The renowned French opera composer François-André Danican Philidor produced over 20 operas in the mid to late 18th century. He was also the world’s best chess player during this period. A chess opening is named after him along with other chess strategies. A famous chess saying of his is: “Pawns: they are the soul of the game.”
In this week’s position, the pawns face off between the fourth and second ranks. Black’s pawns have penetrated white’s side of the board but white has an extra outside passed pawn. White’s extra outside passed pawn on b2 would likely be decisive in most positions like this.
However, in the pawn face off on the kingside of the board white mistakenly blinked first with pawn to h3. With this hint please try to find black’s winning move and strategy.
Black counters white’s threat to its g4 pawn and steals the life from white’s position with pawn to f3. Both white’s h3 and black’s f3 pawns threaten to win a pawn. But black’s pawn would promote in half the number of moves.
White’s king cannot stop black’s f3 pawn if it captures on g2 after white’s h3 pawn takes black’s g4 pawn. The white king doesn’t reach the black pawn in time. This is because black’s g2 pawn stops the white king from advancing to f1 (see next diagram)
Of course white’s g2 pawn can respond to black pawn f3 by capturing the black pawn. This is met with black’s g4 pawn taking white’s h3 pawn. Black’s new h3 pawn marches cozily to promotion on h1 with white’s g2 pawn out of the way (see next diagram).
If pawns have souls, Philidor might have added, the lesson then is to play the role of the devil and take the life out of your opponent’s game one pawn move at a time.
Reach Eric Morrow at ericmorrowlaw@gmail.com or (505) 327-7121.
