How to Seize the Initiative!
Only the player with the initiative has the right to attack. ~Wilhelm Steinitz
The initiative is dynamic. It's an abstract concept that frequently shifts sides, brings glory to the person who seized it, and is easily lost. But when one has it, it's like being on a rollercoaster with each twist and turn being exactly what you dreamed it would be. Each move you play flows with the position. But unfortunately, the initiative is also evanescent.
By evanescent, I mean that the initiative can simply vanish if not used properly. If one does not make the most of the situation while possessing the initiative, it will evaporate and the player will be left stranded.
The initiative is an interesting concept. Strike while the iron is hot! The trick is to attack your opponent by threatening his pieces or giving a check almost every move. The true master of the initiative is Paul Morphy, 'The Pride and Sorrow of Chess'. I will be using his games to demonstrate how to properly take hold of the initiative and attack your opponent.
A great example of how the initiative can be used to destroy your opponent — in the most elegant manner possible, of course — is The Opera game. This game is so famous that it even had a name given to it! It is considered to be Paul Morphy's best game. Here it is.
The Opera Game
Seize the Initiative and Attack!
Morphy really knows how to take hold of his opponents and never let go.
The Remarkable Conclusion
The Opera Game is possibly the best example of how to use the initiative, but let me prove to you that seizing the initiative does not necessarily mean a king hunt or a kingside attack. It's about attacking in general.
Morphy v. Mongredian
I haven't annotated this in because I want you to guess it. Where did White go wrong in above excerpt? It's important to know when your opponent trips up!
The answer: 18.Kh2??
It seems to be that White to attempting to imitate Black by playing 18.Kh2. However, this move was a waste of time and simply unrequired. Unfortunately, Morphy did not capitalize on this error by playing d5, but even without playing d5, Kh2 decisively worsened White's position.
Here comes the move we've been waiting for:
Break White's position.
Here comes the attack.
A Thrilling Conclusion
In the above game, both players made many errors. But Morphy's demonstration of how to seize the initiative overpowered his few errors.
Here's one last game, unannotated and untouched.
Morphy v. Johann Lowenthal
Hope you enjoyed this article! Hold that initiative and never let go!
