First Regular Party,
Reading edition
WITH FOUR BACK GAMES;
The First on the Third Move of the Black, the Second on the Fourth Move of the White, the Third on the Fifth Move of the Black, the last on the Sixth Move of the White.
1.
W. The king’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The same.
2.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.(a)
B. The same.(b)
(a) This is the best place the king’s bishop can occupy in the first moves of a party; here, he batters the adverse king’s bishop’s pawn, against which the first attacks are generally formed.
(b) The black being able to play different ways, we will make different parties of it.
3.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. The queen at her king’s 2d square.(c) ☜
4.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(d) ☜
B. The same.(e) ☜
5.
W. The queen at her king’s 2d.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.(f)
(c) He prevents you from establishing two pawns a-breast, and occupying the centre. To prevent that, the black has three other ways of moving at this period, the effects of which are severally shewn, in the first back game, the supplement to the first back game, and the third back game.
(d) If you had moved this knight to your king’s second square, you would have lost the game: one object exemplified in the second back game.
(e) He would have laid a foundation for his own defeat, had he taken your pawn with his bishop: another object exemplified in the second back game.
(f) Had he attacked your king’s bishop’s pawn with his knight, it would have given you time to establish your pawns in the centre. The consequence is seen in the third back game.
6.
W. Queen’s pawn 1 square.(g) ☜
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.(h)
7.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
B. The same.(i)
8.
W. Queen’s bishop at his king’s 3d.(k)
B. The king’s bishop takes the bishop.(l)
(g) If you had pushed this pawn two squares, you might have occupied the centre for a moment, but could not have remained there; as is shewn by the fourth back game.
(h) If he had moved his queen’s bishop to your king’s knight’s fourth square, you must equally have advanced your king’s rook’s pawn; you must never leave your superior pieces to the menace of the adverse bishop.
(i) The pawns have been played on both sides to prevent the bishops from becoming troublesome to the knights.
(k) When your queen’s pawn cannot be interposed to the action of the adverse king’s bishop upon your king’s bishop’s pawn, you must have your queen’s bishop in reserve, to be posted at your king’s third square; because the queen’s bishop is the only piece which can effectually be opposed to the adverse king’s bishop.
(l) If he had moved back his king’s bishop, instead of taking your bishop, he would have lost a turn: when you exchange pieces it is an advantage to take first.
9.
W. The queen takes the bishop.
B. Queen’s bishop at his king’s 3d.
10.
W. The king’s bishop takes the bishop.
B. The queen takes the bishop.(m)
11.
W. Queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
B. The same.
12.
W. The king castles with his rook.
B. The same.
(m): An additional advantage now appears from playing your king’s rook’s pawn at the seventh move, for he might at present attack you with his king’s knight, and afterwards play his king’s bishop’s pawn to bring the knight again into action; these hits ought to be eagerly improved, especially in parties wherein your adversary forces out your knights before your pawns.
The game is equal; the white has only, what he set out with, the move; he who can first bring his king’s bishop’s pawn into play, by pushing it two squares, without making any sacrifice, or deranging his pieces, will have the superiority of situation. The uniformity arises from the black player’s making his moves duplicates of the adverse moves, which he has hitherto done with propriety and success: but such a plan of counteraction is to be pursued with reserve and discrimination, and not excessively or mechanically. A player who should continue it, from this situation, having the move against him, would certainly lose.
FIRST BACK GAME,
On the Third Move of the Black.
3.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(a)
4.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.(b) ☜
5.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn.
B. The king takes the bishop.(c)
(a) He plays this knight to hinder you from pushing your queen’s pawn two squares. If, instead of this knight, he had played his queen’s bishop’s pawn a square, your next move might equally take place.
(b) He might have withdrawn his bishop to his queen’s knight’s third, which move will make a supplement to this back game.
(c) If he refuse to take your bishop, you must take his king’s knight, and push your queen’s knight’s pawn two squares, attacking his bishop; and afterwards push the same pawn upon his knight, in order to take the pawn with your queen’s bishop’s pawn gratuitously, instead of changing pawns.
6.
W. The queen at the adverse king’s rook’s 4th.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
7.
W. The queen takes the bishop, and will have a very good game.
SUPPLEMENT,
TO THE FIRST BACK GAME,
On the Fourth Move of the Black.
4.
W. The queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. King’s bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
5.
W. King’s knight at his king’s 2d.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
6.
W. The queen at her 3d square.
B. The king castles.
7.
W. King’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The king’s pawn takes the pawn.
8.
W. The king’s pawn 1 square.(a)
B. The queen’s pawn 2 squares.(b)
(a) If on this attack, he withdraws his knight, he gives you an opportunity of establishing your pawns in the centre.
(b) He hereby limits the operation of your king’s bishop, and gains time to assign a place of safety and utility to his knight.
9.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
B. King’s knight at the adverse king’s 4th.
10.
W. The queen’s bishop’s pawn takes the pawn.
B. The king’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.(c)
11.
W. The queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The queen’s bishop at his king’s 3d.(d)
(c) In order that he may place his queen’s bishop at his king’s third square, without disturbance from your pawn.
(d) In this situation the black pieces have as good a game as the white; there is indeed a pawn passed and sustained on the side of the white; but this advantage is counterbalanced by the imposing attitude of the black king’s knight, who cannot be dislodged but by changing piece for piece; and in that case, the pawns of the black would unite in the centre, giving, equally to them as to the white, a passed pawn.
SECOND BACK GAME,
On the Fourth Move of the White.
4.
W. King’s knight at his king’s 2d.(a)
B. The king’s bishop takes the pawn, and gives check.
5.
W. The king takes the bishop.
B. The queen at her bishop’s 4th, giving check.
6.
W. The queen’s pawn covers the check.
B. The queen takes the bishop.
7.
W. Queen’s knight at his rook’s 3d.
B. The queen at her king’s 3d.(b)
(a) If this move did not cost you a pawn, it would undoubtedly be the most politic, as it is the most convenient place for the knight; because, here he does not obstruct the passage of the pawns. But it is sometimes expedient to obstruct the pawns with the knight, to avoid a greater disadvantage. See the supplement to this back game.
(b) The black must win the game, having the advantage of a pawn, added to a good situation.
SUPPLEMENT,
TO THE SECOND BACK GAME,
On the Fourth Move of the White.
4.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The king’s bishop takes the pawn, and gives check.(a)
5.
W. The king takes the bishop.
B. The queen at her bishop’s 4th, giving check.
6.
W, The queen’s pawn covers the check.
B. The queen takes the bishop.
7.
W. The king’s knight takes the king’s pawn.
B. The queen at her king’s 3d.
8.
W. The queen at her king’s bishop’s 3d.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
(a) This, by forcing your king to move, disables him from castling; but there is no disadvantage involved in not castling, when your pieces can easily get out; very often it is even better so, provided your king be safe.
9.
W. King’s knight at his queen’s 3d.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
10.
W. King’s rook at its king’s square.
B. The king castles.(b)
(b) So situated the white player has the advantage, his pieces being brought out to better effect, and more conveniently arranged.
THIRD BACK GAME,
On the Fifth Move of the Black.
5.
W. The queen at her king’s 2d.
B. King’s knight at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
6.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
7.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.
B. The king’s bishop gives check.
8.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(a)
B. The king’s knight returns to his bishop’s 3d.(b)
(a) If he take this knight with his bishop it will mend your game, because the change will bring your pawns into the centre.
(b) You might push your king’s pawn on his knight, and get two moves by so doing; but this pawn once pushed, your adversary would offer twice to change it, by pushing his queen’s pawn a square, and his king’s bishop’s pawn a square: your pawn would then remain alone and separate; it is therefore better to leave your two pawns a-breast, to avoid opening your game. In marching his knight, and retrograding, he has uselessly consumed two moves.
9.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s 3d.
B. The king castles.(c)
10.
W. The king castles.
B. The queen’s pawn 1 square.
11.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
B. The same.
12.
W. Queen’s bishop at his queen’s 2d.(d)
(c) He castles, to attack your king’s pawn with his rook; you must therefore castle, to be ready to sustain the pawn with your counter-rook.
(d) It is evident that the white player has the better game, having the advantage of three moves more than the black, and the centre pawns tactically advanced: nothing remains on the side of the white, but to remove the obstruction to the motion of the king’s bishop’s pawn as soon as possible; that will decide the game against the black.
FOURTH BACK GAME,
On the Sixth Move of the White.
6.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
7.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.
B. The king’s bishop gives check.
8.
W. The queen’s bishop covers the check.
B. The bishop takes the bishop.
9.
W. The queen’s knight takes the bishop.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
This party is equal; your pawns in the centre are broken: this mode of play may be ventured with an antagonist to whom you give some advantage: by such a player, you rely that every critical opportunity will not be seized, or you would not give the advantage.