Chess Strategy | Page 3

and lose
valuable time in finding out for himself certain essentials that could
more profitably be pointed out to him.
With regard to the way in which I have arranged my subject and the
form of its exposition in detail, I have thought out the following plan.
After discussing at length the leading principles underlying sound play,
I have first treated of the OPENINGS, in which such principles are of
even more deciding influence than in any other stage of the game, as
far as could be done on broad lines without having to pay attention to
middle and end-game considerations.

I proceeded as follows, by taking as my starting-point the "pawn
skeleton" which is formed in the opening, and round which the pieces
should group themselves in logical fashion. As a consequence of the
pawns having so little mobility, this "pawn skeleton" often preserves its
shape right into the end-game. Applying the general strategical
principles to the formation of the pawn skeleton, the learner acquires
the understanding of the leading idea underlying each opening without
having to burden his memory. Not only that, he will also be able to find
a correct plan of development when confronted with unusual forms of
opening.
The most important result of this system of teaching is that the learner
does not lose his way in a maze of detail, but has in view at the very
outset, the goal which the many possible variations of the openings are
intended to reach.
Before I could proceed to the discussion of the middle game, I found it
necessary to treat of the principles governing the END- GAME. For in
most cases play in the middle game is influenced by end-game
considerations. Here also it has been my endeavour as far as possible to
reduce my subject to such principles as are generally applicable.
Finally, as regards the MIDDLE GAME, to which the whole of Part II
is devoted, I have again made the handling of pawns, the hardest of all
problems of strategy, the starting-point for my deliberations. I have
shown at length how the various plans initiated by the various openings
should be developed further. To ensure a thorough understanding of the
middle game, I have given a large number of games taken from master
play, with numerous and extensive notes. Thus the student has not to
rely only on examples taken haphazard from their context, but he will
at the same time see how middle-game positions, which give
opportunities for special forms of attack, are evolved from the opening.
It has been my desire to make the subject easily understandable and at
the same time entertaining, and to appeal less to the memory of my
readers than to their common sense and intelligence. I hope in that way
not to have strayed too far from the ideal I had in mind when writing
this book, namely, to apply to chess the only method of teaching which

has proved productive in all branches of science and art, that is, the
education of individual thought.
If I have succeeded in this, I shall have the satisfaction of having
contributed a little to the furthering, in the wide circles in which it is
played, of the game which undoubtedly makes the strongest appeal to
the intellect.
EDWARD LASKER.





PART I






CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
I. RULES OF THE GAME

A GAME of chess is played by two opponents on a square board
consisting of sixty-four White and Black squares arranged alternately.
The forces on each side comprise sixteen units, namely a King, a
Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Pawns. All
units move according to different laws, and the difference in their
mobility is the criterion of their relative value and of the fighting power
they contribute towards achieving the ultimate aim, namely, the capture
of the opposing King. Before I can explain what is meant by the
capture of the King, I must set out the rules of the game in full.
Diagram 1 shows the position the forces take up for the contest. The
board is so placed that there is a white square at the top left-hand corner.
The Rooks take up their positions at the corner squares, and next to
them the Knights. Next to those again are the Bishops, and in the centre
the King and Queen, the White Queen on a White square, and the Black
Queen on a Black square. The eight pawns occupy the ranks
immediately in front of the pieces. From this initial position, White
begins the game in which the players must move alternately.
The pieces move in the following way: The Rook can move from any
square it happens to be on, to any other