CHESS

Evening Star, Issue 19764, 14 January 1928, Page 18

CHESS

[Conducted by L.D.G.] The Otago Club meets lor [.lay at the rooms, SI George street, Hannah’s buildings, every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings, at 7.30 o'clock. TO CORRESPONDENTS. Dr C. (Portobello). —Thanks for letter. I will reply in a few days. P-Kt 4is the composers key move for Problem No. 1,441 by A. Grinblat, but the problem is “ cooked ” by Q-R 3. Referring to your first move for Black, Kt x it, this is defeated by Kt at Kt 8 to Q 7 mate. You will notice that the knight also commands White’s K 5, which was previously held by the rook before capture. J. (Dunedin). —Thanks for communication. It is a pleasure to note your interest in the column. I hope to hear from you again. F. —Thanks for friendly note and comments. L.D.C.—Thapks for letter. Yes, it is unusual for a capture key move in a firstclass problem; but with Problem No. 1,442 one might suggest that the capture is not a blemish. It seems really necessary for the working out of the composer’s theme. The quoted was a 1927 number. I will advise you further by letter. G. (Port Chalmers).—Thanks for solution to Problem 1,439. K. (Mornington).—Your interest in the column is greatly appreciated, and I thank you for your good wishes for 1928. Correct solutions to Problem No. 1,442 received from G.S.M.M'D., R.F.R.M'D., Dr C., J.A.8., F.W.C., S.S.M., R.M., L.D.C., W. 8., Check, G.S., W.G., T.P.W. [We invite communications on all matters concerning chess. Solutions o I problems, games, and analyses will receive our attention, and if of sufficient merit will be inserted. All communications to be addressed. “ Chess Editor," ‘ Evening Star.’] SOLUTION TO PROBLEM No. 1,442. By R. G. Thomson, Black 10 pieces; White 5 pieces. Mate in two moves. lb5K; 4p3: p6R; Ep2k3; 3Kt3Q; lp6; lqlp4; Ikt2r3. Key move: Kt x P.

PROBLEM No. 1.443, By R. G. Thomson.

Black, 7 pieces. White, 9 pieces.

White to play and mate in two moves. kt2Kt4; rZB2QI; lplklp2; 8; bPEIP3; Kt 7; p 7; 84K2. FRENCH DEFENCE. The student of openings will find the present game worthy of attention, as it gives a serious blow, if not a knock-out one, to the MacCutcheon variation of the French Defence. It was played in the fourth round of the Moscow Tourney;— White, Dr J Bogatirlschuk; Black, H. M. Subarew. 1 P-K 4 P-K 3 2 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 3 Kt-Q B 3 Kt-K B 3 4 B-Kt 5 B-Kt 5 (a) 5 P-K 5 P-K 11 3 6 B-Q 2 (b) Bs Kt 7 B x B Kt-K 5 8 Q-Kt 4 K-B 1 (c) 9 B-Q 3 Kt x B 10 Kx Kt Q-Kt 4ch (d) 11 Qx Q Px Q 12 P-K B 4 (e) Px P (f) 13 R-K B 1 P-Q B 4 (g) 14 Rx P B-Q 2 15 Kt-R 3 K-K 2 16 K R-K B 1 B-K 1 17 Kt-Kt 5 Rx P fh) ' 18 R x P ch B x R 19 R x B ch K-K 1 20 11 x K Kt P R x P ch ' 21 K-K 3 P x P ch • 22 K-B 4 E x Kt (i) 23 Kx R Kl-Q 2 24 B-Kt 6ch Resigns (a) This is the MacCutcheon variation of the French Defence (b) Now generally accepted as White's best move. (c) If P-K Kt 3, White gets a fine attacking game by 9 P-K R, 4, P-Q B 4; 10 B-Q 3. Kt x B; 11 Kt x Kt, as played Bogoljubon v. Reti, Breslau, 1925. And 8... Castles is, of course, out of the question, because of 9 B X R P. (d) Trying by means of exchanges to reduce •matters to a draw, to prevent which many players have played 9 P-K R 4, instead of B-Q 3. (e) A new move, that seems (o give While a winning game. (f) Practically forced, foi if 12.,.P-Kt 5; 13 B-K 2, P-Kt 6; 14 P-K R 4, followed by Q R-K B 1, and E-B 3, winning the pawn. (g) If 13.,.P-K Kt 4; then 14 P-K R 4, followed by Kt-B 3. fh) If R-K B 1; 18 B-Kt 6 was deadly. (i) Forced, to prevent B-Kt 6 ch, followed by Kt x P ch. AUSTRALIAN CHESS. The following game was played in the interstate telegraphic matches between New South Wales and Victoria: —Queen’s Pawn Opening.— White, G. J S. Purdy (N.S.W.); Black, S. Woinarski (Vic.). 1 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 2 P-Q B 4 P-K 5 3 Kt- K B 3 Kt-K B 3 4 Kt-Q B 3 Q Kt-Q 2 5 B-Ki 5 P-B 3 6 P-K 3 Q-R 4 7 Kt-Q 2 Px P 8 B x At Kt x B 9Kt x B Q-B 2 10 B-Q 3 B-K 2 11 Castles Castlea 12 R-B 1 R-Q 1 13 Q-K 2 B-Q 2 14 Kt-K 5 B-K 1 15 P-B 4 Q R-R 1 16 R-B 3 P-B 4 17 R-R 3 P-K Kt, 3 18 Q-K B 2 Px P 19 P x P R x I* 20 K-B 1 Q-Q 1 21 E-K 1 B-Q b 22 R(K 1)-K 3 Bx Kt 23 P x B R x P 24 Q-E 4 Kt-R 4 25 Qx Q Rs Q 26 R(B 1)-E 3 P-B 3 27 Kt-Kt 4 R(Q1) x B 28 R x R R x R 29 Resigns CHESS FOR BEGINNERS. RELATIVE VALUE OF THE PIECES. There is no complete and accurate table for all of them, and the only thing to do is to compare the pieces separately. For all general theoretical purposes the bishop and the knight have to be considered as of the same value, though it is my opinion (writes Capablanca in ‘Chess Fundamentals ’) that the bishop will prove the more valuable piece in most eases, and it is well known that two bishops are almost always better than two knights. The bishop will be stronger against pawns than the knight, and in combination with pawns will also be stronger against the rook than the knight will be. A bishop and a rook are also stronger than a knight and a. rook; but a queen and a queen and a knight may be stronger than a queen and a bishop. A bishop will often he worth more than three pawns, but a knight very seldom so, and may even not be worth so much. A rook will be worth a knight and two pawns or a bishop and two pawns; but, as said before, (ho bishop will be a betler piece against the rook. Two rooks are slightly slrouger than a queen. They are slightly weaker than two knights and a bishop, and a little more so than two bishops and a knight. The power of the knhrlP decreases as the pieces are changed off. The power of the rook, on the contrary, increases. The king, a purely defensive piece throughout the middle game, becomes an offensive piece once all the pieces are off the board, and sometimes even when there arc one or two minor pieces left. The handling of the king becomes of paramount importance once the end game is reached.