THE CHESS WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 13 (Supplement)

THE CHESS WORLD.

ALEKHINE'S PROTEST. "ORGANISED CALUMNIATION." A very strong protest against rumours such as that lie had turned up to the twenty-first game very late and under the influence of alcohol and had been censured by the match committee was issued by Dr. Alekliine after his defeat by Dr. Euwe for the world's championship. His statement was as follows: "I have no doubt that the course of this match for the chess championship has astonished the whole of the chess world. There is good reason for astonishment, not only at the way I have lost games, but at the way I have played in some of these lost games. "I think I can give two reasons for my compartive lack of success. "1. During one period, from the tenth to the fourteenth games, I was falsely persuaded into a belief that the match was virtually over. In consequence, I treated the openings of these games with a carelessness unpardonable and committed errors which to anybody with a knowledge of my powers seemed incomprehensible. "2. From about this period I have been the butt of a campaign of calumniation and misrepresentation organised by a part of the Dutch Press and several members of the soi-disant 'Euwe-Alek-hine' committee. "This campaign reached its climax with the twenty-first game. "This game was played absolutely without any unpleasant incident —contrary to Press reports. This is officially confirmed by my adversary, Euwe; the director of the match, Kmoch and both our seconds, Maroczy and Landau. "Such a campaign can hardly fail to have an unfortunate effect on a player engaged in a strenuous match in which his title is at stake. In compaiison with the atmosphere of this match, the one at Buenos Aires, in which I gained my title, and those against Bogoljubow, in which I succeeded in retaining it, were ideal." Empire Tournament. According to "Chess,'', the project of holding a great Empire chess tournament ' at Johannesburg, with representatives nominated by each of the Dominions competing for the Empire championship, has had to be abandoned owing to lack of funds. The fourth game in the match for the championship of the world:—

Queen's Pawn Opening. WHITE. BLACK. ; Dr. M. Euwe. Dr. A. Alekhine. 1. P-Q 4 , Kt-K B 3 2. P-Q B 4 P-K Kt 3 a. Kt-Q B 3 l'-Q 4 4. Q-Kt 3 PxP fi. Qxß P (a) B-Kt 2 (>. B-B 4 P-Q B 3 7. K-Q sq Q-K 4 8. B-Q 2 l'-Q Kt 4 •I. Q-Kt 3 l'-Kt 5 10. Kt-K 4 Kt-K 3 11. P-K 3 B-K 3 12. Q-B 2 Castles 13. l'-Q Kt 3 Q U-Kt sq 14. B-Q 3 K K-B sq 15. Kt-K 2 l'-B 4 (b) 10. BxKt Q.\B 17. KtxP Q-Kt 4 18. Kt-B 4 B-Kt 5 It). I>-B 3 I'-K 4 (e) 20. Kt(B4)-Q 3 I'xP 21. Pxß PxK P 22. BxK P KtxP 23. B-B 4 B-B 0 ch 24. K-Q 2 Kxlvt 25. KtxK QxKt 26. BxK Q-K 2 ch 27. K-Q sq (d) Kt-K U ch 28. K-B sq KtxQ 20. KxKt P-K K 4 30. K-Q sq B-Kt 2 31. P-K R 3 l'-Q K 4 32. B-B 4 Q-K 5 33. B E 7 Q-K (J ch 34. K-Ivt sq P-Q K 5 35. PxP P-Kt 0 ! 3G. PxP QxKt P ch 37. K-B sq B-K 3 ch 38. R(Q sq)-Q 2 QxQ BP K 39. B-K 5 K-K 2 | 40. B-B 3 Q-Kt 4 P 41. B-Q 4 Q-K 7 ■ 42. P-Kt 4 Q-K 8 ch 43. K-Kt 2 BxK 44. R-B S B-B 8 ch Resigns (a) As played in the second game, but Alekhine improves on his play in that case, for here 5. . . . B-Kt 2 Is better. The immediate attack on the White queen which followed required the most careful watching by Dr. Euive, and up to his thirteenth move there was little in it. But then it would have been better to x>lay 14. BxKt, Qxß; 15. Kt-B 5, Q moves; and then could come l(i. Kt-B 3, or Q-Q 3, or Kt-Q 3. (b) Quite prepared to give up the pawn, if White was unwise enough to take it, for the point was then that the knight was pinned on the queen. If played as suggested in the previous note, the Black pawn formed a good shield for the knight, in which lay a world of positional difference. (c) Very well thought out, for it was well worth the bishop given up when the sacrifice completely opened the centre, and 22. . . . KtxP could follow. Probably 21. P-K 4 was best for White, for then he just had time to castle out of the worst of the danger. As played, there was no good square for the bishop on his twenty-third move, and then 23. . . . B-B G ch, practically settled the question. (d) Whichever way the king went 27. . . . Kt-K 6 ch won the queen, and the rest was a clear win for Alekhine, with that advance of the queen's side pawns to break up the defence. If 45. Kxß, Q-Kt 5 ch, regaining the piece, and'there was nothing to be done. Problem (New Series) No. 17. White (11 pieces) : King at K Kt C, Queen at K Kt 2, Rooks at K 4 and Q 8, Bishops at Q 6 and Q B 2, Knights at Q 2 and Q Kt 8, Pawns at Q Kt 4, Q B 5 and Q Kt 7. Black (5 pieces) : King at Q 4, Queen at Q R 3. Bishop at K 6, Knights at K R 7 and Q B 8. White to play and mate in two moves. Solution of Problem No. 16. B to B sq.