33.  K-Q3 Resigns.

Game No. 47

     White:  Tartakower.  Black:  Asztalos.

Dutch Opening.

          1.  P-KB4 P-Q4

It has been tried to refute White’s non-developing first move by a pawn sacrifice:  1. ...  P-K4; which leads to a rapid mobilisation of the Black forces after 2.  PxP, P-Q3; 3.  PxP, BxP.  But this attack—­called the From Gambit—­does not seem to prevail against the best defence.  In a match game, Tartakower-Spielmann (Vienna, 1913), White won as follows: 

4.  Kt-KB3, P-KKt4; 5.  P-Q4, P-Kt5; 6.  Kt-K5, Kt-QB3; 7.  KtxKt, PxKt; 8.  P-KKt3, P-KR4; 9.  B-Kt2, P-R5; 10.  Q-Q3, B-Q2; 11.  Kt-B3, R-Kt1; 12.  Castles, PxP; 13.  PxP, P-QB4; 14.  B-B4, BxB; 15.  RxB, Q-Kt4; 16.  Kt-K4, Q-R3; 17.  KtxP, Kt-B3; 18.  KtxB, KtxKt; 19.  Q-K4ch, K-Q1; 20.  RxBP, R-K1; 21.  QxP, Q-K6ch; 22.  K-B1, Resigns.

When Black plays P-KB4 in answer to 1.  P-Q4 we have the Dutch Defence.  After 1.  P-Q4, P-KB4, White can also sacrifice a pawn by 2.  P-K4, and thereby obtain a far more favourable position than Black does in From’s gambit, as he is a move to the good, having already advanced his QP, e.g. 2.  P-K4, PxP; 3.  Kt-QB3, Kt-KB3; 4.  P-B3 or 4.  B-Kt5 and then P-B3.  If Black captures the KBP, White obtains a powerful attack.  A drastic example is found in the following little game, played by two students in an academic tournament at Petrograd:  4.  P-B3, PxP; 5.  KtxP, P-K3; 6.  B-KKt5, B-K2; 7.  B-Q3, Castles; 8.  Castles, P-QKt3; 9.  Kt-K5, B-Kt2; 10.  BxKt, BxB; 11.  BxPch, KxB; 12.  Q-R5ch, K-Kt1; 13.  Kt-Kt6, R-K1; 14.  Q-R8ch, K-B2; 15.  Kt-K5ch, K-K2; 16.  QxPch!!, BxQ; 17.  R-B7ch, K-Q3; 18.  Kt-Kt5ch, K-Q4; 19.  P-B4ch, K-K5; 20.  R-K1 mate.

Black’s best answer is to play P-Q4 after White’s 4.  P-KB3 (5.  B-Kt5, B-B4).  If 4.  B-Kt5, it is not yet possible to play P-Q4 because of the threat:  BxKt, Q-R5ch, and QxQP.  In that case Black must first play P-QB3, after which White again obtains a strong attack by P-KB3.

Black can avoid the attacks which follow after 1.  P-Q4, P-KB4; 2.  P-K4, by playing P-K3 on his first move, and then lead into the Dutch defence with P-KB4 on his second move.  He must, however, reckon with having to play the French defence which White can bring about with 2.  P-K4.

2.  P-K3 P-K3 3.  Kt-KB3 P-QB4 4.  P-QKt3 Kt-QB3 5.  B-Kt5 Kt-B3

Black should have played B-Q2 here, as White can exchange at B6, leaving Black with a doubled pawn.  This in itself is not a drawback, but in the present position it is serious, as Black will have difficulty in finding a place for his QB.  For there is no prospect of enforcing P-K4, as White commands that square in sufficient force.

6.  B-Kt2          B-K2
7.  Castles        Castles
8.  BxQKt          PxB
9.  Kt-K5          Q-B2
10.  P-Q3           P-QR4

Black’s attempt of capturing his K4 by playing Kt-Q2 and P-B3, White would cross at once with Q-Kt4.  With the text move Black begins operations on the Q side, which is quite correct, as White has the upper hand on the other wing.