Lesson 16

Strategic Elements: Exploiting the Weak f2/f7 Square (Part 02)

Exploiting the Weakness

Beginning chess players soon learn how to deliver checkmate against an unprepared opponent. For example, consider the following game that gets played, it seems, in nearly every children’s tournament. 

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 d6 4. Qxf7#

Diagram 01

Notice how this checkmate exploits the weakness of the f7 square. This pattern is called Scholar’s Mate. It is exciting to win a game this way, but it will not work against a prepared opponent. It is too easily prevented.

Consider another game where white tries for this quick knockout. 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 (aiming for the weak square at f7) Nc6 3. Qa5 g6 (prevents mate, and prepares the g7 square for the bishop) 4. Qf3 (white continues the attack on f7) Nf6 (see diagram 2). Now black prevents mate, and has the beginnings of a strong defensive structure.

Black could stop white cold, however, as early as the second move. 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6. Here black follows the advice of experts, “develop knights before bishops.”

Diagram 02

The short game called Fool’s Mate offers a memorable way of understanding the weakness of the f2 and f7 squares. This mate requires a lot of help from your

opponent, who must blunder. 1. f4?! This is a poor first move for beginners, but some experts play it. I also play it occasionally, although I am not an expert. It is named Bird’s Opening after Henry Edward Bird He played it in a match against John Wisker in 1873. Bird liked it because it can lead to interesting games. It is risky, however, because it exposes the king through f2. Avoid it before you develop strong strategic knowledge and tactical skills. Black replies 1. … d5. This move stakes a claim to the center, and increases the mobility of the queen, bishop, and knight. 2. g4?? This move is the greatest blunder in chess, and t is not the move Bird played. White should play Nf3, the second move in Bird’s Opening. Qh4#. Fool’s Mate takes two moves!

Now look at another game that exploits the weakness of the f7 square. I played this game at the Internet Chess Club (ICC), a good playing site for serious chess players. I’ve played this exact game three times at ICC against different opponents. 

White: Wulebgr (my chess handle), black: Miles. 

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. Nxe5? Bxd1?? 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Nd5# (see diagram 3). 

In this game white’s fifth move was a gamble that could have lost the game, and has several times. Instead of greedily grabbing the bait, black should play 5. … Nxe5 when white’s attack is over and black is up a piece.

Diagram 03

The mating position in diagram 3 has been given the name Legall’s Mate because of a game played about 1750 by Kermur de Legall against a player whose name is not recorded. That game went 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Bg4?! “Knights before bishops” 4. Nc3 g6? 5. Nxe5! (see diagram 4) Bxd1?? 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5#. Notice in the diagram that if black does not take the bait (queen), white still wins a pawn (5. … dxe5! 6.Qxg4). White would give up a knight for a bishop and pawn with three pieces developed black’s none. Legal did not take the risks that I took to reach a similar final position. Black should have played 3. … Nf6 before bringing out the bishop because the knight could protect the g4 square. In addition, a knight cannot deliver checkmate from d5 when there is a defending knight on f6.

Diagram 04