Black remains with an isolated Queen's pawn after the exchanges which follow; but as in most forms of the Sicilian Defence, Black's Queen's pawn is weak, the position arising from Black's text-move is not inferior to any other he can obtain.
| 9. | P takes P | 9. | Kt takes P |
| 10. | Kt takes Kt | 10. | Q takes Kt |
| 11. | Q takes Q | 11. | P takes Q |
| 12. | B to K B 4 | 12. | Castles |
| 13. | Castles | 13. | B to K 3 |
| Even game. | |||
THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT.
The Queen's Gambit, 1. P to Q 4, P to Q 4; 2. P to Q B 4, P takes P; 3. P to K 3, or 3. P to K 4, or 3. Kt to K B 3, &c., is rarely played, because the Gambit pawn cannot, as in the King's Gambit, be defended by Black with the Knight's pawn; therefore the offered Gambit is usually declined (say, by 2. ... P to K 3), and the games take the form of close openings. The Queen's Gambit Declined is a very popular Opening in tournaments.
THE FIANCHETTO.[[105]]
The Fianchetto takes various form—viz., the King's Fianchetto, wherein White commences with 1. P to K Kt 3, and 2. B to Kt 2; and the Queen's Fianchetto, where White plays 1. P to Q Kt 3, and 2. B to Kt 2; the King's Fianchetto Defence, where Black defends with 1. ... P to K Kt 3, and 2. ... B to Kt 2; and the Queen's Fianchetto Defence, where Black defends with 1. ... P to Q Kt 3, and 2. ... B to Kt 2. The Double Fianchetto is where either White or Black develops both Bishops at Kt 2. The shape of White's development against either Fianchetto defence should be as under:
| WHITE. | BLACK. | ||
| 1. | P to K 4 | 1. | P to K Kt 3 |
| 2. | P to K B 4 | 2. | P to K 3 |
| 3. | P to Q 4 | 3. | B to Kt 2 |
| 4. | Kt to K B 3 | 4. | P to Kt 3 |
| 5. | P to B 3 | 5. | B to Kt 2 |
| 6. | B to Q 3 | 6. | Kt to K 2 |
| 7. | B to K 3 | 7. | P to Q 4 |
| 8. | P to K 5 | 8. | Kt to Q 2 |
| 9. | Q Kt to Q 2, &c. |
All kindred Openings should be treated after this manner—viz., the opposing player should aim at the formation of a strong centre, so as to close the diagonal occupied by the Bishop.