Mistakes in the Opening
Much can be learned from a clear understanding of the things one should NOT do. Therefore, let us examine some of the common mistakes made in the opening and demonstrate how and why they lose.
We are not referring now to blunders which cost material or expose you to checkmate. At all stages of the game you must anticipate and answer your opponent's material-winning or mating thrests.
The mistakes we are now considering are strategical errors. They can be defined in one sentence: Any opening moves which give your opponent an opportunity to gain an advantage in development are strategical mistakes. Specifically, mistakes of this nature may be classified as follows: Premature attacks: Some players are too aggressive for their own good. They start out with the idea of annihilating their opponents in the first ten moves.
If an attack is pursued with good developing moves, there can be no criticism of such tactics. Too often, however, these early attacks are made at the expense of development. Premature attacks with two or three pieces are doomed against good defense. The opponent can defend with developing moves and gain an advantage in mobilization which will enable him to counter-attack successfully...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
White has played
4.Bxf7+
Without waiting to complete his development he begins an entirely unsound attck. Black has played his defense well and there is no justification for making an attack of this nature. White has sacrificed a piece and to justify this there must be a forced continuation which wins material or checkmates.
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+
Black has captured the Bishop with his King and White has played Nxe5. This is the second move in White's unsound "combination." Now he is sacrificing his Knight for a Pawn. Note that Black was not afraid to accept the original Bishop sacrifice. Always accept sacrifices if you see no reason for not doing so.
5...Nxe5 6.Qh5+
Black has captured ...Nxe5 and White has played 6.Q-R5ch. Now we see the "idea" behind White's attack. He has given up two pieces for two Pawns, but now he must win back one piece. However, this is not sufficient. Black can now play ...Ng6, allowing White to capture Qxc5, and Black will be ahead in material with a winning game.
6...g6
But instead of ...Ng6, Black has played ...g6 to get out of check. White has continued
7.Qxe5
Now the Queen is attacking Black's Bishop and Rook simultaneously. One of these pieces must be lost. Has Black blundered? Has he overlooked this? No, he is deliberately tempting White, leading him on to his destruction.
7...d6
Black has played ...d6, protecting the attacked Bishop with a Pawn and releasing his other Bishop. White has played
8.Qxh8
Now count the material and note that White's premature attack has apparently succeeded. He has gained two Pawns and won the exchange (Rook for minor piece).
Why did Black allow this? What is his plan?
8.Qxh8 Qh4
Black has played ...Qh4 and now we see why he allowed White to capture his Rook. White's Queen has been deflected from the scene of forthcoming action. His premature attack has left his home front undeveloped and undefended. Black is now launching his counter-attack. He is threatening to play ...Qxf2+, followed by ...Bg4 mate!
9.0-0 Nf6
To defend this threat, White has castled (9 0-0). Black has played ...Nf6, thereby developing a piece and at the same time closing the lid on White's Queen which now cannot retreat to aid in the defense of the home front. Note that Black has a Queen, Bishop and Knight in active play and that his other Bishop is free to jump into action.
10.c3
White has no pieces in action and his King is inadequately defended. He has played 10.c3, trying to shut off Black's Bishop with d4.
10...Ng4
Black has played ...Ng4 ,threatening ...Qxh2 mate. (The N move leads to a pleasing finish but Black could have won with [ 10...Bh3 11.Qxa8 ( if 11.gxh3 Rxh8) 11...Qg4 12.g3 Qf3 and mate next move]
11.h3 Bxf2+
White has played his only defense to the threatened mate, 11.h3, and Black has forced the issue with ...Bxf2+. The White King is in a "mating net," as it is called, and canot escape. If White now plays Rxf2, Black will recapture ...Qxf2ch. The White King must then move to h1 (h2 is attacked by the N) and Black mates with ...Qf1.
12.Kh1 Bf5
White has played 12.Kh1, his only move, and black has played ...Bf5, bringing out another piece. Note that this piece can be put "en prise" to a Pawn because the Black Rook now attacks the White Queen. Note also that the Queen cannot escape from the Rook's attack. Every square on the diagonal is attacked by a Black piece.
13.Qxa8 Qxh3+
White was forced to play 13.Qxa8 or lose his Queen.
Black has played Qh3+! Black is sacrificing his Queen and demonstrating the helplessness of White's position. White's QR, QKt and QB cannot aid him now because they were never developed. His adventurous Queen is far away - and quite useless.
14.gxh3 Bxe4#
White has played 14.gxh3, his only means of getting out of check, and Black has delivered the final thrust with ...Bxe4 mate. A delightful, "pure" mate with two Bishops and a Knight. Moral: What is a man profited if he gains a Queen and two Rooks and loses by checkmate?
Premature attacks don't pay.
