Game 26. Dr. Tarrasch—J. Mieses, Berlin, 1916. The following game shows how easily the early surrender of the centre can lead to disaster. Nevertheless, this procedure seems to us to be in itself quite practicable, provided we bring to bear on the problem all the tenacity which we possess, and do not allow ourselves to be forced down an inclined plane. If we do this our prospects for the future are good. As examples we may point to Rubinstein’s games of this kind which he won at St. Sebastian in 1911, and further to Game No. 28 in this book. The printed variation in the note to move 8 ends BxKt, PxKt, although the recaptured piece would be a bishop. The source wording is retained.

1. 3…dxe4 Gives up the centre, but opens the Q file and the long diagonal QKt2 to KR8 for pressure on White’s centre.
2. 6…Nxe4 Better would be P-QKt3, but the text move is playable.
3. 8.Bd3 If 8. B-KKt5, B-K2; 9. BxKt, then best 9. ....PxKt.
4. 12…h6 The tenacity of purpose so necessary to tournament play fails him here. Why not Q-Q4? If then 13. P-QB4, Q-QR4 followed presently by QR-Q1; and the pressure is already sensible. If, however, 13. P-QB4, Q-QR4; 14. P-Q5, then 14. ....QR-K1!, with strong counter-threats. For instance 15. PxP?, BxKt; followed by QxB. Why the mere contact with the point Q4 must bring a blessing is evident. This point in the first place is the outpost station in the Q file, and in the second the same thing in the diagonal QKt2 to KR8, while lastly, Q4 is a blockading point. The enormous strategical importance to Black of the point Q4 makes it clear that any, the most passing, contact with it must work wonders.
5. 13…Qd5 Now this move is unfavourable, since the QBP is in the air. The inclined plane makes its appearance.
6. 15…Bxf3 15. ....QR-QB1 was to be considered here, and after 16. B-K5, KR-Q1, the advance of White’s pawn majority is very much hindered.
7. 16…Qxa2 Black will not resign himself to the loss of a pawn, runs risks in seeking compensation, and thus loses the Queen. With 16. ....KR-QB1; 17. B-K5, Kt-Q2! (with a view to the threatened K-R1 and R-KKt1), he could still have put up a resistance. For if now 18. B-K4, then 18. ....KtxB; 19. BxR, Kt-Kt3, and Black threatens Kt-B5 with later B-Q3 and Q-KR4.
8. 19.Ra4 The Q is prettily trapped.