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

Diag. 166

Black must keep his B at K2 and his K must remain near the KBP.  White’s King marches to QKt6 and captures the QB pawns, queening his QKtP.  Black cannot prevent the White King from doing this by B-Q1, as White, by attacking Black’s QB4 with his B, could at any time force the B back to his K2.  The remainder of the game needs no comment.

26. ...  QxQ 27.  BxQ B-Q3 28.  Kt-R2 K-K1 29.  Kt-Kt4 B-K2 30.  B-K5 K-Q2 31.  K-K2 K-K1 32.  K-Q2 K-Q2 33.  K-B2 K-K1 34.  K-Kt2 K-Q2 35.  K-R3 K-K1 36.  K-R4 K-Q2 37.  B-Kt8 K-B1 38.  B-R7 K-Q2 39.  B-Kt6 P-Q5 40.  P-K4 K-K1 41.  P-K5 K-Q2 42.  Kt-B2 Resigns.

because there follows Kt-K4 and BxP.

Game No. 48

White:  Blackburne.  Black:  Niemzowitsch.

Irregular Opening.

1.  P-K3 P-Q3

It is due to this reply of Black’s that the opening is irregular.  For had he played P-Q4 a peaceful QP game would have resulted, or after White’s 2.  P-KB4 a Dutch opening.

2.  P-KB4          P-K4
3.  PxP            PxP

Black has the superior position; he has a pawn in the centre and his pieces are more free.

          4.  Kt-QB3 B-Q3

As was seen on a former occasion, it is a shade better to develop the Knights before the Bishops, as the choice of moves for the latter is less limited.  The alternative might have been 5.  Kt-B3, B-KKt5; 6.  B-K2, Kt-B3.

5.  P-K4

Now White has also a pawn in the centre, but he is a move behind in his development.

5. ...  B-K3
6.  Kt-B3 P-KB3
7.  P-Q3 Kt-K2
8.  B-K3 P-QB4
9.  Q-Q2 QKt-B3
10.  B-K2 Kt-Q5
11.  Castles KR Castles
12.  Kt-Q1 KKt-B3
13.  P-B3

Now Black has gained an advantage from the command of his Q5.  The advance of White’s QBP, which was necessitated by the dominating position of the Black Knight, has left White with a “backward” pawn at Q3.