Castling, though the best, is not the only move at your disposal. You have, besides, Ghulam Kassim's attack, 5. P to Q4 (see Game II.), and 5. Bx K BP ch, which is not good (see Game III.). 5. P x Kt 6. Q×P 6. Q to K B 3 The best move. It is not advisable to play B to R 3 at this point, for then would follow If 7. P to QB 3, he will play in answer 8. Q Kt to B 3, and if you then advance the Queen's Pawn two squares he will take it with Q Kt, and have the better game. 8. P to Q 3 7. QxP 8. K B to R 3 If 8. Q Kt to B 3, then 9. Q Bx P, and you have a strong attack. 9. Q B to Q 2 10. Q Kt to B 3 9. K Kt to K 2 10. Q Kt to B 3 This, followed by Q to K B 4 at his next move, is considered Black's best play. The old defence was as follows: 11. Q R to K sq 12. K to R sq 10. P to Q B 3 11. Q to Q B 4 ch some players prefer 12. R to KB 2, which enables you to double the Rooks if necessary. 13. Q to KR 5 14. Bx Q P 15. Kt x P 16. B to Q B 3 12. P to Q 4 13. Q to Q 3 14. Px B 15. Kt to QB 3 you have a strong attack, but with care he may get an even If 13. P to K B 6, 14. B × B, &c. If 13. Kt x B, you must not take K Kt with R, because he threatens Q to QB 4 ch. Your best course is to take Kt with P, which will give you the advantage. 14. Q BXP 16. P to K R 4 17. Rx KB P 14. BxB 15. Q to K Kt 4 Better than taking with Queen. 18. RxK Kt ch 19. Bx Kt 20. Kt to Q 5 21. K to B sq 18. K to Q sq 19. B to Q 2 20. Q to Q 5 ch 21. QXR P 23. K to Q sq 24. Q to Q R 5 The game must be drawn, since Black will now move his Queen back to K R 5: this is his only resource to save checkmate; and White, having only Queen, Bishop and Knight, against Queen and two Rooks, cannot afford to do any thing else. GAME II. Ghulam Kassim's Attack. In this variation of the Muzio you play P to Q 4, instead of Castling at your fifth move; but it is much less frequently played, and seems hardly so good as the regular Muzio. If 7. K Kt to B 3, you Castle, with a superior game. 8. B to Q Kt 3 You may obtain a strong but hazardous attack by 8. B×K B P ch, and then checking with the Queen at R 5. 9. Q BXP 8. QxQ P 9. K Kt to B 3 If 9. Q× Q Kt P, you may play Q to K R 5. The game is even. At this point Black, instead of playing Kt× P, might draw it by checking with Rook at King's square, and then with the Bishop at K 7. He may, however, obtain a perfectly equal game by the move given in the text. GAME III. In this variety of the Muzio you play at your fifth move B x K BP ch, sacrificing the King's Bishop instead of the Knight. It is inferior to the usual Gambit, and to Ghulam Kassim's attack. If he move K to K 3, you win easily by 7. Qx Kt P ch. 7. QXP I am inclined to think that you might preserve the attack longer by Castling at this point 8. Q×P 9. Kt to Q B 4 10. Castles 11. P to Q 3 12. Q to K Kt 3 You have no attack which for the loss of a Bishop. 7. K Kt to B 3 8. P to Q 3 9. Q Kt to B 3 10. B to K Kt 2 11. Q B to K 3 12. Q to K 2 can at all compensate § 4. The Allgaier Kieseritzky Gambit. The Allgaier, or Allgaier Kieseritzky Gambit, as it is more properly called, diverges from the ordinary Knight's Gambit at White's fourth move, which is P to K R 4, instead of B to QB 4. It was formerly considered an opening of great strength, but recent improvements in the defence have so diminished its efficacy that it must now be regarded as one of the weakest of the Gambits. |
