13. English Opening - ANOTHER HYPERMODERN OPENING

The English Opening—once known as the Queen's Bishop's Pawn Game-is so called after Staunton who adopted it in the match between England and France, 1843.

With 1 P-QB4, the English Opening is a Sicilian Defense in reverse, with White having a move in hand. If the Sicilian is tenable for Black, it should definitely be good for White, with a tempo to spare. At least, that is the underlying theory of the opening. As Réti says, however, in Masters of the Chess-hoard? such a policy may be too passive for White's best chances.

As commonly played, the English is a product of the hyper-modern school. So White makes no attempt to build up a Pawn center in the early stages of play. Instead, he concen­trates on speedy development, encouraging Black to set up a Pawn center which may become fixed as a target. When Black does not fall in line, White's plan is to set up a Pawn center of his own, after he is fully developed, which will be difficult for Black to challenge. In that case, White uses his square Q5, as a focal point around which to rally his men or establish a bridgehead in enemy territory.

The English lends itself to easy transpositions. A player whose repertoire is large may easily steer the English into a favorable variation of some other opening.

The English arises as follows:

1 P-QB4 . . . .

This move constitutes the English Opening. The Pawn at QB4 strikes at the central square, Q5, and the less important one, QN5. The advance of the Bishop Pawn also releases White's Queen for future action.

The eventual pattern which evolves from the initial move depends, in a large measure, on Black's choice of defense.

1 . . . . P-K4

* Réti, R., Masters of the Chessboard, N. Y., McGraw-Hill.

As a general rule, and this is a case in point, it is good for Black to play . . . P-K4 at the first convenient opportunity. Black's King Pawn now strikes at Black's Q5, an important central square, and Black's KB5, a near central square. The advance of the King Pawn, moreover, releases Black's Queen and his King Bishop for future action.

Momentarily, Black appears to have the more dominating position. This appearance is somewhat of an illusion, since White has the first move and is able, at will, to swap off Black's King Pawn.

For players versed in the intricacies of the defense to the Queen Pawn, 1 . . . P-K3 is apt to transpose into that opening. In such case, White can avoid the Queen Pawn only by con­tinuing with 2 P-K4. Then, by playing 2 . . . P-Q4, Black ob­tains a favorable position, thus: 3 KPxP, KPxP; 4 PxP, N-KB3. With correct play, Black recovers the Queen Pawn, and White remains with an isolated Queen Pawn. Of course, Black can play 4 . . . QxP, in this line, and avoid any speculation as to the recovery of the Pawn. Then, however, White gains an im­portant tempo by 5 N-QB3, attacking the Black Queen.

2 N-QB3 . . . .

A good developing move, bearing on the center and par­ticularly on Q5.

2           . . . . N-KB3

A good developing move, bearing on the center and neu­tralizing the effect of White's Queen Knight.

3           N-B3 . . . .

Again, a good developing move, bearing on the center and particularly on Black's King Pawn.

3 . . . . N-B3

Defending the King Pawn and maintaining the delicate bal­ance in the center.

Observe that the natural 3 P-K5 loses a Pawn: 4 N-KN5, Q-K2; 5 Q-B2, and Black has no way of reinforcing the King Pawn.

The Four Knights' Game of the English.

 4 P-Q4 . . . .

The most logical line. In the actual Sicilian Defense, Black has a difficult time enforcing . . . P-Q4. When he does, how­ever, he achieves at least certain equality. With the move in hand, White has no trouble battering down Black's King Pawn. After White's Queen Pawn and Black's King Pawn are swapped off, Black must still equalize the pressure on the cen­ter, exerted by the White Bishop Pawn.

The slower, positional continuation leads to no advantage for White. For example, 4 P-KN3, P-Q4; 5 PxP, NxP; 6 B-N2, N-N3; 7 O-O, B-K2; 8 P-Q3, O-O; 9 P-QR3, P-B4; 10 P-QN4, B-B3; 11 B-N2, Q-K2; 12 N-Q2, R-Ql; 13 P-N5, N-R4; 14 Q-B2, P-B4; 15 N-R4, B-K3; 16 B-B3, N-N6 with the better game for Black (Santasiere—Horowitz, New York, 1939).

4           . . . . PxP

Black can attempt to maintain the King Pawn by 4 . . . P-K5. With best play, however, White obtains a positional ad­vantage, although the line is beset with traps. Thus, if 4 . . . P-K5; 5 N-Q2, NxP; 6 KNxP, N-K3; 7 P-KN3, NxN; 8 NxN, B-N5ch; 9 B-Q2, BxBch; 10 QxB, O-O; 11 B-N2, P-Q3; 12 O-O, B-Q2; 13 N-B3, B-B3; 14 N-Q5, and White enjoys command of the center and greater freedom for his forces.

The trappy line runs as follows: 4 ... P-K5; 5 N-KN5, P-KR3!; 6 KNxKP, NxN; 7 NxN, Q-R5; 8 Q-Q3, P-Q4; 9 PxP, N-N5; 10 Q-Nl, B-KB4; 11 N-Q6ch, PxN!; 12 QxB, P-KN3; 13 Q-Nl, R-B1, and there is nought to be done about . . . N-B7.

5           NxP B-N5

Black pins White's Queen Knight in order to lessen the pressure on White's Q5. This move practically commits Black to the exchange of Bishop for Knight. Black obtains compensa­tion, however, in doubling and isolating White's Pawns.

6 B-N5 . . . .

By the same token, White pins Black's King Knight in order to increase the pressure on Q5. At the same time, the pin is annoying and restricts the freedom of Black's King Knight and Queen.

6           . . . . P-KR3

"Putting the question" to the Bishop. The point of the move is to break the pin.

7           B-R4 . . . .

Maintaining the pin. Clearly, any other Bishop moves are pointless.

7 . . . . BxNch

Since Black is more or less committed to this exchange, he might as well make it while he is certain that White's Pawn po­sition will suffer. Otherwise White defends his Queen Knight by R-B1, after which . . . BxN is less efficacious.

8 PxB N-K4

Black follows up his 6th move, in conformity with the idea of breaking the pin on his King Knight.

9 P-K3 . . . .

To defend the unguarded Pawn.

9 . . . . P-Q3

A necessary interpolation, sooner or later, in order to pre­vent White from playing P-B5. That move would give freer range to White's King Bishop and, at the same time, assist White in getting rid of his doubled Pawn.

10         B-K2 N-N3

Breaking the pin, at last. Observe the three steps involved in this process: . . . P-KR3, . . . N-K4 and . . . N-N3.

11         B-N3 N-K5

12 Q-B2 . . . .

Black aims to rid White of his two Bishops before he can consolidate his position with P-B3 and P-K4.

Defending the unguarded Bishop Pawn and, in turn, attack­ing the aggressively posted Black Knight.

12 . . . . Q-K2

Since White cannot avoid the exchange of Bishop for Knight, Black has no present need to pare off and give up the centrally posted Knight.

13 B-Q3 . . . .

This move was played by the late world champion, Dr. Emanuel Lasker. After 23 O-O, there is an element of danger in the following continuation: 13 . . . P-KR4; 14 B-Q3, NxB; 15 RPxN, N-K4; 16 B-K2, P-R5.

1. . . . . NxB
2. RPxN N-K4

The position is considered even. The weak White Queen-side structure rules in favor of Black, and White's centrally lo­cated forces favor him.

Conclusions

In most of the book lines of the English Opening, White en-joys the advantage. Only by accurate play is Black able to equalize. The onus of accuracy is with the defender, and this is not a burden lightly to be discounted. There is every reason, moreover, to believe that White's play can be refined and im­proved, in which case Black's burden will be even greater.

Chess Movie

THREATS IN ALL DIRECTIONS

Paradoxically, a weakened Queen-side can incur a loss on the opposite wing, as is masterfully demonstrated in the follow­ing Fine game. In the U. S. Championship, New York, 1936, Reuben Fine opens hostilities with Weaver Adams (Black) 1 P-QB4, P-K4; 2 N-KB3, N-QB3; 3 N-B3; N-B3; 4 P-K4 (see diagram No. 1).

I

Fine chooses a Nimzovich idea, departing from the more usual 4 P-Q4. Adams replies 4 . . . B-B4 (since 5 NxP, NxN; 6 P-Q4, B-N5; 7 PxN, NxP leaves White's Pawns weak). There follows: 5 B-K2, P-Q3; 6 O-O, and Black now makes the excellent move, 6 . . . B-KN5! (preventing 7 P-Q4).

2

 So the game continues with 7 P-Q3, O-O; after which White pins Black's King Knight, 8 B-N5, and Black reacts with 8 ... P-KR3 (hoping for 9 B-R4, P-KN4; JO B-N3, N-KR4 to gain the two Bishops). White rejoins 9 B-K3. (Now Black misses the equalizer: 9 ... BxN; JO BxB, N-Q5!)

3

 Instead, he plays 9 ... B-N3? and White pre­pares for an eventual P-KB4, by 10 K-Rl. Black still ignores the equalizer and decides to get in the "break" first. There follows: 10 . . . N-KR4; 11 N-Q5, P-B4; 12 PxP, and Black's maneuver has left him with the inferior game.

4

 Adams now sees he must permit P-Q4 (as 12 . . . RxP?; 13 BxB, RPxB; 14 N-K3 loses for him). Hence 12 . . . BxP and a general exchange fol­lows: 13 P-Q4, PxP; 14 Nx QP, NxN; 15 QBxN, BxB; 16 QxB. Adams then returns his Knight, 16 . . . N-B3, and seemingly he has simplified the game safely.

5

 Actually, Black's Queen-side is weak, and White now builds his game to a win on that account. There follows: 17 B-B3, K-Rl; 18 N-K3, B-B1; 19 QR-Q1, Q-K2; 20 KR-K1, Q-B2; 21 N-Q5. And Black is constrained to exchange: 21 . . . NxN; 22 BxN (as 21 . . . B-K3? loses to 22 NxP!).

6

 Black dare not capture 22 ... QxP because of 23 R-K8! So there follows: 22 ... Q-N3; 23 R-K7, P-B3; 24 B-B3 (White could win a Pawn by 24 B-K4, B-B4; 25 BxB, RxB; 26 RxP, but the position then is drawish). Now Black sees 24 . . . B-R6 loses to 25 QxQP, R-B3; 26 Q-N3.

7

 So there follows: 24 . . . R-B3; 25 R/l-Kl, K-R2? (Now 25 ... B-R6 is Black's sole hope: 26 B-K4, B-B4; 27 P-B3, and White must win a Pawn but faces a very difficult ending with Queens and two Rooks on each side.) As is, White now scores: 26 B-R5! is the move which upsets the apple cart.

8

 Pressure on Black's weak Queen-side Pawns has restrained Black; but now the action switches drastically to the King-side. (26 . . . QxB? 27 QxR will not do.) Hence 26 ... Q-N4; 27 P-KR4, Q-B5 follows. (Danger lies in 27 ... Q-B4; 28 B-K2, Q-N3; 29 P-R5, Q-N4; 30 R-K8 and 31 B-Q3ch next!)

9

 But White now makes his point: 28 QxQ, Rx Q; 29 P-KN3! He'll double Rooks on the 7th if Black retreats. Black takes: 29 . . . RxQBP (as 29 . . . Rx-KBP leads to a mating net: 30 R-K8, P-QN3; 31 K-Nl! R-B3; 32 R/l-K7 and B-K2-Q3ch). There follows: 30 R-K8, P-QN3; 32 B-B7!

10

A White threatens P-R5 Iv and B-N6 mate! Black covers: 31 . . . R-KN5, vainly, as then comes: 32 P-R5, B-N2; 33 RxR, BxR; 34 R-K8, with threats in all di­rections. (On 34 ... B-N2, White wins by 35 B-N8ch, K-Rl; 36 B-K6ch.) Black re­signs. Even at the end, his Queen-side ruins his King-side.

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