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Modern Chess Analysis

'Robin Smith

@Ali~IBIIT/
 First published in the UK by Gambit Publications Ltd 2004

Copyright© Robin Smith 2004

The right of Robin Smith to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Parents Act I 988. ·

All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or
otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired our or otherwise circulated in any fonn of binding or cover other
than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being im-
posed on the subsequent purchaser.
A copy of the British Library Cataloguing in Publication data is available from the British Library.

ISBN I 904600 08 5

DISTRIBUTION:
Worldwide (except USA): Central Books Ltd, 99 Wallis Rd, London E9 5LN.
Tel +44 (0)20 8986 4854 Fax +44 (0)20 8533 5$21.E-mail:[email protected]
USA: BHB lntematio,1al, Inc., 302 West North 2nd Street, Senec°' SC 29678, USA.

For all other enquiries (including a full list of all Gambit chess titles) please contact the publishers,
Gambit Publications Ltd, P.O. Box 32640, London Wl4 OJN. E-mail: [email protected]
Or visit the GAMBIT w~b site at http://www.gambitbooks.com

Edited by Graham Burgess

Typeset by Petra Nunn
Cover image by Wolff Morrow
Printed in Great Britain by The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wilts.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 I

Gambit Publications Ltd

Managing Director: GM Murray Chandler
Chess Director: GM John Nunn
Editorial Director: FM Graham Burgess
German Editor: WFM Petra Nunn
Contents

Symbols 5
Dedication 5
Acknowledgements 5

Introduction 6
Why Analysis? 7
General Information about Computers and Chess Programs 8
Buying a Computer for Chess Analysis 9
Which Chess Program Should I Get? 10
General Comments on Chess Program Algorithms 10

1 Relative Strengths of Computers versus Humans 12

Calculation 12
Schematic Thinking 17
Positional Evaluation 19
Some Evaluation Function Subtleties 27
Exceptions to the 'Rules' 29
The Exchange Sacrifice 29
Other Piece Imbalances 32
'Weak' Pawn-Structures 32
Intuition 37

2 Computer-Aided Analysis Methods 41

Interactive Analysis - Using a Program as a Sparring Partner 41
Multivariation Mode 46
Box Canyons 46
Transpositions 49
Running Multiple Engines Concurrently 50
Engine Tournaments as an Analysis Tool 54
Deep Position Analysis/Correspondence Mode 56
Auto-Annotating and Blunderchecking 60

3 Opening Analysis 64
Game Database Statistics 64
 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

Annotated Games 65
Using the Bookup Program 67

4 Middlegame Analysis 70
Deep Tactics and Highly Forcing Lines 70
Outposts, Weak Squares, Targets, Passed Pawns and Other Positional Features 72
Positional Sacrifices 79
Prisons 81
~~ ~
King Hunts and 'King Drift' 93
The Problem of Exchanging 104
Material Imbalances l 06
Quiet Manoeuvring 106
Critical Positions 113

5 Endgame Analysis 116

Endgame Database Statistics 116
Tablebase Endings 117
Fortresses 123
Perpetual Check 136
The Problem of Exchanging, Revisited 140
Passed Pawns 142
Passed Pawns in King and Pawn Endings 142
Passed Pawns in Endgames with Piec~s 146
Quiet Manoeuvring Revisited 153

6 Putting it All Together 156

Some Conclusions 165
The Future of Chess Analysis 165

Common Computer Chess Terms 167

Milestones in the History of Computer Chess 172
Index of Players 175
Index of Composers 176
Index of Openings 176
Symbols

+ che.:k
++ double check
# che.:klllate
x capture
!! brillianl move
good move
l? interesting move
7! dubious move
? bad move
?? blunder
+- White has a won position
± White is much better
;!;; White is slightly better
= the game is equal (or drawn)
'j: Black is slightly better
+ Black is much better
--+ Black has a won position
"' the position is unclear
D the 'only move'; all other moves are bad
Ch championship
Corr. correspondence game
ICCF International Correspondence Chess Federation
1-0 the game ends a win for White
'h-'h the game ends a draw
0-1 the game ends a win for Black
(n) nth match game
(D) see next diagram

Dedication
To my daughters, Eva and Danielle. Your enthusiasm was my inspiration.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Graham Burgess and John Nunn, for their invaluable suggestions, and to the
chess programmers and other posters at the Computer Chess Club Internet bulletin board
(http://www.icdchess.com) for the numerous insights into chess programs I gleaned by reading
there.
 Introduction

"Computers are incredibly fast, accurate and the Spaniard Lucena in 1497, is another matter,
stupid; humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate containing analysis of several openings still
and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond played today. However, it should be noted that
imagination." 1 the common l:i+i\ vs l:r ending bearing Lu-
cena's name was not actually given until more
Chess analysis is nearly as old as the game it~ than 100 years after Lucena's death, by Salvio
self. The fust theorists of the game were proba- in 1634. The Gottingen Manuscript, a Latin
bly the Arabs, who had themselves adopted the document of 33 pages containing analysis of
game from the Persians. Without a notation openings and chess problems, also believed to
system for recording moves, analysis is hardly have been written by Lucena around 1490, in-
possible, and it was the Arabs who introduced cluded limited analysis of the Giuoco Piano,
the algebraic system of notation, long before also known as the 'Italian Opening' or 'Quiet
modem rules of castling, and before modem rule Game' and the Ruy Lopez.
changes expanded the power of many pieces. Later Pedro Damiano's book Questa libro e
Early manuscripts, prior to the invention of da impare giocare a scachi et de le partite, first
the printing press, were very limited in circula- published in 1512, was a big success, with eight
tion. Many involved analysis of endgames and, editions in several languages over a period of 50
in the words of Murray's A History of Chess: years. Next Spain took the lead in chess develop-
"The endgame is certainly the principal feature ment and analysis, with Ruy Lopez publishing
in all the early literature of chess, both in his book, Libro de lo i,n,encion liberal y arte de/
Muslim lands and in Europe .... These endgame juegode/ Axedrez in 1561, in which among other
positions are called in Arabic 'mansuba' ... in things he claimed that after the moves l e4 e5 2
modem chess language, a 'problem"'. li:lf3 li:lc6 3 i.b5, White has a good game. Of
The game of chess as it exists today first course, this opening remains highly popular to-
started to emerge in southern Europe toward day, and still bears his name, the 'Ruy Lopez', in
the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th English-speaking countries, as well as the name
century. People such as Ruy Lopez, Damiano 'Spanish Game' in much of the rest of the world.
and Lucena also wrote the first printed (and While the Ruy Lopez had already been men-
thus more widely available) books around this tioned in the Gottingen manuscript, Lopez was
same time. The first printed book on chess was the frrst to treat this opening systematically.
William Caxton's 1476 translation from French, Chess analysis, theory, and knowledge have
The Game and Playe of rhe Chesse (only the continued to advance ever since, with analysts
second book ever to be printed in English, and building upon the knowledge of those who
the first printed book to use woodcut illustra- went before, using methods that have changed
tions!). While it did not apparently contain little since these earlier times. That is until now.
analysis, it did help standardize the rules of Modern personal computers, and the pawerful
play for a while, as well as pave the way for fu- chess software available for them, are having a
ture chess authors and analysts. Repeticion by profound effect on chess analysis and theory.

Anonymous. This quote has been attributed to Albert Einstein. Given the state of computation in Ein-
stein's day and the fact that Einstein quotes are more common than Elvis sightings, I find this attribu-
tion high! y suspect. However, it sums up the spirit of this book perfectly.
 INTRODUCTION 7

Only a few short years ago, strong grandmas- with a computer, the program will catch any
ters paid Jittle attention to computers) generally short-term tactical analytical errors; however,
seeing them as interesting curiosities perhaps, the human must still do his/her part. and catch
but certainly computers could not understand the computer's errors. Only when the human
chess, nor could they be of much use as re.- analyst knows what to look for, can he hope to
search or analysis tools. Today it is hard to find do this diligently.
a grandmaster who is not using one. Yet there While many chess books, particularly those
has not previously been a book devoted exclu- about analysis, contain reams of analytical lines
sively to using a computer for chess analysis. with sub, sub, sub variations nested 10 or more
This book will show you many techniques deep, the reader will find this book on analysis
for using a computer to aid you in your chess contains relatively few concrete variations. The
analysis and to help you improve your game. It intent is to teach how, using the aid of a com-
is intended for players of all levels, from rela- puter, to generate your own analysis, not how to
tive beginners to top grandmasters. Like any follow someone else's. Many readers will be
other powerful tool, there are many ways to use able to get a great deal out of reading without
computers very effectively. and just as many the necessity of using a chessboard to follow
ways for computers to lead you astray. I intend the variations at all, while perhaps the best
to help you tell the difference. Moreover, while way to read will not be with a set and board but
the field of computers and computer chess is by following along with your favourite chess
changing at a breakneck pace, and many previ- program.
ou~ books about computer chess have quickly
become dated, the general analysis methods
and techniques that will be taught, as well as Why Analysis?
the inherent and fundamentally different way
people and computers 'think' about chess, are "Chess is the art of analysis."'
changing much less rapidly. The tool keeps get-
ting stronger, but the ideas and metl,ods remain There are many reasons why chess-players may
much lhe same. The goal of this book is to cover want to use chess engines (a chess engine is that
these ideas and methods, and for !his book to portion of a chess program that contains the
retain its relevance for many years to come. chess knowledge and performs the chess calcu-
In the course of this book, I will offer a num- lations - the 'brains' of a chess program) to as-
ber of examples and discuss how well a variety sist with analysis. For starters, a chess engine
of chess programs understand the positions can be a great aid in helping someone improve
involved. A majority of the examples I use will his or her game. It has often been noted !hat the
be cases where programs have more difficulty best way for someone to improve is by review-
than their human counterpat1s. I do this not ing games they have already played to find any
with the intent of implying !hat computers don't mistakes or possible improvements. By care-
understand most chess positions. Far from it. fully going over one's games using a chess en-
Most of the time modern programs do remark- gine, one can quickly spot blunders, as well as
ably well. Recent matches between computer alternative move choices.
programs and the top human GMs tend to con- Playing through the games of grandmasters
firm that under most conditions the chess pro- is also a time-tested means of improving one's
grams understand chess about as well as the game. However, what often happens is that
world's best players. However, there are still the student of these games is left wondering,
numerous cases where programs do less well, "why not 27 ltlg5?". Chess-engine assistance
and will most likely continue to struggle for can quickly spot obvious refutations of such
many years. For the human analyst working questions, and often less obvious ones as well.

I Mikhail B01vinnik
 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

Anyone who has annotated a chess game in side. Many people tend to treat chess computers
recent times undoubted Iy knows how useful the as some kind of infallible oracle. They will plug
assistance of computers can be when engaged a particular position into the computer and wait
in such a task. Again, the computer quickly for it to spit out 'the answer'. The 1rouble is that
spots the obvious errors, and it can usually also computer programs, while incredii:,ly powerful
help with those questions that are more diffi- and becoming more powerful every year, still
cult. have weaknesses. lt is very dangerous to turn
For opening preparation, computers are al- off your brain and just tum a position you want
most indispensable. Tens of thousands of high- analysed over to a computer program. Much
level chess games are played each year. No one better is to work with the computer and to-
has the time to play over, or even sort through, gether make the most accurate analysis possi-
every single game. However, with the advent ble.
of computers, games databases and powerful
search routines, everyone can quickly find the
newest and most relevant games for keeping General Information
their own opening repertoire up-to-date. about Computers and
Analysis is at the heart of correspondence
chess and in top-level correspondence play Chess Programs
computers are everywhere'. Very rare these
days is a top-level correspondence player who Before we dig into the main material of this
does not use computers, including chess en- book, how to use computers to assist with
gines, in some fashion or another. Usually the many different types of chess analysis, it is im-
winner of correspondence garnes is the one portant first to point out a few things about
who makes the best use of all available re- computers and chess programs in general, as
sources to find the best possible moves. Re- well as 10 outline what this book does not in-
search using chess reference books has long tend to cover.
been the domain of correspondence players Every program has a different user inter-
and now, whether we like it or not, the research face, each with different features and different
tools available have been extended to include jnstructions on how to use those features. In
use of computers. addition, these features are constantly chang-
Of course, there are numerous other reasons ing. It is not the intent of this book to provide
for computer-assisted chess analysis: playing instructions on exactly what buttons to push to
over GM games just for the challenge and en- make your program(s) do what you wane Each
joyment of trying to spot the errors almost ev- program should have come with instructions
ery game has; testing out a new opening idea; on how to operate the program, or have built-
preparing for a game against a particular oppo- in help files that describe the program's opera-
nent; practising endgame technique; assisting tion. Rather than providing detailed descrip-
with chess coaching; analysing an adjourned tions of how to operate your program, which
game (if you still have these); preparing a chess should be adequately documented elsewhere,
book or article for publication; and undoubt- this book intends to show you how to use those
edly others. features common to most chess programs to
In all these endeavours, computers can be an obtain maximum benefit when performing
invaluable analysis aid. They also have a dark analysis.

Note that the International Correspondence Chess Federation, or ICCF, does not prohibit the use of
chess analysis engines in correspondence play for the simple reason that such a ban could not be enR
forced. This reality has caused some co1Tespondence players to give up rhe game. However, if there
were such a ban, only those players following the rules would be penalized, by not having access to a
powerful tool that is available to their opponents.
 INTRODUCTION 9

Buying a Computer for separate computers would cost. At the time of

Chess Analysis writing both quad- and eight-processor com-
puters are also available, but they are quite ex-
This book is also not intended to be a primer on pensive and a more cost-effective approach, if
computers. There is more than enough infor- you want to use more than two processors, is to
mation widely available about computer hard- have multiple computers. If you do choose to
ware, computer programs, computer operating use more than one computer, consider also get-
systems, etc, That said, I will give a few general ting a KVM switch, which will allow you to use
tips on how to spend your money if you are a single keyboard, monitor and mouse with all
looking for the best possible chess analysis your computers.
computer and you do not have money to bum. Regarding computer memory (RAM), some
The first tip is that forthe most cost-effective people think you need a ton of RAM for hash
computer-assisted analysis, get a fast one. Not tables, Hash tables are a dedicated area of RAM
fast video, not a fast modem, nor a fancy sound that chess programs set aside in a computer's
card. nor even a fast hard drive. Get a fasr pro- memory to detect transpositions. By detecting
cessor. When it comes to chess analysis, fast these transpositions, a program will operate
processors mean belier analysis. For chess, you faster, since it will not have to recalculate the
should also get an IBM-compatible running assessment of a position that it previously as-
Windows, not a Macintosh nor Linux OS. Macs sessed. Moreover, the larger the amount of
and Linux are great... except very little top- memory set aside for hash tables, the more po-
level chess software is available for them. It is sitions the program can store in memory, the
important to be able to run a variety of good more transpositions can be detected and the
programs, and for now that means using Win- faster the program will run. Due to this relation-
dows. ship between the size of hash tables and the
When selecting a processor it is Important to speed of the program, people sometimes get
realize that more than just CPU clock rate con- obsessed with the size of their hash tables. My
trols the CPU's speed. In addition, different advice is to forget about it. I have made mea-
CPUs will be better or worse depending on surements of hash table size versus speed, and
what program is being run. At the present time, while there is some speed-up with larger hash
AMD Athlon CPUs seem to be better at chess tables at longer analysis times, once you get
than Intel Pentiums of the same price. This can past 32 Mbytes or so, the difference in speed-up
change rapidly, however, so always read re- is small. Giant hash tables and huge amounts of
views before buying your computer. When memory buy you relatively little. If you are go-
reading these reviews, pay attention to the inte- ing for speed (and chess computation is all
ger pe1formance of the processor. Integer cal- about speed) then a faster processor is much
culations are used almost exclusively in chess more important than lots of RAM. 256 Mbytes
programs. Floating-point speed and floating of RAM should be sufficient, and any decent
point benchmarks do not matter for chess. Those modem PC will come with ac least this much. If
who really want the strongest machine for you decide to go with 512 Mbytes or more, that
chess analysis should consider multi-processor is plenty.
machines. Although many chess programs can The last point I would like to make is about
only make use of one processor, with a multi- computer hard drives and endgame tablebases.
processor computer you can run two chess en- Tablebases are databases of pre-computed end-
gines at the same time (something that through- game positions with extremely reduced mate-
out this book I will be advocating you do) rial (at the time of writing, six total pieces or
without any speed reduction. Dual-processor fewer, meaning the two kings plus a maximum
computers can be particularly cost-effective. of four other pieces). Because in these reduced~
This way one gets nearly the computational material situations the tablebases can provide
power of two computers for less than what two perfect knowledge of the theoretical outcomes
10 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

of any such position, people often think thal Crafty, Ruffian, Yace, etc., are all excellent.
tablebases provide a huge boost in playing Likewise, database programs such as ChessBase
strength to computers. In fact, any increase in and Chess Assisllllll are outstanding as well.
strength is tiny. The only time tablebases be- Program features are constantly being improved
come critical is in the very late stages of the and the engines are constantly getting stronger;
endgame. In addition, the hard disk size you so whatever I might .recommend now might not
need to hold these databases is enormous. All be what l would recommend six months from
of the five-piece endings take a whopping 9 GB now. When you are ready to make your pur-
of hard-disk storage, and the six-piece table- chase(s), read some reviews, perhaps check out
bases will take vastly more than this (most esti- the ratings of various programs at the SSDF
mates are that when all six-piece endings are program rating website', and select the pro-
completed it will require more than 1,000 GB, gram(s) you think best suits your needs. Most
one terabyte, to hold all these endings). Al- of the methods I will be describing to you in
though these databases contain perfect play in- this book can be used with all of them. Just be
fonnation~ the information comes at a price. It sure that you can run multiple chess engines. If
is far too much data to hold in the RAM of a you limit yourself to one engine, your analysis
computer and must be accessed from the (rela- options will be dramatically limited. For this
tively slow) hard drive. The infonnalion con- reason, I personally prefer ChessBase pro-
tained is perfect, but accessing it slows down grams. Far more top-strength engines can run
the search! The bottom line is that while they from within ChessBase interface's than any
probably do improve play somewhal, the effect other.
is small and if you do not have tahlebases on
your computer, don't worry about it. It won't General Comments on Chess
usually make much difference. That is unless
you are analysing very late endgame positions,
Program Algorithms
in which case for top-level analysis, tablebases A chess program's chess engine, while highly
become essential. If you do plan to do a lot of sophisticated, complex, and consisting of nu~
late endgame analysis, and you have a lot of merous interrelated sub-routines, can be con-
money to spend, then you might even want to ceptually simplified by thinking of ii as being
consider getting a 10,000 or even a 15,000 composed of two main sections; search and
RPM hard drive. Since these will access the )l(lsition evaluation. Search can be thought of
tablebase data much faster than the more com- as those parts of a program I.hat detennine
mon 5,400 or 7,200 RPM hard drives, it will which lines to extend (search more deeply) and
have the added bonus of also using your CPU at which lines to prune (not search any more).
closer to !00% and the speed penalty for using Evaluation, on the other hand, is how the pro-
tablebases will be reduced. gram evaluates those positions it comes across
at the ends of each line it searches. Most pro-
Which Chess Program Should I Get? grams don't directly evaluate the position on
the board at all. They generate a search, and
Many people want to know which chess pro- then evaluate the positions that arise out of that
gram is the 'best'. The truth is, there are so search, backing up best play on both sides to
many excellent programs of nearly equal see what the starting position's evaluation is, In
strength and similar features I.hat the question computer chess jargon, the analogy of a 'search
truly cannot be answered. The commercial pro- tree' is used; 'branches' are all the various lines
grams ChessMaster, Chess Tiger, Fritz, Hiarcs, that are searched, while the 'leaves' are the end
Junior, Rebel, Shredder, and others, as well as a positions of each branch, which are then evalu-
large number of freeware programs such as ated by a program's evaluation function. Search

l This rating list can be found at: http://wl.859.telia.com/-u85924109/ssdf/list.htm

 INTRODUCTION 11

is about which branches to extend or prune, position to be. A score of 0.00 would be dead
while evaluation has to do with the conclusion even. +LOO would mean White (or for some
a program reaches regarding each leaf position. programs, the side to move) is a pawn up, or its
In any particular position, chess programs equivalent in positional factors. This numerical
give their position evaluation as a numerical . score is then used by the programs to decide
score, typically in units of pawns, which repre- which lines (branches) to extend or prune, and
sent how good or bad they evaluate a particular ultimately to decide what move to make.
 1 Relative Strengths of Computers
versus Humans (and resulting
implications for computer-aided
analysis)

"The danger from computers is not that they

will eventually get as smart as men, l.>ut we will
Calculation
meanwhile agree to meet them halfway."'
"When the going gets tactical, the computers
Some people like to talk al.>out how 'stupid' get going."'
chess programs are, and then they will show
some position where the computer thinks one 1\11 computers have three strengths relative to
side has a winning advantage, when it is obvi- People: calculation, calculation and calculation.
ous to any decent chess-player that it is a draw, It has been said that you can sin against every
or sometimes even won for the other side. Oth- chess rule as long as you calculate it right, and
ers will talk about how 'brilliant' the programs computers certainly excel in this area. Within
are, how program X instantly solved a problem tl,e horizon of their search, they don't miss a
no human could solve in a lifetime. However, ttick. At the time of writing, that horizon would
computers and the chess programs they run are often be about 6 full moves (12 half-moves, or
neither brilliant, nor stupid. Or perhaps they are 'plies' as they are known in the computer chess
both. What the computers do well, they can do World) in a minute or so for a typical position
very, very well. What they do poorly, they can and program running on a moderately fast PC.
do very, very poorly. They are somewhat like an C:ornputers are fast. While a strong chess-player
idiot-savant. sometimes seeing things that no \\/ould be doing well to calculate at a rate of
normal human will ever understand, while miss- •bout one position each second, today's PCs
ing other things that every human beginner can can look at one million in that same time. This
quickly grasp. In order to do solid analysis with difference in speed is at the heart of how a com-
your computer. it is essential to understand these puter 'thinks' differently about chess from the
differences. What is the computer good at? What 'vay a person does. The difference is so lopsided
is a person good at? Interestingly. it is precisely tliat one might well wonder how it is still possi-
because computers and people think about chess ble for humans to understand things about chess
so differently~ that the combination can be so tliat computers do not. We will get into this in
powerful for analysis. This section describes rr1ore detail in the next few chapters, but essen-
these relative differences in ability between tially it has to do with those things that cannot be
people and computers when it comes to chess. ctt.lcu1ated to some concrete resolution within

Dr Bernard Avishai, author and Professor ofBusine;s and Government

2 Dr Robert Hyatt, Professor of Computer Science and programmer of chess programs Crafty and Cray
Blitz
 RELATIVE STRENGTHS OF COMPUTERS VERSUS HUMANS 13

the computer's search horizon. And somewhat 25 .. .J:hh2!, which forces checkmate in lO
surprisingly, there still are quite a number of moves~ in a second or even less!
things that fall outside a computer's search ho-
riwn, and will most likely continue to fall out- While all programs are better than people at
side it for some years to come. solving mate in N problems (within their hori-
However, let's talk about what computers zon). not all programs are equal in tl1is area.
can calculate, and calculate very well. First Chess programs do a search through possible
and foremost is checkmate. Computers can find future positions, and just like humans, they
mates in 5, 6, 7 .. . sometimes even IO. 11 or must decide which lines to extend and which
more moves, with blinding speed. With the ex- ones not to, or even which they will prune
ception of just a few programs, and then only completely. Each program handles extensions
when analysing uncommon positions, comput- and pruning somewhat differently. All top pro~
ers can calculate mate in N problems so fast grams do what is called a 'quiescence' search.
your head will spin. They do so much more After the main search of a particular line (or
quickly and much more accurately than even branch) of the 'search tree' is completed. pro-
the very strongest of people. Ironically, this grams look at the resulting position to see if it is
strength is the complement of one of the com- 'quiet'. For computer chess purposes, a quiet
puter's major weaknesses, the gradual king at- position is typically one where there are no re-
tack build-up, which we will cover later. When captures possible, no one is in check, and no
it comes to direct attach against the king, a pawns are close to promotion. In these quiet po-
computer is a bit like a bloodhound. Before it sitions (which may not be quiet at all, from a
catches the scent (or in computer chess terms, human perspective), after the main search is
outside the computer's search horizon), the over, the computer stops searching this branch.
computer may have no clue about the impend- But what if the position isn't quiet? In such
ing danger. Like bloodhounds without a scent, cases, programs extend their search, to look
programs may wander around a bit aimlessly. deeper into the position. And each program
However. let them get a whiff of their quarry, extends the search differently. In the case of
and off they go, relentless in their pursuit of the checkmate, how a program extends those lines
enemy king. involving check is often highly relevant. A pro-
gram that aggressively extends checking lines
will tend to find checkmates faster than one that
extends checking lines less aggressively. Of
course, the price the program pays is that it
spends less time looking at other lines. and if
the checks are not relevant to what ultimately
turns out to be the strongest line (for example
when no forced mate is found) that search time
can end up wasted and the program weakened.
Because of its design choices. the widely avail-
able and popular program ChessMaster is no-
toriously fast at finding checkmates~ and can
often find them several hundred times faster
than other programs that are a bit stronger in
other types of positions.
Przepiorka - W. Cohn Besides checkmate, computers are excep-
Berlin 1907 tionally good at calculating material or other
gains that can be found within their search hori-
Clearly Black is much better. But how bad is zon. If 1here is the win of a piece within four or
it really? Most computer programs can find five moves, the programs will almost invariably
 14 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

find it. If there is the forced promotion of a that would have been weaker if left undoubled,
pawn within four or five moves, again the pro- all because within their search horizon they
grams will almost always find it. Double at- cannot find a reason to think such an exchange
tacks, discovered attacks, forks, skewers, etc., is had. And even if they do decide that such a
are an seen nearly instantly. Let's look at an- material-winning exchange is bad, ~hey won't
other example: ever miss the possibility of doing so, if it is
within their search horizon.
Lastly, the ultimate in computer calculation,
endgame databases, also known as endgame
tablebases in computer chess circles. Table-
bases are (typically very large to huge file size)
databases of pre-computed endgame positions,
along with information about whether the posi-
tion is won or drawn ( and if won, Jn how many
moves). Computers can play positions that are
in these databases both perfectly and instantly.
No grandmaster on earth could play these posi-
tions as well. And God could do no better.
Still, there are some significant limits on
tablebases. Al the time of writing, the maxi-
mum number of pieces for which all tahlebase
Vladimirov - Epishin positions have been calculated is five, including
Tashkent J987 both kings'. So positions such as Icing, queen
and pawn versus Icing and queen can be played
Black has just captured White's queen on b3. perfectly. But add a second pawn and it is no
So what is the reply? longer a 5-piece tablebase position and perfect
26 i.h6!! play is no longer available to the computers
Many programs will find this remarkable without access to 6-piece tablebases. Because
move in a fraction of a second, and most find it of this severe limitation on the number of pieces,
in no more than a few seconds. in the early days of tablebases, they had very
26.../Zlg4 27 l:!.h7+ 1Zlxh6 28 l:txh8+ Wxf7 little impact on a program's strength. Such re-
29 l:!.h7+ 1-0 duced material oonfigurations do not occur with
enough frequency to make a great deal of dif-
What is less well known is that computers ference, and when they did occur, the programs
can be 'materialistic' for positional factors as could often work out the correct lines on their
well, and will usually find their encoded posi- own. However, in practical play, it is not always
tional factor gains, such as the doubling of enough to know how to win a certain five-piece
pawns, with equally lightning speed. Moreover, ending. You want to know if it is won, or not,
as in the case of king-hunts, this strength is also before exchanging into such a position in the
one of the oomputer's most notorious weak- first place. Several years ago, a new tablebase
nesses. While programmers have made great format was developed that allowed much faster
strides in this area, computers still tend to be access to the tablebase data. As a result, pro-
materialistic. They may allow exchange sacri- grams have now been developed which can ac-
fices that should be avoided, or double pawns cess this data from within the search, before

Some six-piece tablebases have already been calculated at the time of writing, and the remainder are
likely to be completed du1ing 2005. Because of the exponential nature of the computer resources re-
quired to calculate tablebases, it is highly unlikely that calculation of seven-piece endings will be
completed for many more years.
 RELATIVE STRENGTHS OF COMPUTERS VERSUS HUMANS 15

exchanging into a five-piece ending. As a result

the tablebase data has become more relevant
and can on occasion add significantly to a pro, w
gram's strength in the endgame, and sometimes
in the late middlegame as well.
With all the well-known strengths of com,
puters when it comes to calculation, some pea,
pie are surprised to leam there are still areas
where at !east some people can calculale bettet
than compulers. But they can, and it again has
to do with how computers calculate. Repeatedly
above, I have mentioned the phrase ·within
their horizon'. Tiris is important, because som~
important things can in fact be calculated by
peq,/elhiU Jay outside Iha! horizon. Some kmg, 2l> -11.g7!
forcing lines just go on too deep for the com- Programs have a little difficulty finding this
puter to see all it needs to see. So while a com- move. typically taking at least several minutes
puter might not miss a trick inside its horizon, i( and sometimes more than an hour. Even after
can't see anything at all that is outside. These they do find 20 i.g7!, they tend initially to as-
long forcing lines are one area where comput- sess the position as about equal or as a slight ad-
ers and humans can analyse exceptionally well vantage for White. However, Nunn's choice
together, far better than either could do alone. enters an extremely forcing variation, after
The computer can keep an eye out for the short- which Black is completely defenceless. A hu-
range tactics, making sure the human analyst man working with a computer program can
doesn't miss anything in that short range, while work through the variations fairly quickly, and
the human keeps pushing the forcing line deeper· confirm the soundness ofNunn's 20th move.
and deeper, until things really do quiet down. 20•.. .lbg70 21 li:lxg70 l:tebS
This is be<:ause a person has a different concept The 4NCL Bulletin pointed out that perhaps
of 'quiet' than a computer does. A computer a better try is 21 ...lilxg? 22 li:ld5 '!Wc5 (22 ...'/Wb5
will tend to see "no one in check". "no pawns 23 'i'h6+ lt>f7 24 g5 +- is about the same) 23
close to promotion", "no piece recaptures", 'fih6+ lii>f70 24 g5 +-.
conclude 'quiet' and halt the search. A person 22 li:lh5 lbxhS
looking at the same line might say, "wait a sec- After 22 ... %\i'xbZ+ 23 lii>dZ +- White's attack
ond, sure there are no checks, but his king is ex- is even stronger, since Black has no real threats
posed and if I play move X, I am threatening and his queen cannot help in the defence.
either to win a pawn or to flush his king further 23 gxb5 +- ii.es 24 b3 cxb3 25 axb3 'IWcS
into the open". In certain positions, sequences 26 ltld5 l:Lb7 27 lbxe7+ l:txe7 28 'fllixe7 l:Lc8 29
of threat, parry, threat, parry, threat can con- l:th2 gx'.hS 30 llg2+ .ig(i 31 .lhd6 'lll'e3+ 32
tinue far past when a computer's quiescence l:tgd.2 i::trs 33 l1d8 l:txdS 34 'fllixdS+ @g7 35
search has ended. Here an example might help. 'iled4+ 'i!fxd4 36 ll:xd4 h4 37 Wd.2 h3 38 @e3
lli'h6 39 'iilf4 1-0
Nunn-Ward
British League /4NCL) 199718 Let's look at another example.

l e4 c5 2 ltlf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ltlxd4 ltlf6 5 ltlcl Dubois - Steinitz

gt; 6 il.e3 .i.g7 7 f3 lt:ic6 81il'd2 O·O 9 .i.c4 .i.d7 London /862
to o.o-o '/Was 11 h4 ltle5 12 il.b3 l:l.fc8 13 g4
hS 14 h5 lt:ic4 ts J.xc4 bxc4 16 il.b6 .i.h8 17 l e4 e5 2 1Zlf3 1Zlc6 3 .ic4 il.cS 4 0-0 d6 5 d3
li:lfS ll:eS 18 'lli'gs '1Wb6 19 hxg6 fxg6 (D) l:ilr6 6 .ill.gs h6 7 i.h4
 16 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

7 .ixf6 is much better, but Black has already +-) 13 ... l2lxg4 14 hxg31Zld4 15 li'\c3 c6 16 a3
more than equalized. d5-+.
7,..gS 8 .ig3 (D) How well do computers do in the position
after White's move 8? Not very well. No mat-
ter which programs I have tried, nor how long
l have let them think, none has ever found
B 8...h5! !. Yet a man playing one and a half cen-
turies ago did find it, and subsequent analysis
bas proved that Black's idea is entirely sound.
This, in a position that is a tactical king-hunt ...
the kind of position that is supposed to be a
computer's forte, not a person's. How did
Steinitz manage this? First, the position has
some flags, which indicate there might be
something there.
Black's pieces are extraordinarily well co-
ordinated for attack. The pinned f2-pawn can-
not be easily freed. The h8-rook bears down
In this positi.on Steinitz played the incredible on the soon-to-be-opened h-file. Black also
and strong ... has a bishop on c8, which can develop to g4
8...hS!! with tempo, and a knight on c6, which can join
Not just an offer of the g5-pawn, but allow- in the attack in one move from d4. Finally
ing a fork on f7 and in the main line giving up there is Black's f6-knight, which from g4 can
Black's queen' Dubois declined the sacrifice. hit both f2 and h2.
But what would have happened had it been ac- Meanwhile White's pieces have been ar-
cepted? Uncredited analysis from ChessBase's ranged to pressure Black on f7, but nol to de-
Mega Database gives 91Zlxg5 h4 IO 1Zlxf7 hxg3, fend White's castled king. White's c4-bishop
and now: is cut off from any defence by the d3-pawn.
a) 11 !1:lxh& and here: White's g3-bishop has no escape-squares. And
al) 1L...ig4(?) 12 '1Wd2 1Zld4 is suggested White's queenside is undeveloped. All these
in Megabase, but then White has the strong re- flags undoubtedly alened Steinitz that there
ply 13 1Zlc3 \!We7 14 '!lih6 with a large advan- might be so1nething to look more deeply into.
tage. Next, all the lines are both very deep and
a2) l L.\!We7 121Zlf7 :lxf2+ 13l:lxf2 gxf2+ very narrow ( forcing), yet at the same time
14 @xf2 ltlg4+ 15 lilg3 'i!i'f6 16 'i'f3 'ill'g7 wins there are few checks in the main lines. When
for Black. the lines are narrow, humans can calculate
b) 11 itlxd8 il.g4! and then: quite deeply. For a computer searching for mate,
bl) 12 'i'd2 li'\d4 13 li'\c3 (13 h3 li'\e2+ 14 they can do phenomenally well when a mate is
lt>hl l:l.xh3+ 15 gxh3 il.f3# (0-1) Ashley- within their search horizon, but if the line is too
Tolitt, Birmingham 1923) 13 ... li'\f3+ 14 gxf3 deep, and especially if there are few checking
.ixf3 -+. moves (which would extend their horizon) the
b2) 121Zlxc6 gxf2+ 13 lilhl .axdl 14 :!i!.xdl computers sometimes don't search deep enough
/Zlg4 15 h3 li'\e3 also leads to a winning position to 'get the scent'.
for Black. Lastly, Steinitz's move was probably the re-
b3) 12 1Zlf7 .iih5? (12 ... :!i!.xh2f, not men- sult of home preparation. People do relatively
tioned in MegaBase, is better: 13 'i!Vel li'\d4 14 better with a lot of time to think. Computers
l1:ld21Zle2+ 15 'li'xe2 j_xe2 -+) 13 'i!l'xg4? (the wil1 also do better with more time., but are rela-
MegaBase annotator missed 13 'i'd2! itld4 14 tively stronger compared to people at faster
li'\c31Zlt3+ 15 gxf3 ..lxf3 16 h4 :!i!.xh4 17 \/ih6 time-controls.
 RELATlVE STRENGTHS OF COMPUTERS VERSUS HUMANS 17

long-term objective, even if the person cannot

Schematic Thinking be sure that the ultimate objective will be real-
izable. Computers will never do this, unless by
"Even a poor plan is better than no plan at all." 1 chance the compute,r sees that intermediate
positions have intermediate benefits, in which
While computers tend to dominate in the realm case it will play the move only because of those
of calculation, schematic thinking, that is to say intermediate benefits.
thinking in schemes or plans, is the exclusive Another aspect of schematic thinking con-
domain of people. In fact, computers don't even cerns certain positional features for which there
4
try'. Schematic thinking involves first setting a is no positional tule~ and yet a person can work
potential objective or goal, and then only after out the relevant characteristics of the position
the objective is identified, calculating a means using inductive reasoning. Take the following
to accomplish it. A person might think, "If I can position:
get a knight to f5, it will put greatpressureong7,
and perhaps force the weakening pawn move
...g6, after which my dark-squared bishop may
be able to infiltrate his kingside. since he does B
not have an opposing dark-squared bishop."
This same person might only then start to cal-
culate if there is any reasonable way of getting a
knight to f5. And if not, only then start to work
out a possible 'plan B'. Computers on the other
hand, don't think anything like this. Not even
remotely. Computers always start with a search
first, then look at the result of the search and
see if anything good has happened. They might
calculate a million positions or more, before
coming upon one where the knight is on f5, at
which point their positional evaluation function Smith - Menetrier
kicks in and says "knight attacks g7; 0.10 pawn 24th World Corr. Ch sf8 2000-2
bonus". If the computer can calculate a little
deeper, it might see, " ... g6 forced because g7 A computer might look at this position and
can't be defended, dark-square weaknesses near penalize White for the doubled f-pawns, and
Black's king; additional 0, 10 pawn bonus". Not give Black a bonus for the g- and h-pawns
of course that the computer actually has any 'storn1ing' White's castled king, award another
such internal conversation with itself. But the bonus for Black's two centre pawns versus
difference between a human: "set possible ob- White having none, and conclude that Black is
Jective first. calculate second"; versus the com- a bit better. Most likely it would also give White
puter's: "calculate a bunch of lines first, evaluate a bonus for the two bishops and better de"
second", is key. And it leads to some very big veloprnent, and conclude that it is about even or
differences between the relative strengths of perhaps that White is a little better. A person
computers versus the strengths of people. looking at the above position, using schematic
One of the differences is that a person might thinking, can conclude without too much diffi-
make a move that will move him closer to a culty that White is, in fact, much better.

Mikhail Chigorin
2 Early in the histoty of computer chess, Mikhail Botvinnik worked on a chess program that auempted
to think schematically. However, time has demonstrated that computers perform better when taldng
advantage of their unique strengths, ra1her than trying to emulate the strengths of people.
 18 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

Let's start with the doubled f-pawns. Dou- on the e-file and Black's total lack of piece
bled pawns are generally weak. and programs coordination.
will virtually always have some penalty built So Black can't win the f5-pawn quickly. But
into their evaluation function for the position what about longer term? Winning the f5-pawn
with doubled pawns. But is the f5-pawn really would still be exceedingly problematic. Black's
weak? Can it be easily captured? Is it even serv- bishop will never become a light-squared one,
ing a useful function? The answer to the last and his knights are unlikely to gravitate to g7 or
question is a resounding 'yes'. Black's e-pawn h6 without conceding too much in the centre or
is being restrained by the f5-pawn, preventing on the queenside, while other squares are gen-
Black from establishing a strong centre with his erally unavailable. That leaves only the rooks.
two central pawns. Black cannot safely advance It is possible that late in the game a rook will
the e-pawn without the f5-pawn capturing, se- gain access to c5 or f6, causing trouble. But this
verely weakening Black's kingside. Back to the is a long way off. And in the mean time, the f5-
second question, is the f5-pawn easily cap- pawn is strong, not weak! The above line of rea-
tured? With some schematic thinking, plus a soning is schematic thinking, and is vastly dif-
tiny amount of calculation, we can determine ferent from how a computer will look at the
that the answerto this is 'no'. As soon as Black same f5-pawn; "is it doubled? yes = weak",
attacks the f-pawn, White can play .ild3 to next move, '"is it doubled? yes = weak", etc.
protect it (or 'i!i'd3 if Black somehow manages This kind of thinking will continue, more or
to exchange off the bishop) and thus Black will less, until the end of the game.
need two pieces to attack f5 before he has any A similar analysis can be done on the relative
chance of capturing it safely. Black's queen safety of White's and Black's kings. In fact,
can very easily provide one of the pieces. from Whites king is very secure, since the g- and h-
either c8 or d7, but what about the second pawns have both been effectively immobilized.
piece? Black's dark-squared bishop is obvi- The g- and h-pawn storm is all show, no go.
ously no use at all, the rooks are still a very And to their credit, many programs will realize
long way from getting into play, and the king this. What they might not see is that contrary to
hardly wants to wander out into the open. That White's king being in jeopardy, it is Black's
only leaves one of the knights. From where king that has difficulties. Black can do three
might a black knight hit f5? The squares e7, things with his king: keep it in the centre, run
e3, g3 and h4 are all out (a knight's only rea- (or castle) to the queenside, or run (or castle) on
sonable route to h4 is first through f5). Equally the kingside. Each is problematic.
unpromising is the d4-square, since White can Keeping the king in the centre is not so
quickly control this square with llle2, c3 or much a problem for the black king, because
both. Getting to the d6-square would require White has no pawn-breaks in the centre, and
Black first to play ... d5, leaving the d-pawn e7 is easily defended. It is Black's king's rook
very weak. This leaves only g7 or h6. What if that will be a problem, since it will have great
Black tries the plan ...'!!l'd7, ... 0-0-0, ... .ilh6, difficulty getting into the game until Black's
.. .1Zle8, and .JJ',g7? That's five full moves be- king leaves e8. White will just commence op-
fore Black can gang up on the f5-pawn, during erations on the queenside, where Black would
which time White has too many possible coun- he forced to play effectively a rook down. If
ters to name them all. OK, so the best try might Black runs to the queenside, things aren't any
be ... 'l!i'd7, ... lllg8, and ... lllh6. How might the better, as White has pawns there to storm and
game progress? eventually break into Black's camp, while on
15 ... 'i!fd7 16 .;ld3 lllg8?l (Black's intentions the opposite side Black does not have any
are now crystal clear) I 7 llld5 J:lb8 (White was equivalent pawn-breaks. This leaves only the
threatening 18 lllb6, winning an exchange) 18 kingside, but here too Black will have diffi-
c3 tilh6?? (this logical follow-up just loses) 19 culty. For example, if Black were to castle im-
f6 ! and Black's position is a mess due to the pin mediately, White could reply 16 f3, after which
 RELATIVE STRENGTHS OF COMPUTERS VERSUS HUMANS 19

Black's h5-pawn would fall and his king would moves, which the programs cannot see. In or-
be exposed. der for the bishop ever to move, the black b- or
So, using schematic thinking we can con- d-pawn must move first, and in order for these
clude that White has a significant advantage, al- to move, White's blockading pawns will have
though computers will most likely not see it, or . to be eliminated. But there are no safe ap-
if they do, will tend to undervalue White's ad- proaches to White's b- or d-pawn. The only
vantage. ls this pcsition unique? On the con- way to untie the noose is for Black to sacrifice
trary, positions such as this, where schematic material with ... il..c7, ... JJ..a7 or ... ll:a6, but these
thinking can add understanding above what a moves will leave Black both material down and
computer can see, are by far the norm, not the still much worse positionally. Black is hope-
exception. Sometimes the knowledge gap ad- lessly lost., yet many programs see approximate
vantage for humans using schematic thinking equality, because of their inability to think sche-
can even be comical. Take mis position: matically.
Computer programs evaluate pcsitions with
Smith - Brandhorst very simple evaluation functions. Any added
13th US Corr. Ch finals 1999-00 complexity slows them down, and a computer's
strength is its speed, so many things that pro-
l e4 e5 21Zlf3 /Zlc6 3 i.c4 i.c5 4 b4 .i.b6 5 a4 grammers could encode are intentionally left
a6 61Zlc3 1Zlf6 7 12:lds 1Zlxd5 S exd5 1Zld4 9 d6 out. This approach is fully justified since often
1/Vf6 100-01Zlxf3+ 11 'l\l'xf3 'i!!'xf3 12 gxf3 a5 their search is so fast, and so deep, that they
13 b5 cxd6 14 i.b2 g5 15 d4 f6 16 ll:fel h5 17 don't need a more complex evaluation, as has
liadl h4 18 i.a3 JJ..c7 19 h6 .tbs 20 d5 @dS been demonstrated repeatedly in practice. A
2lf4 (D) fast-searching program can often make surpris-
ingly strategic looking moves. But here is the
critical point: when a key feature of a position is
I) too complex to be easily encoded or too rare
to warrant being encoded into a program's eval-
uation, and 2) likely to continue to have an
influence beyond the search horizon of the
computer, then a human 's schematic thinking
will be superior to the computer's search for the
purpcses of long-range planning and positional
evaluation.

Positional Evaluation
Computer evaluation functions vs
1-0 human positional evaluation
A computer sees that Black has 'poor mobil-
ity' and tends to evaluate this as approximately 'The scheme of a game is played on positional
balancing out White's two-pawn deficit (after lines; the decision of it, as a rule, is effected by
Black captures on f4). Most programs seem to combinations."'
think tl1e position is about equal. Humans eval-
uate things quite differently! The c8-bishop not A critical skill needed by any chess analyst is po-
only has zero moves, which the programs can sitional understanding, the ability to evaluate po-
see, but it is unlikely that it will ever have any sitions. No matter how good one's calculation

I Richard Reti
 20 MODERN CHESS ANALYSIS

abilities are, at some point you have to halt the such as certain immobilized pawn-formations.
analysis, look at the position, and assess what is And finally, people often do better than com-
going on. What are the relevant features of the puters in positions that are highly unbalanced.
position? What plans might make sense going such as where one side has sacrificed material
forward, and what are each player's chances to create a positional bind, becaus" people are
associated wilh each of those plans? Is the posi- better able co determine which of the unbal-
tion simple or complex? Who has the advan- anced features are most relevant.
tage? Is it even clear who has the advantage?
Both people and chess programs are capable of Gulko - Kaidanov
evaluating chess positions, but they each go USA Ch IKey West) 1994
about it in different ways, sometimes yielding
very different results. J c4 c6 2 e4 d5 3 exdS li:lf6 4 d4 cxd5 51Zlc3 e6
When a program evaluates a leaf position, it 6 li:lf3 Jt.e7 7 cxd5 .'t:lxd5 8 ..td3 li:lc6 9 0-0 0-0
considers many positional factors: material, 10 liel :lf6 11 a3 :ld7 12 -ill.c2 :!lc8 13 11:le4
mobility, king safety, pawn-stmcture, advanced :le7 14 '!illd3 g6 15 :ld2 '!!Vb6 16 b4 l!.fd8 17
pawns, control of open files, control of the cen- .tb3 ii.es 18 l!.acl a6 19 h4
tre, rooks on the 7th rank, the two bishops. etc. An excellent plan, which most programs of
Programs sometimes get a bad rap as being today don't choose. However, to be fair White
dunces wh~n it comes to positional evaluation. is already better and the various program ideas
For the programs of today, this is no longer true, might also be quite effective.
and in some situations programs can have a 19, ..llla7 20 li:lc5 .'t:lc6 21 h5 (D)
better evaluation than the supposedly superior
human experts. h all depends on the nature of
the position. If it is a position where a computer
does relatively well or where a human does rel-
atively well, the computer might excel at posi-
tion evaluation, be a dunce, or anywhere in
between.
Although computers may still have trouble
with some positions, they will evaluate (and
thus play!) relatively better than people in
messy, open positions, where several pawns are
already gone, and the remainder of the pieces
look like they were scattered on the board at
random. And they tend to do better when there
are dynamic, mobile pawn-structures. With the
advent of endgame tablebases, computers also GM Babmin, in his book Winning Pawn
excel at some endgames with extremely reduced Structures, states: "suggest this position to a
material (not always, though). If the main lines computer... and give it some time. You will
are unlikely to lead to exchanges into a five- probably see that the program assesses this po-
piece ending, computers can still struggle con- sition as roughly equal. Yet, in lnforma/or, GM
siderably with positions with as few as six Gulko assessed this position as winning for
pieces. White and I agree with him." Many program
By contrast, people generally evaluate best improvements have been made since 1998 when
in closed positions, often where no pawns have Baburin 's book was published. What do today's
been exchanged. People will also do relatively programs say? They all prefer White. I tried
better when there are long-term features to play Junior, Fritz, Chess Tiger, Shredder, Hiarcs,
against, but those features have not been en- ChessMaster, Rebel and the freeware engines
coded Into the program's evaluation functions. Crafty, Yace, and Ruffian. Most see at least 0.9
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and his hands trembling, for many weird tales had been told of this
same Señor Zorro and his brutality, none of which was true.
"I am sure that you will pardon me," Señor Zorro said, "when I ask
you to sit at the far end of the room. As I take each bite, I must
raise the bottom of my mask, for I have no wish to become known. I
put the pistol before me on the table, so, to discourage treachery.
And now, Don Carlos Pulido, I shall do justice to the meal you have
furnished."
Don Carlos and his daughter sat where they had been directed, and
the bandit ate with evident relish. Now and then he stopped to talk
to them, and once he had Don Carlos send out for more wine,
declaring it to be the best he had tasted for a year.
Don Carlos was only too glad to oblige him. He was playing to gain
time. He knew the horse the native rode, and judged that he had
reached the presidio at Reina de Los Angeles before this, and that
the soldiers were on their way. If he could hold this Señor Zorro until
they arrived!
"I am having some food prepared for you to carry with you, señor,"
he said. "You will pardon me while I get it? My daughter will
entertain you."
Señor Zorro bowed, and Don Carlos hurried from the room. But Don
Carlos had made a mistake in his eagerness. It was an unusual thing
for a girl to be left alone in the company of a man in such fashion,
especially with a man known to be an outlaw. Señor Zorro guessed
at once that he was being delayed purposely. For, again, it was an
unusual thing for a man like Don Carlos to go for the package of
food himself when there were servants that could be called by a
mere clapping of the hands. Don Carlos, in fact, had gone into the
other room to listen at a window for sounds of galloping horses.
"Señor!" Lolita whispered across the room.
"What is it, señorita?"
"You must go—at once. I am afraid that my father has sent for the
soldiers."
"And you are kind enough to warn me?"
"Do I wish to see you taken here? Do I wish to see fighting and
bloodshed?" she asked.
"That is the only reason, señorita?"
"Will you not go, señor?"
"I am loath to rush away from such a charming presence, señorita.
May I come again at the next siesta hour?"
"By the saints—no! This must end, Señor Zorro! Go your way—and
take care! You have done some things that I admire, hence I would
not see you captured. Go north, as far as San Francisco de Asis, and
turn honest, señor. It is the better way."
"Little priest!" he said.
"Shall you go, señor?"
"But your father has gone to fetch food for me. And could I depart
without thanking him for this meal?"
Don Carlos came back into the room then, and Señor Zorro knew by
the expression on his face that the soldiers were coming up the trail.
The don put a package on the table.
"Some food to carry with you, señor," he said. "And we would relish
more of your reminiscences before you start on your perilous
journey."
"I have spoken too much of myself already, señor, and it ill becomes
a caballero to do that. It were better that I thank you and leave you
now."
"At least, señor, drink another mug of wine."
"I fear," said Señor Zorro, "that the soldiers are much too close, Don
Carlos."
The face of the don went white at that, for the highwayman was
picking up his pistol, and Don Carlos feared he was about to pay the
price for his treacherous hospitality. But Señor Zorro made no move
to fire.
"I forgive you this breach of hospitality, Don Carlos, because I am an
outlaw and there has been a price put upon my head," he said.
"And, also, I hold you no ill will because of it. Buenas noches,
señorita! Señor, á Dios!"
Then a terrified servant who knew little concerning the events of the
evening rushed in at the door.
"Master! The soldiers are here!" he cried. "They are surrounding the
house!"
 CHAPTER IX
THE CLASH OF BLADES

On the table, near its middle, was an imposing candelero in which

half a score of candles burned brightly. Señor Zorro sprang toward it
now, and with one sweep of his hand dashed it to the floor,
extinguishing all the candles in an instant and plunging the room in
darkness.
He evaded the wild rush of Don Carlos, springing across the room so
lightly that his soft boots made not the slightest noise to give news
of his whereabouts. For an instant the Señorita Lolita felt a man's
arm around her waist, gently squeezing it, felt a man's breath on her
cheek, and heard a man's whisper in her ear:
"Until later, señorita!"
Don Carlos was bellowing like a bull to direct the soldiers to the
scene; and already some of them were pounding at the front door.
Señor Zorro rushed from the room and into the one adjoining, which
happened to be the kitchen. The native servants fled before him as if
he had been a ghost, and he quickly extinguished all the candles
that burned there.
Then he ran to the door that opened into the patio, and raised his
voice, and gave a call that was half moan and half shriek, a peculiar
call, the like of which none at the Pulido hacienda had heard before.
As the soldiers rushed in at the front door, and as Don Carlos called
for a brand with which to light the candles again, the sound of
galloping hoofs was heard from the rear of the patio. Some powerful
horse was getting under way there, the soldiers guessed
immediately.
The sound of hoofs died away in the distance, but the soldiers had
noted the direction in which the horse was traveling.
"The fiend escapes!" Sergeant Gonzales shrieked, he being in charge
of the squad. "To horse, and after him! I give the man who
overtakes him one-third of all the reward!"
The big sergeant rushed from the house, the men at his heels, and
they tumbled into their saddles and rode furiously through the
darkness, following the sound of the beating hoofs.
"Lights! Lights!" Don Carlos was shrieking inside the house.
A servant came with a brand, and the candles were lighted again.
Don Carlos stood in the middle of the room, shaking his fists in
impotent rage. Señorita Lolita crouched in a corner, her eyes wide
with fear. Doña Catalina, fully recovered now from her fainting spell,
came from her own room to ascertain the cause of the commotion.
"The rascal got away!" Don Carlos said. "It is to be hoped that the
soldiers capture him."
"At least, he is clever and brave," Señorita Lolita said.
"I grant him that, but he is a highwayman and a thief!" Don Carlos
roared. "Why should he torment me by visiting my house?"
Señorita Lolita thought she knew, but she would be the last one to
explain to her parents. There was a faint blush on her face yet
because of the arm that had squeezed her and the words that had
been whispered in her ear.
Don Carlos threw the front door open wide and stood in it, listening.
To his ears came the sound of galloping hoofs once more.
"My sword!" he cried to a servant. "Some one comes—it may be the
rascal returning! It is but one rider, by the saints!"
The galloping stopped; a man made his way across the veranda and
hurried through the door into the room.
"Thank the good saints!" Don Carlos gasped.
It was not the highwayman returned; it was Captain Ramón,
comandante of the presidio at Reina de Los Angeles.
"Where are my men?" the captain cried.
"Gone, señor! Gone after that pig of a highwayman!" Don Carlos
informed him.
"He escaped?"
"He did, with your men surrounding the house. He dashed the
candles to the floor, ran through the kitchen—"
"The men took after him?"
"They are upon his heels, señor."
"Ha! It is to be hoped that they catch this pretty bird. He is a thorn
in the side of the soldiery. We do not catch him, and because we do
not the governor sends sarcastic letters by his courier. This Señor
Zorro is a clever gentleman, but he will be captured yet!"
And then Captain Ramón walked further into the room, and
perceived the ladies, and swept off his cap and bowed before them.
"You must pardon my bold entrance," he said. "When an officer is on
duty—"
"The pardon is granted freely," said Doña Catalina. "You have met
my daughter?"
"I have not had the honor."
The doña presented them, and Lolita retreated to her corner again
and observed the soldier. He was not ill to look at—tall and straight
and in a brilliant uniform, and with sword dangling at his side. As for
the captain, he never had set eyes upon Señorita Lolita before, for
he had been at the post at Reina de Los Angeles but a month,
having been transferred there from Santa Barbara.
But now that he had looked at her once he looked a second time,
and a third. There was a sudden light in his eyes that pleased Doña
Catalina. If Lolita could not look with favor upon Don Diego Vega,
perhaps she would look with favor upon this Captain Ramón, and to
have her wedded to an officer would mean that the Pulido family
would have some protection.
"I could not find my men now in the darkness," the captain said,
"and so, if it is not presuming too much, I shall remain here and
await their return."
"By all means," Don Carlos said. "Be seated, señor, and I'll have a
servant fetch wine."
"This Señor Zorro has about had his run," the captain said, after the
wine had been tasted and found excellent. "Now and then a man of
his sort pops up and endures for a little day, but he never lasts long.
In the end he meets the fate."
"That is true," said Don Carlos. "The fellow was boasting to us to-
night of his accomplishments."
"I was comandante at Santa Barbara when he made his famous visit
there," the captain explained. "I was visiting at one of the houses at
the time else there might have been a different story. And to-night,
when the alarm came, I was not at the presidio, but at the residence
of a friend. That is why I did not ride out with the soldiers. As soon
as I was notified I came. It appears that this Señor Zorro has some
knowledge of my whereabouts and is careful that I am not in a
position to clash with him. I hope one day to do so."
"You think you could conquer him, señor?" Doña Catalina asked.
"Undoubtedly! I understand he really is an ordinary hand with a
blade. He made a fool of my sergeant, but that is a different
proposition—and I believe he held a pistol in one hand while he
fenced, too. I should make short work of the fellow."
There was a closet in one corner of the room, and now its door was
opened a crack.
"The fellow should die the death!" Captain Ramón went on to say.
"He is brutal in his dealings with men. He kills wantonly, I have
heard. They say he caused a reign of terror in the north, in the
vicinity of San Francisco de Asis. He slew men regardless, insulted
women—"
The closet door was hurled open—and Señor Zorro stepped into the
room.
"I shall take you to task for that statement, señor, since it is a
falsehood!" the highwayman cried.
Don Carlos whirled around and gasped his surprise. Doña Catalina
felt suddenly weak in the knees and collapsed on a chair. Señorita
Lolita felt some pride in the man's statement, and a great deal of
fear for him.
"I—I thought you had escaped," Don Carlos gasped.
"Ha! It was but a trick! My horse escaped—but I did not!"
"Then there shall be no escape for you now!" Captain Ramón cried,
drawing his blade.
"Back, señor!" Zorro cried, exhibiting a pistol suddenly. "I shall fight
you gladly, but the fight must be fair. Don Carlos, gather your wife
and daughter beneath your arms and retire to the corner while I
cross blades with this teller of falsehoods. I do not intend to have a
warning given out that I still am here!"
"I thought—you escaped!" Don Carlos gasped again, seemingly
unable to think of anything else, and doing as Señor Zorro
commanded.
"A trick!" the highwayman repeated, laughing. "It is a noble horse I
have. Perhaps you heard a peculiar cry from my lips? My beast is
trained to act at that cry. He gallops away wildly, making
considerable noise, and the soldiers follow him. And when he has
gone some distance he turns aside and stops, and after the pursuit
has passed he returns to await my bidding. No doubt he is behind
the patio now. I shall punish this captain, and then mount and ride
away!"
"With a pistol in your hand!" Ramón cried.
"I put the pistol upon the table—so! There it remains if Don Carlos
stays in the corner with the ladies. Now, captain!"
Señor Zorro extended his blade, and with a glad cry Captain Ramón
crossed it with his own. Captain Ramón had some reputation as a
master of fence, and Señor Zorro evidently knew it, for he was
cautious at first, leaving no opening, on defense rather than attack.
The captain pressed him back, his blade flashing like streaks of
lightning in a troubled sky. Now Señor Zorro was almost against the
wall near the kitchen door, and in the captain's eyes the light of
triumph already was beginning to burn. He fenced rapidly, giving the
highwayman no rest, standing his ground and keeping his antagonist
against the wall.
And then Señor Zorro chuckled! For now he had solved the other's
manner of combat, and knew that all would be well. The captain
gave ground a little as the defense turned into an attack that
puzzled him. Señor Zorro began laughing lightly.
"'Twere a shame to kill you," he said. "You are an excellent officer, I
have heard, and the army needs a few such. But you have spoken
falsehood regarding me, and so must pay a price. Presently I shall
run you through, but in such manner that your life will not emerge
when I withdraw my blade."
"Boaster!" the captain snarled.
"As to that we shall see presently. Ha! I almost had you there, my
captain. You are more clever than your big sergeant, but not half
clever enough. Where do you prefer to be touched—the left side or
the right?"
"If you are so certain run me through the right shoulder," the captain
said.
"Guard it well, my captain, for I shall do as you say! Ha!"
The captain circled, trying to get the light of the candles in the
highwayman's eyes, but Señor Zorro was too clever for that. He
caused the captain to circle back, forced him to retreat, fought him
to a corner.
"Now, my captain!" he cried.
And so he ran him through the right shoulder, as the captain had
said, and twisted the blade a bit as he brought it out. He had struck
a little low, and Captain Ramón dropped to the floor, a sudden
weakness upon him.
Señor Zorro stepped back and sheathed his blade.
"I ask the pardon of the ladies for this scene," he said. "And I assure
you that this time I am, indeed, going away. You will find that the
captain is not badly injured, Don Carlos. He may return to his
presidio within the day."
He removed his sombrero and bowed low before them, while Don
Carlos sputtered and failed to think of anything to say that would be
mean and cutting enough. His eyes, for a moment, met those of the
Señorita Lolita, and he was glad to find that in hers there was no
repugnance.
"Buenas noches!" he said and laughed again.
And then he dashed through the kitchen and into the patio, and
found the horse awaiting him there, as he had said it would be, and
was quick to mount and ride away.
 CHAPTER X
A HINT AT JEALOUSY

Within the space of half an hour Captain Ramón's wounded shoulder

had been cleansed of blood and bandaged, and the captain was
sitting at one end of the table, sipping wine and looking very white
in the face and tired.
Doña Catalina and Señorita Lolita had shown much sympathy,
though the latter could scarcely refrain from smiling when she
remembered the captain's boast regarding what he purposed doing
to the highwayman, and compared it to what had happened. Don
Carlos was outdoing himself to make the captain feel at home since
it was well to seek influence with the army, and already had urged
upon the officer that he remain at the hacienda a few days until his
wound had healed.
Having looked into the eyes of the Señorita Lolita, the captain had
answered that he would be glad to remain at least for a day, and
despite his wound was attempting polite and witty conversation, yet
failing miserably.
Once more there could be heard the drumming of a horse's hoofs,
and Don Carlos sent a servant to the door to open it so that the light
would shine out, for they supposed that it was one of the soldiers
returning.
The horseman came nearer, and presently stopped before the
house, and the servant hurried out to care for the beast.
There passed a moment during which those inside the house heard
nothing at all, and then there were steps on the veranda, and Don
Diego Vega hurried through the door.
"Ha!" he cried, as if in relief. "I am rejoiced that you all are alive and
well!"
"Don Diego!" the master of the house exclaimed. "You have ridden
out from the pueblo a second time in one day?"
"No doubt I shall be ill because of it," Don Diego said. "Already I am
feeling stiff and my back aches. Yet I felt that I must come. There
was an alarm in the pueblo, and it was noised abroad that this Señor
Zorro, the highwayman, had paid a visit to the hacienda. I saw the
soldiers ride furiously in this direction, and fear came into my heart.
You understand, Don Carlos, I feel sure."
"I understand, caballero," Don Carlos replied, beaming upon him and
glancing once at Señorita Lolita.
"I—er—felt it my duty to make the journey. And now I find that it
has been made for naught—you all are alive and well. How does it
happen?"
Lolita sniffed, but Don Carlos was quick to make reply.
"The fellow was here, but he made his escape after running Captain
Ramón through the shoulder."
"Ha!" Don Diego said, collapsing into a chair. "So you have felt his
steel; eh, captain? That should feed your desire for vengeance. Your
soldiers are after the rogue?"
"They are," the captain replied shortly, for he did not like to have it
said that he had been defeated in combat. "And they will continue to
be after him until he is captured. I have a big sergeant, Gonzales—I
think he is a friend of yours, Don Diego—who is eager to make the
arrest and earn the governor's reward. I shall instruct him, when he
returns, to take his squad and pursue this highwayman until he has
been dealt with properly."
"Let me express the hope that the soldiers will be successful, señor.
The rogue has annoyed Don Carlos and the ladies—and Don Carlos
is my friend. I would have all men know it!"
Don Carlos beamed, and Doña Catalina smiled bewitchingly, but the
Señorita Lolita fought to keep her pretty upper lip from curling with
scorn.
"A mug of your refreshing wine, Don Carlos," Don Diego Vega
continued. "I am fatigued. Twice to-day have I ridden here from
Reina de Los Angeles, and it is about all a man can endure."
"'Tis not much of a journey—four miles," said the captain.
"Possibly not for a rough soldier," Don Diego replied, "but it is for a
caballero."
"May not a soldier be a caballero?" Ramón asked, nettled somewhat
at the other's words.
"It has happened before now, but we come across it rarely," Don
Diego said. He glanced at Lolita as he spoke, intending that she
should take notice of his words, for he had seen the manner in
which the captain glanced at her, and jealousy was beginning to
burn in his heart.
"Do you mean to insinuate, señor, that I am not of good blood?"
Captain Ramón asked.
"I cannot reply as to that, señor, having seen none of it. No doubt
this Señor Zorro could tell me. He saw the color of it, I understand."
"By the saints!" Captain Ramón cried, "you would taunt me?"
"Never be taunted by the truth," Don Diego observed. "He ran you
through the shoulder, eh? 'Tis a mere scratch, I doubt not. Should
you not be at the presidio instructing your soldiers?"
"I await their return here," the captain replied. "Also, it is a fatiguing
journey from here to the presidio, according to your own ideas,
señor."
"But a soldier is inured to hardship, señor."
"True, there are many pests he must encounter," the captain said,
glancing at Don Diego with meaning.
"You term me a pest, señor?"
"Did I say as much?"
This was perilous ground, and Don Carlos had no mind to let an
officer of the army and Don Diego Vega have trouble in his
hacienda, for fear he would get into greater difficulties.
"More wine, señores!" he exclaimed in a loud voice, and stepping
between their chairs in utter disregard of proper breeding. "Drink,
my captain, for your wound has made you weak. And you, Don
Diego, after your wild ride—"
"I doubt its wildness," Captain Ramón observed.
Don Diego accepted the proffered wine mug and turned his back
upon the captain. He glanced across at Señorita Lolita and smiled.
He got up deliberately and picked up his chair, and carried it across
the room to set it down beside her.
"And did the rogue frighten you, señorita?" he asked.
"Suppose he did, señor? Would you avenge the matter? Would you
put blade at your side and ride abroad until you found him, and then
punish him as he deserves?"
"By the saints, were it necessary, I might do as much. But I am able
to employ a raft of strong fellows who would like nothing better than
to run down the rogue. Why should I risk my own neck?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, exasperated.
"Let us not talk further of this bloodthirsty Señor Zorro," he begged.
"There are other things fit for conversation. Have you been thinking,
señorita, on the object of my visit earlier in the day?"
Señorita Lolita thought of it now. She remembered again what the
marriage would mean to her parents and their fortunes, and she
recalled the highwayman, too, and remembered his dash and spirit,
and wished that Don Diego could be such a man. And she could not
say the word that would make her the betrothed of Don Diego Vega.
"I—I have scarcely had time to think of it, caballero," she replied.
"I trust you will make up your mind soon," he said.
"You are so eager?"
"My father was at me again this afternoon. He insists that I should
take a wife as soon as possible. It is rather a nuisance, of course,
but a man must please his father."
Lolita bit her lips because of her quick anger. Was ever girl so
courted before? she wondered.
"I shall make up my mind as soon as possible, señor," she said
finally.
"Does this Captain Ramón remain long at the hacienda?"
A little hope came into Lolita's breast. Could it be possible that Don
Diego Vega was jealous? If that were true, possibly there might be
stuff in the man, after all. Perhaps he would awaken, and love and
passion come to him, and he would be as other young men.
"My father has asked him to remain until he is able to travel to the
presidio," she replied.
"He is able to travel now. A mere scratch!"
"You will not return to-night?" she asked.
"It probably will make me ill, but I must return. There are certain
things that must engage my interest early in the morning. Business
is such a nuisance!"
"Perhaps my father will offer to send you in the carriage."
"Ha! It were kindness if he does. A man may doze a bit in a
carriage."
"But, if this highwayman should stop you?"
"I need not fear, señorita. Have I not wealth? Could I not purchase
my release?"
"You would pay ransom rather than fight him, señor?"
"I have lots of money, but only one life, señorita. Would I be a wise
man to risk having my blood let out?"
"It would be the manly part, would it not?" she asked.
"Any male can be manly at times, but it takes a clever man to be
sagacious," he said.
Don Diego laughed lightly, as if it cost him an effort, and bent
forward to speak in lower tones.
On the other side of the room, Don Carlos was doing his best to
make Captain Ramón comfortable, and was glad that he and Don
Diego remained apart for the time being.
"Don Carlos," the captain said, "I come from a good family, and the
governor is friendly toward me, as no doubt you have heard. I am
but twenty-three years of age, else I would hold a higher office. But
my future is assured."
"I am rejoiced to learn it, señor."
"I never set eyes upon your daughter until this evening, but she has
captivated me, señor. Never have I seen such grace and beauty,
such flashing eyes! I ask your permission, señor, to pay my
addresses to the señorita."
 CHAPTER XI
THREE SUITORS

Here was a fix! Don Carlos had no wish to anger Don Diego Vega or
a man who stood high in the governor's regard. And how was he to
evade it? If Lolita could not force her heart to accept Don Diego,
perhaps she could learn to love Captain Ramón. After Don Diego, he
was the best potential son-in-law in the vicinity.
"Your answer, señor?" the captain was asking.
"I trust you will not misunderstand me, señor," Don Carlos said, in
lower tones. "I must make a simple explanation."
"Proceed, señor."
"But this morning Don Diego Vega asked me the same question."
"Ha!"
"You know his blood and his family, señor. Could I refuse him? Of
rights I could not. But I may tell you this—the señorita weds no man
unless it is her wish. So Don Diego has my permission to pay his
addresses, but if he fails to touch her heart—"
"Then I may try?" the captain asked.
"You have my permission, señor. Of course, Don Diego has great
wealth, but you have a dashing way with you, and Don Diego—that
is—he is rather—"
"I understand perfectly, señor," the captain said, laughing. "He is not
exactly a brave and dashing caballero. Unless your daughter prefers
wealth to a genuine man—"
"My daughter will follow the dictates of her heart, señor!" Don Carlos
said proudly.
"Then the affair is between Don Diego Vega and myself?"
"So long as you use discretion, señor. I would have nothing happen
that would cause enmity between the Vega family and mine."
"Your interests shall be protected, Don Carlos," Captain Ramón
declared.
As Don Diego talked, the Señorita Lolita observed her father and
Captain Ramón, and guessed what was being said. It pleased her, of
course, that a dashing officer should enter the lists for her hand, and
yet she had felt no thrill when first she looked into his eyes.
Señor Zorro, now, had thrilled her to the tips of her tiny toes, and
merely because he had talked to her, and touched the palm of her
hand with his lips. If Don Diego Vega were only more like the
highwayman! If some man appeared who combined Vega's wealth
with the rogue's spirit and dash and courage!
There was a sudden tumult outside, and into the room strode the
soldiers, Sergeant Gonzales at their head. They saluted their captain,
and the big sergeant looked with wonder at his wounded shoulder.
"The rogue escaped us," Gonzales reported. "We followed him for a
distance of three miles or so, as he made his way into the hills,
where we came upon him."
"Well?" Ramón questioned.
"He has allies."
"What is this?"
"Fully ten men were waiting for him there, my captain. They set
upon us before we were aware of their presence. We fought them
well, and three of them we wounded, but they made their escape
and took their comrades with them. We had not been expecting a
band, of course, and so rode into their ambush."
"Then we have to contend with a band of them!" Captain Ramón
said. "Sergeant, you will select a score of men in the morning, and
have command over them. You will take the trail of this Señor Zorro,
and you will not stop until he is either captured or slain. I will add a
quarter's wages to the reward of his excellency, the governor, if you
are successful."
"Ha! It is what I have wished!" Sergeant Gonzales cried. "Now we
shall run this coyote to earth in short order! I shall show you the
color of his blood—"
"'Twould be no more than right, since he has seen the color of the
captain's," Don Diego put in.
"What is this, Don Diego, my friend? Captain, you have crossed
blades with the rogue?"
"I have," the captain assented. "You but followed a tricky horse, my
sergeant. The fellow was here, in a closet, and came out after I had
entered. So it must have been some other man you met with his
companions up in the hills. This Señor Zorro treated me much as he
treated you in the tavern—had a pistol handy in case I should prove
too expert with the blade."
Captain and sergeant looked at each other squarely, each wondering
how much the other had been lying; while Don Diego chuckled
faintly and tried to press the Señorita Lolita's hand, and failed.
"This thing can be settled only in blood!" Gonzales declared. "I shall
pursue the rascal until he is run to earth. I have permission to select
my men?"
"You may take any at the presidio," the captain said.
"Sergeant Gonzales, I should like to go with you," Don Diego said
suddenly.
"By the saints! It would kill you, caballero! Day and night in the
saddle, up hill and down hill, through dust and heat, and with a
chance at fighting!"
"Well, perhaps it were best for me to remain in the pueblo," Don
Diego admitted. "But he has annoyed this family, of which I am a
true friend. At least, you will keep me informed? You will tell me how
he escapes if he dodges you? I at least may know that you are on
his trail, and where you are riding, so I may be with you in spirit?"
"Certainly, caballero—certainly!" Sergeant Gonzales replied. "I shall
give you the chance of looking upon the rogue's dead face. I swear
it!"
"'Tis a terrible oath, my sergeant. Suppose it should come to pass—"
"I mean, if I slay the rascal, caballero. My captain, do you return this
night to the presidio?"
"Yes," Ramón replied. "Despite my wound, I can ride a horse."
He glanced toward Don Diego as he spoke, and there was almost a
sneer upon his lips.
"What magnificent grit!" Don Diego said. "I, too, shall return to
Reina de Los Angeles, if Don Carlos will be as good as to have his
carriage around. I can tie my horse to the rear of it. To ride
horseback the distance again this day would be the death of me!"
Gonzales laughed and led the way from the house. Captain Ramón
paid his respects to the ladies, glowered at Don Diego, and followed.
The caballero faced Señorita Lolita again as her parents escorted the
captain to the door.
"You will think of the matter?" he asked. "My father will be at me
again within a few days, and I shall escape censure if I am able to
tell him that it is all settled. If you decide to wed me, have your
father send me word by a servant. Then I shall put my house in
order against the wedding day."
"I shall think of it," the girl said.
"We could be married at the mission of San Gabriel, only we should
have to make the confounded journey there. Fray Felipe, of the
mission, has been my friend from the days of my boyhood, and I
would have him say the words, unless you prefer otherwise. He
could come to Reina de Los Angeles and read the ceremony in the
little church on the plaza there."
"I shall think of it," the girl said again.
"Perhaps I may come out again to see you within a few days, if I
survive this night. Buenas noches, señorita! I suppose I should—er—
kiss your hand?"
"You need not take the trouble," Señorita Lolita replied. "It might
fatigue you."
"Ah—thank you! You are thoughtful, I see. I am fortunate if I get me
a thoughtful wife."
Don Diego sauntered to the door. Señorita Lolita rushed into her
own room and beat at her breasts with her hands, and tore at her
hair a bit, too angry, too enraged to weep. Kiss her hand, indeed!
Señor Zorro had not suggested it—he had done it. Señor Zorro had
dared death to visit her! Señor Zorro had laughed as he fought, and
then had escaped by a trick! Ah, if Don Diego Vega were half the
man this highwayman appeared!
She heard the soldiers gallop away, and after a little time she heard
Don Diego Vega depart in her father's carriage. And then she went
out into the great room again to her parents.
"My father, it is impossible that I wed with Don Diego Vega," she
said.
"What has caused your decision, my daughter?"
"I scarcely can tell, except that he is not the sort of man I wish for
my husband. He is lifeless; existence with him would be a continual
torment."
"Captain Ramón also has asked permission to pay you his
addresses," Doña Catalina said.
"And he is almost as bad. I do not like the look in his eyes," the girl
replied.
"You are too particular," Don Carlos told her. "If the persecution
continues another year we shall be beggars. Here is the best catch
in the country seeking you, and you would refuse him. And you do
not like a high army officer because you do not fancy the look in his
eyes!
"Think on it, girl! An alliance with Don Diego Vega is much to be
desired. Perhaps, when you know him better, you will like him more.
And the man may awaken. I thought I saw a flash of it this night,
deemed him jealous because of the presence of the captain here. If
you can arouse his jealousy—"
Señorita Lolita burst into tears, but soon the tempest of weeping
passed, and she dried her eyes.
"I—I shall do my best to like him," she said. "But I cannot bring
myself to say, yet, that I will be his wife."
She hurried into her room again, and called for the native woman
who attended her. Soon the house was in darkness, and the grounds
about it, save for the fires down by the adobe huts, where the
natives told one another grim tales of the night's events, each trying
to make his falsehood the greatest. A gentle snore came from the
apartment of Don Carlos Pulido and his wife.
But the Señorita Lolita did not slumber. She had her head propped
on one hand, and she was looking through a window at the fires in
the distance, and her mind was full of thoughts of Señor Zorro.
She remembered the grace of his bow, the music of his deep voice,
the touch of his lips upon her palm.
"I would he were not a rogue!" she sighed. "How a woman could
love such a man!"
 CHAPTER XII
A VISIT

Shortly after daybreak the following morning there was considerable

tumult in the plaza at Reina de Los Angeles. Sergeant Pedro
Gonzales was there with a score of troopers, almost all that were
stationed at the local presidio, and they were preparing for the
chase of Señor Zorro.
The big sergeant's voice roared out above the din as men adjusted
saddles and looked to bridles and inspected their water-bottles and
small supplies of provisions. For Sergeant Gonzales had ordered that
his force travel light, and live off the country as much as possible.
He had taken the commands of his captain seriously—he was going
after Señor Zorro, and did not propose to return until he had him—
or had died in an effort to effect a capture.
"I shall nail the fellow's pelt to the presidio door, my friend," he told
the fat landlord. "Then I shall collect the governor's reward and pay
the score I owe you."
"I pray the saints it may be true!" the landlord said.
"What, fool? That I pay you? Do you fear to lose a few small coins?"
"I meant that I pray you may be successful in capturing the man,"
the landlord said, telling the falsehood glibly.
Captain Ramón was not up to see the start, having a small fever
because of his wound, but the people of the pueblo crowded around
Sergeant Gonzales and his men, asking a multitude of questions,
and the sergeant found himself the center of interest.
"This Curse of Capistrano soon shall cease to exist!" he boasted
loudly. "Pedro Gonzales is on his trail. Ha! When I stand face to face
with the fellow—"
The front door of Don Diego Vega's house opened at that juncture,
and Don Diego himself appeared, at which the townsmen wondered
a bit, since it was so early in the morning. Sergeant Gonzales
dropped a bundle he was handling, put his hands upon his hips, and
looked at his friend with sudden interest.
"You have not been to bed," he charged.
"But I have!" Don Diego declared.
"And are up again so soon? Here is some devilish mystery that
needs an explanation!"
"You made noise enough to awaken the dead," Don Diego said.
"It could not be helped, caballero, since we are acting under orders."
"Were it not possible to make your preparations at the presidio
instead of here in the plaza, or did you think not enough persons
would see your importance there?"
"Now, by the—"
"Do not say it!" Don Diego commanded. "As a matter of fact, I am
up early because I must make a confounded trip to my hacienda, a
journey of some ten miles, to inspect the flocks and herds. Never
become a wealthy man, Sergeant Gonzales, for wealth asks too
much of a man."
"Something tells me that never shall I suffer on that account," said
the sergeant, laughing. "You go with escort, my friend?"
"A couple of natives, that is all."
"If you should meet up with this Señor Zorro, he probably would
hold you for a pretty ransom."
"Is he supposed to be between this place and my hacienda?" Don
Diego asked.
"A native arrived a short time ago with word that he had been seen
on the road running to Pala and San Luis Rey. We ride in that
direction. And since your hacienda is the other way, no doubt you
will not meet the rascal now."
"I feel somewhat relieved to hear you say it. So you ride toward
Pala, my sergeant?"
"We do. We shall try to pick up his trail as soon as possible, and
once we have it we shall run this fox down. Meanwhile, we also shall
attempt to find his den. We start at once."
"I shall await news eagerly," Don Diego said. "Good fortune go with
you!"
Gonzales and his men mounted, and the sergeant shouted an order,
and they galloped across the plaza, raising great clouds of dust, and
took the highway toward Pala and San Luis Rey.
Don Diego looked after them until nothing could be seen but a tiny
dust-cloud in the distance, then called for his own horse. He, too,
mounted and rode away toward San Gabriel, and two native
servants rode mules and followed a short distance behind.
But before he departed, Don Diego wrote a message and sent it by
native courier to the Pulido hacienda. It was addressed to Don
Carlos, and read:

The soldiers are starting this morning to pursue this Señor

Zorro, and it has been reported that the highwayman has a
band of rogues under his command and may offer battle. There
is no telling, my friend, what may happen. I dislike having one
in whom I am interested subjected to danger, meaning your
daughter particularly, but also the Doña Catalina and yourself.
Moreover, this bandit saw your daughter last evening, and
 certainly must have appreciated her beauty, and he may seek to
see her again.
I beg of you to come at once to my house in Reina de Los
Angeles, and make it as your home until matters are settled. I
am leaving this morning for my hacienda, but have left orders
with my servants that you are to give what commands you will.
I shall hope to see you when I return, which will be in two or
three days.
Diego.

Don Carlos read that epistle aloud to his wife and daughter, and then
looked up to see how they took it. He scoffed at the danger himself,
being an old war-horse, but did not wish to put his womenfolk in
jeopardy.
"What think you?" he asked.
"It has been some time since we have visited the pueblo," Doña
Catalina said. "I have some friends left among the ladies there. I
think it will be an excellent thing to do."
"It certainly will not injure our fortunes to have it become known we
are house guests of Don Diego Vega," Don Carlos said. "What does
our daughter think?"
It was a concession to ask her, and Lolita realized that she was
granted this unusual favor because of Don Diego's wooing. She
hesitated some time before answering.
"I believe it will be all right," she said. "I should like to visit the
pueblo, for we see scarcely anybody here at the hacienda. But
people may talk concerning Don Diego and myself."
"Nonsense!" Don Carlos exploded. "Could there be anything more
natural than that we should visit the Vegas, since our blood is almost
as good as theirs and better than that of others?"
"But it is Don Diego's house, and not that of his father. Still—he will
not be there for two or three days, he says, and we can return when
he comes."
"Then it is settled!" Don Carlos declared. "I shall see my
superintendent and give him instructions."
He hurried into the patio and rang the big bell for the
superintendent, being well pleased. For when the Señorita Lolita saw
the rich furnishings in the house of Don Diego Vega, she might the
more readily accept Don Diego as a husband, he thought. When she
saw the silks and satins, the elegant tapestries, the furniture inlaid
with gold and studded with precious stones, when she realized that
she could be mistress of this and much more besides—Don Carlos
flattered himself that he knew the feminine heart.
Soon after the siesta hour, a carreta was brought before the door,
drawn by mules and driven by a native. Doña Catalina and Lolita got
into it, and Don Carlos bestrode his best horse and rode at its side.
And so they went down the trail to the highway, and down the
highway toward Reina de Los Angeles.
They passed folk who marveled to see the Pulido family thus going
abroad, for it was well known that they had met with ill fortune and
scarcely went anywhere now. It was even whispered that the ladies
did not keep up with the fashions, and that the servants were poorly
fed, but remained at the hacienda because their master was so kind.
But Doña Catalina and her daughter held their heads proudly, as did
Don Carlos, and they greeted the people they knew, and so
continued along the highway.
Presently they made a turning and could see the pueblo in the
distance—the plaza, and the church with its high cross on one side
of it, and the inn and storehouses, and a few residences of the more
pretentious sort, like Don Diego's, and the scattered huts of natives
and poor folk.