CHESS

Evening Star, Issue 18033, 29 July 1922, Page 11

CHESS

[Conducted by J.H.F.H.] Tho Otago Chess Club meets for play at 193 Princes street south every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening, at 7.30 o'clock. TO CORRESPONDENTS. [All communications mu*l ba addressed "Chess Editor.” ‘Evening Star.’] “R. 0." (High street).—The pleasure that you had in solving problem No. 1,595 was also shared by many of our solvers. Your proposed “ cook ” move of the knight in problem No. 1,594 is upset by the rook playing to king 5. Tinder the heading “ Capture Keys,” we give yon our “ criticism and version” relating to this peculiar form of problem toy. Reference to the annual report of the New Zealand Chess Association must remain over until next week. PROBLEM No. 1,596. By A. G. Stubbs. Black, 10 pieces.

White to play and mate in two moves. 2R3bl; 281p5; lnlb4; !Bkr3p; 2kt2p2; 2K12Q2; 2Ktp3K ; 8. SOLUTION OF PROBLEM No. 1,595. Key move: Kt-B 3. GAME No. 1,470. The following game was the first win secured by the Otago Chess Club against the Canterbury Chess Club in the recent chess match by telegraph;— French Defence. White, R. S. Shilleto (C.C.C.); Black, A. W. Grabham (0.C.C.). 1 P-K 4 P-K 3 2 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 3 P-K 5 P-Q B 4 4 P-Q B 3 Q-Kt 3 5 Et-B 3 Kt-K 2 6PxP(v Q x P 7 Q B-K 3 Q-B 2 8 Kt-Q 4 Qx P (b) 9 Kt-Q 2 Kt-B 3 10 B-Kt 5 P-Q R 3 11 Q Kt-K B 3 Q-Q 3 12 B-R 4 P-Q Kt 4 (cl 13 B-B 2. P-K 4 14 Kt-K 2 Kt-B 4 15 B-B sq (d> B-K 2 16 P-K R 3 Castles 17 Kt-Kt 3 P-K 5 18 Kt z Kt B s Kt 19 Kt-Q 4 Kt xKt

20 Qx Kt B-B 3 21 Q-Q sq Q Sjrß sq 22 Castles (o) B-JS 4 23 B-K 3 Q-K Kt S 24 K-R sq JB-K 3 25 P-K B 4 B-Q 3 26 P-B 5 B x P 27 Qx P (f) Q-Kt 6 28 K B-Kt »q E-B 4 29 Q-Q 4 Bx R P 30 Bx K P BxKt Peb 31 Resigns —Notes.— (a) This is far from good, as It leaves tho advanced pawn at K 5 in the air. (b) Quito so, and Black establishes a strong pawn centre. fc) Black decides to become aggressive. (d) B x Kt was better. (e) With the strong attack on While’* king’s side, castling is unsatisfactory. (f) There is no time for this capture. (g) A well-played ending by Black. THE LATE ME J. EDWARDS. Nows of Mr J. Edwards’s death will hr received with regret by tho patrons of chess throughout New Zealand. His identify with New Zealand chess, both as regards club and association play, made him a prominent figure in a playing and personal sense. The chess played by Air Edwards belonged to the old school of tho Morphy type, rather than the modern, as expressed by the present world’s champion, Capabianca. Tho art side, of chess, shown through its problems, held him as an ardent devotee. This column was frequently under an obligation to him for games and problems which contained some special merit: and the fmo two-mover, also tho sparkling and brilliant game published last Saturday were supplied by Mr Edwards. His first appearance in New Zealand chess tournaments was in the year 1891, and in 1894 Mr Edwards secured the honor of champion of tho dominion.

CAPTURE KEYS. Capture keys are not regarded with favor, as in their very nature they weaken Black’s defensive power. A good key move, if it does not actually give Black greater freedom and defensive power, should at least not impair it. At the same time, it is some times impossible to work out a theme withr out having recourse to a Black piece which may not be required in the solution; but it is necessary to stop a “ cook,” and such is captured with White’s key move. If it is an unimportant piece and the key move well hidden, and tho after-play meritorious, then tho blemish of a capture-key may bo regarded as only trifling. In fact, some problems of this nature are treasured as first-class ex;«*ples of the problem composer’s art. It may bo mentioned that a capture-key is sometimes found by a novice quicker than by an experienced solver, who only looks for a capture-key as a last resort. Tho capture-key in a chess problem has the same effect on a problem student that straight lines or hard coloring in a picture has on a painter. It cannot bo too frequently emphasised that chess problems are art creations, and not puzzles. Wo spcc’nJly refer to this aspect of chess problems owing to our esteemed correspondent, who provoked the above “criticism and version,” referring to the problem appearing in our columns last Saturday as being “artistic.” It is tho art expressed in a chess problem that mates for beauty or the reverse.