Lesson 13

Strategic Elements: Time (Part Two)

The Initiative

If one side has control over the course of the game then that side is said to "have the initiative."  The side with the initiative usually has greater freedom, flexibility, and activity than the side without the initiative.  This is because the side with the initiative usually has the power to force the opposing side to react passively instead of pursuing more active plans themselves.

Let's return to that pedagogical classic one more time: that's right, the Morphy game you've come to know and love throughout this tutorial series.  By constantly creating threats against his opponent, Morphy dictated the course of the entire game.  Let's take a quick look at a few key moments at which Morphy (playing White, as you'll recall) makes great use of the initiative.  

1.e4 e5 

2.Nf3 d6

This last move establishes Philidor's Defense.  It's solid, but not very active.  It's as though Black doesn't even want to try to gain the initiative!

3.d4 Bg4 

4.dxe5 Bxf3 

5.Qxf3 dxe5 

6.Bc4!

Morphy threatens Black's King by attacking the weak f7 square with his Queen and Bishop.

6...Nf6

Black counters the threat, but . 

7.Qb3!

Morphy renews the threat by shifting his Queen to the same diagonal as his Bishop (this is sometimes called a Queen and Bishop Battery). 

7...Qe7

Black protects the f7 square in the only reasonable way, but he's now behind in development and has developed his Queen to an awkward square.  The initiative is paying off for Morphy already!

8.Nc3

Notice that Morphy might have thought about snatching a pawn with 8. Qxb7, but he's more interested in maintaining the initiative.

8...c6 

9.Bg5

Morphy keeps up the pressure by pinning Black's f6 Knight.

9...b5

This move looks very active.  After all, it attacks White's Bishop.  Black probably thinks that this gives him the initiative, since it appears to force Morphy to react to the threat of loss of material (10...bxc4).  Looks can be deceiving though, and Black is in for a nasty surprise.

10.Nxb5!

Morphy sacrifices material in order to keep the initiative.

10...cxb5 

11.Bxb5+

Checks are the most forcing of all moves, and a common way of securing or maintaining the initiative.

11...Nbd7

Black is once again forced to react passively to Morphy's threats.  The initiative is still very much in Morphy's hands.

12.0-0-0

The Rook on d1 puts additional pressure on the Black King.

12...Rd8 

And yet again, Black must react rather than act.

13.Rxd7

Morphy sacrifices a Rook in return for a Knight (a net loss of 2 points of material, as you'll no doubt recall) in order to maintain the initiative and keep the attack going against the Black King.

13...Rxd7 

14.Rd1 Qe6

Black's Queen steps aside in order to break the pin created against the f6 Knight by the Bishop on g5.  But it's too little too late, and Morphy finishes with a beautiful sacrificial combination.

15.Bxd7+ Nxd7 

16.Qb8+!! Nxb8 

17.Rd8#

The initiative is often secured by means of tactics, attacks against the enemy King, or threats to win other strategic advantages such as material, space, or structure.  Sometimes one side will sacrifice material, space, and / or structure in return for the initiative, hoping it will pay off later.  

Sometimes one side will deliberately pass over an opportunity to secure an advantage in material, space, and / or structure in order to avoid handing the initiative over to the enemy.  The initiative can dissipate quickly or last throughout an entire game.  The initiative can pass back and forth between the two sides or remain in the hands of one player exclusively.  Thus, the initiative is subtle and amorphous, much like Time itself. It has been known to perplex even advanced players.  As such, it shouldn't be a big concern for most beginners.  For now, just be aware of it, and always do your best to play actively if you can do so without unacceptable risk or consequences.