Now, if Knight takes Pawn, Black Queen takes King's Pawn, gives check, and wins the Knight: if White defends Black's check with his Queen, White takes Queen's Bishop's Pawn, and wins the Bishop, or changes Queens, and gets the best of the game. Or, if White Queen retires to her square, Black can again give check. We will now examine another mode of defence for Black, the only objection to which is that it confines the King's Bishop. The first two moves of the White are the same as before: White. 1 P. to K. 4 2 K. Kt. to B. 3 3 P. to Q. 4 4 Q. takes P. attacking White's Queen. return 5 K. B. to Q. Kt. 5, which Black replies to by 6 Q. to her square 8 Q. to her 5 Black. : 1 P. to K. 4 2 P. to Q. 3 3 P. takes P. 4 Q. Kt. to B. 3 White attacks in 5 Q. B. to Q. 2 8 Q. P. takes Kt. 9 Q. takes Q. P. (ch). 9 Q. B. P. interposes. 10 K. B. gives check, which is answered by the advance of Black's Pawn. And from this point Black also has the best of the game, and thus we discover that, after all, the true defence to the King's Knight's attack is the advance of Queen's Knight to Bishop's third square. Let us now examine a different mode of defence to be adopted by Black in answer to the advance of K. Kt. to B. 3. We have seen that, hitherto, the only safe reply is Q. Kt. to B. 3; let us see what comes of the move, known among players as PETROFF'S ATTACK— White. 1 P. to K. 4 2 K. Kt. to B. 3 Black. 1 P. to K. 4 This last move of the White was first adopted by Petroff, the famous Russian player. It is safe enough; but not, perhaps, quite so good as taking the Pawn. Black defends his position by moving 3 K. P. takes P. (best) and White then advances King's Pawn one square, and attacks the Knight— 4 P. to K. 5 Black then either advances with his Knight to King's fifth, or moves his Queen to King's second, so as to prevent White's Pawn from taking the Knight, which he cannot now do, as he would leave his King in check. Suppose, then, he moves the game thus proceeds : 5 Q. to K. 2 6 Kt. takes P. 4 Q. to K.2 5 Kt. to Q. 4 6 P. to Q.3 ⚫ and attacks the Queen. Black's best play now is to change Queens This is the best move for the White; though he may safely move King's Bishop to Queen's third, and attack the Knight. 5 P. to Q. 3 Black may move King's Bishop to Queen's Bishop's fourth, and attack the White Knight, or Queen's Pawn two squares with equal safety. 6 P. takes P. 6 K. B. takes P.; or Black may take the Pawn with his Queen, and so prevent the White Knight from moving, without endangering a change of Queens. and from this point the opening offers no advantage to White. If Black, in answer to White's second move, advance Queen's Pawn two squares, he has rather the worst of it, and will be obliged to sacrifice a Knight. This, however, is no great disadvantage to a fine player in this opening, as was proved by Mr. Cochrane some years since. Before we dismiss this fine opening, it will be well to examine a few remaining_methods of defence left to the second player. Each player having advanced his King's Pawn two squares, the first moves his King's Knight to Bishop's third White. 1 P. to K. 4 2 K. Kt. to B. 3 Black. 1 P. to K. 4 We have seen the effect of Black replying by moving Pawn to King's Bishop's third-he lost the game. The advance of either of his centre Pawns we have also seen to be a loss, or at least no gain, to the Black. The counter-attack by Queen's Knight to Bishop's third we found to result in advantage; and the advance of Queen to King's second we saw confined the King's Bishop. Other ways of defending King's Pawn have been examined and found to be defective. But now, instead of defending the Pawn, suppose Black determines to make an independent attack. We open as usual— D We will play a few moves of an actual game in illustration of this move of the Black 3 Kt. takes K. P. 4 Q. to K. B. 3 3 Q. to K. R. 5 4 K. Kt. to B. 3 5 Q. to K. R. 4 White has now a doubled Pawn; and by his last move, Black attacks King's Knight, and obtains a very strong position. Black has broken up White's centre Pawns and has the best of the game. For, if White attacks King's Knight in return, he still has no advantage, for Black can move his Knight, and still retain his position. In the end, White will have to move his King without castling, or else consent to lose his Queen's Rook's Pawn, or double another Pawn on the exchange of Knight for Bishop. Let us try another reply to White's second move. If Black replies by moving King's Knight to Bishop's third, it simply leads to a drawn game between even players. In moving Queen's Knight to Bishop's third square, Black has not only the advantage of a counter attack, but he also defends his centre. It will nearly always be found advantageous for the defending party to |
