A knight on the rim is dim.
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[Event "Gand-Terneuzen"]
[Site "Huntsville"]
[Date "1929.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Colle"]
[Black "Delvaux"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "unknown"]
[ECO "D05"]
[TimeControl "0"]
[WhiteElo "unknown"]
{ By the Book. } 1. d4 { D05: Colle System with ...e6. (Modern players consider
this to be the strongest opening move. It is equal in value to 1. e4 in that
two pieces are freed to action, while a pawn seizes a center square. The
queen pawn, though, stands protected in the center whereas the king pawn
would be vulnerable to an early attack.) } 1... d5 { This move or 1... Nf6 is
practically compulsory. White must not be allowed to play e4 and dominate the
vital center squares with his pawns. } 2. Nf3 { So great an authority as
Lasker, World's Champion for twenty-seven years, says of this move, "In my
practice I have usually found it strongest to post the knights at c3 and f3,
where they have a magnificent sway." } 2... Nf6 { Black follows suit in trumps,
developing his king knight to is most useful square. } 3. e3 { Generally, it is
dubious strategy to release one bishop while shutting in the other. In this
game, white is adopting a system which calls for a storing up of dynamic
energy behind the lines, which is released at the right time by an explosion
at the key square e4. To this end, white develops so that his pieces exert
their maximum pressure at e4. His bishop will therefore occupy d3, and his
queen knight d2. If more is needed, this queen will supply it by developing
at e2, or his king rook by moving to e1. Then with all this potential energy
ready to let loose, the king pawn advances to e4, to rip the position apart
and open fire on the king side. Development in the Colle system is on
positional lines, but the objective is a king-side attack! } 3... e6 { This deserves
censure because it is a routine developing move which seems to take no
thought of crossing white's plans. Clearly, it was better strategy either to
attack white's pawn center by 3... c5 or to counter by 3... Bf5. Not only is
this latter a simple, sound developing move, but it prepares to oppose
white's bishop, which is headed for d3, with an equal force. The exchange of
bishops, which follows sooner or later, will deprive white of a most valuable
weapon in king-side attacks. } 4. Bd3 { Notice the difference! White's bishop
commands a beautiful (and undisputed) diagonal, while black's bishop,
covering squares of the same color, is hemmed in by the king pawn. } 4... c5 { Very
good! Black strikes at the pawn formation in the center and gives his queen
access to the queen side. This freeing move of the bishop's pawn is of the
greatest importance in the queen pawn openings. } 5. c3 { "Move only one or two
pawns in the opening!" say all the authorities, but no principle must be
followed uncompromisingly. In the event of a pawn exchange, white can
recapture with the bishop pawn and maintain a pawn at d4. Why not with the
king pawn? The king pawn's future has previously been determined. It must
stay on e3 and be ready to push on to e4 when the right moment comes, to
spearhead a king-side attack. } 5... Nc6 { Another good move. The knight comes into
play toward the center, increasing the pressure on the queen pawn. } 6. Nbd2 { A queer-looking sortie. Not only does the knight block the paths of the
queen and a bishop but the piece itself seems to be doing little good. Yet,
an expert would make this move without a moment's hesitation! For one thing,
the knight adds it weight to the pressure on the strategic square e4, the
spring-board of the coming attack. For another, it is mobilized once it gets
off the back rank. Finally, it can hop out of the way of the queen and the
bishop when it is expedient for it to do so. } 6... Be7 { Black brings another piece
into play (remember that the bishop is doing a job once it leaves the last
rank) and prepares to get his king into safety by castling. } 7. O-O { The king
flees to a less exposed sector, while the rook comes out of hiding. } 7... c4 { This
is the sort of move instinctively made by a beginner. Its purpose is to chase
off an annoying piece from its favorable post. The move is weak because it
releases the pressure on white's center. Tension must be maintained if black
is to have something to say about affairs in the vital area. Counter play in
the center is the best means of opposing a king-side attack. And to secure
counter play, the pawn position must be kept fluid. } 8. Bc2 { Naturally the
bishop retreats, but stays on the diagonal leading to the e4 square, where
the break will come. } 8... b5 { Primarily to make room at b7 for his queen bishop,
but also with an eye to making trouble with an advance of his queen-side
pawns. } 9. e4 { The key move in this opening! It will open up lines for an
attack by white's pent-up pieces. } 9... dxe4 { Not an attractive choice for black,
but he cannot have the threat of e5 (displacing his knight and severely
cramping his movements) perpetually hanging over his head. } 10. Nxe4 { With
this recapture, white's pieces that were crouched in the background spring
onto the field. White has the initiative and a commanding position in which
to exercise it. If no immediate attacking opportunities present themselves,
he can quietly put on more pressure by Qe2, Rfe1, Bf4, (or Bg5) and Rad1, and
wait for black's game to crack. } 10... O-O { It might have been wiser to postpone
castling (which ordinarily is highly recommended) as white is poised for an
attack in that direction. This is another case where the value of a precept
is conditioned by circumstances. Black would do better to try for counter
play by 10... Qc7, followed by 11... Bb7 and 12... Rd8. } 11. Qe2 { A
developing move which contains a threat of winning a piece. The idea is 12.
Nxf6+ Bxf6 13. Qe4, and the threat of mate on the king side wins the exposed
knight on the queen side. } 11... Bb7 { Black guards his knight while developing
another piece. } 12. Nfg5 $1 { Threatens 13. Nxf6+ Bxf6 14. Nxh7, and white has
won a pawn. Why an exclamation mark for a one-move threat to win a miserable
pawn? Why glorify this move when black cannot only save the pawn but also
cause white to lose time? Black simply moves the pawn one square, rescues the
pawn, and forces white's knight to retreat. The answer to the first question
is that the advantage of an extra pawn is enough to win, everything else
being equal. Winning a pawn at the cost of ruining one's position is of
course meaningless. The answer to the second question is that white's purpose
with his brilliant knight move is to compel one of the pawns defending the
king to step forward. The secret of conducting a king-side attack
successfully is to create a breach in the cordon of pawns surrounding the
king; to induce or force one of the pawns to move. The change in the lineup
of pawns fixes the defense with a permanent weakness. } 12... h6 { "Touch the pawns
before your king with only infinite delicacy," says Santasiere. But, alas,
it's too late! Black must disturb the pawn position. Had he tried 12... Nxe4,
the recapture by 13. Qxe4 threatens mate, and compels 13... g6 --and the
pawns are disarranged! } 13. Nxf6+ { Destroys the king knight, the best
defender of a castled position. } 13... Bxf6 { The alternative 13... gxf6 loses
quickly. White could win either by gobbling up pawns with 14. Nxe6 fxe6 15.
Qg4+ Kh8 (15... Kf7 16. Qg6 mate) 16. Qg6 f5 17. Qxh6+ Kg8 18. Qxe6+, and the
bishop pawn falls next, or with 14. Nh3 (threatening 15. Bxh6) Kg7 15. Qg4+
Kh8 16. Bxh6 Rg8 17. Qh5 and the discovered check will be fatal. } 14. Qe4 { Threatens instant mate. } 14... g6 { Making room for the king's escape by 14... Re8
does not look inviting, as after 15. Qh7+ Kf8 16. Ne4, white's attack looks
dangerous. It is preferable, though, to black's actual move, which prevents
the queen's coming any closer, but alters the pawn configuration. This change
in the arrangement saddles black with a weakness that is organic, one that
can turn out to be fatal. All this is encouraging to white, but how does he
proceed? How does he exploit the weaknesses in black's position? And above
all, what does he do about his knight which is still under attack? Shall it
retreat shamefacedly? Before moving the knight back to f3 mechanically and
unthinkingly, white looks carefully at the situation. The opportunity to
strike a decisive blow may be here at this very moment, but one hasty
"obvious move" may give his opponent just enough breathing time to reorganize
his defenses. This is the position, and here is how white reasons out his
attack. The key point must be black's pawn on g6, which guards his king from
invasion. If anything happens to this pawn -- if it is captured -- the
defense crumbles, and I can break into the fortress. How do I go about
removing it from the board? The g6 pawn is protected by the f7 pawn. Suppose
I destroy its support by sacrificing my knight for the f7 pawn? After 15.
Nxf7 Kxf7 (or 15... Rxf7) 16. Qxg6+, and I have two pawns for my knight, with
a third one in sight, as the rook pawn must fall. Material is then
approximately even, but his position is completely broken up, and clinching
the win should be easy.|This might be the general plan, but before putting
it in motion, white analyzes the combination for possible flaws and comes up
with this: If 15. Nxf7 Rxf7 (bringing another piece to the defense) 16. Qxg6+
Rg7 17. Qxh6 Nxd4!, and suddenly black is the aggressor! He threatens mate in
two by 18... Ne2+ 19. Kh1 Bxg2 mate, as well as outright ruin by 18... Rxg2+,
followed by a deadly discovered check. Clearly this line of play is too
dangerous.|Is there another way to break through, without letting black's
rook come into the game? Can I get rid of the f7 pawn without disturbing the
rook?|It is important that I remove this pawn, as it supports the g6 and
e6 pawns. Wait a minute! There is a clue in the last sentence. The f7 pawn,
guarding two other pawns, is serving two masters. Obviously it is overworked!
I must add to its burden by luring it away from its present important post!
Therefore: } 15. Nxe6 { The knight captures a pawn and attacks queen and
rook. } 15... fxe6 { Black must accept the sacrifice or lose rook and pawn for the
knight. } 16. Qxg6+ { Stronger than taking the e6 pawn, after which black has
four ways to get out of check. Each of these replies might lose, but it is
more practical to attack the enemy with blows that leave him little choice of
reply. } 16... Bg7 { The only move, as 16... Kh8 walks right into the mate. } 17. Qh7+ { White has other attractive continuations in 17. Bxh6 or 17. Qxe6+, but this
forces the king out into the open where white's other pieces can get at him. } 17... Kf7 { The only move. } 18. Bg6+ { Stronger than 18. Bxh6, to which black retorts
18... Qf6, followed by 19... Rh8. The text move keeps him on the run. } 18... Kf6 { Certainly not 18... Ke7 when Qxg7+ lets white pick up a couple of bishops. } 19. Bh5 { White is still angling for 20. Qg6+ Ke7 21. Qxg7+, and both bishops
come off the board. } 19... Ne7 { The only way to prevent the queen's check. } 20. Bxh6 { White is not playing to pick up stray pawns, but the capture brings
another piece to the attack. The pawn that is added to the collection is
incidental to the general scheme of things. } 20... Rg8 { To parry the threat of 21.
Qxg7+ Kf5 22. Qe5 mate. On 20... Bxh6 white intended 21. Qxh6+ Kf5 22. Rae1,
and the threat of mate either by the rook or the knight pawn is decisive. } 21. h4 { New threat: 22. Bg5 mate. } 21... Bxh6 { Loses on the spot, but there was no
defense: if 21... e5 22. Bxg7+ Rxg7 23. dxe5+, and the king must abandon the
rook. } 22. Qf7# { mate } 1-0