rules, tactics, strategies and history

Castling and the Middle Game

To the beginner the lines of play discussed in the middle game section may appear rather complicated. This they are, indeed, even for the experienced player; but it is by no means necessary to memorize any of the variations. The important thing to realize is the fact that in a position where both players have castled on the King's side, a dangerous weakness is created if the g-Pawn is forced to move, and if pressure can be brought to bear upon the two squares which through the move of the g-Pawn have lost their protection; moreover, that a method to create such a weakness is the pinning of the hostile King's Knight and the advance of the Queen's Knight in the center.

Another important point that the variations discussed will bring out to the observant reader is the order in which the different pieces take their turn in the battle. First come the minor pieces, then the Queen and then the Rooks. This, of course, is not a rule that has to be adhered to under all circumstances, but in most games it is a good rule to follow. The reason is obvious. The Rooks have no opportunity of making themselves useful until a file has been opened, while the Queen often finds an occasion to enter the battlefield on a diagonal. Only in such games can the Rooks be made to work at a comparatively early stage of the game, in which the players have not castled on the same sides of the board. For then the advance of the Pawns in front of the Rooks does not create weakness which endangers their own King.