“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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“Black Switches”

II. (1) P-e4 P-e6

With this move Black switches the center from the e-file to the d-file.

(2) P-d4 P-d5

Now White need not hesitate to protect his King’s Pawn with Kt- c3, for Black cannot, as shown in example 1, gain control of the center by exchanging on e4 and playing P-e5.

The advance (3) P-e5 cannot be recommended for the reason explained in example I. Of course, White, being a move ahead anyhow, can afford to make a Pawn move which does not exactly advance his own development, if that Pawn move hampers the development of the opponent to some extent.

This would be the case after (3) P-e5, as Black could not develop his King’s Knight to the most natural square, namely, f6. However, the Pawns d4 and e5, though forming a strong center, as long as they are both in place, are liable to become subject to disagreeable attacks which Black can institute with P-c5 and P-f6, and if White cannot maintain his center, then the advance to e5 is mere waste of time.

(3) Kt-c3 Kt-f6

Again White’s King’s Pawn is attacked. The first continuation for White to think of would be (4) B-d3, developing another piece.

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“King’s Pawn”

In trying to open a file for the Rooks it will be advisable–just as in the King’s Pawn openings–to aim at the same time at the clearing away of the opponent’s center-Pawn, and this can only be done by the advance of the c-Pawn. Therefore, it would mean loss of time if the Queen’s Knight were developed into the c-file before the c-Pawn has moved; the Knight would have to be moved away again in order to enable the opening of the c-file. This consideration furnishes the key for the understanding of the most popular Queen’s Pawn opening, which is

(1) P-d4 P-d5 (2) Kt-f3 Kt-f6 (3) P-c4

White offers a Pawn to induce Black to give up his center-Pawn, hence the name “Queen’s Gambit.” If Black could actually hold the Pawn he would be justified in accepting the Gambit unless it can be demonstrated that White’s advantage in development yields a winning attack. However, White can easily regain the Gambit-Pawn, and so there is absolutely no reason why Black should give up his Pawn-center.

The way in which White regains his Pawn in the accepted Gambit is this: (3) …, Pxc4; (4) P-e3, P-b5; (5) P-a4, P-c6 (if Black takes the Pawn a4, White captures the Pawn c4 and then regains the a-Pawn. (5) …, P-a6, cannot be played on account of Pxb5, opening the a-file for White’s Rook so that Black cannot retake the Pawn). (6) P-b3, Pxb3; (7) Pxb5, Pxb5; (8) Bxb5+ and Qxb3.

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“Exchange Of A Pawn”

This can only be done by the exchange of a Pawn and as the only Pawn within easy reach is the Pawn e5 the files which are liable to be opened first are the d-file and the f-file. In the position of the Diagram it is not easy to find a way of opening either file mentioned without elaborate preparation. P-d4 cannot be played before the square d4 is three times controlled by White and if White tries to accomplish this by (8) Kt-e2, Black spoils White’s plan by Bxc4 without being bothered by the threat Kt-d5 which existed as long as the Knight was posted on c3.

If, on the other hand, White exchanges the Bishop first on e6 he helps Black’s development by opening the f-file for his Rook. To avoid these alternatives White could withdraw the Bishop c4 to b3 and then play Kt-e2 followed by P-c3 and P-d4. But this maneuver involves two moves with pieces which are already developed and it is therefore preferable to place the Rook a1, who has to be developed, right away in the Queen’s file and then to proceed as suggested above. In other words, White does probably best to play (8) Q-d2 and (9) Ra1-d1.

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“Premature Attack”

If both players refrain from premature attack the game might develop as follows: (2) B-c4, B-c5; (3) Kt-f3, Kt-c6; (4) P-d3, Kt-f6; (5) Kt-c3, P-d6; (6) o-o, o-o; (7) B-g5. This move is the first one with which White trespasses the “frontier” which may be said to run in the openings of all games between the fourth and fifth ranks of the board. The Bishops are the only pieces for whom there is a field of action in the opponent’s camp early in the game.

They pin a hostile Knight and thereby exert a certain pressure on the opponent who naturally does not like to see any of his pieces deprived of its mobility.

The fact that Black can drive White’s Bishop away with P-h6 does not lead to any loss of time for White, for the Bishop can retire to h4, still maintaining the pin, while Black has not furthered his development by his Pawn move; in fact, he has somewhat compromised his position and as explained by the discussion of the position of Diagram 37 the advance of the Pawn g7 to g5 cannot follow without the risk that White will uphold the pin even at the cost of a piece and obtain an overwhelming attack.

That the move P-h6 creates a weakness even if it is not followed up by P-g5 will be demonstrated later on in the discussion of the middle game. The correct answer to White’s seventh move is easily found with the help of the principle of development.

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