Part 15 (1/2)

He goes back with the King to support his K P, and thus be able to utilise his Rook. It is, however, useless, and only White's weak play later on gives him further chances of a draw.

19. P - K R 4 K - B 1 20. R - R 5

To prevent the Black Rook from controlling the open file

20. ........ K - Q 2 21. R - Kt 5 R - B 2 22. K - B 3 K - B 1

He must keep his King on that side because White threatens to march with his King to R 6 via Kt 4.

23. K - Kt 4 R - B 3 24. K - R 5 K - Kt 2 25. P - R 4 P - Q R 3 26. P - R 5 R - R 3

He can do nothing but wait for White. The text move stops White from moving his Rook, but only for one move.

27. P - Kt 4 R - B 3

The only other move was K - R 2; when White could play R - Kt 7, or even P - Kt 5. {118}

[Ill.u.s.tration]

28. P - Kt 5

A weak move, which gives Black a fighting chance. In this ending, as is often the case with most players, White plays the best moves whenever the situation is difficult and requires careful handling, but once his position seems to be overwhelming he relaxes his efforts and the result is nothing to be proud of. The right move was 28 R - Kt 7.

28. ........ R P P 29. P P R - B 1 !

30. R - Kt 7 R - R 1 ch 31. K - Kt 4 P P 32. K P R - R 7 33. P - B 6 ch K - Kt 1 34. R R P R - Kt 7 ch 35. K - R 5 R - R 7 ch 36. K - Kt 4 R P

Black misses his last chance: R - Kt 7 ch, forcing the King to B 3, in order to avoid the perpetual, {119} would probably draw. The reader must bear in mind that my opponent was then a very young and inexperienced player, and consequently deserves a great deal of credit for the fight he put up.

37. R - K 7 R P

R - Kt 7 ch; followed by R - K R 7, offered better chances.

38. P - R 6! R P ch 39. K - Kt 5 R - Q 8 40. P - R 7 R - Kt 8 ch 41. K - B 5 R - B 8 ch 42. K - Q 4 R - Q 8 ch 43. K - K 5 R - K 8 ch 44. K - B 6 R - K R 8 45. R - K 8 ch K - R 2 46. P - R 8 (Q) R Q 47. R R K - Kt 3 48. K P K P 49. K P K - B 4 50. K - K 5 Resigns.

This ending shows how easy it is to make weak moves, and how often, even in master-play, mistakes are made and opportunities are lost. It shows that, so long as there is no great advantage of material, even with a good position, a player, no matter how strong, cannot afford to relax his attention even for one move. {120}

27. THE DANGER OF A SAFE POSITION

EXAMPLE 58.--A good proof of the previous statement is shown in the following ending between Marshall and Kupchick in one of their two games in the same Tournament (Havana, 1913).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

It is evident that Marshall (White) is under great difficulties in the above position. Not only is he bound to lose a p.a.w.n, but his position is rather poor. The best he could hope for was a draw unless something altogether unexpected happened, as it did. No reason can be given for Black's loss of the game except that he felt so certain of having the best of it with a p.a.w.n more and what he considered a safe position, that he became exceedingly careless and did not consider the danger that actually existed. Let us see how it happened.

1. P - Kt 4 R R P

{121} The mistakes begin. This is the first. Black sees that he can take a p.a.w.n without any danger, and does not stop to think whether there is anything better. R - B 7 ch was the right move. If then K - Kt 3, R P. If instead White played K - K 4, then R - K 4 ch followed by R R P.

2. R - Q 1 R - R 5 ch