Part 22 (1/2)

P - K R 4, to be followed by P - Kt 4, might have been a more vigorous way to carry on the attack. Black's weak point is unquestionably the p.a.w.n at K 4, which he is compelled to defend with the King. The text move aims at doubling the Rooks, with the ultimate object of placing one of them at Q 6, supported by a p.a.w.n at Q B 5, Black could only stop this by playing P - B 4 which would create a ”hole” at Q 5; or by playing P - Kt 3, which would tie the Black Queen to the defence of the Q B P as well as the K P, which she already defends. Black, however, can meet all this by offering the exchange of Rooks, which destroys White's plans. For this reason P - K R 4 appears the proper way to carry on the attack.

19. ........ Q R - Q 1 20. Q R - Q 1 P - K Kt 4

This move is preparatory to P - K Kt 3, which would {173} make Black's position secure. Unfortunately for Black, he did not carry out his original plan.

21. P - B 4 R R

P - K Kt 3 would have left Black with a perfectly safe game.

22. R R R - Q 1

A very serious mistake, which loses a p.a.w.n. P - K Kt 3 was the right move, and would have left Black with a very good game. In fact, if it should come to a simple ending, the position of the Black King would be an advantage.

23. R R Kt R

[Ill.u.s.tration]

24. P - K R 4

This wins a p.a.w.n, as will soon be seen. Black cannot reply 24...Kt - K 3; because 25 P P ch, Kt P; 26 Q - R 4 wins the Knight. {174}

24. ........ P P 25. Q P ch K - K 3 26. Q - Kt 4 ch K - B 3 27. Q - Kt 5 ch K - K 3 28. Q P Q - Q 3 29. P - B 5 Q - Q 4 30. P K 4 ! Q - Q 8 ch 31. K - R 2 P - B 3 32. Q - Kt 4 ch ! K - K 2 33. Kt P Q Q 34. Kt Q Kt - K 3 35. P - K 5 P P 36. Kt P Kt - Q 5

The game went on for a few more moves, and, there being no way to counteract the advance of White's two pa.s.sed p.a.w.ns, Black resigned.

GAME 4. FRENCH DEFENCE

(St. Petersburg, 1913)

White: J. R. Capablanca. Black: E. A. Snos...o...b..rovski.

1. P - Q 4 P - K 3 2. P - K 4 P - Q 4 3. Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 4. B - Kt 5 B - Kt 5

This const.i.tutes the _McCutcheon Variation_. It aims at taking the initiative away from White. Instead {175} of defending, Black makes a counter demonstration on the Queen's side. It leads to highly interesting games.

5. P P

At the time this game was played the variation 5 P - K 5 was in vogue, but I considered then, as I do now, the text move to be the stronger.

5. ........ Q P

This is considered superior to P P. It has for its object, as I said before, to take the initiative away from White by disrupting White's Queen's side. White, however, has more than ample compensation through his breaking up Black's King's side. It might be laid down as a principle of the opening that _the breaking up of the King's side is of more importance than a similar occurrence on the Queen's side_.

6. B Kt B Kt ch 7. P B P B 8. Kt - B 3 P - Q Kt 3

The plan of Black in this variation is to post his Bishop on the long diagonal so as to be able later on, in conjunction with the action of his Rooks along the open K Kt's file, to make a violent attack against White's King. It is, of course, expected that White will Castle on the King's side because of the broken-up condition of his Queen's side p.a.w.ns. {176}

9. Q - Q 2 B - Kt 2 10. B - K 2 Kt - Q 2 11. P - B 4 Q - K B 4 12. O - O - O