HE

DEVELOP ENT OF
. . . . HE TYLE
BY

DR. M. EUWE
Translated
from the Dutch
by
W. H. COZENS

DAVID McKAY COMPANY, INC.

NEW·YORK
•
 Originally published as
Veldheerschap op de Vierenzestig
by G. B. van Goor Zonen
The Hague, 1966

PREFACE
THE LAST part of :my book Praktische Schaaklessen contained a certain
English Translation am.ount of chess history. This, with a little revision and a great
Copyright @ 1968 by deal of amplification, forms the basis of the present work. In
G. Bell and Sons, Ltd particular, games and characteristic features of the play of the most
York House, Portugal Street
London, W.C.2 outstanding masters of the last fifty years have been added.
The aim of this book is not to make any contribution to the dis-
semination of historical chess knowledge; the author hopes rather
First published in the U.S. that by analysing the ideas of successive periods and by tracing the
by D. McKay, Co. development of different schools of thought the reader's outlook may
in 1968 be broadened and his appreciation of the strategic and tactical
problems of chess deepened.
DR. M. EUWE
Amsterdam, 1966

Printed in Great Britain

•
 CONTENTS
page
, pPFACE v
•
INTRODUCTION IX

CHAPTER1. Excursions with the pieces (Greco, 16001-1634?) 1

Game 1. About 1625 2
Game 2. Analysis dating frolll about 1625 4

CHAPTER 2. The Discovery of the Pawns (Philidor, 1726-1795) 6

Game 3. From Philidor's writings 7

CHAPTER 3. Long Live Combination! (Anderssen, 1818-1879) 11

Game 4. Anderssen-Kieseritzky 12
Game 5. Anderssen-Dufresne 14
I
Game 6. Anderssen-Zukertort 16
Game 7. Anderssen-Zukertort 19

CHAPTER 4. Combination for Strategic Ends (Morphy, 1887-

1884) 22
Game 8. Schulten-Morphy 23
Game 9. Morphy-Stanley 26
Game 10. Morphy-Allies 28
Game 11. Bird-Morphy 29
Game 12. Morphy-Harrwitz 32

CHAPTER 5. Positional Play (Steinitz, 1836-1900) 36

A. His Career 36
. B. His Teachings 38
C. Elucidation of his Teachings 89
(1) Lead in Development 40
(2) Superior Mobility 40
(8) Occupation of the Centre 42
(4) Unsafe King-position 42
(5) Weak Squares 43
(6) The Pawn Position 47
(a) United Pawns 48
(b) Isolated Pawns 48
(c) Doubled Pawns 49
(7) The Q-side Majority 50
(8) Open Files 52
 viii THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHESS STYLE
(9) The Advantage of the Two Bishops 58
(10) Material Preponderance 54
(11) Conversion of Temporary Advantages into Permanent
Ones 54
D. Games played by Steinitz 56
Game 13. Steinitz-Mongredien 56 INTRODUCTION
Game 14. Steinitz-Chigorin 58
Game 15. Zukertort-Steinitz 61 To SUPPOSE that the history of any subject should be just a collection
Game 16. J anowsky-Steinitz 66 of independent facts is a serious misapprehension. The~ may! it, is
Game 17. Steinitz-Fleissig 69 true, make interesting reading; but they m.ay also have lIttle Slgnlfi~
Game 18. Zukertort-Steinitz 71 cance for the subject in question.
Game 19. Pillsbury-Steinitz 74 . The history of chess under its present rules is the study of the
Game 20. Lasker-Steinitz 77 growth and gradual change of th~ strategic ideas ?f leadin~ players
Game 21. Neumann-Steinitz 82 of succeeding generations. TakIng note of thIS evolutIon and
thoroughly grasping it is the very thing which makes for better
CHAPTER 6. Technique and Routine (The Virtuosi, 1900-1914) 90
judgment and an increase in pl~ying strength. T~e development of
Game 22. Tarrasch-Steinitz 91
a chess player runs parallel wIth that of chess Itself;. a study of
Game 23. Lasker-Napier 95
the history of playing methods therefore has great practIcal value:
Game 24. Pillsbury-Lasker 98
Chess has certainly existed for twelve hundred yea~s, but durIng
Game 25. Lewitzky-Marshall 101
the earlier part of this titne its rules were different from ours. Only
Game 26. Mar6czy-Marshall 103
during and after the Renaissance did it assume its prese~t !orm.
Game 27. Rotlewi-Rubinstein 107
The first phase of its developInent dates frolll about the begInnIng of
Game 28. Capablanca-Marshall 109
the 16th century when the modern game took shape. The beginning
Game 29. Schlechter-Teichmann 112
of its ever-growing literature belongs to the same period.
Game 30. Capablanca-Duras 112
Succeeding generations of experts have contributed to the develop-
CHAPTER 7. The Independent Thinkers (Between the Wars: m.ent of chess play, but mostly it was the style of some outstanding
1919-1940) 114 individual which moulded the thinking and style of play of his time.
Game 31. Allies-Capablanca and Reti 117 It is with the most famous of these trail-blazers that this book
Game 32. Reti-Gruber 119 concerns itself.
Game 33. Reti-Alekhine 122 In the various chapters the chess player tnay perhaps be able to
Game 34. Samisch-Nimzovitch 125 trace the evolution of his own play; he may be able to check which
Game 35. Bogolyubov-Alekhine 127 milestones of growth are already behind hilll, and see how lllany more
Game 36. Flohr-Johner 129 remain to be passed before he reaches the final stage. How far he
Game 37. Fine-Alekhine 131 will get in the end one cannot say; but it is safe to state that each
Game 38. Euwe-Reshevsky 133 player has to start by grappling with somewhat naive problems in
Game 39. Keres-Walther 135 the style of the 16th and 17th centuries. This is no more to be
avoided than is the opening phase of a gam.e.
CHAPTER 8. New Thirst for Battle (The Russian School: 1945
to the Present Day) 139
Game 40. Lyublinsky-Botvinnik 140
Game 41. Smyslov-Reshevsky 143
Game 42. Tal-Larsen 145
Game 43. Petrosyan-Kozali 147
Game 44. Keres-Spassky 150
 1
EXCURSIONS WITH THE PIECES
Greco (1600?-1684?)

THE FIRST stage of growth is the most difficult and lasts the longest:
so it was in the story of chess. .
The primitive chessplayer lived, so to speak, from hand to mouth.
He Illade his move and hoped for the best. It was a matter of ex-
cursions with the pieces, punctuated by pleasant little episodes such
as winning a piece or giving check especially giving check, which
had a rare fascination for the early players. But systematic play
was virtually non-existent; what happened on the board was largely
a matter of chance.
Progress first manifested itself in the extent to which players were
able to profit from more or less fortuitous opportunities; and in this
respect the most typical figure from the early days of chess was
Greco.
T,he following two games are taken froID. the manuscript written by
Greco about 1625. The author evidently possessed an incisive power ·
of combination and ability to see clearly into complicated situations.
His manuscript consists largely of a collection of pretty tactical
devices to which, however, the best defences were often not taken
into consideration. They show one player going all out for mate
while the other plays to win as much Illsterial as possible. These are
chess fairy-tales on the age-old theme of the conflict between riches
and honour; and very attractive fairy-tales they are, albeit somewhat
primitive to present·day sensibilities.
The Calabrese, Gioachino Greco, was born about 1600 and died not
later than 1634. He was the first great genius in the story of modern
chess. His life was short, but the examples which he worked out set
the pattern for a hundred years; som.e live on to the present day as an
integral part of chess theory.
2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHESS STYLE . .EXCURSIONS WITH THE PIECES 8

GAME 1 llloves had been naive, in the that White is no longer able to
manner of beginners, neither take off the dangerous black
Adroit utilization of a fortuitous opportunity. The style of the 17th player had made any definite Knight. The only defence was
century. oversight. It was essential to 14. B x Kt, which, after 14. . ... ,
About 1625. King's Gambit play 10. P Kt5. Then after Q xB ch; 15. Kt K2, Q xP
10. .... Kt Kl the KB- would have conceded only a
1. P K4 P K4 Just about forced, in view of pawn would have been lost, but pawn.
2. P KB4 P KB4 Black's threat of 6. .... P x White would still not have been
A weak move. Perhaps they P ch. However, the black Queen 14. .... B Q2
in any real trouble.
liked the look of this quadrangle now comes into better play. After this simple covering
of pawns in the centre. 10. .... P xP move White is defenceless. The
6. . ... QxP ch II. PxP RxR trouble is that 15. B x Kt loses a
3. KP xP 7. B K2 12. Q xR Q Kt6ch? piece by 15. . ... , Q x Kt Chi
With the troublesome threat of After this, White can neither Dazzled by the chance of a 16. K K2, Q xB ch.·
4. Q R5 ch. This check can hold the gambit pawn nor yet check Black neglects his best
hardly be prevented, for 3. . ... give it back advantageously.
15. Kt KBS
continuation, which was simply Whereupon Black forces mate
Kt KB3 fails against 4. P x P. Nor could he have achieved this 12. . . .. Kt x P. This would with a manreuvre which is both
latter object by 7. Q K2, for have led at least to the win of the
Q R5 ch neat and for that period cer-
3. .... after 7. . ... Q x BP the white ,KB-pawn as well, leaving Black
The Queen has to move to QB-pawn is en prise, and if tainly very original.
with a strong extra pawn and a
make way for the King. She White then continues 8. P Q4 good position. 15. . •.. Kt B7 ch
could have gone to K2 direct, there follows 8. . ... Kt KB3 16. K Kl Kt Q6 ch
but Black takes his opportunity with a troublesome threat of 18. K Ql? 17. K Ql Q K8ch
to give the first check. Check to 9. . B Kt5 ch followed by Overestimating the power of a 18. Kt xQ Kt B7
the King! This always affords 10. . R-· KI. check and paralysed by the fear mate.
satisfaction to the beginner, even of it, as the novice at the chess-
though in sober fact it may have 7. Kt KBa board still is today. The King 1
no significance at all. 8. Q B3 P Q4 looks safest at QI, but in fact
Attacking the KB-pawn. 18. K BI, protecting the
4. P Kt3 Q K2 Knight, would have been Illuch
5. Q R5 ch 9. PKKt4 more to the point. Then after
This check is decidedly weak. This attempt to hold the B- 18. . ... Kt xP; 14. Q xP ch,
The indicated line was 5. P x P, pawn is futile, and leads only to a B Q2; 15. B xKt, Q xB;
Q x P ch; 6. B K21 by which weakening of the white King's 16. Kt QB8 the game would
means White could at least have position. It would have been still have been about even.
secured an important lead in better to relinquish the pawn at
development on account of the once by 9. P Q4, meeting either 18. .... Kt x P
premature movements of the 9. .... Q x QP or 9. .... Q x Now this capture leads at least
black Queen. On the other hand, BP with 10. B Q8. to the same advantage as Black
in this variation (5. P x P, Q x could have obtained by force by
P ch) the interposition 6. Q- 9. .... P KR4! 12• . . . . Kt xP. SInothered mate!
K2 would be wrong, allowing The first strong move in this The diagram shows convinc-
Black to regain the gambit pawn game. Black sees that the white 14. Q xP~? ingly that in those days players
by 6. .... P Q3; e.g. 7. Q x KKt-pawn must move, where.. A move tO'shout about. White had little use for systematic
Q ch, P x Q; 8. B Kt2, Kt,- upon the KB-pawn loses its· wins a pawn and gives check into development. Look at the white
QB8; 9. P KKt4, P KR4; protection and will be lost. the bargain! Q-side pieces!
10. P KR3, Kt B8; etc. Actually it is only this move The pretty finish does show,
10. P KR8? which allows Black to achieve however, that when an opportun-
5. . ... K QI And this is the first tactical his aim, for the KKt is now ity presented itself they knew
6. P xP blunder. Up to now, though the entirely without protection, so how to playa neat combination.
 THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHESS STYLE EXCURSIONS WITH THE PIECES 5

GAME 2 Less convincing, though also 14. B Kt6!· P-Q4

good enough for White, is the 15. Q B3 ch B B4
Greco was really ahead of his time in the matter of style. Here i8 a B xB B xKt
line 13. R KI, P Q4; 14. B x 16.
specimen of his treatment of the opening known in England nowadays Kt ch, Q xB; 15. R xQ, K xR; 17.B K6 ch B B3
as the Giuoco Piano and in most other countries as the Italian Ga.me. 16. B x P. Black has a material 18.B xB K Kl
An Analysis dating from about 1625. Giuoco Piano equivalent for his Queen, but his Black's only hope.
King is badly misplaced.
1. P K4 P K4 9. . ... B K2, however, is less 19. B xKtP
2. Kt KB3 Kt QB8 good, White obtaining an over- And White wins. The double
8. B B4 B B4 whelming attack with 10. P- 18. . ... BxP threat of 20. Q B7 mate and
4. P Bs Kt B8 Q5. If, say, 13. . . .. P Q3, 20. B x R wins a piece for White,
5. P-Q4 PxP White's 14. B Kt6 is just as and his attack continues un..
6. P xP B Kt5 ch 10. Q Kt8 B xR decisive. abated.
7. Kt 'BB This is where Black completely
This is regarded today as the misses the mark. The text move This line of the Giuoco Piano is known as the Greco V ~riation.
main line of the Giuoco Piano. loses, and 10. . . .. B x QP, It is to be found in all standard works on chess theory and stands
The pawn sacrifice implicit in which was also examined by as a worthy Inemorial to the great Calabrese.
the text move was for a long time Greco, is no better. But Black
considered incorrect, but about has a good continuation-
the end of the 19th century, namely, 10. .... P Q4!;
Greco's continuation was re- 11. B x P, 0 or, etc., with about
habilitated. even chances. This is the
defence put forward by Bernstein
7. .... Kt x KP in the 1930s.
8. 0 0 Kt xKt
8. . ... , B x Kt at this point · II. B xP ch K Bl
was long held to be the refutation 12. B Kt5 Kt K2
of Greco's pawn sacrifice. The 18. Kt K5!
continuation 9. P x B, P Q41 is
indeed in Black's favour, and
this was the only line considered. 2
The stronger move 9. P Q5!,
however, introduced by Moller,
gives White an attack which
guarantees at least a draw.
On the other hand, the text
move (8. . . .• Kt x Kt) used
to be very much underrated.
Not until about three hundred
years after the appearance of
Greco's manuscript was it demon..
strated by Dr. Bernstein that
Black can get a reasonable game
in this way_
An extraordinarily fine attack-
9. P xKt B xP ing move. White intends
Current opinion is that 9. . ... 14. B Kt6, threatening mate on
P-Q4 is also playable here with- KB7; with the text move he also
out any serious disadvantage. vacates KB3 for his Queen.