Black has now a passed Pawn, and his Bishop exerts great pressure. White cannot very well play now 37 R × P because of R × R; 38 R × R, B × P; and White could not take the Bishop because Q - K 5 ch would win the Rook, leaving Black a clear passed Pawn ahead.

B × P would also win, which shows that White's game is altogether gone. In these cases, however, it is not the prettiest move that should be played, but the most effective one, the move that will make your opponent resign soonest.

Of course White must play Q - Q 2, and Black then plays R × P.

GAME 9. QUEEN'S GAMBIT DECLINED

(Berlin, 1913)

White: J. R. Capablanca.          Black: R. Teichmann.

An invention of my own, I believe. I played it on the spur of the moment simply to change the normal course of the game. Generally the Bishop goes to Q 3, or to R 6, after Q - R 4. The text move is in the nature of an ordinary developing move, and as it violates no principle it cannot be bad.

If P × P; K R - Q 1, and White would play to win one of Black's centre Pawns. The drawback to the text move is that it leaves Black's Q P isolated, and consequently weak and subject to attack.

The alternative would have been 14...P - Kt 4; 15 B - B 2, P - Kt 5; 16 Kt - Q R 4, Kt (B 4) - K 5.

Black aims at the exchange of Queens in order to remain with two Bishops for the ending, but in this position such a course is a mistake, because the Bishop at Kt 2 is inactive and cannot come into the game by any means, unless Black gives up the isolated Queen's Pawn which the Bishop must defend.

Not, of course, R - Q 4, because of Q × Q; Kt × Q, R - B 1; and there would be no good way to prevent R - B 7.

Notice the co-ordination of the Knights' moves. They are manœuvred chain-like, so to speak, in order to maintain one of them, either at Q 4 or ready to go there. Now White threatens to take the open file, and therefore forces Black's next move.

The student should examine this position carefully. There seems to be no particular danger, yet, as White will demonstrate, Black may be said to be lost. If the game is not altogether lost, the defence is at least of the most difficult kind; indeed, I must confess that I can see no adequate defence against White's next move.

If 20...B - Q 1; 21 Kt - Q 6, R - B 2; 22 Kt × B, R × Kt; 23 B × Kt, B × B; 24 R × P, R - B 2; 25 R - Q 2, and White is a Pawn ahead. If 20...B moves anywhere else, then B × Kt, doubling the K B P and isolating all of Black's King's side Pawns.

This is practically forced, as White threatened Kt - B 5 ch. Notice that the Black Knight is pinned in such a way that no relief can be afforded except by giving up the K R P or abandoning the open file with the Rook, which would be disastrous, as White would immediately sieze it.

Black could do nothing else except mark time with his Rook along the open file, since as soon as he moved away White would take it. White, on the other hand, threatens to march up with his King to K 5 via K B 2, K Kt 3, K B 4, after having, of course, prepared the way. Hence, Black's best chance was to give up a Pawn, as in the text, in order to free his Knight.

Black exchanges Knights to remain with Bishops of opposite colours, which gives him the best chance to draw.

27...P × Kt would be worse, as White would then be able to post his Bishop at K 5.

Black wants to force B - Kt 3. P - K Kt 3 would be bad, on account of P - Q 5; which would get the Black Bishop into the game, even though White could answer P - K 4. The text move is, however, weak, as will soon be seen. His best chance was to play P - Kt 5; and follow it up with P - R 4 and B - R 3. White meanwhile could play P - Kt 4 and R 5, obtaining a passed Pawn, which, with proper play, should win.

There are now Bishops of opposite colour, but nevertheless White has an easily-won game.

Practically forced. Otherwise the White King would march up to Q 4 and then to B 5 and win Black's Queen's side Pawns. If Black attempted to stop this by putting his King at Q B 3 then the White King would enter through K 5 into Black's King's side and win just as easily.

It is better not to hurry P - K Kt 4 because of P - B 4; for although White could win in any case, it would take longer. Now the White King threatens to help by going in through K B 4 after posting the Bishop at Kt 7, where it not only protects the Q P, but indirectly also the Q Kt P.

The student ought to have realised by this time the enormous importance of playing well every kind of ending. In this game again, practically from the opening, White aimed at nothing but the isolation of Black's Q P. Once he obtained that, he tried for and obtained, fortunately, another advantage of position elsewhere which translated itself into the material advantage of a Pawn. Then by accurate playing in the ending he gradually forced home his advantage. This ending has the merit of having been played against one of the finest players in the world.

GAME 10. PETROFF DEFENCE

(St. Petersburg, 1914)

White: J. R. Capablanca.          Black: F. J. Marshall

Played by Morphy, and a very fine move. The point is that should Black exchange Queens he will be a move behind in development and consequently will get a cramped game if White plays accurately.

Marshall thought at the time that this was the best move and consequently played it in preference to Q × Q ch.

It is now time to examine the result of the opening. On White's side we find the minor pieces well posted and the Queen out in a somewhat odd place, it is true, but safe from attack and actually attacking a Pawn. White is also ready to Castle. White's position is evidently free from danger and his pieces can easily manœuvre.

On Black's side the first thing we notice is that he has retained both his Bishops, unquestionably an advantage; but on the other hand we find his pieces bunched together too much, and the Queen in danger of being attacked without having any good square to go to. The Bishop at K 2 has no freedom and it blocks the Queen, which, in its turn, blocks the Bishop. Besides, Black cannot Castle on the King's side because Q × P, R - Kt 1; Q - K 4 threatening mate, wins a Pawn. Nor can he Castle on the Queen's side because Q - R 5 would put Black's game in imminent danger, since he cannot play P - R 3 because of B × P; nor can he play K - Kt 1 because of Kt - Kt 5. Consequently we must conclude that the opening is all in White's favour.

To make room for his Queen, threatening also P - Kt 5.

giving up a Pawn in an attempt to free his game and take the initiative. It was difficult for him to find a move, as White threatened Kt - K 4, and should Black go with the Queen to Kt 2, then P - Q 5, B - B 4; Kt × P ch, followed by B × B.

In order to break up White's centre and bring his Knight to B 4 and thus lay the foundation for a violent attack against White's King. The plan, however, fails, as it always must in such cases, because Black's development is backward, and consequently his pieces are not properly placed.

A simple move, which destroys Black's plan utterly. Black will now have no concerted action of his pieces, and, as his Pawns are all weak, he will sooner or later lose them.

The fact that he has to exchange Queens when he is a Pawn behind shows that Black's game is lost.

The Knight was too threatening. But now the ending brought about is one in which the Bishop is stronger than the Knight; which makes Black's plight a desperate one. The game has no further interest, and it is only because of its value as a study of this variation of the Petroff that I have given it. Black was able to fight it out until the sixtieth move on account of some poor play on White's part. The rest of the moves are given merely as a matter of form.

GAME 11. RUY LOPEZ

(St. Petersburg, 1914)

White: J. R. Capablanca.          Black: D. Janowski.

I played this move after having discussed it with Alechin on several occasions. Alechin considered it, at the time, superior to P - Q 4, which is generally played. He played it himself later on in the Tournament, in one of his games against Dr. E. Lasker, and obtained the superior game, which he only lost through a blunder.

P - B 3 is probably the best move in this position. I do not like the text move.

This opens the K B file for White, and also reinforces his centre, but Black naturally did not want to make a second move with this Bishop.

Bold play, typical of Janowski.

The problem for White now is to advance his Q Kt P to Kt 5 as fast as he can. If he plays P - Q Kt 4 at once, Black simply takes it. If he plays first P - Q R 3 and then P - Q Kt 4, he will still have to protect his Q Kt P before he can go on and play P - Q R 4 and P - Kt 5. As a matter of fact White played a rather unusual move, but one which, under the circumstances, was the best, since after it he could at once play P - Q Kt 4 and then P - Q R 4 and P - Kt 5.

He simplifies, hoping to lighten White's attack, which will have to be conducted practically with only the heavy pieces on the board. He may have also done it in order to play Kt - Kt 4 and K 3.

Taking with the Pawn would have opened a possibility for a counter attack.

He is forced to this in order to avoid the breaking up of his Queen's side Pawns. The only alternative would have been P - Q Kt 4; which on the face of it looks bad.