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

Diag. 20

The best plan for Black is to decline the doubtful gift of the pawn and to bring about one of the positions, as sketched above, in which, by playing P-Q4 early in the game, Black is sure of the free development of all his forces.

Black is able to play P-Q4 early in all such openings, where White does not force the defensive move P-Q3 by attacking Black’s King’s Pawn.  For instance, in the King’s gambit, since the move 2.  P-KB4 does not threaten PxP, Black can reply at once by 2. ...  P-Q4 (Falkbeer Counter Gambit).  After 3.  PxQP, P-K5 (to permit of Kt-KB3, which at present is not feasible on account of 4.  PxP); 4.  P-Q3, PxP; 5.  QxP, White is a pawn ahead, but his Queen obstructs his KB; therefore Black has better developing chances and should be able to win the pawn back at the very least.

A second example is the Vienna game, which proceeds as follows: 

2.  Kt-QB3        Kt-KB3
3.  P-B4          P-Q4 (Diagram 21)

If White plays 4.  PxQP, Black can play P-K5, as in the Falkbeer gambit mentioned just now.  In answer to 4.  PxKP, on the other hand, Black can play KtxP without having the slightest difficulty with his development.  For instance,

5.  Kt-KB3 B-K2 6.  P-Q4 P-KB3 7.  B-Q3 KtxKt 8.  PxKt Castles 9.  Castles Kt-B3 or B-KKt5

and Black also will soon have an open file for his Rook, with no disadvantage in position.

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

Diag. 21.

There is, however, one opening in which Black has the utmost difficulty in preventing White from getting a positional advantage in the centre.  It is called the Ruy Lopez, and is held by many to be the strongest opening for White.  The initial moves are:  1.  P-K4, P-K4; 2.  Kt-KB3, Kt-QB3; 3.  B-Kt5.  With this move White at once attacks the Black KP, though indirectly, by threatening to exchange the B for the Kt.  To make the capture effective, however, White must first protect his own King’s Pawn, which would otherwise be lost after 4.  BxKt, QPxB; 5.  KtxP, Q-Q5!.  At first, therefore, Black need not provide against the threatened exchange.