Mobility of the Queen
This opening offers another opportunity to demonstrate the
dangerous mobility of the Queen. Instead of (3) Pxe5 White should
have played (3) Kt-f3. The game could then have continued as
follows: P-d6; (4) B-c4, Kt-f6; (5) Pxe5, Pxe5: Again White
cannot win the Pawn e5 for (6) Ktxe5 would be answered by Q-d4,
attacking Knight and Bishop and threatening mate on f2.
+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | #Kt| #B | #Q | #K | | #Kt| #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | #B | | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | ^Kt| ^B | ^Q | ^K | ^B | ^Kt| ^R |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 23.
Diagram 24 shows a typical case of a double threat with the Queen
in conjunction with other pieces. White on the move plays B-d3,
and now Black cannot castle as White would continue with Q-e4
threatening mate through Qxh7 and at the same time attacking the
Bishop e7 for the second time who is only once protected. Black
would have to defend the mate by either P-g6 or P-f5 or Q-h5 and
White would capture the Bishop.
When castling on the King side a player must always beware of an
attack by the Queen and another piece on the King's Rook's Pawn.
+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | | #B | | #K | | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | #B | #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | ^B | #Q | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | ^P | | | ^Q | | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R | | ^B | | ^R | | ^K | |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 24.
In the case illustrated above it was the Bishop who assisted the
Queen. A Knight could aid in an attack on h7 from either g5 or
f6. More frequently he does so from g5 as usually the square f6
is not accessible to him on account of the Pawn g7 protecting it.
In the majority of cases the Knight goes to g5 from f3, and the
Queen attacks h7 from h5, coming from her original square d1.
Then, if Black cannot protect h7 by a Knight from f6 or by the
Bishop, from f5 for instance, or from g6, the only protection as
a rule is to advance the Pawn to h6. The position of Diagram 25
may serve as an example.
+---------------------------------------+
8 | #R | #Kt| #B | #Q | #K | | | #R |
|---------------------------------------|
7 | #P | #P | #P | #P | #Kt| #P | #P | #P |
|---------------------------------------|
6 | | | | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
5 | | | #B | | | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
4 | | | ^B | #P | ^P | | | |
|---------------------------------------|
3 | | | | | | ^Kt| | |
|---------------------------------------|
2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |
|---------------------------------------|
1 | ^R |^Kt | ^B | ^Q | ^K | | | ^R |
+---------------------------------------+
a b c d e f g h
DIAGRAM 25
|
