Second Essay.
Reading edition
EXAMPLE V.
Exhibiting Situations rendered critical by Enterprise, and the Resources of Play in those Situations.
COUPLET 1.
White. KING’s pawn 2 squares.
Black. The same.
2.
W. King’s bishop at queen’s bishop’s 4th square.(a)
B. The same.
3.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.(b)
B. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d square.
(a) Not for any purpose that it will immediately answer, but that he may escape the obstruction, which, if it should be necessary to advance the queen’s pawn a square, would be opposed by his moving directly out. We have seen in Example III. that by a pawn on one side, and a knight on the other, this bishop was so embarrassed, as not to be able to move even for his own preservation.
(b) The having two pawns a-breast of each other, at houses 4. of the king and queen, secured by the changes which brought them there from capture by pieces of their own quality, and therefore, in their further progress to the promotion line, easily protected— is a great step towards making one of them a queen. To have them in this position, is the object of the present and several succeeding moves: of the corresponding moves of the blacks, the object is to prevent it.
4.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.(c)
B. The same.(d)
5.
W. The bishop takes the pawn.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
6.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.
B. The knight takes the pawn.(e)
7.
W. Queen’s bishop at the king’s 3d square.
B. The knight at the king’s 3d square.(f)
(c) To provoke the black pawn to capture him, on the presumption that his player would prefer doing that to retiring with his bishop—The player of the whites intending afterwards to supply his place by a reprisal.
(d) The player of the blacks, willing neither to take the pawn nor to retire with his bishop, plays this pawn here, in order that if the white one takes his bishop, he may retaliate in kind.
(e) The plan of having two pawns in the middle of the exchequer is thus rendered abortive. The bringing this knight out was the principal mean of defeating it.
(f) This leaves the king’s bishop liable to be changed for the bishop of the adversary’s queen. If, however, the knight had not moved at all, or moved otherwise, his player might have been obliged to an exchange, in which the difference against him would have been of real moment.
8.
W. The bishop takes the bishop.(g)
B. The knight takes the bishop.
9.
W. King’s pawn 1 square.(h)
B. Queen at king’s 2d square.
(g) Between equal players the minutest advantage should be seized on. It may be observed here, that the superestimation of the king’s bishop over the bishop of the queen, rests on his not being prevented by the colour of his field, from checking the adversary at his original square. The white player having had the first move, the other could not well have foiled him, with regard to the pawns, at a less expence.
(h) That he may not be taken by the knight if the bishop should remove.
Variation.
To protect him from the knight, instead of pushing him a square, the queen’s knight is moved to the 3d house of the queen’s bishop. This would be ineffective—the adversary, by placing his king’s knight at his king’s bishop’s 3d square, might counteract it so completely as to make the bishop retreat at the same time that he secured taking the pawn—at least, secured an exchange, by which he would get the pawn to boot.
10.
W. King’s knight at king’s bishop’s 3d square.(i)
B. Queen’s bishop at the white king’s knight’s 4th square.(k)
11.
W. Queen’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.(l)
B. Bishop takes the knight.
12.
W. Queen takes the bishop.
B. Queen takes the pawn, and gives check.
13.
W. The king castles.
B. Queen takes the rook.
14.
W. Pawn takes the knight.
B. The king castles.(m)
15.
W. Knight at queen’s bishop’s 3d square.(n)
B. Queen at the knight’s 2d square.(o)
(i) To support the pawn.
(k) An adventurous speculation, in which the risk is but little.
(l) Ditto.
(m) To preserve the means of preservation.
(n) To lay an embargo on the black queen.
(o) Any where else, she would be taken.
16.
W. The rook at the same knight’s 1st square.(p)
B. The rook at his king’s square.(q)
17.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.(r)
B. Queen at the white queen’s 2d square.(s)
18.
W. Bishop takes the bishop’s pawn.
B. Rook at the white king’s square, giving check.(t)
19.
W. The rook takes the rook.
B. Queen takes the rook, and checks.
(p) The comment on the next is a comment on this.
(q) If the black queen had moved aside into one of the three squares to which her sphere of action is at present reduced, the white rook, by taking the pawn opposite, might have ensured check-mate in another move.
(r) Had the queen’s rook taken the black queen, the black king’s rook, by crossing to the white king’s square, would have won the game; by the present move, that way of receiving check-mate is rendered impossible. In advancing a pawn to the adverse party, let it always be as far as is consistent with security.
(s) In order to extricate herself.
(t) He does this, which will cause him to be exchanged for the white rook, to save his own king from the check-mate which is still impending, and which, had the white queen been suffered to take his king’s knight’s pawn, would by now have been inflicted.
20.
W. The king removes.
B. Queen at her king’s 4th square, still giving check.(s)
21.
W. King’s knight’s pawn covers the check.
B. Queen takes the other pawn.
22.
W. Knight at the king’s 4th square.
B. Queen at her king’s 2d square.
23.
W. Queen at her knight’s 3d square.
B. Queen takes the knight.
24.
W. Bishop at the black queen’s 4th square.
B. Queen takes the bishop.(t)
(s) The black queen has thus made a triumphant retreat. To the advantages which sometimes attend giving check, although it can be easily eluded or covered, already enumerated, may be added that of gaining a move. There is still another: under the present circumstances, the taking of a piece is ensured by it.
(t) This player could not do better to prevent the check-mate, which the white queen would else have given, by taking the pawn.
25.
W. Queen takes the queen.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.(u)
26.
W. Queen at the black king’s 4th square.(v1)
B. Knight at his bishop’s 3d square.(v2)
27.
W. Queen at the black king’s 2d square.
B. Rook at his knight’s square.
(u) That the liability of check-mate by the white minister’s stepping into their first rank may at once be quashed. An instance similar has before occurred. Of the moves in general now, but a few, we imagine, will require to be observed on.
(v2) To preserve his pawn (v1) (v2). The subsequent moves will for some time be conducted on the plan of these. Of the player of the whites, inferior in numbers, though not in force, the object is, either to take, or keep in inaction, these pieces of the adversary preparatory to advancing his own pawns on this side. The pawns of the adversary on the other side, which are so disposed that he could make no impression on them, he is not concerned at present to obstruct any otherwise than his movements in this quarter virtually will. The object of the player of the blacks will declare itself.
28.
W. Queen at the black king’s bishop’s 2d square.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.(w)
29.
W. King’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
30.
W. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
B. Rook at the queen’s square.(x)
31.
W. Queen takes the knight’s pawn.
B. Rook at the queen’s 3d square.(y)
(w) Of the rook, the knight, and the knight’s pawn on the other side, no one can move without one of them being taken; this player has, therefore, no better alternative than urging to promotion the pawns on this.
(x) The advancing a white pawn on the black knight, a step that is in readiness, would have enabled the white queen to make great havoc among the pieces she hovers over, had this rook remained where he was. The present movement, and timely sacrifice of a pawn will prevent any further uncompensated loss.
(y) The knight protects the pawn, the rook protects the knight.
32.
W. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.(z)
B. Rook at the white queen’s 2d, giving check.(a)
33.
W. The king at his rook’s 3d.(b)
B. The knight at the queen’s 4th.
34.
W. The queen takes the pawn.
B. The rook takes the pawn.
35.
W. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
(z) The opportunity of giving check, which the white queen neglects, is one of those cases in which it ought to be avoided. The black king, by removing to his queen’s bishop’s 2d, would have covered both himself and the rook; and the whites (including the loss of one to themselves and the gain of one to their adversaries) would have sustained a difference against them of two moves.
(a) This secures an equivalent for the pawn which the knight will be forced to desert.
(b) The king, when his pieces are advancing to the adversary’s side, should keep as near to them as possible.
36.
W. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
B. King at his queen’s knight’s 2d.(c)
37.
W. The pawn becomes a rook and discovers check.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
38.
W. Rook at black queen’s knight’s square, giving check.(d)
B. King at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.(e)
(c) If the king did not remove now, the white pawn, on becoming a rook, would check-mate him.
(d) Though it is not to be presumed that the player of the whites, with his present force, will check-mate the other, yet he is now acting rightly; for were he to refrain any longer from offence, his adversary would make a queen before he could make an additional rook, and perhaps turn the tables on him. What he aims at present, is not a mate, nor primarily a capture; but to bring about such a change in the position of the blacks, that the foremost of his pawns may wrest the move from the foremost of theirs.
(e) Any where else he would, probably, either soon lose his rook, or suffer a worse disaster.
39.
W. Rook at the black queen’s bishop’s square, still checking.
B. The king at the white queen’s 4th square.(f)
40.
W. The queen at her king’s 4th giving check.
B. The king at the white queen’s bishop’s 3d.
41.
W. The queen takes the knight.
B. Queen’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
42.
W. The king’s rook’s pawn 1 square.(g)
B. The king at the white queen’s knight’s 2d.(h)
43 and 44.
W. The king’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.
(f) Had he gone to the white queen’s knight’s 4th square—and had the white queen then moved to the 1st square of that knight—the loss of the black rook would have been inevitable.
(g) The remaining black pieces are posited so, that an attempt at this time to make any further capture, or to give check-mate, might only bring their pawns nearer to promotion. As this piece has now the start, this is the moment to push him on.
(h) He thus makes way for the black pawn without exposing either himself or the rook.
45.
W. Queen at the black king’s knight’s 4th square.(i)
B. Rook at the white queen’s rook’s square.
46.
W. The queen at the black king’s 4th square, checking.
B. King at the white queen’s knight’s square.
47.
W. The pawn becomes a rook.
B. The pawn becomes a queen.
48.
W. The rook takes the queen.
B. The king takes the rook.
49.
W. The queen takes the rook, and checks.
B. The king at the white queen’s 2d.(k)
(i) For some of the moves commented on, we were in doubt whether the tyro, unaided, could in passing have accounted: of this, and the following ones, we are persuaded he will at once see the reason.
(k) As check-mate is unavoidable, it is a matter of indifference what moves he makes. He adopts those which will put off the evil longest. We set them down merely that the game may not seem unfinished.
50.
W. The rook at the black queen’s square, giving check.
B. King at the white queen’s bishop’s 2d.
51.
W. The rook checks again.
B. King at the white queen’s 3d.
52.
W. The queen at her bishop’s 3d square, giving check.
B. The king removes.
53.
W. The rook checks.
B. The king at the square of the white queen.
54.
W. The rook at his king’s square, gives check-mate.
The move at which the fortune of the blacks began to decline, and at which a back-game may with most interest be taken up, is that where the queen takes the white knight (couplet 23). At the moment before (numbers and force considered apart from position) the advantage was on their side. What followed this move will impress on the student, that whenever an adversary seems to expose a piece to capture without securing an equivalent, or without securing a proper one the reprisal which the white bishop might have made on the black knight, as it would have spoilt the position of the white pieces, and lessened their comparative strength, could not be considered a proper one] he must not attribute to accident what may be the effect of design, and take the exposed piece without hesitation. If the player he is contending with be not contemptible, it is rather to be suspected that he has, as the player of the whites had in the present case, some ambuscaded motive for losing the piece: whether he has or no, it behooves the student, before taking it, well to examine.
The game just ended, affords occasion likewise to observe, that sudden incursions on the adversary’s pieces are only to be made with caution. The 13th move of the blacks, the difficulty with which the queen retreats, and her being once within an ace of capture, very forcibly suggest this maxim. Of this move, however, we do not mean to impeach the propriety.
At the 10th move, to have acted more systematically, the black bishop should have stopped at the 4th square of the bishop of his king. In the counterstep to this and other moves, the whites, too, might have acted more systematically: but as we mean to give separate examples of that kind of play, from which these are deviations, and as many of the intervening moves are properly consequent one of the other, it will not be necessary to begin any variation of the last example at an earlier move than the 1st of the 23d couplet.