13.  PxP

The second mistake.  Unimportant as it seems, it leads to the loss of the game.  White did not defend the pawn by Q-B2, because it would have proved 10.  Q-Q2 to have been a lost move.  But giving up the centre is a far greater evil.  Black now commands his Q5 and KB5, and this enables him to start an attack to which there is no defence.  The game shows conclusively how important it is to maintain the centre.

13. ...  KtxP 14.  Castles KR P-B4 15.  P-QKt4 P-QKt3 16.  Q-K2

to prevent P-K5, which would now be countered by PxP and Q-B4.  However, as P-K5 cannot be prevented permanently, and the Q must move in any case, Q-B2 would have been the better move, as there the Queen cannot be molested by a Rook.

16. ...  Q-Q3 17.  P-Kt5 QKt-K2 18.  B-Q2 Kt-Kt3 19.  R-R4 QR-K1!

Black’s game is beautifully developed, whilst White cannot make a combined effort.  The Black Rooks are particularly well placed, and threaten to take an effective part in the attack in various ways.  All this is the outcome of White losing the centre.

20.  P-KKt3

Though this prevents Kt(Q 4)-B5, it weakens KB3, which is all the more serious as Black threatens to open the file by P-B5.

          20. ...  Q-Q2

If now White refrains from taking the pawn, Black plays P-QR4!

21.  RxP P-K5 22.  Kt-Q4 PxP 23.  QxP Kt-K4 24.  Q-K2 P-B5

All the avenues of attack are now open, and White’s game collapses quickly.

25.  Q-R5 Kt-KB 3
26.  Q-B5 Kt-B6ch
27.  K-R1 QxQ
28.  KtxQ KtxB
29.  R-Q1 Kt(B3)-K5
30.  KtxP KtxBPch
31.  K-Kt2 P-B6ch

        Resigns.

Game No. 22

White:  Forgacz.  Black:  Tartakower.

French Defence (see p. 48).

1.  P-K4 P-K3 2.  P-Q4 P-Q4 3.  Kt-QB3 Kt-KB3 4.  B-Kt5 B-K2 5.  P-K5 Kt-K5

KKt-Q2 is better, because it would support the advance of P-QB4 and also be of use eventually in an attack on White’s centre by P-KB3.  The text move allows the exchange of two minor pieces, which can only be to White’s advantage, as Black cannot get his QB into play, and is for a long time practically a piece down.

          6.  KtxKt BxB

After PxKt the pawn would be very weak, and could hardly be held for long.

7.  KtxB QxKt
8.  P-KKt3

To be able to play P-KB4 before developing the Kt (see p. 49).