Lazy King and the Traveler Queen

The importance of castling is again reiterated in today's post.  The game below also underlines the chess theory that the Queen should not be moved too early in the game, since it could be trapped and an easy target for attack.

NIMZOVICH vs. ALAPIN
Riga, 1913

French Defense

1. e4, e6
2. d4, d5
3. Nc3, Nf6
4. exd5, Nxd5
5. Nf3, c5
6. Nxd5, Qxd5

The Black Queen began traveling...

7. Be3!, cxd4
8. Nxd4, a6
9. Be2, Qxg2?

Black fell to White's trap.

10. Bf3, Qg6
11. Qd2, e5

12. 0-0-0 ....

White decides to sacrifice the Knight in exchange for an open position, taking advantage of the uncastled King.

12. .... exd4
13. Bxd4 ....

White now threatens 14. Bxg7 Bxg7, 15. Qd8 mate.

13. .... Nc6
14. Bf6!! ....

Fantastic!  The threat now is 15. Qd8+ Nxd8, 16. Rxd8 mate.

14. .... Qxf6

If 14....gxf6 or 14....Be6, then 15. Bxc6+ and White wins.  If 14....Be7 then 15. Bxc6+ bxc6, 16. Qd8+ Bxd8, 17. Rxd8 mate.

15. Rhe1+, Be7

If 15...Be6, then White mates with 16. Qd7.

16. Bxc6+, Kf8
17. Qd8+, Bxd8
18. Re8 mate

White took exceptional advantage of Black's uncastled King and wandering Queen.

The Evergreen Game

This post features another magnificent game by Adolf Anderssen.  Containing one of the most brilliant attacks ever recorded, this game is immortalized as the Evergreen Game.

You may also want to view Adolf Anderssen's  The Immortal Game.

ANDERSSEN vs. DUFRESBE
Berlin, 1852
Ruy Lopez Opening

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Bc5
4. b4 .....

The Evans Gambit - a sharp try for control of the center and attacks on f7.  Gary Kasparov played the Evans Gambit a number of times in modern grandmaster play, a testimony to its soundness.

4. ..... Bxb4
5. c3, Ba5

Black keeps the pressure on c3. This is the only move that prevents White from getting a firm pawn post on d4.

6. d4, exd4
7. 0-0 .....

An extra aggressive castling maneuver. Now the PIN on the c3 is broken, enabling White to get a pawn center if given the opportunity. And now the Rook is activated to slide over to the critical e file.

7. ..... d3

Black thinks White will take the pawn, hindering the latter's development and effectively stopped White from getting a strong pawn center.

8. Qb3 ......

Attacking the weak f7 pawn.

8. ..... Qf6
9. e5 .....

Black cannot take the e pawn because of the resulting pin by Re1.

9. ..... Qg6
10. Re1 .....

White controls the e file. Although the file is not yet open, White puts a tremendous pressure on the center.

10. ..... Nge7
11. Ba3, b5?

An attempt to remove some of the pressure off f7. Black should have castled immediately.

12. Qxb5, Rb8
13. Qa4, Bb6

Black adds pressure on the weak f2 pawn, at the same time relieving the c6 Knight of the responsibility of defending it.

14. Nbd2, Bb7

Black would have been better off if he castled at this point. Not castling early in the game will lead to his downfall.

15. Ne4 .....

Centralizing the Knight where it attacks key squares.

15. ..... Qf5

A needless move. Black had better moves like d2.

16. Bxd3, Qh5
17. Nf6+!! .....

The beginning of one of the most brilliant attacks in chess.

17. ..... gxf6
18. exf6, Rg8!!

A strong move that activates the rook, attacks the f3 Knight, and threatens mate.

19. Rad1!! .....

White offers the f3 Knight in exchange for a brilliant attack.

19. ..... Qxf3
20. Rxe7+!!, Nxe7

Black would have done better with Kd8.

21. Qxd7+!! .....

Sacrificing the Queen for an unstoppable mate.

21. ..... Kxd7
22. Bf5+!!, Ke8
23. Bd7+, Kf8
24. Bxe7 mate.

Brilliant! If black would have just castled back when he had the chance, none of this would have happened.

The Importance of Castling

Castling is one of the basic and important concepts in the game of chess that instantly enhances the dynamic potential of a chess player.  The objective of castling is to provide safety to the King from the threat and at the same time, bring the rook, occupying the flanks, for better play in the initial stages.

Tarrasch was the second best player of his day.  This game effectively illustrates the importance of castling and the security of the f pawn.

TARRASCH vs. KURSCHNER
Nuremberg, 1893
French Defense

1. e4, e6

In the French Defense, Black allows White to get a pawn center, only to contest it later.  Very sound but leads to slow positional game.  Not recommended for beginners.

2. d4, d5
3. Bd3 .....

The Bishop is in a position to attack both sides of the board.

3. ..... Nf6
4. e5, Nfd7
5. Nf3, c5

The move is often played by Black in the French Defense, with the idea of undermining d4, and further weaken White's central pawn structure.

6. c3, Nc6
7. 0-0, f6?!

Pushing the f pawn is not advised.  This exposes the King too early in the game.

8. Re1 .....

Controlling the e-file.

8. ..... f5

Black spends another move to close the e-file.

9. Be3, c4

Black decides to close the center. This leads to a positional struggle.

10. Bc2, Be7
11. b3!! .....

White tries to break apart the pawn structure.

11. ..... b5
12. a4, bxa4
13. bxc4 .....

This takes a critical pawn off the center.

13. ..... dxc4
14. d5 .....

Cracking the position wide open.

14. ..... N6xe5
15. dxe6!! .....

Now White's central pawn has become extremely dangerous.

15. ..... Nxf3
16. Qxf3, Nb6
17. Qxf5 .....

Threatening Qf7 mate.

17. ..... Bf6

If 17.....Rf8, then 18. Qh5+ g6, 19. Bxg6 hxg6, 20. Qxg6 and mate next move.

18. Bc5!! .....

Locking the enemy King in, prevents it from castling.

18. .... Bb7
19. Qg6!!! .....

A Queen sacrifice taking advantage of the missing f pawn.

19. ..... hxg6
20. Bxg6 mate.

The moral of this chess game is not to push the f pawn without good reason....Castle!....and center pawns are deadly.