Four Knights' Game.
1 P-K4
P-K4
2 Kt-KB3
Kt-QB3
3 Kt-B3
Kt-B3
This opening leads to no complications unless Black forces them. True, the latter strategy is perilous.
4 B-Kt5 ...
Herewith White obtains some pressure on K5.
4 ... P-QR3
This reply is appropriate, since White must now make the decision -- which diagonal the Bishop is to abandon or whether the Bishop should be exchanged.
5 BxKt ...
With 5 B-R4 White turns into variations of the Ruy Lopez. Black is then able to develop
5 ... B-K2 or B-B4 without any disadvantage.
5 ... QPxB
6 P-Q4 ...
Perhaps the strongest move. White would not obtain much by 6 KtxP
KtxP;
7 KtxKt
Q-Q5;
8 O-O
QxKKt;
9 P-Q4
Q-KB4 because White cannot get the Queen into action.
10 R-K1
B-K3;
11 B-Kt5
P-R3, in order to force the Bishop from one of the two long diagonals that it dominates. Now 12 Q-Q3 is beating the air, since Black parries the threat 13 (]X-Q6ch. simply by
12 ... K-Q2, developing the QR at the same time. Better
12 B-R4. True, Black must be cautious here. With
12 ... P-KKt4?,
13 B-Kt3
O-O-O he gets into trouble by
14 B-K5
R-Kt1;
15 Kt-B6
R-Kt3?;
16 P-KKt4. But 12 ... B-Q3 is all right;
13 P-KKt4
Q-QR4. A decisive advantage cannot be gained by White,
14 KtxBch.
PxKt;
15 P-KB4
P-KKt4;
16 P-B5
PxB;
17 PxB
PxP;
18 RxPch.
K-Q2;
19 Q-K2
QR-K1;
20 R-K1
QxRch. The forced attacks leave White weakened at the end.
6 ... PxP
Black may also play 6 ... B-QKt5. Then
7 PxP
QxQch.;
8 KxQ
BxKt;
9 PxKt
BxBP;
10 P-B3. White has a slight initiative.
7 QxP
QxQ
8 KtxQ
B-QKt5
9 P-B3 ...
White has here the better Pawn position, but Black has two strong Bishops. The Black Knight will strive towards K4 or QB5. White may have a slight initiative, but that is in order.
Black may follow an altogether different plan. He may follow the moves of the opponent, but, well understood, always on guard and ready, if need be, to vary.
4 ... B-Kt5
5 O-O
O-O
6 P-Q3
P-Q3
7 B-Kt5 ...
Up to this point everything has gone the way of undisturbed development, but now 8 X-Q5 is threatening. Black must not imitate White too long. 7 ... B-Kt5;
8 Kt-Q5
Kt-Q5;
9 KtxB
KtxB;
10 Kt-Q5
Kt-Q5;
11 Q-Q2. Thereby 12 BxX followed by 13 Q-R6 is menaced.
11 ... KtxKtch.;
12 PxKt
BxP;
13 P-KR3! First White moves the King to safety.
13 ... K-R1;
14 K-R2
R-KKt1;
15 R-KKt1
P-B3;
16 KtxKt
PxKt;
17 B-R4
R-Kt3;
18 Q-K3
B-R4;
19 P-KB4 and White should win.
7 ... BxKt
8 PxB
Q-K2
If 8 ... Kt-K2;
9 Kt-R4, White easily succeeds in advancing P-KB4 and obtains a lasting attack. A celebrated game, Schlechter versus Duras, played at the San Sebastian tournament ran the following course: 7 ... Kt-K2;
8 Kt-KR4
P-B3;
9 B-QB4
Kt-K1;
10 P-B4
BxKt;
11 PxB
P-Q4;
12 B-Kt3
P-B3;
13 PxKP
PxB;
14 RxRch.
KxR;
15 Q-B3ch.
K-Kt1;
16 R-KB1
Kt-B2;
17 Q-B7ch.
K-R1.
Schlechter here gave his opponent a chance with 18 PxP, so changing the order of the moves.
18 Q-B8ch.
QxQC
19 RxQch.
Kt-Kt1;
20 PxP
PxP;
21 Kt-B3. White threatens to throttle Black:
21 ... B-K3;
22 RxR
KtxR;
23 KtxP
Kt-B2;
24 KtxB
KtxKt;
25 BxP, and White won the Ending.
9 R-K1
Kt-Q1
10 P-Q4 ...
White wants to open the lines for his Bishops; Black resists.
10 ... Kt-K3
11 B-QB1
P-B3
12 B-B1 ...
Otherwise the Bishops are in the way.
12 ... Q-B2
13 P-Kt3 ...
[!Rubinstein in Ltirobock i. Schack.]
13 ... R-Q1
Black will have to play patiently and guardedly. He can take the initiative with B-Q2, QR-B1,
P-QB4.
In recent years there have been new and important evolutions by Rubinstein, Bogoljubow, Svenonius. Rubinstein improved upon an ancient variation.
4 ... Kt-Q5
In hard-fought contests with Rubinstein the following opinions were arrived at:
5 KtxP
Q-K2
Not 5 ... B-B4 on account of
6 B-K2
P-Q4;
7 Kt-Q3
B-Kt3;
8 P-K5
Kt-K5;
9 O-O
P-QB3;
10 Kt-R4, and White liberates himself and maintains his material advantage.
6 P-B4
KtxB
7 KtxKt
P-Q3
8 Kt-KB3
QxPch.
9 K-B2
Kt-Kt5ch.
10 K-Kt1 ...
Bogoljubow essayed too boldly, 10 K-Kt3. Then Black answers
10 ... Q-Kt3, and the attack of Black becomes too strong. But after the text move the White King by P-KR3 finds a place of safety and then White obtains domination over the King's side and gains the initiative
The idea of Svenonius is a very sound one. After 4 B-Kt5
B-Kt5;
5 O-O
O-O;
6 P-Q3, he moves
6 ... BxKt;
7 PxB
P-Q4. Consequently, a complication arises in the centre.
8 BxKt
PxB
9 KtxP
Q-Q3
10 B-B4
R-K1
11 Q-B3 ...
If 11 PxP
RxKt;
12 P-Q4
R-K8;
13 BxQ
RxQ;
14 KRxR
PxB;
15 PxP, the following position arises.
Black to move
With
15 ... B-K3 Black apparently has a defensible game, say
16 QR-Kt1
K-B1,
17 R-Kt7
R-B1.
11 ... PxP
12 PxP
RxKt
13 QR-Q1 ...
Not 13 KR-Q1 since this Rook has to guard the King. The sequence would be
13 ... B-Kt5;
14 Q-Kt3
BxR;
15 BxR
Q-Q7.
13 ... B-Kt5
14 Q-Kt3 ...
14 RxQ leads to an easy Draw.
14 ... KtxP
15 QxB
Q-K3 [!with equality)