The free move

In the first example of the last chapter white was attacking a piece. You have to be aware that attacking a piece gives your opponent a free move. Therefore it is dangerous to attack pieces. If white attacks here with 30 – 25, black is not forced to play 18 – 23. Black can use his free move to perform a Coup Weiss.

1.30 – 25? 19 – 23!

2.25 x 14 24 – 30

3.35 x 24 23 – 29

4.24 x 33 13 – 19

X 23 18 x 47

If black takes 5… 18 x 49? the king is caught by 50 – 44 49 x 40 35 x 44 W+1.

Back to the diagram position: If white is not allowed to play 30 – 25, what should he do to defend against the threatening attack of black 20 – 25?

White can play 1.50 – 44 in order to make an exchange after 20 - 25 by playing 2.44 – 39 25 x 34 3.39 x 30.

Black has just attacked the white piece at 27. White now has a plan:

The piece at 31 will go to square 22. If I can transport piece 33 to 31 I have a combination.

X 22

X 42

X 31

X 7

Let’s put all the pieces at the board and play:

1.33 – 28 18 – 23

2.39 – 33 12 – 18

3.44 – 39 7 – 12

4.31 – 27 20 – 24

This is the Old Dutch opening. This opening used to be very popular and is still being played! White occupies the strong squares 27 and 28, while black is in possession of squares 23 and 24. We call this a classical structure. The position is symmetrical now.

5.37 – 31 14 – 20

6.34 – 30

Black can play 20 – 25 now. White cannot exploit the free move he gets. A likely play after 20 – 25 is: 7.41 – 37 25 x 34 8.40 x 20 15 x 24.

Things change after:

6… 17 – 21

Now white must resist the temptation to attack 31 – 26?

7.31 – 26? 24 – 29!!

Black uses the free move to win a piece. For example: 8.26 x 17 11 x 31 9.36 x 27 29 - 34!

10.40x29 23 x 25 B+1.

After 7.41 - 37 it’s blacks turn to watch out. After 20 – 25 white gains a piece with 27 – 22!.

☼ Attacking pieces is dangerous, because your opponent gets a free move!

In this composition (Scheijen) white forces a win by creating a free move.

1.25 – 20! 24 – 30

X 37

X 24

X 27

5.42 x 2 30 – 35

X 30 35 x 44

X 33

8.48 - 43

In this composition H. van Meggelen shows a nice way to use a free move in this composition.

1.27 – 22! 28 – 33

2.26 – 21!

Piece 21 or piece 22 will be sacrificed at square 17. 2… 17 x 26 gives the longest defense.

X 26

Choice

X 31

5.36 x 7 6 – 11

6.7 x 16 26 – 31

7.48 – 42 31 – 36

8.42 – 37 8 – 12

9.16 – 11 12 – 18

10.11 – 7 18 – 22

White has to pay attention: After 11.7 – 2? 22 – 28 it’s a draw.

X 27

12.7 – 2 27 – 32

13.2 – 11 22 – 27

14.11 - 16

In this composition (D. v.d. Berg) white creates a free move to be able to take a shot.

1.26 – 21! 27 – 31

X 27

X 49

X 32

X 3 32 x 5

X 37 5 x 41

X 37

White creates no less than 3 free moves. White uses his free moves to make a trip from 49 to 35.

1.37 – 31!!

It doesn’t matter which of 4 possible captures black takes first. In any case black gets kings at 46 and 48, after which the kings will end up at 19 and 30 as food for the marching piece at 49.

X 48

X 46

X 19

X 30

X 2

White creates a free move and makes a nice shot. White forces piece 30 to attack white’s pieces, giving him the opportunity to prepare a shot.

1.29 – 24! 30 – 35

X 42

X 38 25 x 34

X 27

X 21 19 x 30

X 21

X 10

Black has just played 17 – 21 threatening 21 – 27.

1.36 – 31 21 – 27?

After 2.31 x 22 12 – 18 white looses.

2.32 x 21! 23 x 34

White can use the free move to perform a coup Royal, because black has to apply the majority rule.

X 36

X 16

In this game position white made a sacrifice hoping to get an advantage, but his opponent took advantage of the free move he got.

X 29

2.39 – 33 29 – 34

3.33 – 29

After 3… 13 – 18? 4.29 x 40 black would be in trouble. 3… 34 – 39 4.29 x 9 4 x 13 5.28 – 22 etc. would be probably end in a draw. But black made a simple shot and won.

3…. 4 – 9!

4.29 x 40 17 – 22!

5.27 x 29 19 – 23

X 19 13 x 31

In the game white played a naïve move giving his opponent a free move. Black uses the track 6 x 46 for a shot. He only needs to transport a piece to square 11…

1.37 – 31? 2 – 7!

2.31 x 22 23 – 29

3.33 x 24 13 – 19

X 11 6 x 46

In exercise 13.7 and 13.8 you have to force a win!