A QUIET OPENING

In the last chapter we asked you to play some games with the GIUOCO PIANISSIMO. How did you get on? The opening moves, you'll remember, were:
1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6
3. Bf1-c4 Bf8-c5
4. d2-d3 Ng8-f6
5. Nb1-c3 d7-d6 (Diagram 13)
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqk+-tr(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+nzp-sn-+&
5+-vl-zp-+-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-sNP+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQmK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 13
White to move

You'll see that we have a SYMMETRICAL position. Both sides have developed their pieces in the same way. This makes the opening easier to learn because the plans for both players are the same.

I wonder how many of you played Nf3-g5 here? It's very tempting, isn't it, to threaten a lovely KNIGHT FORK on f7? But the move isn't very good. Let's have a look at how play might continue.

6. Nf3-g5 0–0
7. 0-0 h7-h6
8. Ng5xf7

Or White can retreat to f3, when Black plays Bc8-g4 and starts attacking first.

8... Rf8xf7
9. Bc4xf7+ Kg8xf7 (Diagram 14)
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwq-+-+(
7zppzp-+kzp-'
6-+nzp-sn-zp&
5+-vl-zp-+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sNP+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-vLQ+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 14
White to move

This position is rather better for Black. He is ahead in development and will have plenty of time to get his King back into safety. It will take White a long time to get his Rooks into play. IN MOST MIDDLE-GAME POSITIONS BISHOP AND KNIGHT ARE BETTER THAN ROOK AND PAWN.

You should have learned a very important lesson from the two games in the 'Masters of the Universe' section of the last chapter. At the start of the game try to develop ALL your pieces as quickly as possible and THEN start your attack. DON'T move a piece twice in the opening without a very good reason.

Now we'll look at one of the games from MOVE ONE, where White again plays inaccurately. Go back to Diagram 13 and we'll continue.

6. 0-0

Do you want to know a secret? In most openings it's right to castle quickly. Don't tell anyone else, but in this variation it isn't (unless you have to, as in the last variation). The reason is that the centre is closed so the King is in no danger at the moment. Castling on the Queen-side may also, as you'll see, have its advantages in this opening.

6... Bc8-g4
7. Bc1-g5?!

Now Black's Knight will reach d4 to attack the PINNED Knight and force a weakening in White's King's defensive wall.

7... Nc6-d4 (Diagram 15)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqk+-tr(
7zppzp-+pzpp'
6-+-zp-sn-+&
5+-vl-zp-vL-%
4-+LsnP+l+$
3+-sNP+N+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 15
White to move

This is the main idea of the opening. Black attacks the pinned White Knight. His plan is to capture on f3, smash up the pawns in front of the White King, and bring his Queen in for a mating attack. Watch carefully how it works.

8. Nc3-d5 Bg4xf3
9. g2xf3 Qd8-d7?

Setting a trap into which White falls, but a better move was c7-c6. If White then captures on f6 Black can perhaps castle Queen-side and attack down the g-file with his Rooks.


10. Bg5xf6? (Diagram 16)
XABCDEFGH
8r+-+k+-tr(
7zppzpq+pzpp'
6-+-zp-vL-+&
5+-vlNzp-+-%
4-+LsnP+-+$
3+-+P+P+-#
2PzPP+-zP-zP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 16
Black to move

This move loses. Instead White could have won a piece with c2-c3, driving back the Knight before capturing on f6.

10... Qd7-h3

g7xf6 would have received two question marks! Do you see why?

11. Bf6-g5

He could instead have won a Rook with Nd5xc7+ (FORK) but it would not have helped him much. White has no way to defend f3.

11... Nd4xf3+
12. Kg1-h1?

His only other move was Qd1xf3, losing his Queen.

12... Qh3xh2#

White has several better sixth moves than Nf3-g5 and 0-0. The move that gives Black the most problems, as you might expect, is Bc1-g5. This is called the Canal Variation. Nothing to do with Suez or Panama, but names after a Peruvian player called Esteban Canal. Let's look more closely at a game with this variation, again from MOVE ONE. Back to Diagram 13 again.

6. Bc1-g5 0-0?!

There's no need to castle yet. Better moves are h7-h6, Bc8-e6 and Nc6-a5.

7. Nc3-d5 a7-a6?
8. Nd5xf6+

This time White chooses a different attacking plan. His aim is a Queen and Bishop mate on g7.

8... g7xf6
9. Bg5-h6 Rf8-e8
10. Nf3-h4

Heading for f5 to cut the Black Bishop off from controlling g4.

10... b7-b5?

11. Nh4-f5! (Diagram 17)
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqr+k+(
7+-zp-+p+p'
6p+nzp-zp-vL&
5+pvl-zpN+-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-+P+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-+QmK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 17
Black to move

11... Bc8xf5

If Black tries to defend with 11... Nc6-e7, White wins with 12. Qd1-g4+ Ne7-g6 13. Bc4-d5 Ra8-b8 14. h2-h4!, followed by h4-h5, attacking the PINNED Knight.

12. e4xf5 b5xc4

Allowing mate in two, but Black is lost anyway. His least bad move is Kg8-h8, which allows Bc4xf7. Or if 12... Nc6-e7, 13. Qd1-g4+ Ne7-g6 14. f5xg6, when either 14... b5xc4 15. g6xh7+ or 14... h7xg6 15. Qg4xg6+ (the f-pawn is PINNED!) mates next move.

13. Qd1-g4+ Kg8-h8
14. Qg4-g7#

Finally, a quick look at what might happen if Black continues to copy White. Set up Diagram 13 again.

6. Bc1-g5 Bc8-g4
7. Nc3-d5 Nc6-d4
8. c2-c3 c7-c6? (Diagram 18)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-wqk+-tr(
7zpp+-+pzpp'
6-+pzp-sn-+&
5+-vlNzp-vL-%
4-+LsnP+l+$
3+-zPP+N+-#
2PzP-+-zPPzP"
1tR-+QmK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 18
White to move

He could try Nd4xf3+ or Nd4-e6 instead. If you play copycat chess your opponent will sooner or later play a move you can't copy. Like a check!

9. c3xd4 c6xd5
10. Bc4-b5+

Winning a Bishop, for instance 10... Bg4-f7 11. Bb5xd7+ Qd8xd7 12. d4xc5. White could also win a Knight with 9. Nd5xf6+. See if you can work out the variations for yourself.

If you learn this opening you may well be able to bring off this trick in your own games.

Just one more point. You can reach the position after White's sixth move via several move orders, but the safest move order for White is the one we give. You'll find out why later in the book. It's easy to remember: King's Pawn, King's Knight, King's Bishop, Queen's Pawn, Queen's Knight, Queen's Bishop. In that order. OK?
QUIZ

You'll be tested on this opening after the next lesson. Meanwhile, try to play some more games from the position in Diagram 13, using the ideas you've just learnt.
ACTIVITIES

Here are some more games with the same opening for you to play through.

In the first game, Black again gets into trouble with his King. He moves his King to h8, intending to defend against Plan B, the Queen and Bishop attack on g7, with Rf8-g8. So White chooses Plan A instead, the Queen and Knight attack on f7.

White: Peper Black: Pearce
Correspondence 1944
(Correspondence Chess is chess played by post.)

1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Ng8-f6 4. d2-d3 Bf8-c5 5. Bc1-g5 0-0 6. Nb1-c3 d7-d6? 7. Nc3-d5 Kg8-h8 8. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 9. Qd1-d2 f6-f5 10. Qd2-h6 f7-f6 11. Nf3-h4 Rf8-f7 (Diagram 19

XABCDEFGH
8r+lwq-+-mk(
7zppzp-+r+p'
6-+nzp-zp-wQ&
5+-vlNzpp+-%
4-+L+P+-sN$
3+-+P+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-+-mK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 19
White to move

12. Nh4-g6+ (the h-pawn's PINNED) 12... Kh8-g8 13. Nd5xf6!+ (the Rook's PINNED) Qd8xf6 14. Qh6-f8# (The Rook's still PINNED!)

On the other hand, if you haven't played 0-0 it doesn't matter if your King-side pawns get smashed up. You can castle on the other side and use the g-file to attack with your Queen and Rooks. Especially if your opponent's foolish enough to have put his King on g1.

White: Boucek Black: Oldrich Duras
Prague, 1902

1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Ng8-f6 4. 0-0 Bf8-c5 5. d2-d3 d7-d6 6. Bc1-g5?! Bc8-e6 7. Bc4-b3 Qd8-d7 8. Bg5xf6 g7xf6 9. Nf3-h4 Be6-g4 10. Qd1-d2 0-0-0 11. Kg1-h1 Bg4-h5 12. f2-f4 Qd7-g4 13. g2-g3 Rh8-g8 (Threatening 14... Qg4xh4!! 15. g3xh4 Bh5-f3+! 16. Rf1xf3 Rg8-g1#. White should defend with Nb1-c3, but instead tries...) 14. Qd2-g2 (Diagram 20)

XABCDEFGH
8-+ktr-+r+(
7zppzp-+p+p'
6-+nzp-zp-+&
5+-vl-zp-+l%
4-+-+PzPqsN$
3+L+P+-zP-#
2PzPP+-+QzP"
1tRN+-+R+K!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 20
Black to move

14... Qg4xh4! 15. g3xh4 Rg8xg2 16. Kh1xg2 and it's mate in 5: 16... Rd8-g8+ 17. Kg2-h3 Bh5-g4+ 18. Kh3-g2 Bg4-e2+ (DISCOVERED CHECK) 19. Kg2-h1 Be2-f3+ (DECOY) 20. Rf1xf3 Rg8-g1#

A combination of Bc1-g5 and 0-0 for White tends to be rather disastrous. Here's another brilliant example. This game was first analysed by William Steinitz, the first official World Champion, and has been played several times when Black's done his homework better than White, for instance Victor Korre - Mikhail Chigorin 1874, H. Menkes-Leon Rosen New York 1909 and Grabill - Donald Mugridge Los Angeles 1932.

1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Ng8-f6 4. d2-d3 Bf8-c5 5. 0-0 d7-d6 6. Bc1-g5?! h7-h6 7. Bg5-h4? g7-g5 8. Bh4-g3 h6-h5! 9. Nf3xg5 h5-h4 10. Ng5xf7 h4xg3! (Diagram 21)
XABCDEFGH
8r+lwqk+-tr(
7zppzp-+N+-'
6-+nzp-sn-+&
5+-vl-zp-+-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-+P+-zp-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tRN+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 21
White to move

11. Nf7xd8 .Bc8-g4 12. Qd1-d2 Nc6-d4 13. Nb1-c3 Nd4-f3+! (DECOY!) 14. g2xf3 Bg4xf3 White resigns. The threat is g3xh2#, h2xg2 allows Rh8-h1# and f2xg3 is illegal (PIN!).

A game CS Ashley - AH Tollitt, played by correspondence in 1923, diverged at move 13: 13. h2-h3 Nd4-e2+ 14. Kg1-h1 Rh8xh3+! (DECOY!) 15. g2xh3 Bg4-f3#

If you were wondering what happens if White takes the Rook instead of the Queen on move 11, another postal game, Martinsen - Jensen, in 1937, continued: 11. Nf7xh8 Bc8-g4 12. Qd1-d2 Nc6-d4 13. h2xg3 Ke8-d7! 14. Nh8-g6 Qd8-e8 15. Qd2-g5 Nd4-e2+ 16. Kg1-h1 Qe8xg6! (DESTROY! - if Qg5xg6, Ra8-h8+ mates next move) 17. Qg5-h4 (Diagram 22)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-+-+(
7zppzpk+-+-'
6-+-zp-snq+&
5+-vl-zp-+-%
4-+L+P+lwQ$
3+-+P+-zP-#
2PzPP+nzPP+"
1tRN+-+R+K!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 22
Black to move

17... Ra8-h8! (DECOY!) 18. Qh4xh8 Nf6-h7!, cutting off the White Queen so that the Black Queen can mate on the h-file. White resigned.

Finally, another way in which White can win if Black castles too soon.

White: Theodor Germann Black: Eugen Wagenheim
Riga, 1897

1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-c4 Bf8-c5 4. d2-d3 Ng8-f6 5. Nb1-c3 0-0?! 6. Bc1-g5 h7-h6 (Black can avoid trouble here by playing Bc5-e7 to break the pin.) 7. h2-h4 (White offers his Bishop to open the h-file for his Rook.) 7... h6xg5? 8. h4xg5 Nf6-g4 9. g5-g6 (The Pawn on f7 is PINNED) 9... Ng4xf2 (A FORK, but it's already too late. White now chases the enemy King into the middle of the board, where he's eaten alive by the White horses!) 10. Nf3xe5! Nf2xd1 (Diagram 23)

XABCDEFGH
8r+lwq-trk+(
7zppzpp+pzp-'
6-+n+-+P+&
5+-vl-sN-+-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-sNP+-+-#
2PzPP+-+P+"
1tR-+nmK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 23
White to move

11. g6xf7+ Rf8xf7 12. Bc4xf7+ Kg8-f8 13. Rh1-h8+ Kf8-e7 14. Nc3-d5+ Ke7-d6 15. Ne5-c4#

Masters of the Universe 2

In the last chapter we left you in 1851, when Adolf Anderssen won the first ever International Chess tournament. Several thousand miles away, in the American city of New Orleans, a young lad called Paul Morphy was starting to rewrite chess history.

In those days it was almost unknown for young children to play chess, but Paul was an exception. He was born in 1837 into a chess-playing family. His father and uncle were both strong players. From the age of 8 he played many games against the strongest players in New Orleans and by the age of 12 he was the best in town.

Here he is, demolishing the local champ.

White: Paul Morphy Black: Eugène Rousseau
New Orleans 1849
Opening: King's Gambit

1. e2-e4 `` e7-e5
2. f2-f4 e5xf4
3. Ng1-f3 g7-g5
4. h2-h4 g5-g4
5. Nf3-g5!? (Diagram 24)
XABCDEFGH
8rsnlwqkvlntr(
7zppzpp+p+p'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-sN-%
4-+-+PzppzP$
3+-+-+-+-#
2PzPPzP-+P+"
1tRNvLQmKL+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 24
Black to move

This variation of the King's Gambit is called the ALLGAIER GAMBIT. White's Knight is trapped but he plans to sacrifice it to expose Black's King.

5... h7-h6
6. Ng5xf7 Ke8xf7
7. Qd1xg4?!

Bf1-c4+, d2-d4 and Nb1-c3 are all now considered better moves.

7... Qd8-f6?

Ng8-f6 is the right move here.

8. Bf1-c4+ Kf7-e7?!

White cannot win back his sacrificed Knight here with 9. Bc4xg8 because of 9... h6-h5, driving the Queen away from the defence of the Bishop.

9. Nb1-c3 c7-c6

To prevent Nc3-d5+ (FORK!). Now White gives up a pawn to get his Rook onto the e-file quickly.

10. e4-e5!? Qf6xe5+
11. Ke1-d1

Threatening Rh1-e1 (PIN!)

11... Ke7-d8
12. Rh1-e1 Qe5-c5?

The right move was 12... Qe5-g7, defending the Knight, when White would have continued his attack on e8 with Qg4-e2.

13. Bc4xg8

Now White's got his Knight back.

13... d7-d5 (Diagram 25)

XABCDEFGH
8rsnlmk-vlLtr(
7zpp+-+-+-'
6-+p+-+-zp&
5+-wqp+-+-%
4-+-+-zpQzP$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPPzP-+P+"
1tR-vLKtR-+-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 25
White to move

14. Re1-e8+!

Splat! Paul's seen that he can force a quick win by giving up his Rook.

14... Kd8xe8
15. Qg4xc8+ Ke8-e7
16. Nc3xd5+

EXPLOITING THE PIN!

16... Ke7-d6
17. Qc8-c7#

17. Qc8-e6 was also mate.

The first American chess tournament took place in New York in 1857. Morphy had no difficulty in winning first prize. The following year he went to Europe to prove himself the best player in the world. He played a match against Anderssen, winning 7 games, drawing 2 and losing 2. He also beat many of the other leading players in Europe. But chess to Paul was just a game, and he didn't want to spend most of his time playing. He returned home to America, giving up serious chess at the age of 21.

Morphy was by far the strongest player of his time. He was the first player who really understood the importance of developing your pieces quickly and effectively before starting an attack. The following game is possibly THE most famous game ever played. When he was in Paris in 1858 Paul was taken to the opera by two noblemen. In the interval they played chess. This is what happened.

White: Paul Morphy Black: Duke of Brunswick and Count Isouard de Vauvenargue
Paris 1858
Opening: Philidor's Defence

1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 d7-d6
3. d2-d4 Bc8-g4?!

Defending the e-pawn by PINNING the Knight.

4. d4xe5 Bg4xf3

If the allies had captured on e5 at once, Morphy would have won a pawn - 4... d6xe5 5. Qd1xd8+ Ke8xd8 6. Nf3xe5.

5. Qd1xf3 d6xe5
6. Bf1-c4 Ng8-f6
7. Qf3-b3

A FORK, attacking b7 and f7 (with the help of the Bishop on c4).

7... Qd8-e7
8. Nb1-c3

Morphy didn't take the Pawn on b7 because of Qe7-b4, exchanging Queens. He could also have played 8. Bc4xf7+ Qe7xf7 9. Qb3xb7, trapping the Rook, but instead preferred to develop his pieces quickly.

8... c7-c6
9. Bc1-g5 (PIN!) b7-b5? (Diagram 26)

XABCDEFGH
8rsn-+kvl-tr(
7zp-+-wqpzpp'
6-+p+-sn-+&
5+p+-zp-vL-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+QsN-+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1tR-+-mK-+R!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 26
White to move

10. Nc3xb5

Sacrificing a Knight for two pawns to reach a position where both Black Knights are PINNED and he cannot complete his development.

10... c6xb5
11. Bc4xb5+ Nb8-d7
12. 0-0-0

Attacking the PINNED Knight on d7.

12... Ra8-d8
13. Rd1xd7! Rd8xd7
14. Rh1-d1

No need to take the Rook yet. It's PINNED so it can't run away. Now White has all his pieces in play while the Black Bishop and Rook on f8 and h8 are still asleep in the corner. It's not surprising White wins quickly, is it?

14... Qe7-e6 (Diagram 27)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-+kvl-tr(
7zp-+r+pzpp'
6-+-+qsn-+&
5+L+-zp-vL-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+Q+-+-+-#
2PzPP+-zPPzP"
1+-mKR+-+-!
xabcdefghy
Diagram 27
White to move

15. Bb5xd7+ Nf6xd7
16. Qb3-b8+!

A brilliant finish. The Black Knight is DECOYED off the d-file for a Rook and Bishop mate on d8.

16... Nd7xb8
17. Rd1-d8#
LESSONS FROM CHAPTER 2

1. IF YOU'RE PINNING AN ENEMY PIECE ATTACK THE PINNED PIECE WITH EVERYTHING YOU CAN.

2. LOOK FOR WAYS TO MOVE YOUR PIECES ONTO ATTACKING SQUARES NEAR YOUR OPPONENT'S KING.

3. TRY TO AVOID MOVING THE PAWNS IN FRONT OF YOUR KING.

4. EVERY MOVE IS PRECIOUS, LIKE GOLD DUST. BE LIKE MORPHY - MAKE SURE EVERY MOVE YOU PLAY SERVES A PURPOSE.