Chapter XII.—Chess—Single and Double, Etc

Section III. Games of Skill, Etc.

I.—Chess for Beginners.—By Herr Meyer.

The Universal Notation.

Problem No. 1.—By Herr Meyer.

7 + 5 = 12 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

The Endings of Games.

Beginners sometimes are apt to capture a superior man for an inferior one, and thereby forget the danger in which they leave their K, as the following moves show:—

White. Black.

1, P d4 P d5

2, O f3 N f5

3, O c3 P e6

4, N g5 O f6

5, P e3 N d6

6, N d3 N g6

7, N g6: P hg6:

8, K M O c6

9, L d3 O b4

10, L b5† K e7

11, L b7: M b8

12, L a7: O C2:

13, O e5 M b6

White threatened O c6†. If the N d6 had taken the O e5, White would have lost the M a1 for the O c2, but have won the O f6 for a P.

14, M a c1 O b4

15, P a3 O c6

If O a6, then O a4. The position is now interesting. If White would try L b6; then Black would win by N e5:. White should now play O c6:† and then P f4, but forgetting the danger at h2, plays

16, O d5:† P d5:

17, M c6: N e5:

18, M b6:

The P d4 ought to have taken the N e5. The position is now—

12 + 10 = 22 pieces.

Black to play and mate in six (6) moves.

Solution.

18, N h2:†

19, K h1 N d6†

20, K g1 M h1†

21, K h1: L h8†

22, N h6 L h6:†

23, K g1 L h2‡

The Endings of Games.

The following diagram illustrates a mate in three moves, which the beginner should learn early, and which is obtained from the original position of the thirty-two pieces by the following eleven moves:—

White. Black.

1, P e4 P e5

2, P f4 P d6

3, P d4 P d4:

4, L d4: O c6

5, N b5 O f6

6, O c3 O h5

7, O f3 L f6

8, P e5 P e5:

9, P e5: L g6

10, N d2 L g2:

11, KM L f3:

12 + 14 = 26 pieces.

White to play and mate in three (3) moves.

Solution.

12, L d8† K d8:

13, N g5†† K e8

14, M d8‡

Problem No. 2.—By G. Chocholous.

6 + 3 = 9 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

The Endings of Games.

In the last two games we gave the first move to White, but will now give it to Black, and show another series of moves, which lead to a pretty termination.

Black. White.

1, P e5 P b3

2, N c5 N b2

3, P d6 P e3

4, O f6 O f3

5, N g4 O c3

6, K M N e2

7, N f3: P f3:

It is better for White to take with the P than with the N, for the M h1 can move to g1, and occupy the important g file, in which the black K stands.

8, O c6 M g1

9, O e7 O e4

10, O e4: P e4:

11, O g6 P d4

12, P d4: P d4:

13, N b6 P a4

14, P c6 N c4

15, L h4 L d3

16, L h5 K d2

17, O h4 P d5

White is now tempting Black to give the check with the O.

18, O f3† L f3:

19, L f3:

12 + 12 = 24 pieces.

White to play and mate in four (4) moves.

Solution.

19, M g7:†

20, K h8 M g8††

21, K g8: M g1†

22, L g2 M g2:‡

Problem No. 3.—By W. Furnival.

9 + 4 = 13 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

Problem No. 4.—By H. F. I. Meyer.

6 + 6 = 12 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

The Endings of Games.

The following is the termination of a game played by Adolph Anderssen:—

8 + 10 = 18 pieces.

White to play and mate in five (5) moves.

Solution.

Black. White.

1, L e6† L e6:

2, O d7 (threatening a mate
with the M at b8).

L d7:

3, M b8† K b8:

4, P d7: Any move.

5, P d8 L‡

Solutions.

Problem No. 1.—1, P e8 O, any of four moves. 2, O d6 or f6, mate, accordingly.

Problem No. 2.—1, K c5, K g2: (or, Q, R, S, T, U). 2, L f3:‡.—(Q) O g1. 2, O g3‡.—(R) O h2. 2, O f2‡.—(S) O d2 or e1. 2, L h7‡.—(T) O g5 or h4. 2, L b1‡.—(U) O d4 or e5. 2, L b1 or h7‡.

Problem No. 5.

White: K a6; L f5; M a5, h1; N g1, h5; O b8, d1; P b2, c2, d5, g6, h3. Black: K c4; L g8; M h4; N f1; O a3; P a4, b4, b6, g2. (13 + 9 = 22 pieces.) White gives mate in two moves.

Problem No 6.

White: K b7; L f4; M d8; N a2; P a3, e5. Black: K c5; M h5; N f7, g1; O a8; P a5, b5, c2, c7. (6 + 9 = 15 pieces.) White gives mate in two moves.

Problem No. 7.

8 + 8 = 16 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

Problem No. 8.—By G. Hume.

5 + 8 = 13 pieces.

White to play and mate in two (2) moves.

The following game was played, and the mate in eight moves announced by H. F. L. Meyer.

White. Black.

1, P b4 P e5

2, N b2 P d6

3, P b5 P a6

4, P c4 P b5:

5, P b5: N e6

6, P a4 N e7

7, P e3 O f6

8, O c3 K M

9, O f3 O b d7

10, O g5 P h6

11, O e6: P e6:

12, N c4 P d5

13, N b3 O c5

14, N c2 P c6

15, P d4 O c d7

16, P e5: O e5:

17, O d5:

White wins a P, but the move is really a bad one. He ought to have played K g1 M f1.

17, O d5:

18, N e5: N b4†

19, K e2

The K could not well move to f1, for the O would have checked at e3, and then taken the L.

19, L g5

20, N b2

The N might have moved to f4, but then the black L would have taken the P g2, and won. Indeed, White’s game is hopeless, as the following diagram and the solution show:—

12 + 11 = 23 pieces.

Black to play and mate in eight (8) moves.

Solution.

20, M f2:†

21, K f2:

If K d3, the mate follows in three more moves by L e3:, O b6, and P c5.

21, L e3:†

22, K f1 M f8†

23, N f5 M f5:†

24, L f3 M f3:†

25, P f3: L f3:†

26, K g1 N c5†

27, N d4 N d4:‡

General Remarks on Games.

The openings and endings of games, which we have already explained, will assist a beginner in understanding the following observations.

Begin by moving the centre P’s (in the e and d, and also in the c and f files), then move the N’s to the fourth, third, or fifth squares, and the O’s to the third or second squares in the central files. Do not play the L too soon. Place the men so that they protect one another, that they guard the K, and that they can easily attack the opponent’s men, especially the K. Always look out that your K is safe against checks, or, at any rate, against any that would be hurtful. Especially watch the vulnerable points f1 and f7. Do not play your K out early in the game, but try to move it together with one of the M’s, especially on the K’s side, in order that your officers may have freedom of action, and then you will in most cases do well to let the g and h P’s remain in their places. When, however, most of the officers (especially the L and the two N’s) have been exchanged, then you must generally bring your K forward to support your P’s, etc. Sometimes you can be patient with the KM movement, namely, wait for a favourable opportunity to perform it on the right or left. Move the long way when your opponent has taken the short one, and you are able to attack him with your officers and pawns. In rare cases you move your K freely into the second row, mostly to f2 (or, if black, to f7), and this especially for the purpose of uniting your two M’s.

Do not give check unless you see the necessity for it. Give an early check if thereby you can force the K to move and thus prevent the KM movement. Be mindful of discovered checks, in which, besides the L and the M, the N is often active.

When you see a good move try to discover a still better one.

Generally keep the L so that it may not be pinned by an M or an N, or be attacked when an O checks.

In covering a check from an N or an M it is in most cases best to interpose a piece of the same kind in order to prevent the piece being pinned for a long time: but when the L checks, then you should interpose your L only, when you cannot well attack it by interposing an inferior piece, or when you cannot protect yourself with an O.

Try to attack two or three men at once in order to capture one; by doing so endeavour especially to make an attack upon the two principal pieces, the K and the L. The fittest pieces for this are the L and the O, and sometimes the M.

Let your P’s protect one another, use them for attacking the officers, try to get them into open files, and avoid doubling them. Push them forward on the side on which your opponent has placed his K, unless you have your K on the same side and wish to keep it safe against checks. Sometimes you can with safety place your K before an adverse P.

Try to get an open file for your M’s, and according to circumstances to move one or both into your opponent’s second row. Moving both into one file or row is called doubling them. Try to clear your P’s away in those files in which you can attack the K with your M’s. When you advance a P, consider if your opponent will take it with his P or push his on.

Do not exchange pieces unless you obtain an advantage by doing it, but when you have an advantage, then do it as often as possible. Sometimes you can with advantage give an M for an N or an O.

If one of your men is attacked and you cannot defend it, then try to make a counter-attack, and always consider the subsequent moves. Do not always take a piece which is offered to you, but consider the consequences.

If your L and another officer (M, N, or O) be attacked, and you can save the former but not the latter, then you will do well, if you can, to give the L for two minor officers, and then save your officer.

When you have a passed P, try to preserve it and to protect it by P’s. A P in the sixth or seventh row well supported is generally worth an officer.

Towards the end of the game you must use your K as an attacking officer. Keep it from an adverse O, so that it cannot easily be checked—that is, so that it stands in the same diagonal with one square intervening.

When each of you is left with an N and two or three P’s, then the game, as a rule, is easily drawn if the N’s stand on squares of different colours. Your K should generally be kept on a square of a different colour from that on which the adverse N stands. Let your P’s and N protect one another if you are afraid of losing, but keep the P’s on squares of a different colour when you wish to prevent the adverse K from coming near them.

Do not exchange an N for an O indiscriminately, for an N can impede the march of P’s more readily than an O. And when the major officers are off, remember that two N’s are stronger than an N and an O, or two O’s. Prevent an isolation and doubling of your P’s, for two of them protect each other against the K if the topmost is a passed one and no officer left. You can often give your last officer for one or two P’s, for these latter may win, whilst a minor officer very rarely can. Two P’s in the sixth row win, in most cases, against an M.

Lastly, when you are about to give mate, be mindful of stalemate.

II.—A New Chess Game. ‘The Jubilee.’—By Herr Meyer.

Each of the two players places alternately one of his sixteen men, beginning with the K, upon any square of his first three rows. The two N’s may, if preferred, be placed on the same colour. A check within the first sixteen moves must immediately be covered, and should it not be possible to cover, then the player checked has lost the game. When all the men are placed, then the moving and taking begin, the player whose turn it is to play having the move. The K M move, that is, castling, is not permitted. The pawns move, and take in passing. A white P in the first row, or a black P in the eighth row, can start by moving one, two, or three squares, or such a P may first move one square and afterwards one or two squares, but in his adversary’s territory only one square at a time. When moving two or three squares it can be taken in passing. A black P on g 8 moving to g 5 can be taken by white P’s standing on f5, f6, h5, or h6. When a P reaches the last square, then the player promotes it and chooses any one of the seven officers which is not on the board, but when all the officers are on, then it remains a P for ever.

The letters from K to P are used for the six kinds of pieces, thus:—

The first game of this kind was played in June, 1887, between H. F. L. Meyer (White) and J. Swyer (Black). It is a so-called diagonal game, because the K’s are placed diagonally opposite one another (on h1 and a8); it would have been a straight game if the black K had been placed on h8. Both players surrounded their K’s with the P’s, and thus made sure to be safe against checks for a long time. The moves are the following:—

White. Black.

1, K h1 K a8

2, P g1 P a7

3, P g2 P b7

4, P h2 P b8

5, P f2 P c8

6, P h3 M d6

7, M e1 M d8

8, M e2 P a6

9, P f1 P b6

10, P f3 P c7

11, P g3 P c6

12, N b2 N h8

13, N a2 N h7

14, O d2 O f7

15, O e3 O h6

16, L c1 L f8

The men are now placed thus:—

17, N a3 P c5

18, O d c4 P b5

19, O d6:(a) P d6

20, O d5 N d5

21, M e3 P c4

22, P f4 N d4

23, M e7 P c6

24, O b4 N f6

25, M 7 e6 N g7

26, O d3: P d3:

27, L d2 P c5

28, L d3: P b4

29, L d5 O g8

30, N c1 O f h6

31, P g4 O f6

32, L f3 O h g8

33, P g5 O e8 (b)

34, N d5 Resigns. (c)