has made its way into countless antholo­ gies.

1 . Pillsbury 1 5 Yi 2 . Tchigorin 1 5

3 . Lasker 1 4 1/i Tarrasch and Steinitz had 1 2 and were out of the running for one of the top three prizes. This meant that even if Lasker lost he had third place locked up . Now the pairings: Pillsbury-Guns berg Schlechter-Tchigorin Burn-Lasker M athemat i c a l l y Lasker st i l l h ad a chance to tie for first, if Pil lsbury lost and if Tchigorin lost or drew. Of course Lasker had to win and score 1 5 Yi to have any chance at al l . If Pillsbury won

So first place was out. What about sec­ ond? Schlechter-Tchigorin was ad­ j o u r n e d . For much of the g a m e Schlechter looked to be holding his own . Lasker ' s hopes were high until Schlechter weakened and dropped a pawn . But even afterwards there were s t i l l g o o d draw i n g c h a n c e s s i n c e White 's pieces were active and Black's were not. Could Schlechter hang on and salvage the draw? The game seemed to go on forever and we can only imagine how Lasker must have suffered as he watched it unfold. As we know Tchigorin played the end­ ing magnificently, notching up the full point, nosing Lasker out for second. And as we also know now this was

Last Round at Hastings

m e r e l y the fi rst o c c as i o n w h e r e S c h l echter made Lasker suffer, the other main occasion being their 1 9 1 0 world title match.

7. 8. 9. 1 0. 11.

Bd3 dxc5 0-0 Bd2 Re l

12.

Ne2

So now w e can u n d e rstand what sparked Lasker's interest in this particu­ lar game. Let's look at the other two from the final round.

a6 Bxc5 0-0 Re8 Ba7

Game #29 Burn vs. Lasker Hastings Rd. 2 1 , 1 895 Queen 's Gambit Declined

Notes by Pillsbury in the book of the tournament. 1. 2. 3. 4.

d4 c4 Nf3 Nc3

d5 e6 Nf6 cs

It would be better to prevent the pin­ ning by 1 2. h3; B lack has much the freer position of pieces, fully compensating for the isolated pawn . 1 2. 1 3.

Bg4 Bc3

1 3 . Ng3 at once was the correct move, and would have prevented the forma­ tion of the attack which ensues . 13. 1 4.

5.

Ng3

Ne4 Nxf2

e3

I n a game between B l ackburne and Showalter the former here continued with 5. Bg5. (A prophetic note. Four m o n ths later at St. Peters b u rg, Pillsbury played 5. Bg5 against Lasker, a memorable encounter, brilliantly won by Lasker. BA .) 5.

6.

cxd5

Nc6 exd5

This pretty sacrifice leads to fine com­ plications, but there appears to be a flaw in it.

9$

Common Sense in Chess

1 5. 1 6.

Rxf2 N f5

Rxe3

Why not simply Be2? I f in answer l 6 . . . Qb6 then 1 7 . Nd4 or if l 6 . . . Bxf3 1 7 . Bxf3 Qb6 1 8 . Qfl . White appears to retain at least the exchange ahead in all variations . Rxf3

1 6.

Bl ack now demolishes the opposing position with a few well-chosen, timely strokes. 1 7. 18. 1 9. 20.

g xf3 Bxf5 Bg4 Qd2

Bxf5 Q g 5t h5 Be3 0-1

Game #30 Pillsbury vs. Gunsberg Hastings Rd. 2 1 , 1 895 Queen 's Gambit Declined 1. 2. 3. 4.

d4 c4 e3 Nc3

d5 c6 g6 Bg7

Black chooses a peculiar but not alto­ gether sound manner of development. The objection to this mode of bringing out the bishop is that it costs two moves,

brings the bishop on a line which is blocked, and allows the first player possibilities ofa kingside attack begin­ ning with h4 . 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Nf3 Bd3 Ne5 Bxc4 f4 Qb3

N f6 0-0 dxc4 Nd5 Be6

So far White has treated the opening to perfection. But here 1 0 . Bd3 soon fol­ lowed by h4 seems preferable. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Bxd5 Nxd5 Qxd5

1 4.

Nd3

b5 Bxd5 Qxd5 cxd5

He must now try to reserve his knight for the ending as the abundance of ob­ structions leaves little scope to the bish­ ops and rooks. 1 4. 1 5. 16. 1 7. 18. 19.

20.

Bd2 Ke2 Rhc l Rxc8 Rel Bx cl

Nd7 Rfc8 e6 Bf8 Rxc8 Rx c l Bd6

Last Round at Hastings

21. 22. 23.

Bd2 Bb4 Bc5

Kf8 Ke7

possible: 2 7 . f5 g5 2 8 . c6 Nb6 29. Nc5 exf5 30. gxf5 Kd6 3 1 . Nb7t Kxc6 32. Nxa5t K c7 and B lack has, if anything, the better chances, as he threatens . . .Nc4 and . . . Nd6. 27.

23.

a6

White 's play from here unto the end is of the highest order. I f this pawn is taken, 27 ... gxf5 2 8 . gxf5 exf5 then 29. Nf4 follows, which would ensure to White the advantage of two united passed centre pawns. I f on the other hand 27 . . . exf5 2 8 . gxf5 g5 2 9 . Nb4 would lead to the same result.

Almost obviously 23 . . . a5 would have been better and would have reduced White 's chance to win to zero . For in­ stance: 23 . . . a5 24. b4 axb4 25. Bxb4 Bxb4 26. Nxb4 Kd6 27 . g4 f6 soon fol­ lowed by . . . e5 . 24. 25.

b4 g4

f5

27. 28. 29.

Nb4 c6

g5 a5

f6 Bxc5

And here 25 . . . N x c S 2 6 . bxc5 B c 7 would have left the game perfectly even, a bishop being so much more suit­ able to stop advancing pawns. 26.

bxc5

Nb8

Threatening of course c7. 29. 30.

Kd6 fxe6

If now 30 . axb4 then 3 1 . e7 Kxe7 3 2 . c7. . .

30. 31. 32.

His best continuation was 26 . . . a5 when the fol lowing play would have been

N xc6 e4

Nxc6 Kxc6

The key to this remarkable combina­ tion. Whether the offered pawn is taken 91

Common Sense in Chess

or not White will always win with his two united passed pawns, e.g. 32 . . . Kd6 3 3 . exd5 Ke7 34. Ke3 Kd6 3 5 . Ke4 Ke7 3 6 . Kf5 b4 3 7 . d6t and wins.

32. 33. 34.

dxe4 Kd6 b4

d5t Ke3

34 . . . f5 would finds its reply in 3 5 . gxf5 b4 36. f6 a4 3 7 . II Ke7 3 8 . d6t Kf8 39. d7 Ke7 40. f8=Qt etc . 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

a4 h5 a3 f5 f4

Kxe4 Kd4 g xh5 Kc4 h6 h7 1 -0

Chapter Eleven Lasker Annotates

Lasker contracted to annotate six games for the Hastings 1 895 tournament book. Pillsbury-Gunsberg appears in Chapter Ten. Here are the others. Game #3 1 Tchigorin vs. Pillsbu ry Hastings Rd. I , 1 895 King's Gambit Declined 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

e4 f4 Nf3 Bc4 Nc3 d3 h3

e5 Bc5 d6 Nc6 Nf6 Bg4 Bxf3

An early exchange of bishop for knight being as a rule obj ectionable, some of the best players prefer to remove this bishop to e6, relying on the speedy de­ velopment of their pieces, which in their opinion, forms a compensation for the doubled pawn (after Bxe6 fxe6) . 8. 9.

Qxf3 Qg3

Kd l Q xg7

The only possible move in this posi­ tion as proved by "book" long ago. The reply to I l . . . Rf8 , for instance, might be 1 2 . fxe5 dxe5 1 3 . Rfl Be7 1 4 . Bg5 Nh5 1 5 . Bxf7t Kd7 1 6. Qxe5 when obvi­ ously Black's game must fall to pieces. 12. 13.

fxe5 Rfl

1 4.

Qxf7

dxe5 Be7

Nd4

To remove queen to d l is hardly advis­ able. Although there might be no vital obj ection against it, yet it would seem that after 9. Qd I Nd7 Black will obtain a free and open game with many good chances, for no sacrifice in material or position whatever. 9. 1 0. 11.

Kd7

11.

Nxc2t Nxal

Although Mr. Tchigorin must have had his reasons why he should prefer this capture to the apparently stronger and more natural continuation 1 4. Bg5 , we fail to see what Black could have re­ plied to such an attack. To corroborate (\(\

Common Sense in C hess

our o p i n i o n w e give the fo l l o w i ng

would be answered by 2 1 . Qxe8 Qxe8

variations :

22. RxIB etc .

[Whatfollows is an intricate analys is, one of the longes t n otes Lasker ever wrote. We '!! save it for the end.] 1 4.

Kc8

1 5.

Bg5

1 6.

Qe6t

Kb8

1 7.

Bh6

Re8

18.

Qxe5

Nd7

1 9.

QhS

20.

Bd5

a6

2 1.

Kd2

Nxd5

22.

Nxd5

Rg8

23.

g4

Rf8

Bb4t

23.

An ingenious manoeuvre whose out­ come is that the bi shop is exchanged for the knight. Pretty though it is, it 1 9.

appears doubtful whether it was now

Nb6

the opportune m o m e n t to exchange So far B lack' s defensive manoeuvres

anything which only makes the white

have been perfect. Although he is a rook

pawns so much stronger and h i s king

ahead, the strong position o f al l the

s a fer. The r i g h t p l ay s e e m s to be

white men and pawns, the blocked po­

2 3 ... Bc5 24 . Rx.a l c6 2 5 . Bf4t Ka7 26.

sitions of the king and queen rook, and

Nc7 Qd4 or 25. Nc3 Qd4 26. Rfl Ka7

finally, the exposure of the knight at a I ,

leaving him with 2 7 . Qxc5 Qxc5 2 8 .

place it beyond doubt that White must

B e 3 Qxe3 t 2 9 . Kxe3 RaIB with good

be in the advantage. Black ought, there­

c hances for the ending.

fore, not to disdain a possible draw.

A nalysis: after 29 . Raj8 .

H is best course seems to be 1 9 . . . B IB 2 0 . B g 5 Be7 2 1 . B h6 B IB 2 2 . B e 3 Bg7 2 3 . Kd2 N e 5 or 2 3 . Qxh7 Bxc3 24. bxc3 Ne5 [or Nf6] when B l ack has a great many c h ances for a successful counter-attack. The move actually made makes it im­ possible for him to bri ng his rook at e8 s p e e d i ly i nto p l ay a s n o w 2 0 . Bf8 .

.

I

.

Lasker Annotates

24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

29.

Nxb4 Nc2 Kxc2 Bd2 Rf3

Qd4 Nxc2 Rg6 Rd6 Qa4t

The decisive manoeuvre. Nothing can stop the pawn, nor has the black queen any checks for the present.

40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51.

Kcl

Of course not 29. Kb l on account of 29 Qd l t . . .

29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

Bc3 Qxh7 Qe7 Kd2 Rf5 Rc5

36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

g5 Qxc5 Qd5 g6 g7

Qxa2 Rc6 b5 Qb3 a5 Kb7 R8a6

Rxc5 Rc6 Qa4 b4

bxc3t Qa3 Qxc3t Qc2t Qd l t Qgl t Qf2t Qf3 t Qf6 Qh6t Qg7t

bxc3 g8=Q Ke2 f3 Kg3 Kh4 Kh5 Qg4 Q4f5 Kg4 Qg5 1 -0

At last the moment has arrived-which by necessity had to arrive sooner or later, the black rook being pinned where the checks have exhausted themselves, and Black therefore resigns the hope­ less fight. IQ]

Common Sense in Chess

Let us now return to white's 1 4th move and see what Lasker had to say.

Analysis: after 14. Bg5

1 6. 1 7. 1 8.

Rxf6 Qxh7 Qf5t

Rg8 Rxg2 Kb8

Or 1 8 . . . Qd7 1 9 . Be6. 1 9. 20.

Rxt7 Qxe5

Rg8

1 4 . Bg5 is Lasker's suggestion in place of 1 4. Qxf7 as played in the game. Lasker examines: (A) 1 4 . . . Qf8 (8) 1 4 . . . Kc8 (C) 1 4 . . . Rg8

And Black is quite helpless. Variation

C

Variation A 1 4. 1 5.

Qf8[g8J Bxf6

1 4. 1 5.

Rg8 Qxt7

will fol low and the exchange of queens will turn out to the advantage of White, as the black knight at a 1 is virtually lost. Variation B 14.

Kc8

Now (C 1 ) (C2) (C3) (C4)

four sub-variations: l 5 . . . Rxg5 1 5 . . . Qf8 I 5 . . . Rf8 1 5 . . . Kc8 Variation

1 5.

Bxf6

B x f6

15.

Cl

Rxg5

Lasker Annotates

16. 17.

Qe6t Rxf6

17.

Ke8

Rxf6

Threatening mate in two by 1 8 . Rf8t etc. 1 7. 18.

Rg7 Nd5

Variation C3 Rf8

15.

c6

18.

Or I 8 . . . Qd6 1 9. Nxc7t Qxc7 20. BbSt Kd8 2 1 . Rf8t Bxf8 22. Qe8 mate. 1 9. 20. 21.

Qxe5 Nxe7 Rf8 t Jo

Rc8 Rxe7 1 6. 1 7. 1 8. 1 9. 20. 21.

Qe6t Nd5 Rxf8t Bxd5 Q t7 t Qf5t

Ke8 Nxd5 Kxf8 Ke8 Kd7

And should win. Variation C2 1 5. 1 6.

Qe6 t

Qf8 Kd8 [e8]

Wins the queen

HH

or

mates.

Common Sense in Chess

Variation C4 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 18.

Bxf6 Bxe7 Rxf7

Kc8 Rf8 Rxf7

Vasyukov and Nikitin all seem to h ave missed a decisive, earlier improvement,

A nalysis: after 15 Qe8 . . .

namely 1 6. Qe6+ ! Kd8 1 7 . Bb5 ! c6 1 8 . Rf7 ! , when B l ack faces mate or rui n­

Speedily regaining the queen.

ous material loss.

This is a rather complex piece of analy­

Returning to Lasker's main line (Varia­

sis and not surpri singly a few chinks have been found. B efore we get too far along it seems appropriate to hear what

tion C l ) 1 4 . Bg5 Rg8 1 5 . Qxf7 Rxg5 1 6. Qe6t Ke8 1 7 . Rxf6 Rg7 1 8 . Nd5

Tchigorin had to say. At the board 1 4. Bg5 was considered but then rejected i n view of l 4 . . . Nh5 1 5 . Qxf7 QeS 1 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 1 7. Qxh5 Raf8 .

Tchigorin took i s sue with Lasker 's par­ enthetical note 1 8 . . . Qd6 1 9 . Nxc7t

To Tchigorin it looked like B lack was working out o f his difficulties. How­ ever, Vasyukov and N ikiti n (in their book on Tchigorin) point out the move 1 8 . Rf5 ! when " B l ack ' s position re­ mains difficult." H owever, Tchi gorin,

Lasker Annotates

Replacing l 9 . . . Qxc7? with 1 9 ... Kd8 20. Qxd6t Bxd6 2 1 . Nxa8 Bc5 22. g4 h5 23. Rf7 (what else?) 23 ... Rxf7 24. Bxf7 hxg4 25. hxg4 Be3 26. Be6 Bg5

However, Tartakower seems not have considered 2 2 . Nxc6t ! ! , when it ap­ pears White comes out ahead after ei­ ther 2 3 . . . Kc7 (if 23 . . . Kd7 it's mate in when despite the two-pawn advantage i t ' s hard to s e e h o w W h i t e makes progress. The kings on both sides are tied down, preventing the knights in the comers from getting out. Young Savielly Tartakower added his two cents ' worth some ten years later, taking Lasker 's main line out to move

1 3 starting with 24 . Ne5t) 24.Qa5t b6 25. Qe5t Qxe5 26. Nxe 5 , or 23 . . . bxc6 24. Rf8t Kd7 24. Qf5 t Kc7 2 5 . Qa5t Kd7 26. Rxa8 , since now i f 26 . . . Qg l t 2 7 . Qe l . All very messy. We give the last ana1 yt i c a l c o m m e n t t o t h e Deuts c h e Schachzeitung where an i mprovement

nineteen before demonstrating h i s "im­

for Whi te is proposed at move 1 8 . So

provement."

we run up: 1 4 . Bg5 Rg8 1 5 . Qxf7 Rxg5 1 6. Qe6t Ke8 1 7 . Rxf6 Rg7 and now

1 4. Bg5 Rg8 1 5 . Qxf7 Rxg5 1 6 . Qe6t

1 8 . Qxe5 (instead of Lasker 's 1 8 . Nd5)

Ke8 1 7. Rxf6 Rg7 1 8 . Nd5 c6 1 9. Qxe5

1 8 . . . c6 (to stop 1 9. Nd5 ) but there 's something else afoot: 1 9 . Rf3 !

In

p l ace

of

Lasker 's

1 9 . . .Rc8 ,

Tartakower gave 1 9 . . . Qb8 ! ready to answer (a) 20. Nc7t with 20 ... Qxc7 !

when the g7-rook cannot run to safety because of 20. Rf8t !

2 1 . Qxc7 Bxf6 , while (b) 20. Qh5t can be met by 2 0 . . . Kd8 2 1 . Nxe7 Qh2 !

We' l l give the final word to Marco who

Common Sense in Chess

was at Hastings both as participant and as a reporter. He recounts the follow­ ing amusing incident:

piece in order to prevent Black from castling into safety. Be6

1 0.

"Tchi gorin , i n promoting h i s pawn (move 42), instead of a queen placed an upside-down rook at g8, and then proceeded to an adjoining room in or­ der to obtain a white queen. En route he ran i nto Lasker, who, quickly meet­ ing him half-way and taking i nto ac­ count that White had yet another two irresistible passed pawns on the board, handed h i m three queens w ith the words, "I trust, Mr. Tchigorin, that these will be enough for you ! "

Black declines the acceptance of the sacri fice with doubtful j udgment. I f 1 O . . dxc4, the consequences might be 1 1 . Re l f5 1 2 . Nd2 Kf7 1 3 . Nxe4 fxe4 1 4. Rxe4 Qf6 . This appears to be the only possible move as 1 4 . . . Re8 would be answered by 1 5 . Qh5t and 14 . . . B f5 by 1 5 . Rf4. 1 5 . Qe2 .

Analysis: after 15. Qe2

Game #32 Steinitz vs. Schlechter Hastings Rd. 2, 1 895 Giuoco Piano 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 1 0.

e4 Nf3 Bc4 c3 d4 cxd4 Nc3 0-0 bxc3 Ba3

e5 Nc6 Bc5 Nf6 exd4 Bb4t Nxe4 Bxc3 d5

(a) 1 5 . . . Be6? 1 6. Re l Rhe8 1 7. d5 and wms. (b) 1 5 . . Bd7? 1 6. Qxc4 t Kg6 1 7 . d 5 3 1 N e5 1 8 . Q x c 7 Rhe8 1 9 . Qxb732 with three pawns for the piece. (c) 1 5 ... Bf5 ! 1 6 . Rf4 h5 1 7 . Qxc4t Kg6 1 8 . d5 Ne5 1 9 . Qxc7 Rhe8 and al­ though B lack is two pawns behind for the piece and may lose a third, his at­ tack is excellent. .

11 . 12. 13. 14.

A novelty by the leader of the white forces. White intends to give up the

Bb5 Bxc6t Ne5 Nxc6

Nd6 bxc6 0-0 Qf6

B lack plays e x ceedingly well for posi­ tion . It is with best judgment that he allows Wh i te the opportunity of dou1 ()f:

Lasker Annotates

bling his d-pawn, and White is wise to abstain from it, as by doing so he would involve both his knight and his c-pawn in difficulties. l S.

Rb l

A poor place for the bishop. It seems as though 25. Ba3 would give him bet­ ter prospects of fixing his pawns far ahead in the camp of his adversary.

BfS

2S. 26. 27.

Rd l d6

Nc8 Nb6

A faulty combination, which by open­ ing up all lines to the rooks endangers White 's game to a considerable extent.

1 6.

Rb3

The rook ought to have left the open file, as 1 6 . Rb4 would be answered by 1 6 . a5 ; and the move actually made loses the exchange for a pawn. . .

16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 2S.

Nb4 NxdS Qd3 axb3 c4 Ne3 dS Bb2 Bd4

Bd7 Ba4 Qd8 Bxb3 Re8 c6 Qd7 Rad8 f6

White probably expected to win a piece in case the pawn was captured, but overlooked the retort of Black's 29th move regaining the piece immediately. The remaining moves were: 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 3S. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 1 07

cs cxb6 bxa7 Qc2 Qxdl h4 hS NfS g3 Kh2 Qg4 Qf3 Nh4 Ng6

Qxd6 Qe6 cs Rxd4 Rxd l t Q f7 Qxa7 h6 Qc7 Qc6 Kh8 Qd7 Res Kg8 Re8

Common Sense in Chess

42. 43. 44 4S. 46. 47. 48. 49. .

Nf4 Qe4 QfS QxcS Qc7

S.

Rb8 Qf7 Qxb3 QbS Re8 Rb8 Re8

Kg2 Kh2

Nc3

5. 0-0 fol lowed by 6 . d4 seems to take better advantage of the useless advance of the b l ack a-pawn.

s. 6.

Kg2 'h-'h

BcS N xeS

The only fe a s i b l e c o n t i n u ation that prom ises attack. If for i nstance, 6. 0-0 d6 7 . d3 b5 8. Bb3 Bg4, Black will cer­ tainly not have the worst of the posi­ tion.

6. 7. 8. 9.

d4 0-0 f4

NxeS Bd6 0-0

Lasker does not comment on the final half of the game, since Schlechter, the exchange ahead, made no serious at­ tempt to win. However, the final position with White well entrenched on the kingside does i ndeed look drawn . The opening variation

I O.

B a3 ,

whereby Steinitz tried to revive Greco 's Attack (the pre-Moller days), is of some i nt e r e s t , and was p l ay e d tw i c e by Steinitz against Lasker in their return match. L asker won both games.

Game #33 Schlechter - von Bardeleben Hastings Rd. 8, 1 895 Ruy Lopez

I. 2.

3. 4.

e4 Nf3 Bb5 Ba4

es Nc6 a6 Nf6

This early advance strains the position to an extent which i s not j ustified by the disposition of forces. It would have been simpler and far preferab l e to take the knight immediately, and then to con­ tinue by 1 0. Qd3 .

9. I O. 11. 12.

es exf6 dS

Nc4 Be7 Bxf6

White 's game is now anything but com­ fortable. B l ack w i l l be first to take the open e-fi l e with his rooks in the ordi-

Lasker Annotates

nary course of events, for instance 1 2 . Nd5 b5 1 3 . Bb3 Bb7 1 4. Nxf6t Qxf6 1 5 . Bxc4 bxc4 1 6 . Be3 Rfe 8 1 7 . Qd2 Be4 etc . , and will then, of course, have everything his own way, the advance of the f-pawn having left that file very weak. White therefore prefers to run great risks in order to be able to assume the attack.

the same result. It must be admitted, however, that even in the text variation White 's play to draw is exceedingly difficult to find .

c5

12.

23. 24.

He threatens 1 3 . . . Bxc3 1 4. bxc3 b5 1 5 . Bb3 Nb6 etc . , and i f 1 3 . Bb3 Nd6 1 4. a4 c4 1 5 . Ba2 b5 . 13. 14. 1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22.

Ne4 Bxb2 Qh5 f5 Rf4 Nxf6t Qg4t Re4 Rael Re7

Bxb2 Nxb2 Nxa4 f6 Qe8 gxf6 Kh8 Qf7 d6 Bd7

Perfectly incomprehensible. So far he has correctly met the attack and need only remove his queen to g8 to earn the reward for his circumspect play, e.g. 22 . . . Qg8 23 . Qxa4 Bxf5 24. Rxb7 Rae8 25. R l e7 Rxe7 2 6 . Rxe7 Qxd5 and should win. Or 2 3 . Qh3 Nb6 threaten­ ing . . . Nxd5 or . . . Nd7 and . . . Ne5 with

Rxf7 Re6

Rxf7

A very interesting manoeuvre. The rook must eventually be taken as otherwise the d-pawn would fall . The passed pi:wn at e6 which White thus obtains is quite sufficient a compensation for the exchange sacrificed. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28.

Qh4 dxe6 Qxf6 Qb2

Rg7 Bxe6 Nb6 Nd5 Kg8

He has nothing else. 28 . . . Rf8 would have been answered by 29. e7 Nxe7 33 30. f6. 29.

f6

Nxf6

Of course the only alternative open to him, as otherwise he would have to lose one of his rooks. The game is now per­ fectly equalized and legitimately ends in a draw. 30. 31.

Qxf6 Qh4

Rf8 Re8

Common S ense in Chess

32. 33. 34.

Qf6 Qh4 Qf6

Rf8 Re8

So far everything i s book. It has always been the opinion that B lack, although two pawns ahead, w i l l not be able to

'h-'h

develop his pieces, as castling kingside i s prevented, and the king dare not oc­ cupy the centre any l ength o f t i m e . B lack seemed to beli eve that he may get his king safely castled to the queen 's side, but thi s game does not corrobo­ rate such an opinion, in spite of the suc­ ces s which attended that m anoeuvre in th i s instance.

11. Game #34 Tchigorin vs. Steinitz

BbS

Tch i gori n 's favorite post for the bishop in the Evan s Gambit.

Hastings Rd . 1 3 , 1 895 Evans Gambit

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

e4 Nf3 Bc4 b4 c3 0-0 d4

e5 Nc6 Bc5 Bxb4 Ba5 d6 exd4

11. 12. 1 3.

Qa4 Bxc6

1 4. 15.

Bes Qa6t

QdS 0-0-0 bxc6

(Tucked away in Common Sense was Lasker s little bombshell 7 Bb6 - BA) . . .

8. 9. 1 0.

cxd4 e5 Ba3

Nf6 dxeS Be6

Bb6

White ultimately wins the exchange by this manoeuvre, but at an enormous expense. It would have been better to leave things as they were and to con­ tinue s i m p l y w ith 1 5 . Nxe5 . If then 1 5 . . . Nd7 1 6 . Nxc6 must win the ex­ change i n favorable position; and if 1 5 . . . Ne4 1 6 . Bxb6 cxb6 1 7 . Qxa7 w i l l

Lasker Annotates

28. 29.

equalize material forces, w ith the posi ­ t i o n to White 's advantage.

1 5. 1 6. 1 7. 18. 1 9. 20. 21.

NxeS Nc3 Qe2 dxcS Na4 QxbS

Kb8 Nd7 NxcS Qd6 QxcS QbS cxbS

Kf2 Ke3

Ra4 h5

Advancing these pawns, which constitute the only weakness i n B lack's camp, protects them against any possible attack of the rooks or king.

30. 31. 32.

Kd2 axb4 Rdb l

b4 Rxb4 Rxb l

Now it is j ust as well to simplify, two united passed pawns with the support of the king and bishop being more than a match for king and rook. Black need only take care to leave the passed pawns as much as possible on the colour not dominated by the bishop-----i .e . on black squares.

22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27.

Nxb6 Nc6t N xd8t a3 f3 Rfd l

axb6 Kb7 Rxd8 cs Kc6 Ra8

33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 3 8. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45.

A rook being very well qual ified to sup­ port advancing pawns and to check the approach of the hosti le king, it is j udi­ cious play to avoid its exchange for the present.

Rxb l Ral Kc2 Rd l t Rd8 h4 Rb8 Rb7 RbS Kb2 Rb4 Rb6 Kbl

bS b4 KdS Kc4 BdS Kd4 Be6 g6 b3t c4 Kd3 c3t Ke3 0-1

111

Common Sense in Chess

Threatening 46 . . . Bf5 t. 46. g4 would be answered by 46 . . . Kxf3 . White is therefore perfectly helpless . Game #35 von Bardeleben vs. Tarrasch Hastings Rd. 1 5 , 1 895 Ruy Lopez 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

e4 Nf3 BbS Ba4 0-0

this position the sacrifice of the knight against two pawns is bad. If 9 . . . Nxg4 1 0 . hxg4 Bxg4 1 1 . Bd5 ! Nd4 1 2 . Nxe5 Bxd l 1 3 . Bxf7t Ke7 1 4. Nd5 mate. ) 1 0. d 3 Na5, whereupon Black appears to have slightly the better position. 8. 9. 10.

es Nc6 a6 Nf6 d6

g xf3 a4

Bxf3 Qd7 Qh3

This defence leaves Black with a some­ what cramped position, if White con­ tinues with 6. d4 Bd7 7 . dxe5 dxe5 8 . N c 3 B d 6 9. B g 5 N e 7 I 0. Bb3 . 6.

Nc3

A mistake. White having castled ought to immediately open the centre by 6. d4. Now he comes into difficulties. 6. 7.

Bb3

bS Bg4

A splendid and profound combination. Its idea is il lustrated by the fo llowing two moves of B lack. Had White seen it, he probably would have played I 0. c3 Qh3 1 1 . Ng3 h5 1 2 . d4 with a good game, as the sacrifice of 1 2 . . . Ng4 1 3 . hxg4 hxg4 would fail on account of 1 4 . Re l . 11. 12.

axbS Rel

hS

He must provide (in view of the threat­ ened Ng4) an escape for his king. Sup­ pose instead 1 2 . bxc6 N g4 1 3 . fxg4 hxg4 1 4. Re l Qxh2t 1 5 . Kfl Qh3 t 1 6 . Kg ! Qh l mate. 8.

Ne2

It is hard to see how he could prevent the threatened . . . N d4 in any other way. The alternative would have been 8 . h3 Bh5 9. g4 Bg6 (It is remarkable that in

1 2.

Ng4

Schallopp offers 1 2 . . . Ne l ! ! 1 3 . bxa 6 Ng6 etc. or 1 3 . Rxa6 Rb8[d8] 1 4. Ra3 Ng6 as the winning line. However, in the latter variation, hefails to cons ider 1 1?

Lasker Annotates

the saving 1 4. Ng3 ! (instead of 1 4. Ra3), e.g. 1 4 . . . Ng6 1 5. Bc4 Nf4 1 6. Bfl , or 14 . . . h4 1 5. Nfl Ng6 1 6. Ne3 N/4 1 7. Bc4 and 1 8. Bfl . with a winning mate­ rial advantage. - BA .

It i s here that Black m i sses h i s chance. The move actually made is elegant, but not sufficiently strong. He should have taken advantage of the m omentary dis­ location of the white pieces in the fol­ lowing manner: I 6 . . . Nd4 . This threat­

13.

hxg4

hxg4

ens . . . Nf3 . White has, therefore only two alternative s : 1 7. Nxd4 Qh l t 1 8 . Ke2 Qxe4t 1 9. Re3 Qxd4 20. bxa6 Be7 2 1 . Rh I Bg5 22. Rxh8 Rxh8 2 3 . c3 Qd5 and the result of the game cannot be doubtful, as White m ust lose the ex­ change at the very least. Or White may continue at his 1 7th tum : 1 7 . N g ! B e 7 1 8 . Qxg4 Bh4 1 9. N h 3 ( 1 9 . Qg2 would lose on account of l 9 . . . Qxg2t 20. Kxg2 Nxc2 etc . ) I 9 . . . Raf8 whereupon White has no sufficient defence. S uppose, for

14.

instance, 20. bxa6 Qh 1 t35 2 1 . Ng ! Kg8.

Bxf7t

17. 1 8.

T h e o n l y possible means t o avert di sas­ ter. 1 4 . Ng3 instead would not answer

Rg3 d3

Rh6

that purpose, as the consequence would be 1 4. Ng3 Nd4 1 5 . Re3 Qxh2t 1 6. Kfl Qh l t 1 7 . Nxh l Rxh l t 1 8 . Kg2 Rxd l I 9.Rxa634 Rb8 20. Ba4 Nf3 winning i n

such o r similar manner in any variation White may choose.

14. 1 5. 16.

Ra3 Kfl

Kxf7 Qxh2 t Rf6

1 8.

Here 1 8 . . . Ra l suggests itself. I f, then, 1 9. Ng l Rf6 20. Rg2 Qh4 2 1 . Qxg4 Qxg4 2 2 . Rxg4 Nb4 winning either the c- or d-pawn . But 1 9 . c 3 , threatening Qb3t would have been a sufficient re­ ply.

1 6.

axb5

1 9. 20. 21.

Be3 Rg2 N g3

Be7 Qh4 Rf3

Common Sense in Chess

22.

Rg3 Rxb2 2 8 . Rf3 Ke8 29. Bg5 Qg6 3 0 . Nxg7t and mates in a few more moves.

Ke2

26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32.

Regl 3 6 Qg4 Nh4 Ng6 Qf5 Qxf7t 37

Ke8 Qf7 Ne7 Ng8 Nf6 Ng8 Kxf7

A l l these manoeuvres are excellent. White brings his king into safety on the queenside, and will soon be abl e to as­ sume the attack against the opened king-side of Black. Black's extra pawn at g4 is of no permanent value, being indefensible in the long run . 22. 23. 24. 25.

Nf5 Kd2 Qxg4

Qf6 Rh3 Rh7 Bf8

After this exchange of queens the draw become the natural and legitimate re­ sult. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40.

26.

Qf3

Now it i s White who has, without a doubt, the better game. It would have been advisable to double the rooks on the g-file, and afterwards proceed with Rg3 and Rf3 . Black seems to have no defence against thi s manoeuvre. Sup­ pose, for instance, 2 6 . Reg ! Ra2 2 7 . I l �

Rfl Nxe7 R2g l Ral Rxa l Ra7 KeZ38 Ral

Yz-Yz

Be7 Kxe7 Kd7 Rx a l Ne7 Rh2 Nc6 Ke6

Analytical Endnotes by Taylor Kingston

In the course of proofreading the manu­ script for this book, I followed my usual practice of p l aying through a l l the games and notes with the computer pro­ gram FritzB in "infinite analysis" mode. The main purpose of this was to check the accuracy of the notation (typo­ grap h i c a l erro r s , i l l e g a l m o v e s , misnumbering, etc.), but an interesting byproduct was that a number of ana­ lytical errors were found, of both omis­ sion and comm ission. Some are rela­ tively minor, occasions where Lasker gives a good move but misses a more quickly decisive one. Some, however, are m ore seriou s : i n stan c e s where Lasker calls a bad move good, a good move bad, or he overlooks a strong move that would change the complex­ ion of the game . All told, I found thirty­ eight such instances that I felt deserved mention. Three questions then arose: (a) Should the errors be pointed out? (b) If so, in what fashion? ( c) How could a World Champion make that many mistakes? To question (a), I think Lasker himself would have been the first to say yes; his obj ectivity and lack of egotism on such matters were legendary. And he would certainly agree that an author and publisher have an obligation not to mis­ lead their readers, however inadvert­ ently. For question (b), it was felt that it would do the reader a disservice to disrupt the

flow of Lasker's prose and ideas with interruptions in mid-course. Therefore we chose to make the corrections as unobtrusive as possible, using only superscripted numbers (e.g . 23) to mark their presence within the text of the book. For question ( c ), several possibilities come to mind. One, Common Sense in Chess is first and foremost a book of ideas, of general principles, not exhaus­ tive analysis. Lasker felt that for inex­ perienced players, for whom th is book is intended, mazes of variations were just so much "mental bal last." He al­ most certainly did not expend the same effort on this lecture series for club players as he did on his more serious analytical efforts, such as the tourna­ ment book St. Petersburg 1 909. Two, considering his busy schedule during 1 8 94-96 (two World Championship matches, three major tournaments, and exten s ive exhibition tours in America and Europe), it's a minor miracle that he had time to write a book at all. Three, the Lasker of 1 894-95, when the book was written, had by no means reached the height of his powers. Chess ski ll bloomed later in those days. Four, Lasker may have deliberately left some errors in, to reward the student who investigates for himself. We rec­ ommend that the reader take such an approach - when you see a superscript in the notation (e.g. 1 2 . Ne2 1 Bxg5 in the Fritz-Mason game), try first to fig­ ure out for yourself what better move may be possible there . l l2

Common Sense in Chess

Five, some of these errors are rather difficult to ferret out. Some were dur­ ing play by some of the greatest mas­ ters of all time: Morphy, Anderssen, Tarrasch, Schlechter, Lasker himself. They eluded analysts for decades. Some involve the sort o f " funny move" a brute-force computer considers, but is unlikely to occur to a human master. Lastly, there is simply the cliched but inescapable fact: errare humanum est. As we saw in the recent Kramnik-Fritz matc h, even World Champions can overlook something as basic as mate­ in-one (though nothing that egregious occurs here).

The natural move, loses pretti ly as Lasker demonstrates. Less natural and less pretty is 9 . . Kf8, but it al lows Black to hang on. .

3) 8. Nd5

Does all this mean that Common Sense in Chess is not a good book? Absolutely not. It remains an instructional classic - but its instructional value will be increased if the reader approaches it with the skeptical attitude Lasker him­ self always took at the chess board . 1) 1 2 . Ne2

8. Nd5? is an oversight, losing a piece to 8 . . . Nbd4 ! . White must play 8. Nxb5 instead . 4) 1 3 ... d5

Stronger is 1 2 . Qd3 t ! f5 (if 1 2 . . . KhS 1 3 . g4t Kxg4 1 4 . Qf3#) 1 3 . exf6t Kxf6 1 4. Q f3 t Kg6 1 5 . h5t Kxg5 ( l 5 . . . Kh6 1 6. Qd3 Rf5 1 7 . Nxe6) 1 6. Qg3 t Kf5 1 7. Qg6t Kf4 1 8 . Ne2# l3

2) 9 .. 0-0 .

1 1 ti

. .

. f6 seems to equalize.

Analytical Endnotes

5) 1 5. Nh7

23 . . . Qg7? is a mistake, while 23 . . . g4 ! maintains equality. (a) 24 . Qxg4? Qxe5 (b) 24. Rxe7 gxh3 ; (c) 24. Qh6 Qg7 ; (d) 24. Bg5 Qg7; (e) 24.Qh5 Qh4 2 5 . Rxd5 Qxh5 26.Rxh5 Kg7. 8) 1 6 . . Bd7 .

Rather than 1 5 . Nh7, White should con­ sider 1 5 . Nxe6 fxe6 1 6. Qd3 . 6) 1 7 . f5 ..

On 1 7. Be5 , Black defends with I 7 ... c6. He need not fear 1 8 . Bxf6 Qxf6 1 9. Nxh7 as I 9 . . Qh4 20. Nxf8 Rxf8 yields a n e x c e l l e n t atta c k . Stro n g e r i s l 7 .Nxh7 ! which wins a pawn, o r more after I 7 . . .Nxh7 1 8 . Qxd5t Kh8 1 9. Qh5 etc. .

Much better is I 7 . . . Ng6 ! 1 8 . Bxg6 fxg6 1 9. Qxg6t Kh8 . White can force a draw here by 20. Qh6t Kg8 2 1 . Qg6t etc. I f h e tries fo r more, 20. exf6, B lack can defend by 20 . . . Qd7 and 2 1 . . .Qh7 .

9) 27. f6

7) 23 . . Qg7 .

2 7 . f6 is best answered by 2 7 . . . g5 ! Stronger therefore is 2 7. Rf3 ! Qxa6 28. Rh3 h6 29. Bxh6. 1 0) 29. Ra3 White need not retreat 29. Ra3 . Instead, 29. Rf3 ! Qxa6 30. Rh3 and B lack has

1 17

Common Sense in Chess

only a few spite checks to delay Qxh7

1 4) 11. g4

mate.

1 1 . N g5 ! attacking e6/h 7 wins on the spot. Black's previous move, I O . . . N b4? is n ever played preci sely for th is rea­ 1 5 . . . Q f5 ! i m p ro v e s , t h o u g h a ft e r

son. He normally continues l O . Nd4 or

1 6 . Rd3 ! g 5 1 7 .Nh4 ! gxh4 1 8 . R f3 Qxf3

I O . . . Re8 , guard ing e 6 .

.

1 9 . gx f3 , White i s probably sti l l win­

.

1 5) 14. Nxd5

n ing.

1 2) 1 6 ... Kf8

1 4. Nxd5 can be answered by 14 . . . Qc6 ! 1 5 . d4 (or 1 5 . N c 3 Nxe5 ! ) 1 5 . . . Qxd5 1 6 . dxc5 Nxe5 ! and B l ack i s winning.

B l ac k h a s a g o o d a l te r n at i v e i n 1 6 . . . Nxd6 1 7 .exd6t Qc6. I f 1 8 . Qxe6t

1 6) 1 2. g4

fxe6 1 9 . Nd2 Bxd4t, or 1 8 . Ne5 Nxe5 1 9. dxe5 Bxe5 .

1 3) 1 8 . Bd6 Long ago Steinitz showed that 1 8 . Bd6 should be answered w i th 1 8 . . . Qxa l t 1 9 . Ke2 Qb2 ! and B l ack success fu l ly defends. I nstead of 1 8 . Bd6, White has three alternatives : 1 8 . d4, 1 8 . Be3 , 1 8 . Re I , all

of which have claims to win­

ning. i i n

Analytical Endnotes

Again overlooking 1 2 . N g 5 ! B l ack should p l ay 1 1 . . . B e 7 (or . . . Nb6) as 1 1 . . . . bS? is a mistake. 1 7) 1 6 ... Nd7

(a) 22. Re3 Nxd5 2 3 . Bxd5 Qf2t 24. Re2 Bxe2 25. Qxe2 Rxc2t . ( b ) 22. Kc3 Qd6, threatens 23 .. . NxdS t and we're back in Morphy lines. 2 3 . Kb2 (23 . Kd2 Rxc6 2 4 . dxc6 Qxd4#) 23 . . . Rxc6 24. dxc6 Na4t etc. 20) 2 1 . Rxe2

S t r o n g e r 1 6 . . . Q x d 5 ! threate n i n g . . . Qxf3t and . . . Qc4t. 1 8) 1 8 .. Rac8 .

The bishop is pinned and White need not rush to take it. Instead, he can im­ prove his defensive posture : 2 1 . c3, 2 1 . a4, 2 1 . Kb l . Had l 8 . . . Rec8 been played there would be no pin in the sequence 1 9. Kb2 Rxc6 20. dxc6 Bxe2 (here he has to take) 2 1 . Q(R)xe2 Na4t etc. 2 1 ) 19 ... Rxc6

The computer finds a subtle obj ection to this move and prefers 1 8 . . . Rec8 ! See next two notes. 1 9) 1 9. Kd2 A s s um e 1 8 . . . Rec8 was p l ayed and White continued 1 9 . Kd2 as i n the game. Black wins by Morphy's method u s i n g a d i ffe r e n t i ntro d u c t i o n , 1 9 . . . Qh6 t .

If 20. K c 3 NxdS t and 2 l . . . Qxc6. So the p l ay goes 20. f4 Nxf4 2 1 . Nxf4 Qxf4t :

Another way is 1 9 . . . NxdS . (a) 20. c4 Qxc6, if 2 1 . cxd5 Rxe2t 22. Rxe2 Qc3#. (b) 20. Bxd5 Qb4t 2 1 . c3 Rxe2t 22. Qxe2 Q x c 3 t 2 3 . K d l B x e2 t and 24 . . . Qxa l . (c) 20. Bxe8 Bxe2

1 19

Common Sense in Chess

( c 1 ) 2 l . Qxe2 Qf4t 22. Qe3 Nxe3 or 22. Kd l Nc3# (c2) 2 1 . Rxe2 Qb4t 22. Kd3 Rc3 t 2 3 . Ke4 Qe7t 2 4 . Kf5 (24. Kxd5 Nf6#) 24 . . . Q f6t 2 5 . Kg4 ( 2 5 . Ke4 Qe6#) 2 5 . . . Qxf3 t 26. Kg5 h6# O n a prac t i c a l l e v e l M o r ph y ' s 1 9 . . . Rxc6 is easier to calculate (less variations) and more than convincing.

1 6 . . . Rhe8 is a mistake, refuted by 1 7. Rfl ! Qg6 1 8 . Nf6 Qxg7 1 9. Nxe8 Rxe8 2 0 . R x f7 . The c orrect move i s l 6 . . . Rhg8 ! and in comparable lines B lack plays ... Rxg7. 25) 26. Be2

22) 2 1 . Rxe2 Here too the b ishop is pinned. The threat of2 l . . . Qxd4# precludes alterna­ tive measures. (a) 2 1 . Kc3 Qxc6t (b) 2 1 . c4 Qxd4t (c) 2 1 . c3 Qf4t (d) 2 1 . Bb2 Qf4t 22. Kc3 Nd5# 23) 23 ... Bh3 t

- �� P� �m i P� ,� �� � �� t �� t � � �0· � �

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�/��

�

�rs����� � � PJ1:�

� � � IJ � �p� 'r$ � 1p�J11 �J11.Ji!J'J1:

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�a�

�

"White mi sses here a fine opportunity of carrying the day by 26. Ngxh7 ! and if26 . . . Rxh7 27 . Rxg6 threatening mate and w i n s . "-Steinitz, International Chess Magazine for October 1 8 8 8 . Bum could and should have averted this by sacrificing the exchange one move sooner, 25 . . . Rxf6. 26) 34. Be3 (after 33 . . . Qe4t)

Quicker was 23 . . . Be4t 24.Kfl Bf5 ! 25 .Qe2 Bh3t 26.Ke l Rg l #. This forced mate was pointed out by J.H. Bauer, Lasker 's victim in game # 1 2, the fa­ mous double bishop sacrifice.

White can better play 34. Kf2 ! Qxf5 t 3 5 . Kg3 ! (a) after 3 5 . . . Qxe6 36. Qxe6 Rxe6 3 7 . Bxb2 Re2 3 8 . R f2 h e safely keeps his material. Had White played 3 5 . Kg l then at the end Black causes problems 1 !'l {)

Analytical Endnotes

with 3 7 . . . R e2 3 8 . Rf2 Re l t 39. Rfl Re2 control I mg . the secon d rank. (b ) Lively c � mp l ications set I·n. on 35 . . . Qg6t White must return his piece, 3 6 . Ng5 ! Re5 3 7 . h4 Nd3 3 8 . Bd2 fxg5, but 39. Qd7t Ka6 (3 9 Kb8 40. Rf8t) 40. c4 ! develops a m��ing attack. On the further moves 4 0 · xh4t 4 1 . Kh2 Qg3 t 42 Kg l , B 1 ac k ns out of resources, an d the roo k enters, at al or fl, (after Qc8t). .

�

28) 4 2 Qe5 . . Once again m1ssmg 42 . . . Nce5 ! 43 . Nd4 Bxf3 ! ...

I 0 . Kh3 Kf2 etc . The only correct move is 7. Kh l .

Common Sense in Chess

(a) 22. Qc8t Ke7 2 3 . Qxc7t Ke6 24. Continuing after 1 9. Qxb7 Black has the surpri sing 1 9 . . . Nd3 ! 20. Re7 ( i f Qc4t Kd7 2 5 . Qa4t Ke7 and the checks 20. Be7 Qxf2t 2 1 . Kh l Bh3 2 2 . Rg l cun out. B f5 2 3 . Rc4 Q b 6 ) 2 0 . . . R x e 7 2 1 . . (b) 22. Qg2(g 1 ) Rxf2t 2 3 . Qxf2 Qh 1 t Bxe7 Qxf2t 22. Kh l Q b 6 ! and wins, 24. Qg I Rf8t and mate next move. since if23. Qxa8?? Nf2t 24. Kg 1 Nh3 t (c) 22. Re2 Qh l t 23 . Qg l Qxg l t 24. 2 5 . Kh l Qg l t 26. Rxg l Nf2, smothered Kxg l Nxe2t 2 5 . Kfl Nxc l . mate. 36) 27. Reg l 33) 29 . Nxe7 ..

29 . . . Re8 ! lf30. f6 Rf? . Or 30. c4 Rexe7 3 1 . cxd5 Re5 and two rooks are a match for the queen. 34) 1 9. Rxa6 The computer prefers 1 9 . bxa6 retain­ ing the rook on the first rank to defend the bishop.

2 7 . Nxg7t ! gains a pawn and intensi­ fies the attack. If 27 . . . Bxg7 2 8 .Qxf6 Bxf6 29. Rg8t, winning the a8-rook. On the previous move 26 . . . Kg8 was preferable to the text 26 . . . Ke8. 3 7) 32. Qxtit

35) 20 ... Qh l t

Most convincing is 2 0 . . . Bxf2 ! 2 1 . Nxf2 Ke8 (better than 2 I . . . Kg8 as the h-rook must be ready to play to f8).

White wins a pawn by 3 2 . Ra ! ! Rd8 ( 3 2 . . . Rxa l ? ? 3 3 . Q c 8 # ) 3 3 . Q x f7 t Kxf7 34. Ra7 Rd7(c8) 3 5 . Rb7 (or 3 5 . Bb6) etc . 38) 39. Ke2

Analytical Endnotes

3 9 . Bb6 ! wins the c-pawn, since if 39 . . . Kc6 40. Ba5 ! Rxf2 t ? 4 1 . Ke3 , thre aten ing both 42 . Kxf2 and 42 . Rxc7#. On his previous move Black should have played 38 . . . Rh8 or 3 8 ... g6.

! Tl

Summary of Tournament Results 1 889-1 936

Year 1 889 1 889 1 8 89 1 890 1 890 1 892 1 892 1 893 1 895 1 895/6 1 896 1 899 1 900 1 904 1 906 1 909 1914 1918 1 923 1 924 1 92 5 1 934 1 93 5 1 93 6 1 936

Place Breslau Happtunier A 1 st 1 -2 Breslau Finals 2 nd Amsterdam 1 -2 Berlin Graz 3 rd 1 st London (B.C .A) 1" London (Masters) 1 st New York Hastings 3 rd 1 st Saint Petersburg 1 st Nuremberg 1 st London pt Paris Cambridge Springs 2-3 1 st Trenton Falls 1 -2 Saint Petersburg 1 st Saint Petersburg 1 st Berlin I st Miihrisch Ostrau 1 st New York Moscow 2 nd Zurich 5 th Moscow 3 rd Moscow 6 th 7 -8 Nottingham

1 �4

Won 7 4 5 6 3 8 5 13 14 8 12 19 14 9 4 13 10 3 8 13 10 9 6 3 6

Lost

Draw

0 0 1 2 4 0 5

2 0 2 1 2 2 3 0 3 7 3 7 1 4 2 3 7 3 5 6 8 2 13 10

3

5

0 2

0 0 4 3 3 1 I 2 0 2 1

Summary of Match Results 1 889- 1 92 1 (entries i n boldface are World Championship matches) Year

1 8 89 1 8 89/90 1 8 90 1 8 90 1 890 1 892 1 892 1 892/3 1 893 1 893 1 893 1 894 1 89617 1 90 1 1 903 1 907 1 908 1 908 1 909 1 909 1910 1910 1916 1 92 1

Won

von Barde1eben, Berlin Mieses, Leipzig B ird, L iverpool Miniati , Manchester Englisch, Vienna B lackburne, London Bird, Newcastle on Tyne Showalter, Kokomo/Logansport Golmayo, Havana Vasquez, Havana Ettlinger, New York Steinitz, NY/Phila/Montreal Steinitz, Moscow Janowski, Manchester Tchigorin, Brighton (Rice Gambit) Marshall, USA Tarrasch, Dilsseldorf/Munich Speij er, Amsterdam Janowski, Paris Janowski, Paris Schlechter, Vienna/Berlin Janowski, Berlin Tarrasch, Berlin Capablanca, Havana

l ? 'i

2 5

Lost

1 8 8 2 2

l 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 5 2 0 2 0 3 0 2

1 8 5 0

1 0 0 4

7

3 2 6 5 6 2 3 5 10 10

7

Draw

3 3 2 3 4 0 1 0 0 4 5 1 3 7 5 1 0 2 8 3 10

Index of Players (refers to game numbers) Anderssen, Adol f 9, I 0, 1 5 B auer, Johann 1 2 B l ackburne 1 1 , 1 8 , 22 Burn, Amos 22, 29

Delmar, Eugene 1 9 Dufresne, Jean 9 Eng l i sch, Berthold 1 1 F ritz, Alexander 4 Gunsberg, I sidor 3 0 Harrw i tz , Daniel 2 5 Kieseritzky, Lionel 1 0 Lasker, Emanuel 1 2 , 1 8 , 2 3 , 24, 26, 29 Lipschutz, Samuel 1 9 Mason, James 4 M orphy, Paul 1 3 , 1 4, 2 5 , 2 7 Noa, Josef 1 7 Paulsen, L o u i s 1 4 P i l ls bury, Harry Nelson 3 0 , 3 1 Rutherford 2 1 Salmon, George 27 Schlechter, C arl 2 8 , 3 2 , 33 S chulten, John 1 3 Steinitz, Wilhelm 1 5 , 1 6, 2 3 , 24, 2 6 , 32 , 34 Tarrasch, Seigbert 1 7 , 35 Tch igorin , M i khail 28 , 3 1 , 34 von B ardeleben, C u rt 33, 35 Zukertort, Johannes 1 6

Index of Openings (refers to game numbers) Bird's Opening 1 2 Dutch Defence 25 Evans Gambit 8, 9, 27, 34 Four Knights Game 1 4 French Defence 4 , 1 1 , 22 Giuoco Piano 32 King's Gambit 3, 1 0, 1 3 , 3 1 Max Lange Attack 20 Petroff Defence 2 Philidor Defence l Ponziani Opening 2 1 Queen's Gambit Declined 1 8 , 24, 29, 3 0

Ruy Lopez 5 , 6, 7, 1 5 , 1 7, 2 3 , 26 , 28 , 3 3 , 3 5 Scotch G ame 1 6, 1 9

Games/Chess

$19.95 The Classic Tour de Force

Now in a 21st Centwy Edition! In the spring of 1895, reigning world chess champion Emanuel Lasker gave a series of lectures in London. These were geared to the level of the club players, or intermediate level. later that

year �ker gathered his Jecture material together and wrote it up in manuscript fonn to be published, rera.ining the infonnal, conversational tone of the lectures. The result was Conimon Sense in Chess, long regarded as a classic both during Lasker's lifetime and for generations afterwards. It is a masterpiece of compression and �ition, and in the whole of chess literature, there

is nothing that quite compares with it.

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Respected chess author Bruce Alberston has taken lasker's classic and created a 21st century edition. Tite text has been converted to modern algebraic notation and more diagrams have been added Splendidly complementing I.asker's original masteipiece, Alberston has added seven games

annorated by Lasker that were played in the famous

Hastings Tournament of 1895.

ISBN

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