“White”

If White, instead of playing (2) P-d4 as assumed in the above examples, advances his f-Pawn against Black’s center, Black has ample time to make all preparations necessary to maintain his center-Pawn, for White does not threaten Pxe5 as long as he is not protected against Q-h4+, followed by Qxe4. Black’s best move is apparently B-c5, so that he may be able to reply P-d6 to (3) Kt-f3 without blocking the way of the Bishop. On c5 Black’s Bishop is very disagreeable for White as he prevents his castling. The natural development of this opening would be about this:

(2) P-f4 B-c5 (3) Kt-f3 P-d6 (4) B-c4 Kt-f6

Although this move blocks the diagonal for Black’s Queen, making impossible a check on h4, it does not enable White to win a Pawn on e5, because (5) Pxe5, Pxe5; (6) Ktxe5 would be answered by Q- d4.

(5) P-d3 Kt-c6 (6) Kt-c3 B-g4

Black has one more piece developed than White on account of the Pawn move P-f4 which is a wasted move from the point of view of development, especially as White cannot very well castle on the King’s side and make use of the open f-file for his Rooks.

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“D-Pawn”

The advance of the d-Pawn, besides the possibility of opening the d-file for the Rooks, has another very important purpose. It invites, and often compels the opponent to take the Pawn with his e-Pawn thereby losing control of “the center.” What is meant by center in King’s Pawn openings will be understood from the analysis of the Diagram 44 in which only the Pawn skeleton of a King’s Pawn game is given and in which it is assumed that Black has exchanged the Pawn e5 for the Pawn d4.

This Pawn formation offers an advantage to White because the Pawn e4, White’s center-Pawn, controls the two squares d5 and f5 while the two corresponding squares in White’s camp, that is d4 and f4, are not in the hands of Black and could be occupied by White men.

It is evident that it must be advantageous to have pieces placed in the center of the board as there they have naturally more mobility than towards the edge of the board where part of their radius of action is cut off. A Knight, for instance, placed on d4 will possibly have an opportunity later on to go to f5 from where he helps an attack on g7.

The square f4 may be useful for the Queen in an attempt to reach the King’s wing speedily, thus accumulating on that part of the board superior forces. These and other advantages connected with the control of the center will be more readily understood after the discussion of the middle game maneuvers of which the center squares form the basis.

It is necessary, however, to touch upon this matter at this time, as in many openings the player is confronted after the very first moves with questions in which the maintenance of the center-Pawn is the point at issue.

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“Develop The Bishop”

White is not forced to develop the Bishop on the second move by any means. He could either play (2) Kt-f3 or (2) Kt-c3 or (2) P- d4.

The objection to the latter move, however, is that after (2) …., Pxd4; (3) Qxd4 the white Queen is exposed to the attack of the Knight b8, which means loss of time. Kt-f3 or Kt-c3 are probably preferable to B-c4 on the second move, because it is certain that the Knights will not find any better squares on their initial move. The Bishop, however, may have an occasion to be used on b5 instead of on c4, and it is a good thing, generally speaking, to keep the option of moving a piece to different squares as long as it is compatible with the other requirements of the position.

That the Bishop may be used to advantage on b5 will be seen from the following variation. Supposing White plays (2) Kt-f3.

Then the Pawn e5 is attacked. The only sensible protection is (2) …, Kt-c6; for P-f6 does not come into consideration, as it is a Pawn move which does not add anything to the development of the pieces; P-d6 blocks the Bishop f8; B-d6 obstructs the Queen’s Pawn and Q-f6 or Q-e7 hinders the development of the Knight or the Bishop respectively.

Now, it can readily be seen that after (2) …, Kt-c6 White may want to place his King’s Bishop on b5, for with this move he repeats indirectly his attack on the King’s Pawn through the threat to remove the protecting Knight.

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“Pieces Development”

The beginner who makes this great principle of development quite clear to himself has made the most difficult step on the way to mastership. The grasp of the far reaching influence of the mobility of the pieces in the opening upon the further development of the whole game is really what distinguishes the master from the average player.

Of course, it would be too difficult for the beginner to find out for himself what squares are the most favorable for the different pieces; at any rate, it would take him a long time to gain that knowledge by experience. Fortunately, the experience of the masters of several generations is accessible to us and so it is possible to expedite considerably the process by which the mind of the student is adapted to the tactics required in every game of Chess to carry out the principle of speedy development.

To a great extent these tactics, too, can be simply explained from the point of view of giving the pieces their utmost mobility so that they will be readily understood by the reader who has followed the arguments given in the foregoing pages.

There is a considerable difference in the constellation of the pieces depending on whether the game is opened with (1) P-e4, P- e5 or (1) P-d4, P-d5. These two openings shall therefore be treated separately. All other openings are related to one of the above main branches and need little additional discussion.

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