Solitaire Chess / Instruction
Excitement in the Four Knights
A game for those who consider “Four Knights excitement” oxymoronic. By BRUCE PANDOLFINI
Nothing sounds more boring to chess players than the Four Knights Defense. Perhaps that’s because many newcomers go right into the teeth of this ostensibly uninspired beginning to keep it insipid. Yet it doesn’t have to be that way, especially when the players are willing to mix it up. When one of the combatants is Frank Marshall, a coffee house feel can truly inspirit the play, as in his game with Karoly Sterk at Pistyan in 1912. Unfortunately for Marshall, he had black and was on the los- ing side. The game began:
Four Knights Defense (C49) Karoly Sterk Frank James Marshall Pistyan 1912
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. 0-0 0-0 6. d3 d5 7. Nxd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Qxd5 9. Bc4 Qd6
10. 10.
c3 …
Par Score: 5
White exploits the position of the dark- square bishop to expand on the queenside.
Bc5
Had Black played 9. ... Qd8 the bishop could post up at d6. Now it gets pushed to b6.**
11. 11. 12.
12.
b4 … a4
…
Par Score: 5 Bb6
Par Score: 5
Obviously, threatening 13. a5, trapping the bishop (1 bonus point).
a5
Black entices the b-pawn forward rather than leaving White options after 12. ... a6.**
13. 13.
b5 …
14. Ng5
Par Score: 5 Ne7
Par Score: 6
White intends 15. Qh5, with threats to f7 and h7. Accept only 3 points part credit for 14. Ba3, which is answered by 14. ... Bc5. And on 14. Re1, Black has 14. ... Ng6.
14.
Now make sure you have the above posi- tion set up on your chessboard. As you play through the remaining moves in this game, use a piece of paper to cover the arti- cle, exposing White’s next move only after trying to guess it. If you guess correctly, give yourself the par score. Sometimes points are also rewarded for second-best moves, and there may be bonus points— or deductions—for other moves and variations. Note that ** means that the note to Black’s move is over and White’s move is in the next line.**
18 November 2012 | Chess Life … Qg6
The try 14. ... h6 just chases the knight to e4. The text move prevents Qd1-h5 and takes aim at the white king down the g-file. Marshall no doubt had this in mind when he played 9. ... Qd6.**
15. Qe2 Par Score: 5
Deduct 2 points for 15. Ba3. It works out nicely after 15. ... Re8? 16. Bxf7+, but 15. ... Qxg5 refutes it. Sterk’s simple attack on the e5-pawn proves not so easy to meet, as both 15. ... Ng6 and 15. ... f6 are illegal and 15. ... h6 runs into 16. Qxe5 hxg5 17. Qxe7. Marshall prefers to set an ingenious trap.
Black proposes a trade of king-pawn for queen-pawn, which White is advised not to accept.**
16. g4! Par Score: 6
Add 2 bonus points if you saw through 16. Qxe5 Bxd3 17. Bxd3 Qxd3 18. Qxe7 Rae8 19. Qa3 Bxf2+! 20. Rxf2 Re1+ 21. Rf1 Qxf1 mate. The text move is totally unex- pected as it seemingly exposes the white king. What Sterk has foreseen is that only White will be able to exploit the opening of the g-file.
16. 17.
least). 17.
18. … gxf5 … Kh1 h6 Par Score: 5 Moving the knight drops the g-pawn (at Nxf5 Par Score: 5
This is an important component of White’s plan. He foregoes capture of the e- pawn as this only provides employment for Black’s rooks. Instead he plans to concen- trate his forces on the g-file.
18. 19. …
Else the knight runs away.** Rg1
White takes the g-file. hxg5 Par Score: 5
15.
…
Bf5
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