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This story was originally published on stlpublicradio.org on April 30.
By Brian Jerauld
In chess, conquering the center is a strategy nearly as old as the game itself.
It is a building block, a foundation, with centuries of theory backing the blueprint. American legend Bobby Fischer opened all but one of his myriad games by instantly striking into the center with 1. e4, famously referring to the first move as “best, by test.”
And it’s a theme that stays constant throughout the game. The early jockey for central management often induces a larger fight, one that radiates from where it started. All pieces converge on the battle’s expansion, using the center as a launchpad to fresh attack.
There is a moment in chess games, in essence an undrawn line that separates middlegame from end, where the kings look around an open battlefield and see only dust clearing. The queens have been traded away, the bishops and knights have valiantly served their duties, and scattered pawns cry out desperately for support.
At this moment the king, who quite often spends the entire game hiding in his castle, finds himself with a significant role in the fight. At this moment the monarch, the last of the major pieces, grabs his trusty sword and ventures fearlessly out into the open. Toward the center.
Here come the kings.
Click here to read the article in its entirety on stlpublicradio.org.
