modern players have thought fit to call his judg ment in question. It is, in fact, though not a very brilliant début, a perfectly safe opening for the first player, and may sometimes be adopted with advantage. The following are the moves. They are taken from a game played by Mr. Morphy in France : White. 1 P. to K. 4 9 B. takes R. and wins Black. 1 P. to K. 4 1 This move gives the name to the opening. 9 2 The safest answer. If Black had moved K. B. P. two squares, White would have taken the Pawn, and gained a slight advantage. At present Black's Kt. attacks White's K. P. 3 If Black takes K. P. with Kt., you have a Pawn in exchange, or advance your Q. P. and obtain a strong position. 4 A weak move. The better play would have been to have advanced Q. P. two squares. 5 The best move; for though White's K. B. P. is attacking, your Queen is in a strong position. 6 Attacking his Rook and Queen. 7 Black cannot now take his Rook without danger. 8 Attacking the Black Queen. If Black interposes his Bishop, White exchanges Bishops, and afterwards takes Kt. with his K. 9 The best move under the circumstances. 10 Good. If now Black takes his R., White checks with his P. and wins the Q. Let my readers play this game from Black's fifth move; the latter taking K. B. P. and giving check. It will be found that White has still the best game. Or if, for Black's fifth move, he advances his Q. P. two squares, he will discover that White has the game notwithstanding. It is not necessary that we should give the moves. Try for yourselves. KING'S KNIGHT'S GAMBIT. In a former page I explained the nature of the King's Gambit, which, it will be recollected, turns on the sacrifice of the King's Bishop's Pawn at the first player's second move, in order to break up his opponent's central position. After sacrificing the Gambit Pawn, the first player moves King's Knight to Bishop's third square, and so on. The opening known as the King's Knight's Gambit, is a variation of the King's Gambit, in which the first player advances the King's Rook's Pawn before bringing out his King's Bishop. The game opens thus: White. 1 P. to K. 4 1 As in the King's Gambit. Black. 1 P. to K. 4 8 K. B. P. advances 2 Supporting the doubled Pawn. 3 Better than taking his Pawn, as it obliges White and White now has the best of the game. If White attack Queen with Bishop, Black checks with Pawn, and weakens your position. From its very nature, however, this may be considered a lost game for the White. Let my readers now pursue the game from this point. KING'S BOOK'S PAWN'S GAMBIT. This is an opening seldom adopted, but it is interesting as exhibiting another variety in our It commences thus : noble game. White. 1 P. to K. 4 2 P. to K. B. 4 Black. 1 P. to K. 4 2 P. takes P. We now come to the variation from the King's Gambit, from which opening it derives its name. to move his Kt. If Black had moved his K. B. P., White would have taken K. Kt. P., sacrificed his Kt., and afterwards given check with his Queen on K. R. 5, and speedily won the game. 4 Kt. to his fifth constitutes the Allgaier Gambit, which we shall consider hereafter. 5 The best move for Black. Threatening K. B. P. with Kt. or B.; in either case disagreeable for Black. 7 Or Black can play his Kt. to R. 3, and so defend his K. B. P. 8 Von Der Laza suggests the advance of P. to K. B. 6, as better play, as then Black probably obtains the Kt. 9 Kt. obliged to retreat, or he might move to his 6th, in which case, if P. took him, White would take K. Kt. with his B., and attack his R. Instead of White playing King's Knight to Bishop's third, he moves White. 3 P. to K. R. 4 ; Black. this move not only prevents Black from giving check with his Queen, but it also disables him from supporting the Gambit Pawn. Black's best play then is 3 K. B. to K. 2 attacking the advanced Pawn. To support his position, White plays 4 K. Kt. to B. 3. It is clearly waste for Black now to take the Pawn, so he plays 4 P. to Q. 3, which White answers by 5 P. to Q. 4. If Black now replies by moving his King's Knight's Pawn two squares, White takes Pawn with Pawn; and if he recaptures Pawn with Bishop, you answer by advancing King's Knight's Pawn one square, and you have a strong position. Black's best play, therefore, is to pin the Knight : 5 Q. B. to K. Kt. 5 White's best play is now to take the Gambit Pawn, for if he moves Queen's Knight to Queen's 2, he obstructs the advance of his Bishop, and allows his antagonist to move out his Knight and Castle. 6 K. B. takes P. 6 B. takes R. P. (ch.) Now, if you take Bishop with Rook (you cannot take it with Knight, or you lose your Queen), he takes Knight with Bishop, and attacks your Queen. Your better play, therefore, is to push on your Pawn, and attack the Bishop. White. 7 P. to K. Kt. 3; Black. this obliges Black to retire his Bishop or lose it. He plays: 8 B. takes B. 7 K. K. B. to Kt. 4 Black can now either take Bishop or Knight. If he takes the Bishop, he forces a change of Queens, he therefore takes the Knight. 8 B. takes Kt. This obliges Queen to take Bishop. 9 Q. takes B. 9 Q. takes B. White's next move is to bring out his Queen's Knight to prevent Black giving him check with his Queen on his Bishop's eighth. 10 Q. Kt. to B. 3. From this point White has a good attacking position; for he can move out his King's Bishop and threaten mate; but this Black prevents by advancing his King's Bishop's Pawn: 10 P. to K. B. 3 White may now rapidly bring the game to an issue : 11 Q. to K. R. 5 (ch.) 11 P. to K. Kt. 3 15 Kt. to Q. R. 4 |
