You'll remember that in the last chapter we asked you to play some games with the Danish Gambit. How did you get on? Did you get a winning attack with White or did Black survive to win the ending with his extra pawns?
This really is the best possible opening to practise attacking with your pieces. Rather than showing you some variations as with the other openings we've looked at, we'll just give you some games to play through. Did you manage to play as well in your games with White?
Black's greed knows no bounds. Not satisfied with being two pawns up he tries to win another one instead of getting on with developing his minor pieces.
6. Nf3 Qxg2
7. Bxf7+!
You were told to watch out for EXPLOSIONS ON f7!
7... Kd8
If Black takes the Bishop he loses his Queen: 7... Kxf7 8. Rg1 Qh3 9. Ng5+ (FORK!)
XABCDEFGH
8rsnlmk-+-tr(
7zppzpp+Lzpp'
6-+-+-sn-wq&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-wQ-+NtR-#
2PvL-+-zP-zP"
1tR-+-mK-+-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 200
White to move
Just compare White's and Black's development. No wonder White has two ways to win this position. Can you find them both?
13. Rg6 (INTERFERENCE!)
White chooses the brilliant route. The simpler and stronger move was Bc1, winning the Queen.
13... hxg6?
Losing at once: his best defence was 13... Nxe4 14. Rxh6 Nxc3 15. Bxc3 Re8+ 16. Bxe8 gxh6 17. Bh5 when White, with a piece for three pawns and a big lead in development, is winning.
14. Qxf6+! gxf6
15. Bxf6#
White: Hans Lindehn Black: Ladislas Maczuski
Paris 1863
Greedy again! But in the next game Qd8 fares no better.
13. Re1 Qd6
14. Qh5 c6
15. Nc7!
CLEARANCE + DECOY!
15... g6
If he takes the Knight at once it's mate in two: 15... Qxc7 16. Qxf7+ Rxf7 17. Re8# (The Rook on f7's PINNED!)
16. Qh6 Qxc7 (Diagram 204)
XABCDEFGH
8rsnl+-trk+(
7zppwqp+p+p'
6-+p+-+pwQ&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2P+-+-zPPzP"
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 204
White to move
Now White crashes through by destroying the Black King's pawn barrier.
17. Bxf7+! (EXPLOSION ON f7!)
Surprise, surprise!
17... Kxf7
It's mate in two if he takes with the Rook.
18. Qxh7+ Kf6
19. Qh4+
Not the quickest way to win, which was 19. Qe7+ (FORK!) 19... Kf5 20. Qxf8+ Kg5 21. h4+ Kxh4 22. Qh6+ Kg4 23. Qxg6+ Kh4 24. Re4+ Qf4 25. Rxf4#
19... Kg7
19...g5 offers no salvation after 20. Qh6+ Kf7 21. Qh7+ Kf6 22. Qe7+
20. Re7+ Rf7
21. Qd4+ Kf8
Or 21... Kg8 22. Re8+ Rf8 23. Rxf8+ Kxf8 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Re1 and Black has no defence.
22. Qh8+!
Black resigns. White wins after 22... Kxe7 23. Re1+ Qe5 24. Qxe5+ Kd8 25. Qe8+.
White: Joseph Rasovsky Black: Mikyska
Correspondence 1908
The first 11 moves are the same as in the previous game.
12. Nd5 Qd8
13. Qh5 c6? (Diagram 205)
XABCDEFGH
8rsnlwq-trk+(
7zpp+p+pzpp'
6-+p+-+-+&
5+-+NzP-+Q%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2P+-+-zPPzP"
1tR-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 205
White to move
White now wins with a similar sacrifice to the one in the game Fidlow-Busic. Black's King-side is ripped apart and the Queen and Bishop combine to deliver checkmate.
14. Nf6+! gxf6
15. Bd3 Re8
White's next letter read 'Mate in 8', which he demonstrated as follows: 16. Qxh7+ Kf8 17. Qh8+ Ke7 18. Qxf6+ Kf8 19. Qh6+ Kg8 20. Bh7+ Kh8 21. Bg6+ Kg8 22. Qh7+ Kf8 23. Qxf7#. Those last four moves constitute a very common way of finishing off an attack. Remember them!
In our next example, two pawns aren't enough for Black. He eats a third, then a fourth, then a fifth. Seeing Black's enormous appetite, White forces him to swallow a Queen and a Rook as well.
17... Rxf7 would have lost to 18. Bxf7 Nxf7 19. Qh6! Qg8 20. Re1! followed by Re8! (DECOY!)
18. Qh6
Black resigns. If he takes the Queen, f7+ (DISCOVERED CHECK from the Bishop on b2) mates him. And if he doesn't take the Queen this time he'll have no choice two moves later: 18... Rg8 19. Bxf7 Qf8 20. Bd5! Qxh6 21. f7+ Qg7 22. fxg8=R#.
Wow! Do you think you can play as well as White did in those games?
Play over some of the games again and see what happened. White gave up two pawns in the opening to get his pieces out quickly. He could then start an attack before Black moved his Queen-side pieces. Because he had more pieces attacking than Black had defending his attack was successful.
Two words of warning. First of all, White doesn't ALWAYS win with this opening. In all the games you've seen Black lost quickly because he defended badly. It's quite possible that, if Black defends well, he'll survive the attack and win the ending. Secondly, he doesn't HAVE to take all the pawns in the opening.
Very briefly, two ways in which Black can avoid trouble. He can, if he chooses, play d5 on move three instead of dxc3, when White should play 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. cxd4 followed by Nc3.
The other way is more complicated. It goes like this.
XABCDEFGH
8rsnlwqkvl-tr(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+-+-sn-+&
5+-+L+-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PvL-+-zPPzP"
1tRN+QmK-sNR!
xabcdefgh Diagram 208
White to move
If you remember Chapter 11 you may think this is a blunder because...
7. Bxf7+ (DECOY!) Kxf7
8. Qxd8
and Black's lost his Queen, but after...
8... Bb4+ (AMBUSH!)
9. Qd2 Bxd2+
10. Nxd2
Black's won the Queen back and reached an equal position.
Try playing some more games with this opening. See if you can use some of the attacking ideas you've just learned in your own games.
You could also try playing some games with Nxc3 instead of Bc4 on move 4, when White only gives up one pawn but can still get a strong attack. This is sometimes called the HALF DANISH GAMBIT. Other similar openings are the GORING GAMBIT (named after Carl Goring, a 19th century German player), which goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. c3, and the SCOTCH GAMBIT, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4. In this opening, Black may do best to play Nf6, which is a TWO KNIGHTS DEFENCE (see Chapter 9). If Black prefers either 4... Bc5 or Bb4+, White plays c3 with a Danish Gambit type attack.
QUIZ
The quiz for this chapter features ten positions from games played with the Danish Gambit or similar openings. In each case White has a quick mate, like those you solved way back in Chapter 5. As usual, 8 out of 10 is the pass mark. Good mating!
Q1.
XABCDEFGH
8r+l+kvlntr(
7zpp+-+pzp-'
6n+-+-+q+&
5+-+N+-vLp%
4-wQ-+P+-zP$
3+-+-+N+-#
2PzP-+-zPP+"
1+-mKR+-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 2 moves
Q2.
XABCDEFGH
8r+ltR-vl-tr(
7+p+-mkpzpp'
6pvLq+-sn-+&
5+p+-zp-sN-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzP-+-+PzP"
1+-+QmK-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 2 moves
Q3.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-tr-mk(
7zp-+-+ntRp'
6-zpp+Qzp-+&
5+-wqp+-+-%
4-+n+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PvL-+R+-zP"
1+-mK-+-+-!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 3 moves
Q4.
XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-mk-+(
7zppzpl+Pzp-'
6-+nzp-+-zp&
5+-vl-+-+-%
4-+L+-vLnwq$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzP-+Q+PzP"
1+-+-tRR+K!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 3 moves
Q5.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwq-tr-+(
7zppzpp+p+-'
6k+-+-+-+&
5sn-+NzP-+-%
4Q+-+-+-+$
3sn-sN-+-+-#
2P+-+-zPPzP"
1+-mKR+-+R!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 3 moves
Q6.
XABCDEFGH
8r+-+Lvl-tr(
7zpQ+-+-+-'
6-+p+-zp-zp&
5mk-+-wq-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sN-vL-+-#
2PzP-+-+PzP"
1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 3 moves
Q7.
XABCDEFGH
8rsn-wq-trk+(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+-zp-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+L+-+-+$
3+-+n+-+-#
2PvL-+-zP-zP"
1tR-+-+-tRK!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 4 moves
Q8.
XABCDEFGH
8rsn-+-tr-mk(
7zppzpq+p+p'
6-+-zp-+-+&
5+-+-sn-+-%
4-+LwQ-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PvL-+-zP-zP"
1+-+-+-tRK!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 4 moves
Q9.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-+k+(
7zpr+-+pzpp'
6-zp-+-wqn+&
5+-+-+NwQ-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2P+-+-zPPzP"
1+-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 4 moves
Q10.
XABCDEFGH
8r+lmk-+-tr(
7zp-zppvl-+p'
6-+n+-+-+&
5+-+-sN-zpQ%
4-+p+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1+-+-+-mK-!
Xabcdefgh
White to play
Mate in 4 moves
ACTIVITIES
If you find yourself with some spare time here are some more chess variants you might like to try out.
1. Snooker Chess
In this game you imagine that the sides of the board are like cushions on a snooker table and the line pieces can bounce off. This isn't much use for Rooks: the only advantage is that they can move to their own square by bouncing off the side should you want to waste a move. But Bishops and Queens can be deadly. They can bounce off the side of the board at an angle of 90 degrees: for instance 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6? 3. Qf7# (bouncing off h4) is Scholar's Mate.
2. Cylinder Chess
Here you imagine that the board is really a cylinder with the a and h files connected. So a White Pawn on a2 can capture on h3, and a Knight on g1 can jump to a2. After 1. e4 e5, 2. Bxh7 (via a6) would be legal (but not good). An example of cylindrical Scholar's Mate might be: 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. c3 Nxe4? 4. Qxf7# (travelling via a4 and h5).
3. Pocket Knight Chess
You'll need a second chess set for this game. Each player starts with a third Knight, which he keeps in his pocket. At one point during the game he can, instead of making a move, put the Pocket Knight on the board anywhere he chooses. It's advisable only to play your Pocket Knight when you can win at least a rook.
4. Blindfold Chess
This is difficult but you'll find it helps you to calculate ahead in your games by teaching you to visualise chess positions in your mind rather than just looking at the board. All that happens is that you and your opponent call out your moves to each other without playing on a board. You'll probably need a referee at first to tell you when you're making illegal moves. This can also come in useful, of course, if you're on a long journey and you forgot to take your pocket set with you.
Masters of the Universe 13
So far you've read about the World Champions and seen examples of their play. But did you know that there is also a Women's World Champion?
The first Women's World Championship was held in 1927 and was won by Vera Menchik, who was born in Moscow in 1906 but lived in and represented England. Vera Menchik was the first woman player strong enough to compete on equal terms against male masters. She retained her title by winning a series of tournaments during the 1930s, frequently winning all her games. She was killed during a Second World War bombing raid in 1944. In this game she wins in brilliant and instructive style. Her opponent, one of the leading English players of his time, was also an international badminton player, a county hockey player and a quarter-finalist in the Wimbledon tennis championships.
White: Vera Menchik Black: Sir George Thomas
London 1932
Opening: King's Indian Defence
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7
4. e4 d6
5. f3
The SÄMISCH variation, one of White's strongest and most popular lines against the KING'S INDIAN DEFENCE. Fritz Sämisch was a strong German master in the 1920s and 1930s.
5... 0-0
6. Be3 e5
7. Nge2 b6?!
This move is now known to be a waste of time. More modern alternatives are c6, Nbd7, Nc6 and exd4.
Another example of a position where the players castle on opposite sides and attack the enemy King. Compare the Sicilian Dragon game between Karpov and Korchnoi in Chapter 11.
XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-tr-+(
7wq-zplsnpmkp'
6-zp-zp-+p+&
5+-snPzp-+P%
4p+P+P+P+$
3+-sN-+PsN-#
2PzP-wQ-+-+"
1+-mKR+LtR-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 209
White to move
Now a sacrifice to open the g-file for a mating attack. Can you find the move?
18. Nf5+! (FORK!)
If Black takes with the Pawn he's mated on g7: for instance 18... gxf5 19. Qg5+ Kh8 20. Qf6+ Kg8 21. h6 Ne6 22. dxe6 followed by Qg7#.
18... Nxf5
19. gxf5 a3?!
Hoping for 20. b3 Nxb3+ 21. axb3 a2. But Rg8 was a better defence.
20. f6+! Kh8
20... Kxf6 is no help: 21. Qg5+ Kg7 22. h6+ Kg8 23. Qf6 axb2+ 24. Kd2 b1=N+ 25. Ke1 Nd3+ 26. Bxd3 and now White has escaped the checks she can mate on g7.
21. Qh6 axb2+
22. Kb1 Rg8
23. hxg6 fxg6 (Diagram 210)
XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-+rmk(
7wq-zpl+-+p'
6-zp-zp-zPpwQ&
5+-snPzp-+-%
4-+P+P+-+$
3+-sN-+P+-#
2Pzp-+-+-+"
1+K+R+LtR-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 210
White to move
White's winning sacrifice is one that's well worth remembering. Do you see the mate?
24. Qxh7+
Black resigns. 24... Kxh7 is met by 25. Rh1+ and mate next move.
Between 1950 and 1991 all the Women's World Champions came from the former Soviet Union. The first three were Lyudmilla Rudenko (1950-53), Elizavyeta Bykova (1953-56, 1958-62) and Olga Rubtsova (1956-58).
Nona Gaprindashvili, from the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, won the title in 1962 and held it until 1978 when she was beaten by a 17-year-old girl, Maia Chiburdanidze, also from Georgia.
Maia defeated all-comers until 1991, when she faced Xie Jun, from China, in a title match. Maia started favourite but was surprisingly beaten by the Chinese girl, who captured the title just one day before her 21st birthday.
Xie Jun successfully defended her title in 1994 against Zsuzsa Polgár, of Hungary, about whom you'll read more in Chapter 15, but in 1996 she lost her title to the same opponent. Here's a game from her match against Maia Chiburdanidze in 1991.
White: Xie Jun Black: Maia Chiburdanidze
Women's World Championship 1991
Opening: Ruy Lopez
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwq-trk+(
7+-zp-vlpzpp'
6p+nzp-sn-+&
5+p+-zp-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+LzP-+N+P#
2PzP-zP-zPP+"
1tRNvLQtR-mK-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 211
Black to move
For many years this has been one of the most popular positions in master chess. White's slowly preparing d4, but first she plays h3 to prevent Bg4, PINNING the Knight.
9... Na5
10. Bc2 c5
11. d4 Bb7
The usual move here is Qc7. White cannot now win the pawn on e5: 12. dxe5 dxe5 13. Qxd8 Raxd8 14. Nxe5 Nxe4! 15. Bxe4 Bxe4 16. Rxe4? Rd1+ (FORK!) 17. Kh2 Rxc1.
With a hidden threat against f7 which prevents Black capturing on e4. For example, 19... Nxe4? 20. Qxf7+ Kh8 21. Qg8#
19... Qe7
20. Rad1 Bb7?!
Maia still can't capture on e4: 20... Nxe4? 21. Nxe4 Bxe4 22. Rxe4 Qxe4 23. Qxf7+ Kh8 24. Qg8#. But the Bishop ends up in trouble on this square. She might have done better with Bd7 or Nd7.
21. Qf5 d5?!
22. e5 Nd7
22...Ne4 was not possible: 23. Nxe4 dxe4 24. Rd7 (FORK!) Qxb4 25. Qxf7+ Kh8 26. Qg8#
23. Ne4! (EXPLOITING THE PIN!) g6? (Diagram 212)
XABCDEFGH
8-+r+rvlk+(
7+l+nwqp+p'
6p+-+-+p+&
5+p+pzPQ+-%
4-zP-+N+-+$
3+L+-+-+P#
2PvL-+-zPP+"
1+-+RtR-mK-!
xabcdefgh Diagram 212
White to move
The losing move. 23... dxe4 would have allowed 24. Rd7, winning everything. The only defence was 23... Qe6, when 24. Qf4 would still have given White good attacking chances.
24. Qxd7! dxe4
After 24... Qxd7 25. Nf6+ (FORK!) White ends up a knight ahead.
25. e6! fxe6
Other moves also lose: a) 25... Qxd7 26. exd7 FORKS both Rooks; b) 25... f6 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. e7+ (DISCOVERED CHECK!) 27... Kh8 28. exf8=Q+ Rxf8 29. Qxb7; c) 25... f5 26. Qd4 Bg7 27. Qxg7+ Qxg7 28. Bxg7 Kxg7 29. Rd7+ (FORK!) again picking up the loose Bishop on b7.
26. Qd4 Kf7
26... Bg7 still loses to 27. Qxg7+ as in the previous note.
27. Qh8 Qh4
28. g3!
Black resigns, because her Queen cannot control both h7 and f6. If 28... Qxh3, 29. Qf6+ Kg8 30. Rd7 threatens mate on both f7 and h8. LESSONS FROM CHAPTER 13
1. IF YOU GET A LEAD IN DEVELOPMENT FROM THE OPENING LOOK FOR ATTACKING MOVES WHICH FORCE YOUR OPPONENT TO WEAKEN THE PAWNS IN FRONT OF HIS CASTLED KING.
2. IT'S SOMETIMES WORTH SACRIFICING A PIECE TO SMASH UP THE PAWNS IN FRONT OF YOUR OPPONENT'S KING - AS LONG AS YOU STILL HAVE MORE PIECES THAN HE DOES NEAR HIS KING AFTER THE SACRIFICE.
3. IF YOU WIN MATERIAL IN THE OPENING YOUR FIRST DUTY IS TO COMPLETE YOUR DEVELOPMENT NOT TO INCREASE YOUR MATERIAL ADVANTAGE.
4. THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR ATTACKING SKILLS IS TO PLAY OPENINGS LIKE THE DANISH GAMBIT, SO KEEP ON PRACTISING!