In this position it is Black's move. To a beginner the position may look like a draw, but the advanced player will realise immediately that there are great possibilities for Black to win, not only because he has the initiative, but because of White's undeveloped Queen's side and the fact that a Bishop in such a position is better than a Knight (see Section 14). It will take some time for White to bring his Rook and Knight into the fray, and Black can utilise it to obtain an advantage. There are two courses open to him. The most evident, and the one that most players would take, is to advance the Pawn to Q B 4 and Q B 5 immediately in conjunction with the Bishop check at R 3 and any other move that might be necessary with the Black Rook. The other, and more subtle, course was taken by Black. It consists in utilising his Rook in the same way as shown in the previous endings, forcing White to defend something all the time, restricting the action of White's Knight and
White's Rook, while at the same time keeping freedom of action for his own Rook and Bishop.
| 1. ........ | R - Kt 1 |
This forces P - Q Kt 3, which blocks that square for the White Knight.
| 2. P - Kt 3 | R - Kt 4 |
bringing the Rook to attack the King's side Pawns so as to force the King to that side to defend them, and thus indirectly making more secure the position of Black's Queen's side Pawns.
| 3. P - B 4 | R - K R 4 | |
| 4. K - Kt 1 | P - B 4 |
Note that the White Knight's sphere of action is very limited, and that after Kt - Q 2 White's own Pawns are in his way.