Chess and Checkers : the Way to Mastership eBook

Edward Lasker
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 158 pages of information about Chess and Checkers .

Chess and Checkers : the Way to Mastership eBook

Edward Lasker
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 158 pages of information about Chess and Checkers .
20 | | | oo | | ** | | | | |---------------------------------------| | | | | | | ** | | | 13 |---------------------------------------| 12 | | | ** | | ** | | | | |---------------------------------------| | | | | | | | | | 5 |---------------------------------------| 4 | | | | | | | | | +---------------------------------------+

3 2 1

Diagram 92.

Not 30-25 on account of 18-22.

(7) 10-14 31-26
(8) 14-17 26-31
(9) 17-22 31-27
(10) 19-16 27-24
(11) 16-19 and wins.

If, on the 10th move, White played 27-31 instead of 27-24, the game might proceed as follows: 

(11) 18-15 32-28 (12) 15-19 28-32 (13) 22-26 31x22 (14) 23-27 32x23 (15) 19x17

These possibilities of exchanging “two for two” should always be looked for as they often occur, enabling a win within a few moves.

III

THE FIVE FUNDAMENTAL POSITIONS

While in the examples of elementary endings given in the previous chapter, the correct method of play was comparatively easy to find, positions with few men often occur which look very simple but which require considerable thought to be handled in the right way.  The knowledge of these positions, of which there are five distinctly different types, is essential for any one who desires to become a fair player and they are, therefore, thoroughly explained in the following five characteristic examples.

THE FIRST POSITION

It does not make any difference in the method of play whether the Black man is located as shown in Diagram 93 or on 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 11 16, 20 or 24.  The essential point is that he must not be able to march to the King row without being intercepted by White.

The winning maneuver is this:  White turns the Black King out of the double corner in the manner shown in the play from the position of Diagram 89 and thereby compels the Black man to advance, finally forcing an exchange which secures the opposition.

32        31        30
+---------------------------------------+
|    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 29
|---------------------------------------|
28 | ** |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
|    |    |    | oo |    |    |    |    | 21
|---------------------------------------|
20 |    |    | oo |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
|    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 13
|---------------------------------------|
12 | ** |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
|    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    | 5
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
+---------------------------------------+
3         2        1

Diagram 93.—­White to Move and Win.

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Project Gutenberg
Chess and Checkers : the Way to Mastership from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.