THE KING'S BISHOP'S OPENING.

LESSON I.

OPENING THE GAME-POWERS OF THE PIECES AT THE COMMENCEMENT-K. P. TWO SQUARES, WHY A GOOD OPENING MOVE —THE REGULAR OPENINGS CLASSIFIED-ELEMENTARY ANA

LYSIS OF THE KING'S BISHOP'S GAME, WHITE HAVING FIRST MOVE-DEFENCE, BLACK HAVING FIRST MOVE.

WE Come now to the most important feature in the game of Chess-the art of opening the game--an art which it is necessary to acquire for the management either of a successful attack, or a skilful defence. You must endeavour to play out your pieces in such a way as to oppose those of your versary and not obstruct your own.

ad

On examining the powers of the pieces at the commencement of the game, we are struck with the fact, that, with the exception of the Knights, they are absolutely nothing. Your K. Kt. commands two white squares, but the other pieces are incapable of moving. Your first object, therefore, is to play your Pawns in such a way as to liberate your pieces as efficiently as possible. If you move K. R. P., or Q. R. P. two quares, you will be able afterwards to move the Rook either one or two steps forward. K. Kt. P., or Q. Kt. P. two squares liberates the Bishops to some small extent. K. B.

P. one square enables the K. to move to K. B. second. Q. B. P one square opens a diagonal of three squares to the Queen. Q. P. two squares gives to the Queen a range of two squares, and to the Q. B. a range of five squares. But K. P. two squares gives a range of four squares to the Queen, and five squares to the King's Bishop. You see, therefore, that K. P. two squares is the most desirable move wherewith to open the game. There is also another reason why this move is desirable--the Pawn occupies a portion of the centre of the board. Two Pawns abreast at your K. fourth, and Q. fourth squares, supported by Pawns and pieces, must be considered as your best military position, and maintained with all the skill in your power. The same reasons which render K. P. two squares a good opening move for you, apply also to your antagonist. Your second move generally determines the nature of the game to be played: you have it therefore in your own power to determine the opening, the first few moves of your adversary being purely defensive.

There are several methods of beginning the game; the following are those which are usually played.

1. The King's Bishop's Game.-This is begun by each party playing his King's Pawn two squares, and then the first player moves his King's Bishop to Queen's Bishop's fourth

square.

2. The King's Knight's game.-Each party moves his King's Pawn two squares, and then the first player moves his King's Knight to King's Bishop's third square.

3. The King's Gambit.-Each player moves his King's Pawn two squares, and the first player then moves his King's Bishop's Pawn two squares.

4. The Queen's Gambit.-Each player moves his Queen's Pawn two squares, and the first player then moves his Queen's Bishop's Pawn two squares.

In ninety-nine games out of a hundred, one of these open.

ings is played; there are others which are occasionally played, such as playing first the Queen's Pawn two squares, and then the Queen's Bishop to King's Bishop's fourth square; or beginning with the Queen's Bishop's Pawn two squares, and then Queen's Knight to Queen's Bishop's third square; or beginning with King's Bishop's Pawn two squares, and then King's Knight to King's Bishop's third square.

We shall now proceed to an examination of the first of these four openings so usually played.

To begin the game by playing your King's Pawn two squares, is very proper; the advantage of it consists in giving freedom to your Queen and King's Bishop. Next to playing this Pawn, moving the Queen's Pawn two squares is the best; all the other Pawns are more or less inferior.

2. K. B. to Q. B. 4th sq.

This is the best square to which the Bishop can be played in the beginning of the game, it attacks the weakest point of the adversary, viz., the King's Bishop's Pawn, and is not in the way of any of your own pieces. The best move for the Black is also to play his King's Bishop to Queen's Bishop's 4th square, as follows:

White.

3. Q. B. P. one sq.

Black.

2. K. B. to Q. B. 4th sq.
3. Q. to K. 2d sq.

Instead of playing Queen's Bishop's Pawn, you might have made a very attacking move by playing Queen to

King's Rook's fifth square. See the First Game of the defence. The object of moving the Queen's Bishop's Pawn, is to enable you to advance Queen's Pawn two squares, it being always desirable to have your Pawns well established in the centre of the board. Black moves his Queen to King's second square, to prevent you from moving Queen's Pawn two squares, the consequence of doing which would be as follows:

4. Q. P. two squares.
5. P. takes P.

6. Q. B. to K. 3d sq.

Black has won a Pawn.

4. P. takes P.

5. Q. takes P. and checks.
6. K. B. to Q. Kt. 3d sq.

Instead of playing Queen to King's second square, Black had two other ways of playing, viz., Queen's Knight to Queen's Bishop's third square (see second game); King's Knight to Bishop's third square (see third game). We shall suppose you now to play

White.

4. K. Kt. to B. 3d sq.

Black.

4. Q. P. one sq.

The best place for the King's Knight in the beginning of the game, is the King's Bishop's third square, attacking the adverse King's Pawn. Black moves his Queen's Pawn ir order to free his Queen's Bishop.

5. K. castles.

5. K. Kt. to K. B. 3d sq.

For the method of castling see p. 57.

It is generally good play to castle soon, and usually bette to castle on the King's than on the Queen's side. Black plays his Knight to enable him to castle; instead of it, he might have played Queen's Bishop to King's Knight's fifth square, or Queen's Knight to Queen's Bishop's third square.

6. Q. P. two squares. 6. K. B. to Q. Kt. 3d sq. Having castled, you may play the Queen's Pawn two squares with safety, because if he were to exchange Pawns,