Chess Fundamentals Part 14

White resigns. A very fine finish.

{110}

CHAPTER V

END-GAME STRATEGY

We must now revert once more to the endings. Their importance will have become evident to the student who has taken the trouble to study my game with Janowski (Example 53). After an uneventful opening--a Ruy Lopez--in one of its normal variations, my opponent suddenly made things interesting by offering the exchange; an offer which, of course, I accepted. Then followed a very hard, arduous struggle, in which I had to defend myself against a very dangerous attack made possible by the excellent manoeuvring of my adversary. Finally, there came the time when I could give back the material and change off most of the pieces, and come to an ending in which I clearly had the advantage. But yet the ending itself was not as simple as it at first appeared, and finally--perhaps through one weak move on my part--it became a very difficult matter to find a win. Had I been a weak end-game player the game would probably have ended in a draw, and all my previous efforts would have been in vain. Unfortunately, that is very often the case among the large majority of players; they are weak in the endings; a failing from which masters of the first rank are at times not free. {111} Incidentally, I might call attention to the fact that all the world's champions of the last sixty years have been exceedingly strong in the endings: Morphy, Steinitz, and Dr. Lasker had no superiors in this department of the game while they held their t.i.tles.

26. THE SUDDEN ATTACK FROM A DIFFERENT SIDE

I have previously stated, when speaking about general theory, that at times the way to win consists in attacking first on one side, then, granted greater mobility of the pieces, to transfer the attack quickly from one side to the other, breaking through before your opponent has been able to bring up sufficient forces to withstand the attack. This principle of the middle-game can sometimes be applied in the endings in somewhat similar manner.

EXAMPLE 56.

[Ill.u.s.tration] {112}

In the above position I, with the Black pieces, played:

1. ........ R - K 5 ch 2. R - K 2 R - Q R 5 3. R - R 2 P - K R 4

The idea, as will be seen very soon, is to play P - R 5 in order to fix White's King's side p.a.w.ns with a view to the future. It is evident to Black that White wants to bring his King to Q Kt 3 to support his two weak isolated p.a.w.ns, and thus to free his Rooks. Black, therefore, makes a plan to shift the attack to the King's side at the proper time, in order to obtain some advantage from the greater mobility of his Rooks.

4. R - Q 1 R (Q 4) - Q R 4

in order to force the Rook to Rook's square, keeping both Rooks tied up.

5. R (Q 1) - R 1 P - R 5 6. K - Q 2 K - Kt 2 7. K - B 2 R - K Kt 4

Black begins to transfer his attack to the King's side.

8. R - K Kt 1

A serious mistake, which loses quickly. White should have played 8 K - Kt 3, when Black would have answered 8...R (R 5) - R 4; 9 P - B 3, and Black would have obtained an opening at K Kt 6 for his King, which in the end might give him the victory.

8. ........ R - K B 5

{113} Now the King cannot go to Kt 3, because of R - Kt 4 ch.

9. K - Q 3 R - B 6 ch 10. K - K 2

If P R, R R; followed by R - K R 8 winning,

10. ........ R R P

and Black won after a few moves.

EXAMPLE 57.--Another good example, in which is shown the advantage of the greater mobility of the pieces in an ending, is the following from a game Capablanca-Kupchick played at the Havana Masters Tournament, 1913. The full score and notes of the game can be found in the book of the tournament.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

White's only advantage in the above position is that he possesses the open file and has the move, which will secure him the initiative. There is also the slight advantage of having his p.a.w.ns on the Queen's side united, while Black has an isolated Q R P. The {114} proper course, as in the previous ending, is to bring the Rooks forward, so that at least one of them may be able to shift from one side of the board to the other, and thus keep Black's Rooks from moving freely. What this means in general theory has been stated already; it really means: _keep hara.s.sing the enemy; force him to use his big pieces to defend p.a.w.ns. If he has a weak point, try to make it weaker, or create another weakness somewhere else and his position will collapse sooner or later. If he has a weakness, and he can get rid of it, make sure that you create another weakness somewhere else_.

From the position in question the game continued thus:

1. R - K 4 K R - K 1

with the object of repeating White's manoeuvre, and also not to allow White the control of the open file.

2. Q R - K 1 R - K 3 3. Q R - K 3 R (B 1) - K 1 4. K - B 1 K - B 1

Black wants to bring his King to the centre of the board in order to be nearer to whatever point White decides to attack. The move is justified at least on the general rule that in such endings the King should be in the middle of the board. He does nothing after all but follow White's footsteps. Besides, it is hard to point out anything better. If 4...P - Q 4; 5 R - Kt 4 ch, followed by K - K 2, would leave Black in {115} a very disagreeable position. If 4...P - K B 4; 5 R - Q 4! R R? 6 P R, R P; 7 K - B 2, R - K 2; 8 R - Q R 4, winning the Q R P, which would practically leave White with a pa.s.sed p.a.w.n ahead on the Queen's side, as the three p.a.w.ns of Black on the King's side would be held by the two of White.

5. K - K 2 K - K 2 6. R - Q R 4 R - Q R 1

The student should note that through the same manoeuvre Black is forced into a position similar to the one shown in the previous ending.

7. R - R 5!

This move has a manifold object. It practically fixes all of Black's p.a.w.ns except the Q P, which is the only one that can advance two squares. It specially prevents the advance of Black's K B p.a.w.ns, and at the same time threatens the advance of White's K B p.a.w.ns to B 4 and B 5. By this threat it practically forces Black to play P - Q 4, which is all White desires, for reasons that will soon become evident.

7. ........ P - Q 4 8. P - Q B 4! K - Q 3

Evidently forced, as the only other move to save a p.a.w.n would have been P P, which would have left all Black's p.a.w.ns isolated and weak. If 8...P - Q 5; 9 R - K 4, K - Q 3; 10 P - Q Kt 4! R - K 4; 11 R - R 6, and Black's game is hopeless.

9. P - B 5 ch K - Q 2 10. P - Q 4 P - B 4

{116} Apparently very strong, since it forces the exchange of Rooks because of the threat R - R 3; but in reality it leads to nothing. The best chance was to play R - K K 1.

11. R R P R 12. P - B 4

Up to now White had played with finesse, but this last move is weak.

R - R 6 was the proper way to continue, so as to force Black to give up his Q R P or Q B P.

12. ........ K - B 1 13. K - Q 2

Again a bad move. 13 R - R 3 was the proper continuation, and if then 13...R - Kt 1; 14 P - Kt 3, K - Kt 2; 15 P - Kt 4, K - R 1; 16 R - Q Kt 3, with excellent winning chances; in fact, I believe, a won game.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

13. ........ K - Kt 2

Black misses his only chance. R - Kt 1 would have drawn. {117}

14. R - R 3 R - K Kt 1 15. R - R 3 R - Kt 2 16. K - K 2 K - R 3 17. R - R 6 R - K 2 18. K - Q 3 K - Kt 2