The Salvio Gambit.
Reading edition
FIRST PARTY,
WITH THREE BACK GAMES.
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 knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 2 squares.
4.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s bishop’s 4th.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
5.
W. King’s knight at the adverse king’s 4th.
B. The queen gives check.
6.
W. The king at his bishop’s square.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(a)
(a) Doctor Salvio, in his Treatise, printed at Naples, in the year 1723, lays down this defence of the gambit, but without examining thoroughly any combination; the great number of moves which arise and succeed each other every instant in this party, very possibly may have prevented him from analyzing and calculating the matter.
Philidor can only mean, that Salvio has not particularised any combinations different from the step dictated, in collateral notes on the play; though it is evident that he must have traced them, from his ultimately fixing on the most complete defence.
7.
W. The queen at her king’s square.(b) ☜
B. The queen takes the queen.(c) ☜
8.
W. The king takes the queen.
B. The king’s knight takes the king’s pawn.(d) ☜
(b) The seventh move may be played different ways; two only however are eligible: the first, to take the pawn with the bishop, and give check; the other, to play the queen’s pawn two squares—pursued in two back games.
(c) If, instead of taking your queen, he had pushed his king’s knight’s pawn, you must have taken his king’s bishop’s pawn, giving check, and then have played your knight to your king’s bishop’s third square.
(d) Had he pushed his queen’s pawn one square, instead of taking your pawn with his knight; you must have taken his king’s bishop’s pawn with your knight, and sacrificed the knight and bishop for two pawns and a rook; the subject of a back game.
9.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn, and gives check.
B. The king at his 2d square.(e)
10.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.(f)
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(g)
11.
W. The queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. The queen’s pawn 1 square.
(e) If he had moved his king to his queen’s square, it would have been your game, to have drawn back your king’s bishop, in order to give double check with your knight, or make him lose a turn.
(f) In this situation you must either win a pawn, or force the change of his king’s rook for your knight.
(g) Had he pushed his queen’s pawn one move, it would have been proper to have attacked his rook with your knight, and then to take his queen’s pawn with the knight, leaving his rook exposed to your bishop.
12.
W. King’s knight at his queen’s 3d.(h)
B. King’s pawn 1 square.(i)
13.
W. The pawn takes the pawn.
B. The pawn takes the pawn.
14.
W. The king at his bishop’s 2d.
B. Queen’s bishop at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
15.
W. Queen’s bishop at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
B. Queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
16.
W. Queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
B. Queen’s rook at his king’s square.(k)
(h) It would be bad play to attack his rook with your knight, who being without a retreat, would at length be forced and taken.
(i) Being no longer able to sustain this pawn, he pushes it: you must readily take it, because all pawns separated and advanced on your ground must be lost.
(k) In this position the white party have this advantage, that their pieces are disposed in better order; nevertheless, this manner of playing the gambit is no ways advantageous against a player, to whom a piece is granted; though this party, when played without odds, is a very good one.
FIRST BACK GAME,
TO THE FIRST PARTY,
On the Seventh Move of the White.
7.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn and gives check.
B. The king at his 2d square.(a)
8.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s knight’s 3d.(b)
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.(c)
(a) Salvio here directs the removal of the king to his queen’s square; but, after the most exact calculations, I think it would be better to play the king to his second square: that the reader may, however, judge which is the preferable course, I exhibit both ways of playing, adding a variation on the seventh move of the black.
(b) You are forced to withdraw the bishop, in order to avoid the loss of a piece.
(c) If he had taken your king’s pawn with his knight, you must have played your queen to your king’s square, to offer an exchange of queens, which would restore your game to a firm state of defence; but if, instead of pushing this pawn, he had played his knight to his king’s rook’s fourth, you should have taken his king’s knight’s pawn with your queen, permitting afterwards double check: then, by taking his knight and sacrificing your rook, your situation from embarrassing rises to advantageous.
9.
W. King’s knight at his queen’s 3d.(d)
B. King’s knight at his rook’s 4th.
10.
W. The queen at her king’s square.
B. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.(e)
11.
W. The king at his knight’s square.(f)
B. King’s bishop at his knight’s 2d.(g)
(d) This is a very bad retreat for your knight; but if you had attacked his rook, your piece would have been forced. It is the adverse king, played to his second square, on the seventh move, that has thrown your game into so perplexing a situation.
(e Had he given double check with his knight, you) would have won a piece by removing your king; and if he had exchanged queens, you would have put an end to his attack.
(f) This move is very requisite, to disengage your king’s rook.
(g) If you were to take his pawn with yours, he would instantly give you check-mate.
12.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
B. The queen at her king’s knight’s 4th.
13.
W. King’s bishop at his queen’s square.
B. Queen’s bishop at the adverse king’s knight’s 4th.
14.
W. The bishop takes the bishop.
B. The queen takes the bishop.
15.
W. The king’s rook’s pawn 1 square.(h)
B. The queen at her king’s knight’s 3d.
16.
W. The queen at her king’s 2d.(i)
B. Queen’s knight at his queen’s 2d.
17.
W. King’s knight at his king’s square.(k)
(h) It is advisable to push this pawn; and not to take, which would establish his king’s knight upon your ground.
(i) You thus prepare for bringing out the pieces of your left wing, without being obliged to place your knight at his bishop’s third.
(k) In this position, though the black pieces have the advantage, yet the game is not irrecoverably lost, because the white have still some chance of succeeding in placing their pawns in the centre.
SUPPLEMENT,
TO THE FIRST BACK GAME.
7.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.(a)
8.
W. King’s knight at his queen’s 3d.
B. King’s pawn 1 square.
9.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.
B. The king’s pawn takes the pawn and gives check.
10.
W. The king takes the pawn.
B. The queen gives check, &c. &c.(b)
(a) Had he taken your king’s pawn, you must have played your queen to your king’s second.
(b) It is unnecessary to proceed; the variations of the first back game recur, with the difference that you have one pawn less.
SECOND BACK GAME,
TO THE FIRST PARTY,
On the Seventh Move of the Black.
7.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn and gives check.
B. The king at his queen’s square.(a)
8.
W. Queen’s pawn 2 squares.(b)
B. King’s pawn 1 square.(c)
(a) This creates no necessity of withdrawing your bishop as in the first back game, so that remaining in advance, he may hinder the adverse king’s knight from posting himself at his king’s rook’s fourth; a move portending danger.
(b) Had you withdrawn your king’s bishop to attack the king and rook with your knight, he would have played his knight to his king’s rook’s fourth, and sacrificed his rook to win the game.
(c) There were two other ways for him to have played; the first, to force your knight to retreat, by pushing his queen’s pawn upon him; the other, to take your king’s pawn with his knight, in which case you should offer an exchange of queens, by playing yours to your king’s square.
9.
W. Queen’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(d)
B. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
10.
W. King’s knight at his queen’s 3d.
B. The king’s pawn takes the pawn.
11.
W. The king takes the pawn.
B. The queen gives check.
12.
W. The king at his knight’s square.(e)
B. King’s knight’s pawn 1 square.
13.
W. King’s knight at his bishop’s 4th.(f)
(d) Had you taken his pawn with yours, he would have won the game.
(e) If you had moved the king to his bishop’s second square, the black would have won the game, by giving check with his king’s knight’s pawn, and, at the next move, check with his king’s knight.
(f) This move forces his queen to retreat, and allows time to put your game in a state of defence. If you could exchange queens, your condition would be still better, for your pawns not only stand in the centre, but are farther advanced than his.
Before the retreat of the queen, it will be proper for the gambit pawn to take, giving check; that it may not be lost without compensation: and the queen, on her retreat, must make such a demonstration by her position as will effectually dislodge the bishop.
THIRD BACK GAME,
TO THE FIRST PARTY, OF THE SALVIO GAMBIT,
On the Eighth Move of the Black.
8.
W. The king takes the queen.
B. The queen’s pawn 1 square.(a)
9.
W. The king’s knight takes the king’s bishop’s pawn.
B. The queen’s pawn 1 square.
10.
W. The king’s bishop takes the pawn.(b)
B. The king’s knight takes the bishop.
(a) If instead of this, he had played his queen’s knight to his bishop’s third, you must have taken his knight with yours, and sustained your king’s pawn, by that of your queen.
(b) It is better to take his pawn, than to surrender your bishop to it, because his rook still remains exposed.
11.
W. The knight takes the rook.
B. King’s knight at his bishop’s 3d.(c)
12.
W. Queen’s pawn 1 square.
B. King’s bishop at his knight’s 2d.
13.
W. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.(d)
B. The bishop takes the knight.(e)
14.
W. The queen’s bishop takes the pawn.
B. Queen’s bishop’s pawn 1 square.
15.
W. The knight at his queen’s 2d.(f)
(c) He might with his knight have attacked your queen’s bishop’s pawn, which you would have defended with your queen’s knight.
(d) This move is necessary, because he could have taken your king’s pawn by sacrificing his knight, and afterwards have taken your queen’s knight’s pawn with his bishop.
(e) He could not have sustained the king’s or gambit pawn for more than two or three moves.
(f) In this situation, it is better to advance the king under the pawns, than to castle, and you will have then a better game than your adversary.