3 | | | ^P | #Kt| ^B | | | ^P | |---------------------------------------| 2 | ^P | ^P | | ^Kt| | | | | |---------------------------------------| 1 | ^K | ^R | | | | ^Q | | ^R | --------------------------------------- A B C D E F G H

Diag. 110

The position bristles with chances for daring sacrifices.  After 25.  KtxBP, for instance, Black could play RxKt!; 26.  PxR, Kt-Kt5; 27.  PxKt, PxP; 28.  P-R3 (Q-B4ch?, B-B2), B-B3; 29.  K-R2, QxPch; 30.  PxQ, RxP mate.

25.  P-Kt3           Q-Q2
26.  PxP             BxP
27.  Q-Kt2           P-B4

White’s compulsory 25.  P-Kt3 has weakened his QB3, and the move in the text is intended to open the diagonal KB3-QB6 for the Black Bishop.

28.  KtxB QxKt 29.  QxP B-B3 30.  Q-B4ch K-R1 31.  Kt-K4 QR-K1

White cannot parry all the threats at once.  Though he gets rid of the threatening B, he lets in the hostile R on the K file and the end cannot long be delayed.

32.  KtxB RxKt 33.  B-B1 KR-K3 34.  B-R3 R-K7 35.  KR-Q1 Kt-K8 36.  BxP Kt-B7ch 37.  K-Kt2 Kt-Kt5ch

and mate at R7 or B7.

Game No. 10

White:  Teichmann.  Black:  Amateurs in consultation.

Two Knights’ Defence.

1.  P-K4 P-K4 2.  Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 3.  B-B4 Kt-B3 4.  Castles

---------------------------------------
8 | #R |    | #B | #Q | #K | #B |    | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P |    | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 |    |    | #Kt|    |    | #Kt|    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
5 |    |    |    |    | #P |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
4 |    |    | ^B |    | ^P |    |    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
3 |    |    |    |    |    | ^Kt|    |    |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P |    | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | ^K |    |    | ^R |
---------------------------------------
A    B    C    D    E    F    G    H

Diag. 111

The idea underlying this pawn sacrifice is to open the K file for the Rook.  It will be seen that, with correct play, Black manages to castle just in time, and White, though winning back his pawn, has no advantage in position.  The opening is seldom played by modern masters.

Instead of the move in the text, White can hardly defend the KP with Kt-B3, as Black simply captures the pawn and recovers his piece by P-Q4, with a satisfactory position.  It is even better for Black if White plays 6.  BxPch in reply to 5. ...  KtxP.  The capture of White’s KP is far more important than that of the Black KBP, particularly as the White Bishop, which could be dangerous on the diagonal QR2-KKt8, is exchanged, e.g. 6. ...  KxB; 7.  KtxKt, P-Q4; 8.  Kt-Kt5ch, K-Kt1!  Black continues P-KR3, K-R2, R-B1 and has open lines for Rooks and Bishops.