2.  P-K3 P-K3 3.  Kt-KB3 Kt-KB3 4.  P-B4 P-B4 5.  Kt-B3 Kt-B3 6.  B-Q3 B-Q3 7.  Castles.  Castles

The only useful square for the QB’s on either side is now at Kt2, and 8.  P-QKt3, P-QKt3 are indicated.  To play P-QKt3 before castling is very dangerous, because Black can play PxQP and pin the White QKt with B-Kt5, forcing B-Q2, when B-Kt2 was the move intended, e.g. 6.  P-QKt3, BPxP; 7.  KPxP, B-Kt5; 8.  B-Kt2, Kt-K5; 9.  Q-B2, Q-R4; 10.  R-QB1, QxP.

In order not to relinquish the square at QKt4 to Black, White can also try the following manoeuvre: 

6.  PxBP BxP 7.  P-QR3 Castles 8.  P-QKt4 B-Q3 9.  B-Kt2

If Black imitates White’s moves, viz. 9. ...  PxP; 10.  BxP, P-QR3; 11.  Castles, P-QKt4; 12.  B-Q3, B-Kt2, the result is the symmetrical position in Diagram 36.

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

Diag. 36

When treating of the middle game, we shall find that even in this apparently fully equalised position the influence of the first move is still at work.

In order to obtain a more thorough understanding of the Queen’s Pawn game, we must now turn our attention very closely to the opening moves.  Already on the second move White can play 2.  P-QB4 and turn the game into a Queen’s gambit, which Black can either accept or decline.  Black would be justified in playing 2. ...  PxP, and so furthering White’s object of getting his (Black’s) Queen’s Pawn away, if he could permanently hold the gambit pawn, or if the giving up of the square at Q4 fits into a reasoned system of development.  The latter was, for instance, the case in the play leading to the position shown in the Diagram 36.  But Black is well advised to wait until White has moved the King’s Bishop before taking the pawn on his QB5.  This forces the Bishop to move twice, and Black regains the move he lost in his development, when he played PxP.

It would be quite incorrect to try to hold the pawn by P-QKt4 as follows: