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White. Black (P to K's th P to K's th K's Kt) (VIII)

1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th. 2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. Q's Kt. to B's 3d. 3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. takes P.

If he play 4. Kt. takes P., you reply with either Kt. takes Kt., or Kt. takes K's P., and obtain the better position. 4. B. to Q. B's 4th. 4. B. to Q. B's 4th.

This is now acknowledged to be Black's best move; for 4. B. to Q Kt.'s 5th. (ch.) see Variation A. 5. P. to Q. B's 3d. 5. K's Kt. to B's 3d. (best.) And the position is the same as given in the leading variation of the Giuoco Piano, see page 622. Should Black instead play: P. takes Q. B's P., you take his K. B's P. with your B. (ch.); and if he takes the Bishop with King, play Q. to Q's 5th (ch.), and then take his Bishop.

Variation A. on Black's 4th Move. 1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th. 2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. Q's Kt. to B's 3d. 3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. takes P. 4. B. to Q. B's 4th. 4. B. to Q. Kt.'s 5th. (ch.) 5. P. to Q. B's 3d. 5. P. takes P. 6. Castles. 6. P. to Q. B's 7th. Instead of 6. Castles, you might adopt Mr. Cochrane's method of continuing the attack, by 6. P. takes P.

N.B.--It would be very bad play of Black to take the Q. Kt.'s P., instead of the move in the text. 7. Q. takes P. 7. P. to Q's 3d. 8. P. to Q. R's 4th. 8. B. to Q. R's 4th. 9. P. to Q. Kt.'s 4th. 9. B. to Kt.'s 3d. 10. Q. to Q. Kt.'s 3d, with a fine game.

There is another not uninteresting method of attack, which White might adopt at his fifth move, instead of 5. P. to Q. B's 3d; viz., K's Kt. to his 5th. 5. K's Kt. to his 5th. 5. K's Kt. to R's 3d. (best.) 6. Kt. takes K. B's P. 6. Kt. takes Kt. 7. B. takes Kt. (ch.) 7. K. takes B. 8. Q. to R's 5th. 8. P. to K. Kt.'s 3d. 9. Q. takes B. 9. P. to Q's 4th.

Black's 9th move was first suggested in an able analysis on this variation by Messrs. Jaenisch and Schummoff, in the "Chess Player's Chronicle" for July, 1850. It is far superior to the old move of P. to Q's 3d, and without great care on your part will give him an irresistible attack. 10. Castles. 10. P. takes P.

This is your strongest move, and appears to have been overlooked by the talented authors of the article in question:-- 10. P. to Q. B's 3d. (best.) 10. R. to K's sq.

If Black play 10. P. to Q's 6th, you reply with Q. to Q. B's 4th (ch.), winning the King's Pawn. 11. B. to K. Kt.'s 5th. 11. Q. to Q's 3d. 12. Q. takes Q. 12. P. takes Q. 13. P. takes P. 13. Kt. takes P. 14. Q's Kt. to B's 3d.

And Black will have great difficulty in avoiding the loss of a Pawn. There is another variation of this opening hitherto, we believe, unanalysed, which, although it presents many points of interest, seems altogether unknown to the majority of amateurs. 1. P. to K's 4th. 1. P. to K's 4th. 2. K's Kt. to B's 3d. 2. Q's Kt. to B's 3d. 3. P. to Q's 4th. 3. P. takes P. 4. B. to Q. B's 4th. 4. B. to Q. B's 4th. 5. Castles. 5. P. to Q's 3d. 6. K's Kt. to his 5th. 6. K's Kt. to R's 3d. 7. P. to K. B's 4th. 7. P. to Q's 6th. (dis. ch.) If he play 7. B. to K. Kt.'s 5th, your best reply seems to be Q. to K's sq., although you might obtain a strong but hazardous attack by playing Q. to her 3d, and afterwards, on his attacking her, with Q's Kt. to Q. Kt.'s 3d. 8. K. to R's sq. 8. P. takes P. 9. Q. takes P. 9. Q's Kt. to Q's 5th. 10. Q. to Q. B's 3d.

And although minus a Pawn, you have a fine game. If he now play P. to K. B's 3d, you reply with B. to K's 3d.