In the great majority of games, the first player begins with P to K 4th, and the usual reply is the same move on the part of the adversary. These moves are supposed to give a slight advantage to the first player, but they lead to much more interesting games than where the second player replies with P to K 3rd, a move which is often recommended as being safer against strong play. If the first player (whom, for the sake of convenience, we will suppose throughout this chapter to be White) now moves his King's Knight to Bishop's 3rd, we have THE KING'S KNIGHT'S OPENING; perhaps the strongest method of beginning the game. It will be seen that the Knight now attacks the Black King's Pawn, which must in some way be defended. Black's various moves for defence constitute some of the sub-divisions of the Opening. Before considering the recognised defences, we will present a game which might result from Black, on his second move, playing P to K B 3rd. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 3. Kt takes K P 4. Q to K R 5th (ch) BLACK. 1. P to K 4th Black, by taking the Knight at his third move, loses the game irrecoverably. On White checking at K R 5th, Black might interpose his Knight's Pawn; but, in that case, White would take King's Pawn (check), and afterwards take the Rook. 5. Q takes K P (ch) 11. P tikes P (en passant, 12. Q to K R 5th (ch) 5. K to B 2nd 11. K takes P 12. K to Kt 2nd or B 3rd It will be seen that each of Black's moves after the 4th is cither forced, or the best at his command. Philidor's Defence. This sub-division of the Knight's Opening consists in defending the King's Pawn, by moving the Queen's Pawn one square. Although one disadvantage of this defence is that it confines the King's Bishop, it is, nevertheless, a favourite defence with many of our best players. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 3. P to Q 4th 4. Q takes P 5. K B to Q Kt 5th BLACK. 1. P to K 4th 2. P to Q 3rd 3. P takes P (best) White prevents the threatened capture of his Queen by his fifth move, as it is obvious the Knight cannot move on account of exposing the King to check. Black interposes his Bishop, which releases his Knight. White can now either take the Knight with the Bishop, or retire the Queen to her square. Petroff's Defence. In this Opening, Black leaves his Pawn undefended, and attacks his adversary's King's Pawn. If an exchange of Pawns follow on the third move, very careful play is requisite with beginners. The above moves are, perhaps, the safest that can be adopted in this Opening. The Giuoco Piano. The best defence in the King's Knight's Opening is generally considered to be that in which Black, for his second move, defends his King's Pawn with his Queen's Knight. If each player then brings his King's Bishop to Q B 4th, we have the Giuoco Piano-a deservedly favourite opening with many players. Some, however, object to Black's second move, that it gives White the opportunity of adopting the Ruy Lopez attack, and they, therefore, prefer Philidor's defence. We would recommend the learner to try both. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 4. P to QB 3rd BLACK. 1. P to K 4th 3. B to QB 4th 4. K Kt to B 3rd White's fourth move opens a passage for his Queen, and gives protection to his Queen's Pawn, when moved to Q 4th. 5. P to Q 4th 6. P takes P 7. B to Q 2nd 5. P takes P· 8. Q Kt takes B The Evans Gambit. This is a favourite Opening with many players, and is one which abounds in brilliant and instructive positions. It will be seen that it is a variation of the Giuoco Piano, and consists in the sacrifice of Queen's Knight's Pawn at the fourth move, which opens a passage for the Queen's Bishop to Q Kt 2nd or QR 3rd; and also, after the 5th move, one for the Queen to Q Kt 3rd, both attacking positions. Of course, in actual play, the first player may never move the Queen and Bishop to these squares, as Black may adopt measures to prevent it; but the advantages resulting from driving the adversary to a certain line of play may compensate for the loss of the Pawn. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 3. B to QB 4th 4. P to Q Kt 4th 5. P to QB 3rd 6. Castles. 7. P to Q 4th 8. P takes P BLACK. 8. B to Q Kt 3rd Most authorities agree in recommending the foregoing moves as the best possible, both for attack and defence. The Scotch Gambit, An interesting variation of the King's Knight's Opening, consists in the sacrifice of the Queen's Pawn at the third move. D WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 3. P to Q 4th 6. P to QB 3rd 7. Q to K Kt 3rd BLACK. 1. P to K 4th 2. Q Kt to B 3rd In exchanging pieces or Pawns never be in too great a hurry to make your capture. It often occurs that an advantageous move may be previously made. The last move of White forms an illustration. Black has taken White's QB Pawn, but before retaking, White moves 7. Q to K Kt 3rd, threatening to take K B Pawn with the Bishop, supported by the Queen. Black is compelled to prevent this, by moving his Queen to K 2nd or K B 3rd. White can then take the Pawn with Knight, with a good attacking position. The Knight's Game of Ruy Lopez. It was through fear of this powerful rejoinder that Ruy Lopez, its inventor, discarded the accepted defence of 2. Q Kt to B 3rd, and returned to the old move of 2. P to Q 3rd. A similar re-action seems to have taken place in our own times. During the last few years, the Ruy Lopez game has been deservedly the "fashionable" Opening of the day; for certainly there is no attack upon the board more difficult and embarrassing, the true defence being still an unsolved problem. The assault is not, as in the Evans's and the King's gambits, dashing and impetuous, but steady and concentrated, and differs especially from all others, in that it involves a peculiar latent power of attack, it frequently happening that the second player finds his game hopelessly compromised before he is aware of the danger which menaced him. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd BLACK. 1. P to K 4th White here threatens to win the King's Pawn by taking the Knight which is occupied in defending it. He cannot do so with advantage, however, at present, as, should Bishop take Knight, Black would retake with Queen's Pawn; the white Knight could then take the King's Pawn, but Black would move his Queen to her 5th; White would then be compelled to remove his Knight, on which Black would take King's Fawn with Queen. 4. B to Q R 4th 5. P to Q 4th 6. P to K 5th 7. Castles 4. K Kt to B 3rd 5. P takes P 6. K Kt to K 5th 7. K Kt to Q B 4th This is, perhaps, the best defence against this powerful attack. White may now take off Q Kt with Bishop, and then regain his Pawn, with a slightly superior position. The Queen's Bishop's Pawn's Game in the King's Knight's Opening. This Opening presents many interesting features, though it has not received the attention hitherto which it merits. WHITE. 1. P to K 4th 2. K Kt to B 3rd 3. P to QB 3rd BLACK. 1. P to K 4th 2. Q Kt to B 3rd 3. K Kt to B 3rd White's third move, the distinguishing feature of this Opening, enables him to advance the Queen's Pawn at his next Black here abandons his Queen's Knight for the sake of the opportunity of making a formidable combined attack with the King's Knight and Bishop. 6. P takes Kt 7. K to K 2nd 6. B takes K BP (ch) 7. Q Kt P takes P Black now threatens a deadly check with his Bishop at QR 3rd, against which White seems to have no better resource than 8. Q to Q R 4th 8. P to K B 4th Black has now won three Pawns, to compensate for the loss of his Knight, and has also the best of the position. |