SECOND GAMBIT,
Reading edition
WITH FIVE BACK GAMES:
The First on the Third Move, the Second and Third on the Fourth, the Fourth on the Ninth, and the Fifth on the Eleventh Move of the Black.
1.
W. The king’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The same.
2.
W. King’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
3.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.
B. The queen gives check.(a) ☜
4.
W. The king at his bishop’s square.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.(b) ☜
(a) A better way of playing at this move, would be to advance your king’s bishop’s pawn two squares; as you will see by a back game.
(b) There are two other ways of playing in this place; the one, playing the king’s bishop to the queen’s bishop’s fourth square; the other, pushing the pawn of the queen a square; which will make the subject of two back games.
5.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The queen at her king’s rook’s 4th.(c)
6.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
7.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.(d ☜)
B. Queen’s bishop at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
(c) He might have removed his queen to one of two other squares, but this is the best; for had he made her retire to your king’s knight’s fourth, you might have taken his king’s bishop’s pawn, by first attacking her, and then giving check, and perhaps afterwards have forced his queen; and if he had carried her to his king’s rook’s third square, you could have attacked his king’s bishop’s pawn with your king’s knight, which would entirely have decided the game in your favour.
(d) It is essential in the gambits to play this pawn, that you may afterwards be able to place your queen at her knight’s third square, by so doing you strengthen your position and perplex your adversary, especially if he has played his queen’s bishop, without attacking one of your pieces. See, respecting this, the fifth and sixth back games of the first gambit.
8.
W. The king at his bishop’s 2d.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(e) ☜
9.
W. The queen at her king’s 2d.
B. Queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
10.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The bishop takes the knight.
11.
W. The queen takes the bishop.
B. The queen takes the queen.(f) ☜
12.
W. The king takes the queen.(g)
B. The pawn gives check.
(e) If, instead, he take your king’s knight, with his bishop; a third back game will shew you how to act.
(f) If, instead of taking your queen, he had given check, a fourth back game will shew you the course to make him lose the game.
(g) I have given it as a general rule, always to unite your pawns, and bring them into the centre. Here is, however, an exception for two reasons; first, if you take with your king you gain a pawn, your adversary not being able to prevent it; secondly, the queens having been exchanged, your king has nothing to fear, and by bringing him into play, he may be as useful as any other piece.
13.
W. The king takes the other pawn.
B. The king’s bishop gives check at his rook’s 3d.
14.
W. The king at the adverse king’s bishop’s 4th.(h)
B. The bishop takes the bishop.
15.
W. The rook takes the bishop.
B. King’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
16.
W. The knight at his queen’s 2d.
B. The king at his own 2d.
17.
W. King’s rook at its king’s bishop’s square.(i)
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.(k)
(h) Your king would not be safe on that square, if your adversary had a bishop running white to drive him from the post; but, as it is, your king sustains all your pawns.
(i) You might have played this rook to your king’s square; but in this case your queen’s rook would have been rendered almost useless; it is better therefore to retard your attack, and get all your pieces into action.
(k) He prepares to push his queen’s pawn a square, to break your centre; but you must prevent it, by putting him under the necessity of defending himself.
18.
W. Queen’s rook at its king’s square.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.(l)
19.
W. The bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
B. Queen’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
20.
W. The king’s pawn 1 square.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
21.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.
B. King’s knight at his queen’s 4th.
22.
W. The knight at his king’s 4th.(m)
B. Queen’s knight at his own 3d.
23.
W. The knight at the adverse king’s bishop’s 3d.
B. Queen’s rook at its queen’s square.(n)
(l) He endeavours to attack you on your left, and make an opening for his rooks.
(m) You would have played wrong had you taken his knight with your bishop, because by taking your bishop with his pawn, that pawn would obstruct the passage of your knight; it was therefore necessary to play this knight first, in order to have no useless piece.
(n) If he had taken your knight, you must have taken his knight with the pawn, and afterwards attacked his king’s bishop’s pawn, by playing your queen’s rook to the adverse king’s second square.
24.
W. The king’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s rook at its queen’s 3d.(o)
25.
W. The pawn takes the pawn and gives check from the rook.
B. The king takes the pawn.
26.
W. The king at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
B. The king at his knight’s 2d.
27.
W. The knight takes the rook’s pawn and gives check.
B. The king at his rook’s 2d.
28.
W. The king’s rook gives check.
B. The king at his knight’s square.
(o) If, instead of playing the rook, he had taken your pawn, you would have won the game in a few moves, because he would have lost his queen’s bishop’s pawn; so, if he had taken your knight with his own, you would have taken his pawn with yours, giving check by discovery.
29.
W. The king’s rook at the adverse queen’s knight’s 2d square.
B. The queen’s rook at his queen’s square.(p)
30.
W. The bishop takes the adverse queen’s knight, and wins the game.
(p) If he had played his king instead of his queen’s rook, you might have given check with your queen’s rook, and taken that of his king. It must be observed here, that what has decided the game in favour of the white, is, that the king, having been in a situation, to enter the field with safety, which rarely happens, has been as instrumental to victory, as the best of his pieces. Charles XII. of Sweden was observed, very characteristically, to move the king more than any other piece; but this conduct is seldom to be imitated, on account of the ruin which involves the whole community of pieces, if the king meet with a disaster.
VARIATION.
At the 28th move, let the bishop check, instead of the rook; and the check-mate will be effected, almost at the instant, without circumevolution, or difficulty.
FIRST BACK GAME,
TO THE SECOND GAMBIT,
On the Third Move of the Black.
3.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.
B. King’s bishop’s pawn 2 squares.
4.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.(a)
B. The queen gives check.
5.
W. The king at his bishop’s square.
B. King’s pawn 1 square.(b)
6.
W. The bishop takes the knight.
B. The king’s pawn takes the pawn and gives check.(c)
(a) I make the white pawn take that pawn, to shew that it must cause the loss of the game; the best move in this puzzling situation, would have been to play your queen to your king’s second square.
(b) He exposes your king’s bishop to be taken by his queen.
(c) So situated he cannot chuse but win.
7.
W. The king takes the pawn.
B. The king’s rook takes the bishop and wins the game.
Philidor does not seem to think this worth pursuing.
SECOND BACK GAME,
TO THE SECOND GAMBIT,
On the Fourth Move of the Black.
4.
W. The king at his bishop’s square.
B. King’s bishop at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.
5.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. King’s bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
6.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The queen at the white king’s knight’s 4th.
7.
W. The king’s bishop takes the king’s bishop’s pawn and gives check.
B. The king at his bishop’s square, because if he takes the bishop
he loses his queen.(a)
8.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
B. The queen at the white king’s knight’s 3d.
(a) By the check of the knight.
9.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The king takes the bishop.
10.
W. Queen’s knight at his king’s 2d.
B. The queen at her king’s knight’s 3d.
11.
W. The king’s knight gives check to the king and queen,
and wins the game.
The white player’s suffering his bishop to be taken, to get so good a compensation for him, has something very ingenious in it.
THIRD BACK GAME,
TO THE SECOND GAMBIT,
On the Fourth Move of the Black.
4.
W. The king at his bishop’s square.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
5.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. Queen’s bishop at the white king’s knight’s 4th.
6.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.
7.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The queen at her king’s rook’s 4th.
8.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
B. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
9.
W. The king at his bishop’s 2d.
B. The bishop takes the knight.
10.
W. The pawn takes the bishop.
B. The queen at her king’s knight’s 3d.
11.
W. The rook’s pawn takes the pawn.
B. The queen takes the pawn.
12.
W. The knight at his king’s 2d.
B. The queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
13.
W. The knight takes the pawn.
B. The queen at her own square.
14.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s knight at his 3d square.
15.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s 3d.
B. The queen at her own 2d.
16.
W. Queen’s bishop at his king’s 3d.
B. The king castles.
17.
W. Queen’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s square.
18.
W. Queen’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s square.
19.
W. Queen’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
20.
W. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
21.
W. Queen’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
22.
W. The queen at her knight’s 3d.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
23.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn.
B. The queen at her bishop’s 2d.
24.
W. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
B. King’s bishop at his knight’s 2d.
25.
W. King’s bishop at the black queen’s bishop’s 3d.
B. King’s knight at his queen’s 2d.[29]
26.
W. The knight at his queen’s 3d.
B. King’s knight at his king’s 4th.
27.
W. The knight takes the knight.
B. The bishop takes the knight.
28.
W. King’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. The bishop at his king’s knight’s 2d.
29.
W. Queen’s bishop at his queen’s 4th.
B. The bishop takes the bishop.
30.
W. The pawn takes the bishop.
B. The queen at her king’s 2d.
31.
W. The king at his bishop’s 3d.
B. Queen’s rook at his king’s knight’s square.
32.
W. Queen’s rook at his queen’s bishop’s square.
B. Queen’s rook at his king’s knight’s 3d square.
33.
W. The bishop at the black queen’s knight’s 2d.
B. King’s rook at his knight’s square.
34.
W. The rook takes the knight.
B. The rook takes the rook.
35.
W. The bishop takes the rook.
B. The king takes the bishop.
36.
W. The rook gives check.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s square.
37.
W. The queen at her bishop’s 4th.
B. The queen at her own 2d.
38.
W. The king’s bishop’s pawn 1 square, to prevent the queen’s check.
B. The rook at its king’s knight’s square.
39.
W. The queen at the black queen’s bishop’s 3d.(a)
B. The queen takes the queen.
40.
W. The pawn takes the queen.
B. The king at his queen’s bishop’s 2d.
41.
W. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
B. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
(a) This is highly tactical, because one of the white pawns is doubled, and this will extend them on the four centre files;—for the black queen must exchange.
42.
W. The rook at his king’s rook’s square.
B. The same.
43.
W. The rook at his king’s knight’s square.
B. The rook at his 2d square.
44.
W. The rook at the black king’s knight’s square.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
45.
W. The rook at the black queen’s rook’s square.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
46.
W. The rook gives check.
B. The king at his queen’s bishop’s 2d.
47.
W. The rook gives check.
B. The king at the queen’s square.
48.
W. The king’s pawn 1 square.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
49.
W. The queen’s pawn 1 square.
B. The king at his queen’s bishop’s square.
50.
W. The pawn gives check.
B. The king at his queen’s square.
51.
W. The rook gives check, the king removes, the pawn is queened,
and wins the game.
FOURTH BACK GAME,
TO THE SECOND GAMBIT,
On the Ninth Move of the Black.
9.
W. The queen at her king’s 2d.
B. The bishop takes the knight.
10.
W. The queen takes the bishop.
B. The queen takes the queen.
11.
W. The pawn takes the queen.
B. King’s bishop at his knight’s 2d.
12.
W. King’s rook’s pawn 2 squares.
B. King’s rook’s pawn 1 square.
13.
W. King’s rook at his knight’s square.
B. King’s knight at his rook’s 2d.
14.
W. The queen’s bishop takes the gambit pawn.
B. The king’s bishop takes the queen’s pawn and gives check.
15.
W. The pawn takes the bishop.
B. The pawn takes the bishop.
16.
W. King’s rook at the black king’s knight’s 2d.
B. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
17.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The queen’s knight takes the pawn.
18.
W. The bishop takes the pawn and gives check.
B. The king at his bishop’s square.
19.
W. Queen’s rook at his king’s knight’s square.
B. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
20.
W. The bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.
B. Queen’s rook at his queen’s square.
21.
W. The king’s rook gives check at the black king’s bishop’s 2d.
B. The king at his own square.
22.
W. Queen’s rook at the black king’s knight’s 2d.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s square.
23.
W. The knight at the adverse queen’s 4th square—the whites
must win the game.
The Editor must however confess, that if the queen’s rook, at the countermove, return to its square; he does not know how to press the white pieces upon the black king, so that he shall not elude the mate. If any other piece than the black rook move, there will be an immediate smothered-mate. If the rook move to any square short of his own, the defeat of the king will be retarded, in proportion to the area which is left him.
FIFTH BACK GAME,
TO THE SECOND GAMBIT,
On the Eleventh Move of the Black.
11.
W. The queen takes the bishop.
B. The knight gives check at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
12.
W. The king at his knight’s square.
B. The king knight’s pawn takes the pawn.
13.
W. The queen’s bishop takes the pawn.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
14.
W. The knight at his queen’s rook’s 3d.
B. The queen takes the queen.
15.
W. The pawn takes the queen.
B. The king’s knight at his rook’s 4th.
16.
W. The king’s rook takes the pawn.
B. The king’s knight takes the bishop.
17.
W. The rook takes the knight.
B. King’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
18.
W. The king at his bishop’s 2d.
B. The king castles.
19.
W. The bishop at the adverse king’s 3d.
B. The bishop at his king’s 2d.
20.
W. Queen’s rook at its king’s rook’s square.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s square.
21.
W. The bishop takes the knight.
B. The rook takes the bishop.
22.
W. Queen’s rook at the adverse king’s rook’s 3d.
B. Queen’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
23.
W. King’s rook at the adverse king’s bishop’s 4th.
B. The bishop at his queen’s square.
24.
W. King’s rook at the adverse king’s rook’s 4th.
B. The king at his queen’s knight’s 2d.
25.
W. King’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
26.
W. The king’s bishop’s pawn 1 square, and wins the game.