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

Diag. 138.

11. ...  Kt-K1

Intending to intercept the diagonal of the White KB by P-KB4.  If Black plays P-KKt3 with the same intention, White plays P-KR4-5 and PxP, and brings the Rook into play.

12.  Q-R3 P-KB4

P-KR3 would lead to an immediate disaster:  13.  BxP, PxB; 14.  QxRP, P-KB4; 15.  P-KKt4.  The move in the text avoids the immediate attack on the King, but the King’s Pawn is now “backward,” and White immediately fastens on this weakness.

13.  BxB QxB 14.  Castles KR R-B3 15.  KR-K1 Kt-Q3 16.  R-K2 B-Q2 17.  QR-K1 R-K1 18.  P-QB4 Kt-B2 19.  P-Q5 KtxKt 20.  RxKt P-KKt3

21.  BxP was threatened.

21.  Q-R4 K-Kt2 22.  Q-Q4 P-B4 23.  Q-B3 P-Kt3 24.  PxP B-B1 25.  B-K2

The Bishop now settles at Q5, and whether Black takes the pawn or not, he is paralysed either by the pawn itself, or the pin of the Bishop if the pawn is taken.

25. ...  BxP 26.  B-B3 K-B2 27.  B-Q5 Q-Q3 28.  Q-K3 R-K2 29.  Q-R6 K-Kt1 30.  P-KR4

The deciding manoeuvre, tearing up the chain of pawns in front of the K.

30. ...  P-QR3 31.  P-R5 P-B5 32.  PxP PxP 33.  RxB Resigns.

After RxR, 34.  RxR, RxR; 35.  QxPch wins a piece.  A beautifully concise game.

GAME NO. 27

White:  Niemzowitsch.  Black:  Tarrasch.  French Defence.

1.  P-K4 P-QB4

This opening is called the Sicilian Defence.  White, however, adopts a continuation which leads into a variation of the French Defence.

2.  P-QB3 P-K3 3.  P-Q4 P-Q4 4.  P-K5 Kt-QB3 5.  Kt-B3 Q-Kt3 6.  B-Q3 PxP

Black seeks to demonstrate that White’s QP is weak.  The present game, however, seems to prove that White is able to guard it adequately, thus permanently supporting the KP too.  It would therefore appear to be better to attack the KP itself, and to play P-B3 on the fifth move.  Now B-Q2 would be better than the text move.  As White cannot give further support to his Q4, he would have to play PxP, and the protection of the K5 would have to be undertaken by pieces, which is not desirable.