Chess Fundamentals Part 17

{131} /* 10. ........ P P ch */

Again he cannot play P - K R 4, because P - K B 4 would leave him paralysed. The advance of his K R P would make White's K R P safe, and consequently his K R would have to retire to K B 2 to defend the Q R P.

That would make it impossible for his King to go to Q 2, because of the Q R P, nor could he advance a single one of his p.a.w.ns. On the other hand, White would play P - Kt 4, threatening to win a p.a.w.n by P - Kt 5, or he might first play K - Q 4, and then at the proper time P - Kt 5, if there was nothing better. Black meanwhile could really do nothing but mark time with one of his Rooks. Compare this bottling-up system with the ending in Example 57, and it will be seen that it is very similar.

11. K P R (B 3) - B 2 12. K - K 2

Probably wrong. P - Kt 4 at once was the right move. The text move gives Black good chances of drawing.

12. ........ K - Q 3 13. P - Kt 4 R - Q Kt 2

This could never have happened had White played 12 P - Kt 4, as he could have followed it up by P - Kt 5 after Black's K - Q 3.

14. P - R 5

Not good. P - K B 4 offered the best chances of {132} winning by force. If then 14...R - Kt 2; 15 P - R 5, R - Kt 7 ch; 16 K - Q 3, R - K R 7; 17 R P, R R; 18 R R, R P; 19 R - R 6, with winning chances.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

14. ........ P - R 3

Black misses his last chance. P - B 5 would draw. If then 15 P P, R (Kt 2) - K 2 ch !; 16 K - B 1, R P; 17 R P, R - K 6 !

15. P - K B 4 R - Kt 2 16. K - Q 3 R (K Kt 2) - K 2 17. R - R 1 R - Kt 2 18. K - Q 4 R - Kt 7 19. R (R 6) - R 2 R (Kt 2) - Kt 2

R (Kt 7) - Kt 2 would have offered greater resistance, but the position is lost in any case. (I leave the student to work this out.)

20. K - Q 3 ! R R 21. R R R - K 2

{133} Nothing would avail. If 21...R - Kt 8; 22 R - R 6 ! R - Q 8 ch; 23 K - B 2, R - K R 8; 24 P - Kt 5, R P; 25 R P ch, K - Q 2; 26 R - Q R 6, and White will win easily.

22. R - K Kt 2 R - K 3 23. R - Kt 7 R - K 2 24. R - Kt 8 P - B 4

Black is desperate. He sees he can no longer defend his p.a.w.ns.

25. R - Kt 6 ch R - K 3 26. P P ch K - Q 2 27. R - Kt 7 ch K - B 3 28. R P K P 29. R - K B 7 Resigns.

EXAMPLE 61.--From the game Capablanca-Janowski, New York National Tournament of 1913.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Black's game has the disadvantage of his double Q B P, which, to make matters worse, he cannot {134} advance, because as soon as Black plays P - Q Kt 3, White replies P - Q Kt 4. It is on this fact that White builds his plans. He will stop Black's Queen's side p.a.w.ns from advancing, and will then bring his own King to K 3. Then in due time he will play P - Q 4, and finally P - K 5, or P - K Kt 5, thus forcing an exchange of p.a.w.ns and obtaining in that way a clear pa.s.sed p.a.w.n on the King's file. It will be seen that this plan was carried out during the course of the game, and that White obtained his winning advantage in that way. The play was based throughout on the chance of obtaining a pa.s.sed p.a.w.n on the King's file, with which White expected to win.

1. P - K Kt 4

already preparing to play P - K Kt 5 when the time comes.

1. ........ P - Q Kt 3

Black wants to play P - Q B 4, but White, of course, prevents it.

2. P - Kt 4 ! K - Kt 2

This King should come to the King's side, where the danger lurks.

3. K - B 2 P - Q Kt 4

With the object of playing K - Kt 3 and P - Q R 4, followed by P P, and thus have an open file for his Rook and be able to make a counter-demonstration {135} on the Queen's side in order to stop White's advance on the right. White, however, also prevents this.

4. P - Q R 4 ! R - Q 5

Of course if P P; Black will have all his p.a.w.ns on the Queen's side disrupted and isolated, and White can easily regain the lost p.a.w.n by playing either Rook on the Q R file.

5. R - Q Kt 1 R - K 4

He still wants to play P - Q B 4, but as it is easy to foresee that White will again prevent it, the text move is really a serious loss of time.

Black should bring his King over to the other side immediately.

6. K - K 3 R - Q 2 7. P - R 5

The first part of White's strategic plan is now accomplished. Black's p.a.w.ns on the Queen's side are _fixed_ for all practical purposes.

7. ........ R - K 3

If R R; Kt P R would have given White a very powerful centre. Yet it might have been the best chance for Black.

8. R (Kt) - K B 1 R (Q 2) - K 2 9. P - Kt 5 P P 10. R P

{136}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The second part of White's strategical plan is now accomplished. It remains to find out if the advantage obtained is sufficient to win. White not only has a pa.s.sed p.a.w.n, but his King is in a commanding position in the centre of the board ready to support the advance of White's p.a.w.ns, or, if necessary, to go to Q B 5, or to move to the right wing in case of danger.

Besides, White holds the open file with one of his Rooks. Altogether White's position is superior and his chances of winning are excellent.

10. ........ R - R 3 11. R - Kt 3 R (R 3) - K 3

to prevent P - Q 4. Also Black fears to keep his Rook in front of his two King's side p.a.w.ns which he may want to utilise later.

12. P - R 4 P - Kt 3 13. R - Kt 5 P - R 3

{137} White threatens P - R 5, which would finally force Black to take, and then White would double his Rooks against the isolated p.a.w.n and win it, or tie up Black's Rooks completely. The text move, however, only helps White; therefore Black had nothing better than to hold tight and wait. R - K 4 would not help much, as White would simply answer R - B 8, R - K 1; R (Kt 5) R, and whichever Rook Black took, White would have an easy game.

(The student should carefully study these variations.)

14. R - Kt 4 R - Kt 2 15. P - Q 4 K - B 1 16. R - B 8 ch K - Kt 2

K - Q 2 would not help much, but since he made the previous move he should now be consistent and play it.

17. P - K 5 P - Kt 4 18. K - K 4 R (K 3) - K 2 19. P P P P 20. R - B 5 K - B 1 21. R (Kt 4) P R - R 2 22. R - R 5 K - Q 2 23. R R R R 24. R - B 8 R - R 5 ch 25. K - Q 3 R - R 6 ch {138} 26. K - Q 2 P - B 4 27. Kt P P R - Q R 6 28. P - Q 5 Resigns.