Chapter II · THE KING'S KNIGHT'S OPENING
Reading edition
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K's Kt. to B's 3d.
Your second move gives the name to this opening, which is one of the most popular and instructive of all the various methods of commencing the game. The Kt., it will be observed, at once attacks the adverse Pawn, and the defence recommended by the best authors and the leading players of Europe, is for Black to reply 2. Q's Kt. to B's 3d. He has, however, many other ways of playing, and as the examination of these comparatively simple variations will serve to prepare you for the more complex and elaborate combinations of the best defences, it will be advisable to consider them previously. In the first place, then, Black may sustain his Pawn by playing—
1. P. to K. B's 3d.
2. K's B. to Q's 3d.
3. Q. to K. B's 3d.
4. P. to Q's 3d.
or, in the second place, he may leave it unprotected, and play—
5. K's Kt. to B's 3d.
6. K's B. to Q. B's 4th.
7. P. to K. B's 4th.
8. P. to Q's 4th.
He has thus eight different modes of play at his command, besides the move of Q's Kt. to B's 3d, in answer to your second move of K's Kt. to B's 3d. Each of these will form the subject of a separate game.
GAME THE FIRST. The Damiano Gambit.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to K. B's 3d.
3. Kt. takes K's P. 3. P. takes Kt.
4. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.) 4. P. to K. Kt's 3d.
5. Q. takes K's P. (ch.) 5. Q. to K's 2d.
6. Q. takes R. 6. K's Kt. to B's 3d.
7. P. to Q's 4th. (best.) 7. Q. takes P. (ch.)
8. Q's B. to K's 3d. 8. Q. takes Q. B's P.
9. Q. takes Kt. 9. Q. takes Q. Kt's P.
10. K's B. to Q. B's 4th.10. K. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. (ch.)
11. Q's Kt. to Q's 2d.11. Q. takes R. (ch.)
12. K. to his 2d.12. Q. takes K's R.
and you give mate in two moves.
The foregoing moves are dependent on Black's taking the Kt., which is very bad play. His proper move, under the circumstances, is 3. Q. to K's 2d, as in the following example:—
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to K. B's 3d.
3. K's Kt. takes P. 3. Q. to K's 2d.
4. K. Kt. to B's 3d. (best) 4. P. to Q's 4th.
5. P. to Q's 3d. 5. P. takes K's P.
6. P. takes P. 6. Q. takes P. (ch.)
7. B. to K's 2d. 7. Q's B. to K. B's 4th.
8. Kt. to Q's 4th. 8. Q's Kt. to B's 3d.
9. Kt. takes B. 9. Q. takes Kt.
10. Castles.10. B. to Q's 3d.
11. B. to Q's 3d.
You have an excellent position.
GAME THE SECOND.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. K's B. to Q's 3d.
3. B. to Q. B's 4th. 3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
4. P. to Q's 4th. 4. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.
5. P. takes K. P. 5. B. takes P.
6. K. Kt. to his 5th. 6. Castles.
7. P. to K. B's 4th. 7. B. to Q's 5th.
8. P. to K's 5th. 8. Q. to K's 2d.
9. Q. to K's 2d. 9. K. Kt. to K's sq.
10. B. to Q's 5th.10. K. B. to Q. Kt's 3d.
11. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.11. P. to K. R's 3d.
In reply, you may now play P. to K. R's 4th, having a capital game. If, instead of 11. P. to R's 3d, he play 11. Q. Kt. to Q's 5th, you move 12. Q. to her 3d, then B. to Q's 2d, and finally castle on the Q's side. If, however, in lieu of that move, he play 11. B. to Q. R's 4th, you can move 12. B. to Q's 2d, and presently castle on the Q's side; and lastly, if he play 11. K. to R's sq., then you take your Queen to K. R's 5th, and he cannot save the game.
GAME THE THIRD.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.2. Q. to K. B's 3d.
It is seldom good to bring the Q. into play early in the game, unless for some decisive blow, because she is so easily assailable by the opponent's minor Pieces, and in attacking her he brings his forces into action.
3. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.3. Q. to K. Kt's 3d.
Black now attacks two undefended Pawns, but he can take neither without ruinous loss to him; for suppose on your playing P. to Q's 3d, to protect the K. P., he ventures to take the K. Kt. P., you immediately take the K. B. P. with your Bishop (ch.). If he then take the Bishop with his King, you attack his Queen with your Rook, and on her retiring to R. 6th, you win her by K. Kt. to his 5th (ch.). On the other hand, you can leave the King's Pawn, and castle safely.
4. Castles.4. Q. takes K. P.
5. K. B. takes B. P. (ch.)5. K. to Q's sq.
It is quite obvious that he would lose his Queen by the check of the Knight, if he took the Bishop.
6. Kt. takes K's P.6. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
If he take the Kt., you will play R. to K's sq., compelling him either to take it with his Q. or be mated.
7. K. R. to K's sq.7. Q. to K. B's 4th.
8. K. B. to K. Kt's 6th.8. Q. to K's 3d.
9. Kt. to B's 7th. (ch.), and gains the Queen.
GAME THE FOURTH. Philidor's Defence.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P. 4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th. 5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th. 6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. P. to K. B's 3d. 7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.
8. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. 8. Q. to her 3d.
9. Q. Kt. to B's 3d. 9. Q. B. takes K. P.
10. K. Kt. takes B.10. Q. takes Kt.
11. Q. takes Q's P.11. Q. takes Q.
12. Kt. takes Q.12. Castles.
13. P. takes K. P.
You have a Pawn more than Black, and a better position.
FIRST VARIATION OF THIS ATTACK, Commencing at White's 7th move.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P. 4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th. 5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th. 6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d. 7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. K. Kt. takes K. R. P. 8. Q. B. takes K. P. (best)
9. Kt. takes K. B. 9. K. takes Kt.
10. Q. Kt. takes K. P.10. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th.
11. Q. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th, with the better game.
SECOND VARIATION OF THIS ATTACK. Commencing at White's 8th move.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. to K. B's 4th.
4. Q. P. takes P. 4. K. B. P. takes P.
5. Kt. to K. Kt's 5th. 5. P. to Q's 4th.
6. P. to K's 6th. 6. Kt. to K. R's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d. 7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. K. Kt. takes K. P. 8. P. takes Kt.
9. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.) 9. P. to K. Kt's 3d.
10. Q. to K's 5th.10. K. R. to Kt's sq.
11. B. takes K. Kt.11. B. takes B.
12. Q. R. to Q's sq.12. Q. to K's 2d.
13. Kt. takes K. P.13. Q. B. takes P.
14. R. to Q's 6th. (the winning move.)14. Q. B. to K. B's 4th.
15. Kt. to B's 6th. (ch.)15. K. to B's sq. (best)
16. R. to Q's 8th. (ch.)16. K. to B's 2d.
17. B. to Q. B's 4th. (ch.)17. B. to K's 3d. (best)
18. Kt. takes R., and wins.
VARIATION OF THE DEFENCE IN THIS OPENING, Beginning at Black's 3d move.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
4. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th. 4. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.
5. P. takes K. P. 5. B. takes Kt.
6. Q. takes B. 6. P. takes P.
7. Q. to her Kt's 3d. 7. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.
8. K. B. to Q. B's 4th. 8. Q. to Q's 2d.
9. B. takes Kt. 9. P. takes B.
10. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.10. K. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
11. Q. R. to Q's sq.11. Q. to K's 2d.
12. B. to Q. Kt's 5th. (ch.)12. P. to Q. B's 3d.
13. Kt. to Q's 5th, with an excellent game.
ANOTHER VARIATION OF THE DEFENCE, Beginning also from Black's 3d move.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d. 2. P. to Q's 3d.
3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.
4. P. takes P. 4. B. takes Kt.
5. Q. takes B. 5. P. takes P.
6. B. to Q. B's 4th. 6. Q. to K. B's 3d.
7. Q. to her Kt's 3d. 7. P. to Q. Kt's 3d.
8. Q. Kt. to B's 3d. 8. P. to Q. B's 3d.
9. Castles. 9. B. to Q's 3d.
10. P. to K. B's 4th.10. P. takes P.
11. Q. B. takes P.11. B. takes B. (best)
12. P. to K's 5th.12. B. takes K. R. P. (ch.)
And White has the better game.
SUMMARY OF THE FOREGOING VARIATIONS IN PHILIDOR'S DEFENCE.
The result of the preceding analysis serves to prove that Q. P. one, as the second move of Black, is not a tenable defence; since, play as he can afterwards, if the best moves are adopted by the first player, he will always have a very insecure or a very constrained game.