Recent Games.

Otago Witness, Issue 2362, 1 June 1899, Page 48

Recent Games.

x, Tl & c ? fro ?? tb e championship tournament of the Metropolitan Chess Club :—

Interesting "Evans" played between two strong London players :—

A brilliant game in a match played at St. Louis :—

A bright little skirmish between two Cliftonamateurs; not without some points of interest :—

Problem 1583 (Tourney Problem No. 9).— By P. Klett (two moves).— B, 6p 1, 4PIPI, 4 X p P k, 6 Xt b, 3 B 4, 5 P 2, 2 Q 4 P.

White, 1. I Black, 1. | White, 2 PxP en pa.ssent | Aoy | Mates Problem 1584 (Tourney Problem No. 10).— By P. A. L. Kuskop (three moves). — 8, X 2 Q 3 p, 7 P, 1 P 2 k B 2, 4. Xt 3, 1 p 6, p 7, b 1 B b 4.

SOLVERS AND THEIR CRITICISMS.

No. 1583 (Tourney Problem No. 9).— Most ingenious, not a new idea, but well worked out (8). Alfordian, Christchurch. — Very tricky, and will puzzle a few. X. Y. Z., Christchurch. A beautiful puzzle; demonatrably Black's last move could have been none other than P-B 4 (8). J. H. L., Havelock North.— A very tricky problem; but a faulty key, lacking in variety; both mates are economical, though not quite pure (5). P. J. G., Coonoor.— Solution without criticism: F. Woodward, Linwood; Othello, Dunedin. — " The Two-move Chess Problem " says of this problem:— "lt is easily demonstrable that Black's last move (taking the position as one arrived at by actual— though perhaps irrational — play) was P from EL B 2 to B 4. First of all, the Black king could not have moved from X R 3, as that square is attacked by White P and Xt, which pieces could not have given check simultaneously. The X has no other square whence it could have moved. The Xt's P need not be dealt with. The B could not have played last time, as two of its commanded squares are occupied, and from the third (X Xt) it is clear the B did not move, as the White X would have been in check. Nor could the B's P have come from B 3, for the same reason that the B did not come from Xt 6; and it is equally certain it could not have reached its present position by the capture of a white piece on that square. The only move, therefore, is P from X B 2 to X B 4, which renders White's key-move, 1, P x P en passant, legitimate." No. 1584 (Tourney Problem No. 10).— A poor key, though not easy; short mate also a blemish ; general absence of checks on second move good; some excellent and economical mates, and fair variety (7). J. H. L.— Solution without criticism: Othello, Dunedin.— Difficult, but much of the difficulty to practised solvers is the reverse of creditable to the problem, as it aiises from unwillingness to make so bad a key-move as averting a threatened check. Good features are several near tries, the absence of checks in most of White's second moves • and of captures in all of them, and the sacrifice of the B in one variation, which leads to a mirror mate. Three mates are economical, and others are nea-rly so; but none are pure, and there is a short mate. Two White pawns are idle pieces, and the mates are not very interesting (7). — Chess Editor, Canterbury Times.

White. Black. (S. Stevens, (F. Lamb, City of l,on- North don.) London.) White. Black. (S. StevenF, (F. Lamb, City of Lon- North don.) London.) 14 R-Q 1 Xt x P 15 B-K Xt 5 Q-B 2 If) B-TJ 4 K-Q 1 17 Kt-R 3 P-Q X 3 18 Q Xt 3 B Q Xt 5 19 Kt-B 2 B-Q B 4 20 Xt-Xt 5 Kt-il 4 21 Q-Q 3 QKtxß 22 QxP eh K-B 1 23 H-K 1 B-K 6 24 Xt x B B X 3 25 Kt-Q5 Resigns 1 P-K 4 P X 4 2 Kt-K B 3 Kt-Q B 3 3 B-B 4 B-B 4 4 P-Kt 4 B x P 5 P-B 3 B-R 4 6 00 P-Q 3 7 P-Q 4 P x P 8 P x P Kt-B 3 9 P-Q 5 Xt X 2 10 K-K5 Kt-K 5 11 Q-R 4ch P-B 3 12 Px B P O-O 13PxQP KtxQP

White. Black. (Trenchaid.) (Jacobs.) White. Black. (Trenchard.) (Jacobs.) J5Kt-K4 BxKt 26 ltx B Rxf 27 JP^Q Xt 3 R-Kt 7 28 R-K 3 Kt-Q 4 29 R-K B 3 P-B 3 30 P-Kt 3 R-Q 7 31 R-R 1 P-Q Xt 3 32 K-R 7 B-K 2 33 R-B 5 K-B 2 ?-l P-R 4 P-Kt 3 35 K-B 3 P-R 4 36 K-B 1 P-Q Xt 4 37 K-K 1 R-q 5 38 K-K 2 P-B 5 30 P x P P x P 40 X R-R 3 P-B 6 41 R-Rl P-B 7 42 R-Q B 1 Xt-Xt 5 13 K-K 3 R-Q 8 41QR-R1 B-Blch 45 K-K 2 R x R 4*3 R x R B-Q 5 Resigns 1 P-K 4 P Q 4 • 2PxP Kl-KB3 3 PQ4 QxP 4 Kt-Q B 3 Q-Q R 4 5 B Q 2 P-B 3 6 Kt-B 3 B-B 4 7 B-K 2 Q Kt-Q 2 8 0-0 P-K 3 9 R-K 1 B-K 2 10 Kt-K4 Q-B2 11 Xt-Xt 3 li-Xt 3 12 P-B 4 U-0 ■fi Q R-B 1 X R.Q 1 T4 Q-Kt :i P-B 4 15 P-Q 5 P x P 16 P x P Xt-Xt 3 J7 Kt-Q 1 Rx P \8 Xt-Xt 5 Q-Q 2 {9 Xt x P Rx B 9O Qx Xt R-Q 3 01 B-Kt 5 R x Q 02 B x Q B-B 1 n3 Kt-B 8 Xt x B o4 Xt xE, Xt X Kfc

White, 1. Black, 1. White, 2. K-Kt 8 B-K7, orP-KtßxP 7 B-R4 B-K6 13-K 5 Q-K 6 mate |B-Kts Q-Q6ch B elsewhere B-K3 Ac. <fee. &c.

.fETHOIT S .DEFENCE. White. Black. "White. (Mr X ) (Mr V.) (Mr X.) L P-K 4 P-K 4 ]0 QB 2 2 X Kt-B 3 X Kt-B 3 11 B-Q 3 ) P-Q 4 P x P 12 Kc-K 2 I P-K 5 B-Kts eh 13 Qxß 5 P-B 3 P x P 14 0-0 iPxP BxPch ISQ K-K 1 'Ktxß 0-0 16 It x li, iVxKt QxP ) B-Kt 2 P-Q 3 Black. (Mr V.) B-B4 R-K 1 eh Bxß Qxß RxKt Rx R Kt-B 3 Black wins.

White. Black. White. Black. (Pillsbury.) (Max Jndd.) (Pillsbury.) (Max Judd.) 1 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 2 P.Q B 4 P-K 3 3 Xt QB 3 P-Q Kfc 3 4 Xt 15 3 B-Kt 2 5 B-B 4 B-Q 3 6 Bxß Qxß 7PxP BxP 8 P-K 4 B-Kt 2 9 R-B 1 P-Q R 3 10 B-Q 3 Kt-K 2 11 0-0 O-O 12 P-K 5 Q-Q 1 13 BxP eh Kxß 14 Xt-Xt 5 eh K-R 3 15 Q-Q 2 K-Kt 3 16 Xt X 2 Kt-Q 4 17 Q-Q :i eh Xx Xt 18 P-B 4ch K-R 3 19 Q-R 3ch KKt 3 20 P-B sch Px P 21 R x P R-R 1 22 Q-Kt 4 eh K-R 2 23 X x P, W'lite wius.