The object of the game, we know, is to checkmate the opposing king. Since a direct assault is not always possible (and might result in placing your own king in jeopardy) other, more immediate targets, must be found.
Four factors dominate the play:
1. Time – represented by the moves of the pieces.
2. Force – represented by the powers of the pieces.
3. Space – represented by the territory controlled by the pieces.
4. Position – represented by such factors as king safety and pawn structure.
A gain in time (or “tempo” as it is called), by forcing your opponent to waste moves, will often permit you to marshal your forces effectively and swiftly.
A gain in force by, say, trading an enemy rook for a bishop or a knight (known as “winning the exchange”) is clearly advantageous. Other things being equal, a material advantage of one pawn or its equivalent will often be enough for victory, and a larger material advantage will almost always be enough.
A gain in space – extending your territorial control, thereby achieving greater manoeuvrability for your pieces – is again usually an advantage.
When other factors are equal, a positional advantage such as a safer king or a superior pawn structure can often be decisive.
Bearing these four points in mind, in addition to the ultimate aim of mating the opposing king, every move in a game should be made to some purpose.
If you have no plan, and aimlessly shift pieces around as the fancy takes you, you will rarely hold out for longer than a dozen or so moves. Better – far better – to have a bad plan than to have no plan at all. That does not mean that a course of action, once formulated, should be adhered to obstinately; but rather that it should be modified or recast if necessary to meet changing conditions.
Remember, therefore, to play with a purpose at all times.
In chess, as in war, movements are governed by two determining factors – strategy and tactics. Strategy can be said to consist of the spadework; tactics, which implements strategy, the point-to-point struggle.
Some players prefer the subtleties of finer strategy, others the exhilarating rough-and-tumble of tactical play; it is this distinction which to a greater or lesser degree determines a player’s style.
So much for theory, and we are now ready to play over an actual game. The pieces are set up as in diagram 5, page 20 (black square left-hand corner!) and White moves first.
From hereon the short algebraic will be used. In this notation, the square from which a piece moves is omitted, as is the dash. Thus Bf1–e2 is recorded simply as Be2. Sometimes ambiguity can arise. Look back at diagram 9, page 29. Assume White captures the black knight at b3 with the rook at b4. Rxb4 is not good enough because it is not clear which rook is taking the knight. In situations like this, either the rank (in this case) or the file on which the piece to be moved stands is given immediately after the initial letter. So the move would be written R4xb3. Similarly, if Black moves the knight e6 to d4, the move would be Ned4 since the knight at b3 could also move there. As the pawn is not identified by a letter, a move such as g2–g4 becomes simply g4. When a pawn makes a capture, the file on which the pawn stands is given first; thus d5xe6 is rendered dxe6, or sometimes simply dxe.
|
White |
Black |
1. |
e4 |
|
An excellent move. Note that the king’s bishop and the queen are now free (in the initial position only the pawns and the knights are able to move). This pawn advance also strikes at the centre, which is the most important area of the board and the focus of all opening play.
1. |
. . . |
e5 |
The same. One of Black’s best replies. Clearly it achieves the same as White’s move. Note that now neither of these pawns can move.
2. |
Nf3 |
|
The king’s knight is brought into play. It attacks the black pawn and is therefore an aggressive move. It also attacks the d4 square.
2. |
. . . |
Nc6 |
Obvious and best. The pawn is now guarded, and the knight counter attacks the d4 square. It will be observed that the game to this point has revolved round the four centre squares. The struggle for these squares, control of which always yields the superior game, motivates most opening manoeuvres.
3. |
a4 |
|
A very weak move indeed: it demonstrates White has no plan. It does not serve a single useful function, being far removed from the central squares. White has dissipated the advantage of the extra move.
3. |
. . . |
Nf6 |
A good move, it continues the assault on the centre, attacking White’s e-pawn.
4. |
Qe2 |
|
Bad. Although this move protects the threatened pawn, it hinders the development of the king’s bishop. Bd3 in this position would have been no better, since then the queen’s pawn would have been unable to move and White would have experienced difficulty in getting the queen’s bishop out. Nc3 was correct.
4. |
. . . |
Bc5 |
Another good move which develops a piece and attacks the d4 square.
5. |
g3 |
|
White sees that he is unable to develop the bishop on the long diagonal, and seeks to bring it into play via g2.
5. |
. . . |
d6 |
Black’s queen’s bishop is now able to come into the game.
6. |
Bg2 |
|
The bishop is now said to be “fianchettoed” in the jargon of the chess player. In some parts of the world, where the double pawn move wasn’t accepted, it was usual to develop the bishops in this manner, since the centre pawns, only capable of moving one square at a time, would free one bishop only to block the other.
White could not, of course, play 6. Bh3 here, as the piece would then have been undefended, permitting Black to play Bxh3, winning a clear piece for nothing.
6. |
... |
0-0 |
Castles. The black king is now in comparative safety, and the rook is brought into the game.
Up to here Black’s moves have been an example of model play. At some points he has had the choice of several good moves, whilst other moves could have been transposed, but his play could hardly have been improved upon.
The position in diagram 13 (overleaf) has now been reached. Check this with your board to ensure that the two agree. A quick assessment of the game as it stands reveals that White has decidedly the worst of it. The bishop on g2 is doing nothing, the queen is no better placed at e2 than at d1; and the a-pawn, a waif in the wilderness, has achieved nothing by its inconsequential advance.
Black, on the other hand, has his pieces posted to some purpose. His development (i.e. the bringing of his pieces into play) is almost complete, when he will be ready to embark on an attack. The contest may now be said to be entering the middle game. There are three recognized phases in a game of chess: the opening, middle and end game. There is no strict dividing line between them, the opening being understood to consist of the developing moves of each side, the middle game the main struggle, the end game when the majority of the pieces are off the board and the kings and pawns come into their own. We shall study each of these phases separately in ensuing chapters.
7. |
Qb5 |
Another bad move which threatens nothing; the black bishop, knight and knight’s pawn are all protected and the e-pawn is now unguarded. White should have again played Nc3.
7. |
... |
Nb4! |
A very strong move, hence the exclamation mark. (Black could equally well have played simply Nxe4 here.) Black now threatens to play Nxc2+, forking the king and the rook, with considerable material gain.
8. |
Na3 |
This guards the c-pawn, which would now make the exchange unfavourable to Black. White could also have played Kd1, but then the f-pawn would have been undefended, and, more important still, White would have forfeited the right to castle. Attacking the knight with c3 would also have been no good, since Black could still have continued Nc2+, winning the exchange at least. Qc4 would have allowed Black to continue Be6! attacking the queen and thereby gaining a “tempo”.
8. |
... |
Bd7 |
The white queen is attacked. Again, Black could also have captured on e4.
9. |
Qc4 |
|
Note carefully that if, in this position, White had played instead Qxb7, Black would have replied either Rb8! or Bc6! and the queen is without a flight square. White would then have had nothing better than to give up the queen for the rook.
9. |
... |
Be6 |
Again attacking the queen and tempting White into making a mistake. Stronger, though, was the immediate Nxe4.
10. |
Qc3 |
|
Observe how an early foray with the queen is quickly punished. It is rarely advisable to bring the major pieces into the middle of the board at the beginning of a game, since they can be constantly harassed by the enemy minor pieces and much time is lost in the process. (The bishops and knights are known as the “minor” pieces, the rooks and queens as “major” pieces.) This move turns out to be very bad, as will be seen. Correct was Qe2.
10. |
... |
Nxe4 |
The queen is trapped.
11. |
d4 |
|
White opens the game – too late.
11. |
... |
exd4 |
There is no hurry to take the queen off – she is still not able to escape. Note that the king’s file is now open for Black’s rook.
12. |
Nxd4 |
Nxc3 |
13. |
bxc3 |
|
As the result of this move White has what is known as “doubled pawns” – two pawns on the same file. The a-pawn is now isolated, and is called an “isolated pawn”. Both these are weaknesses which we shall examine at a later stage; White’s game is lost anyway.
13. |
... |
Re8 |
14. |
cxb4 |
|
Ignoring the “discovered check” which is threatened by Black moving the bishop on e6, thereby exposing the white king to attack from the rook. Black has time to spare however, and first takes his piece back.
14. |
... |
Bxd4 |
Attacking the queen’s rook. c3 is no defence for White, as Black would play simply Bxc3+, forking king and rook.
15. |
Rb1 |
|
Now Black can play to win material by Ba2+ (a discovered check), when White, who must first deal with the check, will lose his rook. Observe the immense power of a discovered check – the bishop can go anywhere on the board without fear of capture because White must first attend to the attack on his king.
... |
Bc3+ |
Winning easily, but Bh3+ was even stronger. Black does not take full advantage of the position in which there are several good continuations. He is so heavily up in material however – a queen and a pawn for a knight – that it matters little.
16. |
Kf1 |
|
Escaping from the potential discovered check but Bd2 would not have been much better. Kd1 would have been worse: Black can force mate in five moves starting with Bg4+.
16. |
... |
Bc4+! |
Decisive.
17. |
Kg1 |
|
Not Nxc4 Re1#! Black sacrifices the bishop in order to clear the file for the rook. It may be argued that such an offer hardly constitutes a sacrifice. Certainly it is not a sacrifice in the true sense, but chess terminology rules that it shall be so described, so there it is.
The sacrifice is one of the keenest sources of delight to the chess player, the apparent surrender of force creating a whimsical effect which is at once self-satisfying and artistic. This is an example of a tactical sacrifice – by far the most common. The strategic sacrifice – the relinquishing of a piece in order to gain time or space, particularly in the opening – is more common among stronger players as it requires sound judgement.
17. |
... |
Re1+ |
18. |
Bf1 |
|
The only move.
... |
Rxf1+ |
|
19. |
Kg2 |
|
The king cannot, of course, take the rook since it is defended by the queen’s bishop.
19. |
... |
Bd5+ |
20. |
Kh3? |
|
20. Kf1 was the only way to avoid a swift mate, but naturally not 20. f3 Rxf3 when Black would again be threatening a dangerous discovered check.
20. |
... |
Qd7+ |
20. . . . Bf3 was an even quicker way to win.
21. |
Kh4 |
|
21. g4 would have lost immediately to Bf3 when White can only delay Qxg4#.
21. |
... |
Bf3 |
Now mate cannot be avoided. It is often the quiet move rather than the garish check that precedes the climax.
22. |
Kg5 |
|
White could have delayed mate for a few moves by playing 22. h3.
22. |
... |
Qg4# |
Finis. See diagram 14.
By normal standards this is a short game, the average being around thirty-five moves. A long game will run to sixty moves and more – occasionally into three figures.
There are a number of lessons to be learned from the play of both sides, but the main cause of White’s collapse was his dilatory handling of the opening. It was evident almost from the outset that he had no plan of campaign.
Witness Black’s handling of the game by comparison – a polished if not perfect performance.
1. He developed his pieces quickly.
2. He took advantage of White’s errors.
3. He wasted no time in side issues.
It is of particular interest to notice that Black succeeded in castling and bringing his king’s rook into play, the uncastled white king offering a vulnerable target.
In the final position observe the confusion in the white ranks. The queen’s bishop and king’s rook are still “at home”; the queen’s knight is posted at the side of the board guarding a threat which for many moves has ceased to exist; the queen’s rook has been forced to waste a tempo to avoid the attack of a minor piece; and, of course, that unhappy pawn is still forlornly standing, without rhyme or reason, on a4. Asorry picture!
The shortest possible game of chess ending in mate is a brevity known as Fool’s Mate. It runs to only two moves:
|
White |
Black |
1. |
f3 |
e5 |
2. |
g4 |
Qh4# |
None of White’s king’s side pieces is able to interpose.
The term “Fool’s Mate” is something of a misnomer, since in his early acquaintance with the game the beginner may easily overlook the vulnerability of his king, particularly when the attacking piece descends “from the blue”.
On the other hand, a game concluded in four moves known as the “Scholar’s Mate” is much more obvious. White wins this time:
|
White |
Black |
1. |
e4 |
e5 |
2. |
Bc4 |
Bc5 |
3. |
Qh5 |
Nf6 |
4. |
Qxf7# |
|
If Black had played Nf6 before he brought the bishop out, all would have been well, as Qh5 could then have been met by Nxh5. But in any case Black had nothing to fear if he fathomed White’s designs. For example, 3. . . . Qe7, defending both the threatened mate and the e-pawn was good since, as we have learned from the previous game, White will lose time parrying Black’s imminent attacks on the wayward queen.
Variations and extensions of these two mating themes are often encountered. The f-pawn, against which the attack in Scholar’s Mate is directed, is the weakest link in the initial position, for it is guarded only by the king. A further point in favour of castling: the rook is brought to the protection of this pawn.
Here is another short game with an attractive sacrifice:
|
White |
Black |
1. |
e4 |
e5 |
2. |
Nf3 |
d6 |
3. |
Bc4 |
h6 |
4. |
Nc3 |
Bg4 |
Pinning the knight.
5. |
Nxe5! |
|
The surprise: White sacrifices the queen.
5. |
... |
Bxd1 |
This loses, but after 5. . . . dxe4 6. Qxg4 White has won a pawn and is ahead in development.
6. |
Bxf7+ |
|
That weak f-pawn again!
6. |
... |
Ke7 |
7. |
Nd5# |
|
Before returning to the study of chess theory, the reader would do well to play over another game and endeavour to answer the questions posed.
Initial position again – black square left-hand corner – queens on the squares of their own colour.
|
White |
Black |
1. |
e4 |
e5 |
2. |
Bc4 |
|
(a) Good or bad?
2. |
... |
Na6 |
(b) Is this better than Nc6?
3. |
Nf3 |
|
The black pawn is now attacked and is said to be en prise (French: “in a position to be taken”).
3. |
. . . |
f6? |
It is a good general rule that this move is bad in the opening, seriously weakening the king’s position.
4. |
Nxe5! |
|
A tactical sacrifice.
4. |
. . . |
fxe5 |
Black would have done much better to decline the sacrifice by playing Qe7.
5. |
Qh5+ |
g6 |
(c) Why not 5. . . . Ke7?
Qxe5+ |
Qe7 |
|
7. |
Qxh8 |
Qxe4+ |
8. |
Be2 |
|
(d) Why not Kd1 or Kf1?
8. |
. . . |
Ne7 |
(e) What was White threatening?
9. |
d3 |
Qxg2 |
10. |
Bh6 |
|
Another sacrifice.
10. |
. . . |
Qxh1+ |
11. |
Kd2 |
d6 |
(f) Why can’t Black play Bxh6+?
12. |
Qxf8+ |
Kd7 |
13. |
Bg5 |
|
A strong move, but even better was 13. Bg4+ Nf5 14. Nc3, when Black has to give up his queen to avoid mate. The black knight is twice attacked, and since it cannot be further protected by another piece, it must move or be captured.
13. |
. . . |
Nf5 |
(g) Why not Nc6?
14. |
Qf7+ |
Kc6 |
15. |
Nc3! |
|
Another good sacrifice. The rook is en prise to the black queen.
15. |
. . . |
Qg2 |
The only move. Black must keep on the diagonal to prevent the bishop check. If 15. . . . Qxa1? there would follow 16. Bf3+, when Black would be mated in three moves at most. How? (h)
16. |
Rg1! |
|
A pretty move. The queen’s bishop is attacked by the black queen, so White promptly offers the rook again, hoping to decoy the queen off the vital diagonal.
16. |
. . . |
Qxf2 |
Now the white king’s bishop is pinned.
17. |
Rf1 |
|
Good enough, but Qe8+ would have been a stronger choice. (i) If 17. Be3, attacking the queen, and guarding the rook, how would Black have continued?
17. |
. . . |
Qg2 |
18. |
Kd1 |
|
(j) Why does White move his king here? In fact Ke1 would have been much better, so that the king could defend the rook.
18. |
. . . |
d5 |
Clearly not 18. . . Ne3+? 19. Bxe3. Or 18. . . . Kb6 19. Qb3+. Another possible line is 18. . . . Nd4 19. Qc4+ Nc5 (19. . . . Kd7? 20. Rf7+ Ke8 21. Re7+ Kf8 22. Qf7# or 21. . . . Kd8 Qg8#) 20. Bf3+! – yet another sacrifice – Nxf3 21. Qb5#.
19. |
Nxd5 |
|
White should have preferred to save his threatened bishop with Bf4.
(k) Why not still 19. Bf3?
19. |
. . . |
Nc5 |
Black should have taken the opportunity to take the proffered bishop on g5, when it is not immediately clear how White can win the game.
(l) Why not 19. . . Qxd5?
20. |
Qxc7+ |
|
White, offering a further knight, wins at last.
20. |
. . . |
Kxd5 |
(m) Can Black play 20. . . Kb5, declining the tainted gift?
21. |
Bf3+ |
|
White misses a conclusive finish: 21. Rxf5+ B (or g)xf5 22. c4+ Kd4 (22. . . . Ke6 23. Qe7#) 23. Qg7#.
21. |
. . . |
Qxf3+ |
22. |
Rxf3 |
Resigns |
Black has two knights for a queen and a pawn. He has no chance of redressing the balance, and his king is in the centre of the board open to continuous attack. Under the circumstances, a graceful surrender is the best course.
This is the kind of punishment that the student must expect to receive from the strong player. A wasted knight move, an injudicious pawn advance and Black was in trouble.
White sacrificed continually throughout the game and yet won the game. Why? Because on each occasion, he correctly assessed the relative values of the pieces involved, and played accordingly.
Sacrifices of this nature have to be very carefully calculated, however, since a single slip in analysis would prove disastrous.
For this reason, the student is advised not to give up voluntarily even a pawn unless he can foresee the consequences. As you progress, you will often be able to sense a sacrifice, but insight of this nature comes only with practice.
All sacrifices should be treated on their merits alone. Regrettably, this seemingly trite advice is rarely followed. Beginners tend to fall into two classes: those who grab everything on the principle that they then have the superior force and it is incumbent upon the opponent to maintain the initiative; and those who never accept anything on the principle that if a piece is offered it must be a trap.
If you see no objection to accepting a proffered piece, do not hesitate. An apparent sacrifice is often an oversight: the player has simply put or left a piece en prise.
Solutions to Test (Chapter 3)
(a) Good, since it develops a piece, prevents Black playing d5, and attacks the weak f-pawn. The usual rule, and a good one to stick to when learning the game, is “knights and bishops out first”.
(b) No. It is away from the centre of the board. The knight on a6 controls four unimportant squares – exactly half the number of squares it would control on c6.
(c) Because of Qxe5#!
(d) Because the bishop is en prise.
(e) 9. Qxg8.
(f) Because the bishop is pinned by the white queen.
(g) Because of Bg4#
(h) (1) 16. . . . d5 17. Qxd5+ Kb6 18. Qb5 or Na4#.
(2) 16. . . . Kc5 17. Qc4 (or d5)+, K moves 18. Qb5#.
(3) 16. . . . Kb6 17. Qb3+ Nb4 (17. . . . Kc5 18. Qc4+ Kb6 19. Qb5#or 17. . . . Ka5 18. Qb5#) 18. Qxb4+ Ka6 19. Qb5#.
(i) 17. . . . Qxe3+ (not 17. . . . Nxe3? 18. Qxf2) 18. Kd1 Qxg1+ and Black wins easily, being a rook, knight and pawn ahead. This move (17. Be3) would have been a bad blunder on White’s part.
(j) To unpin the bishop. The move threatens Bf3+, winning the queen. White forced Black to capture the f-pawn, a sacrifice that permitted the white rook to make use of the open file to guard f3 so that the bishop can check.
(k) Because of 18. . . . Qxf1+.
(l) Because of 20. Bf3, and the queen is pinned and lost.
(m) No; Black would then be mated by 21. a4+ Ka6 22. Nb4. Or 21. . . . Nxa4 22. Qc4+ Ka5 23. b4#; if 21. . . . Kxa4, White can mate in several ways: 22. Nc3+ followed by 23. Rf4+ or 22. b3+ followed by 23. Bc1+ etc. 21. c4+ also mates quickly.
