rules, tactics, strategies and history

The Knight in the King's Pawn Opening Middle Game

In King's Pawn openings the situation is different. Here the squares d5 and d4 respectively are the aim of the Knights which normally are posted on c3 and c6. However, as long as the opposing King's Knight can exchange himself for the advancing Queen's Knight there is no advantage in occupying the center. The position of Diagram 46 is a typical example. If White plays Kt-d5 he loses practically a move, as after Ktxd5, Pxd5 he has in no way improved the mobility of its pieces while it is Black's turn to move. In addition, White, by transferring its Pawn to d5, gives up its Pawn-center and blocks a diagonal which its Bishop could use, while Black, in retreating with its Knight to e7, gains a move towards the efficient use of the Knight on the King's wing.

All the same, the advance of the Queen's Knight in the center is one of the most important maneuvers in King's Pawn openings when it is properly prepared, and its consequences need thorough discussion.

The proper preparation consists in first fixing the object at which the Knight aims. This--from White's, the attacker's point of view--is the Knight f6. The developing move B-g5 serves this purpose in the most natural way, and a position arises similar to the one shown in Diagram 43 where Black prevented any further accumulation of white forces on f6 by B-e6. In the present case this move is of doubtful value as White, by P-d4, can force Black to give up its center-Pawn.

								8
								7
								6
								5
								4
								3
								2
								1
a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

If Black is ready to admit that Kt-d5 is a disagreeable threat he will either exchange the Knight for its Bishop b4 or he will play Kt-e7 in order to take White's Knight should he go to d5. Ordinarily Black plays first Bxc3 and then Kt-e7. The reason is that this maneuver enables Black to get its Queen's Knight over to the King's wing while White's Bishop b5 is rather out of action, so that Black has a good chance to enter the battle on the King's wing with one piece more than White. Of course, White can get its Bishop into play again by placing him on c4. But he has to spend a move in doing so, which does not add to the completion of the development.

The foregoing variations show conclusively that the position here is lost for Black. The attack which White obtains after creating a weakness on f6 by the removal of the Pawn g7 cannot be effectively countered. The question arises, whether Black was at fault when disregarding White's threat to place its Knight on d5 and developing its Queen's Bishop or whether he had a chance to improve on one of the two following moves which led to the position of 2 boards up. Indeed, it lies near to try the same attack which White threatens to initiate by Q-d2 one move earlier by playing Q-d7 instead of B-c5. The fact, however, that this Bishop is not cooperating with the pieces on the King's wing makes a big difference and the most Black can obtain is apparently a draw. The continuation could be: (1) Ktxf6+, Pxf6; (2) Bxf6, P-h6; (3) P-c3, Ktxf3+, (4) Pxf3, B-h5; (5) K-h1, K-h7; (6) R-g1, R-g8; (7) R-g3. If Black's Bishop were on c5 instead of b4, White could not play R-g3 on account of Bxf2. He would have to make the preparatory move Q-e2 and he would be lost after R- g6, just in the same manner which was demonstrated in one of the above variations with attack and defense reversed. As it is Black cannot enter on h3 with its Queen without exchanging Rooks and so he is unable to take advantage of the weakness on f3. After (7) ..., R-g6, (8) B-h4, B-a5 or c5, (9) P-d4 and Q-d3 the game probably ends in a draw as it is unlikely that White can realize an advantage from the doubled Pawn which he is ahead.