Four Knights' Game: Spanish - Symmetrical Variation

JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA vs. HERMAN STEINER
1933

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Nc3, Nf6
4. Bb5, Bb4
5. 0-0, 0-0

If 5....Bxc3, 6. bxc3 Nxe4, then 7. Re1 will be good for White.

6. d3, d6
7. Bg5, Bxc3
8. bxc3, Ne7
9. Nh4, c6
10. Bc4, Be6
11. Bxf6, gxf6
12. Bxe6, fxe6
13. Qg4+, Kf7

Black protects the e6-pawn, but inadvertently places himself to a center attack.

14. f4!, Rg8
15. Qh5+, Kg7
16. fxe5, dxe5
17. Rxf6!!, Kxf6
18. Rf1+ ....

The point of White's 17th move.  Capablanca seeks an open file.  Now, if 18....Kg7, then 19. Rf7+ Kh8, 20. Qxe5 and wins.

18. .... Nf5
19. Nxf5 ....

White could have captured with the pawn, but intends to keep the pressure.

19. .... exf5
20. Rxf5, Ke7
21. Qf7+, Kd6
22. Rf6+, Kc6
23. Qxb7, Qb6

24. Rxf6!!, Qxf6?

Black could have prolonged the game with 24....Kb5, 25. Rxb6 axb6 but might not be able to control White's central pawns.

25. Qb4 mate

A picture-perfect mate!  A dashing brilliancy, indeed.

The Four Knights' Game

The Four Knights' Game, as the name suggests, is characterized by the early deployment of knights on both sides of the board. Here, we have a game that also emphasizes the importance of having two bishops working side by side against the enemy King. Few forces in chess are more powerful than two smoothly coordinating Bishops.

Some players think that a Bishop is just equivalent to a Knight. Maybe. But two Bishops are much more powerful than two Knights working in tandem. Here is a game that illustrates that principle.

BELSITZMANN vs. RUBINSTEIN
Warsaw, 1917

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Nc3, Nf6
4. Bb5, Nd4!

In the event of 5. Nxe5 in reply to his last move, Black would continue 5. ......Qe7, 6. f4 Nxb5, 7. Nxb5 d6 with a good game.

5. Bc4, Bc5
6. Nxe5, Qe7!

A tricky move. If White plays 7. Bxf7 he will come out with a piece down after 7. .....Kd8. And on 7. Nxf7 d5!, 8. Nxh8 dxc4 Black will eventually confiscate the wayward Knight.

7. Nd3 ? .....

White condemns the Knight to uselessness and also blocks his Queen Pawn, and consequently the development of his Queen Bishop. Surely 7. Nf3 was in order.

7. .....d5!

After 8. Nxc5 dxc4! White's advanced Knight would be in a bad way.

8. Nxd5, Qxe4+
9. Ne3, Bd6
10. 0-0, b5!

In return for his sacrificed Pawn Black is achieving a magnificent development. The energetic text move prepares for .... Bb7.

11. Bb3, Bb7
12. Ne1, Qh4!

By threatening mate at h2 Black forces a weakening of White's kingside pawn structure. This enhances the long-range striking power of the Black Bishops.

13. g3, Qh3
14. c3 ......

14. ...... h5!

The coming devastation at h file must be decisive.

15. cxd4, h4!

Black threatens hxg3 with immediate disaster for White. White can try to avoid this by putting up a defense along the second rank. but even this is doomed to failure. For example: 16. f3 hxg3, 17. Qe2 gxh2, 18. Kh1 Nh5!,  19. Nf5+ Kf8, 20. Rf2 Re8,  21. Qf1 Rxe1, 22. Qxe1 Qxf3!, 23. Rxf3 Bxf3 mate.

16. Qe2, Qxh2+

White resigns, for after 17. Kxh2 hxg3 dbl ch, 18. Kg1 Rh1 mate. Note the artful way in which Black combined the power of both Bishops to control the board diagonals.

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