GAME I the possibility of avoiding the dou
66 GAME 7 off than White-his minor pieces
are more centralized and more co
operative. After a series of color
less moves, it could not be ex
pected that White would be able to attain complete equality.
16 .. . N-Q2
Now White's KP is indirectly at
tacked, that is, once the two Black Bishops leave the K file with tempo, White's KP will be threatened.
Also, the White King is in a rather uncomfortable and restricted posi
tion. So White is faced with two problems : ( a ) how to avoid the loss of a Pawn after . . . P-QN4, . . . B-QB4 eh, and . . . B-KB4 ( see the game ) ; and ( b ) how to avoid the displacement of his King after . . . P-QN4 and . . . B-QB4 eh.
17 P-KN3
White sees the distant danger of the restricted King position, but not the immediate danger to his KP. He does not realize that both Bishops, which mask the threat . . . RxP, can move away with tempo.
The reply 17 P-KB4 also en
tails difficulties : 17 . . . P-QN4;
18 N-B3, B-B4 eh; 19 K-B3 ( 19 B-K3?, P-Q5! ) , P-N4! and if 20 PxP, B-B4! and the King is in a bad position and exposed to attack by minor pieces, since the King is no longer protected by Pawns.
Note that 17 P-KN4, preventing . . . B-KB4 and making room for the King, would be a blunder on
account of 17 B-R5 eh.
17 . . . B-KB4
Winning a tempo with the attack against the QBP.
18 QR-Bl
White is obliged to relegate the QR to the duty of protecting the QBP because of 18 P-B3, P-QN4, and the White Knight is lost.
After 18 B-Q3, BxB; 19 PxB, P-QN4; 20 N-B3, B-B4 eh, Black wins the KP just as in the game.
After 18 P-QB4, PxP; 19 BxP?, P-QN4, he wins a piece.
18 . . . P-QN4 To secure his QB4 square for his KB .
19 N-B3 B-B4 eh In a marvelously simple and clear manner Black has increased his positional advantage to the point where he wins a Pawn. Both Bishops were played with tempo, and thus Black's indirect attack on White's KP was converted into a
direct attack that White could not parry because of the necessity of taking care of the threats made by the Black Bishops.
20 K-N2 NxP
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Variation 67 It was the indirect threat initiated
against the White KP in move 10 that has led to the winning of this Pawn. But Black has not only won a Pawn; he has also maintained the initiative.
Compare this position with that of eight or ten moves earlier. Black has extended his forces enormously.
Now Black occupies four ranks,
To drive back the strong Knight.
23 . . . P-B3
Protects the Knight and opens a second square of retreat for the Bishop.
24 BxN
To get rid of a troublesome piece that might make moves such as . . . be left with an isolated Pawn should Black exchange, White offers the
Naturally Black does not wish to activate White's QR.
68 GAME 7
At last all White's pieces are working!
White has finally freed his game, but at the cost of a weak KBP and certain other disadvantages, namely, that Black has the Two Bishops and full occupation of the center.
This means that his Bishops are not permanently blocked by Pawns as long as the center remains mobile. On the other hand, the mobility of White's minor pieces
�
mited.29 . . . R-K2 30 N-Q l
In order to bring the Knight to better squares and to render . . . B-N5 meaningless. Preferable was N-Nl-Q2 to protect the KBP, which will soon become a serious weakness.
In accordance with the idea that one's strategy of attack shoul<l be focused on the weaknesses of one's opponent, Black now plays
30 . . . R-KB l The beginning of an attack against White's backward KBP, which soon leads to the win of a second Pawn.
31 N-B2
White is looking for better squares for his Knight.
31 . . . B-Kl
Making a place for the other Rook.
32 P-N3
Despair again. Perhaps White foresees 32 N-R3, R ( 2 ) -KB2; 33 N-N l, P-B4 ( threatening to win a piece by 34 . . . P-B5 ) ; 34 P
B3, B-B3. White is now in a hope
less position. Black has all kinds of threats : P-B5, P-Q5, P-K5, the last being the most vigorous : 35 . . . P-K5; 36 PxP, PxP; 37 BxP, BxB
eh; 38 RxB, R-B7 eh followed by mate. The sad thing is that White cannot strengthen his position in any way. Both 35 R-KB2 and R
KBl are refuted by 35 . . . P-K5.
White now decides to give up a second Pawn in the hope of obtain
ing counterplay in some direction or other.
32 . . . R ( K2 ) -KB2 Again the master's clear style
no deep combination, only playing the pieces in the right place-will lead to the win of another Pawn.
33 P-QB4
There was nothing better.
33 . . . 34 PxQP 35 B-Nl
RxP PxP B-B3
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Variation 69
Again putting the pieces in the right place. Two Bishops and two Rooks are now directed against the White King-a tremendous con
centration of force.
36 R-Q l
37 B-K4 R ( 6 ) -B5 White's last hope : 37 . . . PxB; 38
RxB.
37 . . . B-B4!
Wins by force.
38 N-QS
Other moves lose a piece.
38 . . . 39 NxB 40 Resigns
PxB
P-K6 dis eh
For if 40 K-N l, R-N5 eh, etc., and if 40 K-N3, R-N5 eh; 41 K
RS, R-B6 mate.
The entire game is characterized by sound and simple play on the part of Black and hopeless effmts on the part of White to escape from his opponent's iron grip.
Game 8
The theory of the Dutch Defense Attaining equality in the center
Placing Bishops and Knights on their most effective squares Preventive strategy
Maintaining center tension The consequences of aimless play
Conceiving and carrying out a long-term strategic plan Creating and taking possession of a strong square
One of the most striking differences between master and amateur can be found in their conception and execution of strategy. The amateur gropes falteringly for a plan, often uncertain of what the correct strategy is, frequently failing to carry it out once it is conceived. The master com
prehends the position as a whole and derives his strategy from the require
ments of that position. He conceives a solid plan and then proceeds to execute it, making necessary allowances for and changes because of the tactical situations that arise. He plays each move with a purpose. It is not surprising, therefore, that his pieces are usually in just the right place to cooperate in a concerted assault against the opponent's weaknesses.
Not only does the amateur fall short in lacking a clearly outlined strategy of his own; by trying to avoid complications, he also tends to make it easier for his opponent to formulate his strategy. For instance, in general the amateur does not like unsolved tension on the board, be
cause such a situation forces a player to take a host of possibilities into consideration in choosing a move and makes it much more difficult and sometimes even impossible to settle on a definite strategy. The amateur prefers to know what he is about. He therefore tends to dissipate the tension through Pawn exchanges, but in so doing he facilitates not only his own task but also that of his opponent. As long as tension exists and multiple possibilities remain, it is difficult to formulate a definite plan,
70
71 but by eliminating the tension and establishing a stable position, the amateur gives his opponent the welcome opportunity to formulate a well
founded strategy. the additional characteristic of being very flexible and leading to
KB4 because of 2 P-K4, the Staun
ton Gambit, which leads to very
Black now exercises control over his K5 square with both his KN and his KBP.
3 N-QB3
White also makes a bid to secure some measure of control over his center squares K4 and Q5.
3 . . . P-KN3
The Leningrad Variation of the Dutch Defense, which develops the Black Bishop to KN2. The normal
White has the choice of develop
ing his KB via K2 or KN2. Since the Black KBP is already on B4, the fianchetto P-KN3 followed by
72 GAME 8 eventually enable White himself to play P-K4 with advantages and the Knight away, Black's QP would then become weak. If after 6 . . . P-Q3; 7 P-Q5, Black played 7 . . . QN-Q2 with the intention of post
ing his Knight on his QB4, White would continue 8 N-Q4, and Black's K3 square would remain a con strengthens the White position from a defensive point of view but not from an offensive point of view.
Moreover, on Q2 the Bishop is in the way of other pieces such as the Queen and the KN. Therefore, it would be better to develop the Bishop in the other direction de
spite the fact that in that case Black can push his KP without further