Chess Strategy
K3 to bring the White KKt away from his Q4, whence he prevents
the advance of Black's QP by attacking QB6); 11. Kt-Q4, Kt-K3;
12. B-K3, KtxKt; 13. BxKt, P-B4; 14. B-K3, P-Q4; 15. PxP e.p.,
BxP. This is the critical position in the Rio de Janeiro
defence. Black has succeeded in eliminating the White centre
pawn, and sweeps long diagonals with his Bishops, but the
advantage cannot be maintained. White exchanges the Bishop at Q6,
and there remains a backward pawn, which Black will hardly be
able to hold permanently. In practice it has been shown that the
end-game should be won by White in spite of Bishops of opposite
colours, as Black's pawn at his QB4 is difficult to defend.
16. Kt-K4, B-Kt2; 17. KtxB (not BxP because of BxB; 18. KtxB, BxP
followed by Q-Kt4ch), PxKt; 18. Q R-Q1 and P-QB4.
The game is much more favourable for Black if he first plays 3.
... P-QR3, and retains the option of driving the White KB away by
P-QKt4, after which P-Q4 can be enforced very soon. 3. B-Kt5, P-
QR3; 4. B-R4, Kt-B3; 5. Castles, KtxP; 6. P-Q4, P-QKt4; 7. B-Kt3,
P-Q4; 8. PxP, B-K3, 9. P-B3.
Now Black's pieces are more mobile, and that is the reason why
this system of defence is becoming more popular than any other.
On the other hand, it cannot be denied that Black's pawn
formation on the Q side is weak, and that his centre is less
secure. Whilst White has a pawn firmly posted in the centre,
Black has a Knight there which will soon be driven away. White's
Q4, the basis of his centre, is entirely in his hands, whilst
Black's Q4 is exposed to a steady pressure by the White pieces.
Finally Black's QKt is unfavourably placed, obstructing as it
does the QBP and preventing its falling into line with its
fellows.
Diagram 26 shows the position after 9. P-B3. The latter move
prevents the exchange of the B after Black's Kt-R4, an exchange
which would allow Black to round up his pawn formation with P-
QB4. The experts are not yet agreed as to the best continuation
for Black in this critical position. To be considered are the
moves B-QB4, B-K2 and Kt-B4. B-K2 is preferred nowadays to B-
QB4, as QB4 should be kept free for the KKt in case the latter is
driven from his dominating position, e.g. 10. R-K1 and 11. Q Kt-
Q2. For if in that case Black exchanges the Knights, he only
furthers White's development without doing anything towards
strengthening his Q4.
If Black covers the Knight with P-B4, White plays PxP e.p. and
Kt-Kt5, rids himself of Black's QB, and thereby weakens Black's
QP still more.
Kt-B4 would therefore seem to be the best choice, as the QB
becomes mobile again after White's B-B2, nor can White
---------------------------------------
8 | #R | | | #Q | #K | #B | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | | | #P | | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | #P | |#Kt | | #B | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | #P | | #P | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | |#Kt | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | ^B | ^P | | |^Kt | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R |^Kt | ^B | ^Q | | ^R | ^K | |
---------------------------------------
A B C D E F G H
Diag. 26.
play P-Q4 as yet. The position in the diagram therefore leads to
the following variations:
A. 9. ... B-K2; 10. R-K1, Castles; 11. QKt-Q2, Kt-B4; 12. B-B2,
B-KKt5. This manoeuvre was introduced by Em. Lasker (Petrograd,
1909. For further particulars see Game No. 15).
B. 9. ... Kt-B4; 10. QKt-Q2, P-Q5 (Capablanca-Em. Lasker,
Petrograd, 1914); or 9. ... B-K2; 10. R-K1, Castles; 11. QKt-Q2,
Kt-B4; 12. B-B2, P-Q5 (Em. Lasker-Tarrasch, Petrograd, 1914).
Capablanca believes that the early advance of P-Q5 can be refuted
by Kt-K4, e.g. 9. ... B-K2; 10. QKt-Q2, Kt-B4; 11. B-B2, P-Q5;
12. Kt-K4, PxP; 13. KtxKt, BxKt; 14. B-K4, Q-Q2; 15. Q-B2 or PxP.
The openings as sketched out up to this point give a sufficiently
clear idea of the possibilities of combining sound development
with an attempt to capture the centre after the opening moves 1.
P-K4, P-K4. In most cases, Black's centre pawn being open to
attack by White's P-Q4, we find an early break-up of the centre,
and concurrently the opening of the Ks or Qs file for the Rooks.
That is why games opened in this fashion have been classed very
generally as "open," whilst all the other openings are called
"close games." Lately the distinction has been abandoned, and
very rightly, since in the latter openings, too, the centre can
be cleared occasionally. We attain typical close positions when
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