CHESS

Evening Star, Issue 20346, 30 November 1929, Page 4

CHESS

[Conducted fcy L.D.G.]

The Otago Club meets for play at ,the rooms, Hannah's Buildings, -4 George street, _ every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening, .at '.30 o'clock ‘ TO CORRESPONDENTS. K.S. (Manchester).—Problemsreceived; a fin® selection. Thanks. F.K.Ks (Wellington).—Papers received. Thanks. The Otago v. Wellington, contest lias proved a good contest. The final result will be very close.• ;> " Dr C. (Portobe)lo).—Your welcome letter and solutions to: hand. Yes; problem* Nos. I, and 1,-870 are both fine compositions. J.D. (Hawera)—Thanks for interesting letter., I am pleased' to- note that you are a reader of the chess, column. My letter forwarded. Correct solutions to problems Nos. 1,869 and 1,870 received from S.S.M., Dr C., R.M., J. Pawn, W.T., R. 8., D.H., J.C. [Wo invite communications on all matters concerning chess. Solutions ol problems, games, and analyses will receive our attention, and if of sufficient merit .will be inserted. . All communications to be addressed “ Chess Editor/* 1 Evening Star/] ■ SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No. 1,863 (by J. Bunting): Q-B 6. No. 1,870 (by P. F. Blake): Q-R 2. PROBLEM No. 1,871. By Alain C White. Black, 4 pieces.

White, 5 pieces. White to play and mate in two moves. 8; 8; 1K82Q2; 8; 8; 5R2; spql; SKtbk The above charming two-mover has the touch of the real artist. PROBLEM No. 1,872. By William Meredith. Black, 5 pieces.

White, 8 pieces. "White to play and mate in two moves. 8: 8; 382p1; 6KI; !PPkp3; 2RktKt2Q; 8; ktKtfi. The above is a remarkable problem. The key is wonderfully fine, and a difficult one. There are no less than twenty-sis “ tries ” that are defeated each by only one move of Black, which is exactly twice the number of pieces employed. This is probably a record seldom .approached. INDIAN CHESS CHAMPION. Hafiz Mian Sultan Khan, the new British chess champion, and first Indian to win -he distinction, is the son of Mir Nizauriddin, the religious leader of Mitha Tiwana, in the Shahpur district of the Punjab. Ho is twenty-four years of age, and has spent the greater part of his youth in learning the Koran by heart, so effectively that he has earned the title of “ Hafiz,” accorded to one able to repeat from memory the whole of tie Koran. He has nine brothers, all of whom are advanced players of chess. Col onel Malik Nawab Sir Umar Hayat Khen Tiwana, who belongs to the same district as Sultan Khan, took a great interest in him because of the remarkable aptitude he showed whenever he played a game With the Nawab. The Nawab, therefore, organised a special all-India tournament, which Sultan Khan won. The new champion does not speak English, and consequently he cannot read any book written on the subject of chess. There are no chess books in the vernacular of his country. Sir Umar therefore encaged an English tutor to teach him the English moves of the game, as the Indian moves differ from the English.

CARLSBAD TOURNAMENT. A great game by F. D. Bogoljuboff, present challenger for the world’s title. The game won for him “ the best game prize ” of the Carlsbad tourney:— —Queen’s Pawn Opening.— White, E. D. Bogoljuboff; Black, A. Nimzowitch. 1 P-Q 4 Kt-K B 3 2 P-Q B 4 P-K 3 3 Kt-Q B 3 B-Kt 5 4 Kt-B 3 BogoljuboH is a leader of those who hold that While can safely disregard the doubled Q B P in this opening. B x Kt ch 5P x B P-Q Kfc 3 6 P-Kt 3 The opinion gains ground that White's K B must be developed via K 2 or Q 3 in this form of the openinig. B-Kt 2 7 B-K Kt 2 Castles 8 Castles R-K 1 ...This and the next are with the intention of getting in ...P-K 4 first, in case White should play Kt-Q 2 with the same object. The order of. Black’s moves is very closely thought out, and deserves the reader’s study. 9 R-K 1 P-Q 3 .10 Q-B 2......8-K 5 11 Q-Kt 3 Kt-B 3 12 B-B 1 Now 13 Kt-Q 2 threatens to attain his aim, but Black is still able to thwart it. P-K 4! 13 P x P He is not much concerned about the isolation of his doubled pawn, as he expects to be able to play P-B 5 at some point or other. In this also be_ is thwarted by Black’s clever play. To avoid the isolation, moreover, would mean playing B-Q Kt 2 (a poor move here) or P-Q 5, which would leave the pawns disastrously weak for the end-game without yielding attacking prospects beforehand.’

. Kt x P 14 Kt x Kt Exit, 15 B-B 4 B-K 1 ‘ 16 P-B 3 B-Kt 2 17 Q B-Q 1 Threatening 18 P-B 5. Ki-Q 2 ' 18 P-K 4...... Q-B 3 ...Threatening 19... P-Kt 4. 13 B-Kt 2...,..Ki-K 4 20 R-Q 2 M2 21 K B-Q I B-B 3 ...White still threatened P-B 5. 22 E-K B 2 Q B-K 1 23 B-K B 1 This offers Black a pawn: whether in ten tionally or otherwise is hard to divine. P-K B 3

...25...Kt sPcl; 24 R x Kt, P-K Kt 4; 25 B s P, Q -x R; 26 B-Kt 2, Q-Kt 5; 27 B x R, B x B, and Black wins another pawn; but he may well have considered that. he would have a difficult ending to win if left with queens and pawns only, and that his present attack should yield better chances. 24 B-K 2 K-B 1 25 Q-B 3...... Q-K ,3 26 Q-B 1 P-B 4! ...Kot 26... Kt x Q B P; 27 B x Kt, Q x B; 28 B x B P, F x.B; 29 Q x P qh, and draws by perpetual check. In foregoing the gain at 23 Block was relying upon the effect of the present move, ' 27 P x P......Q x K B P 28 Q-Q 2.....-. Q-B 2 29 Q-Q 4 ibe threat of perpetual check no longer exists, as a black rook could now interpose, so he has to safeguard his pawn at QB 4. 29 Bx Kt was rather better' for the purpose than the text-move, but would still leave him with the inferior game. Position after 29 Q-Q 4: — Black (Niinzowitch).

White (Boguljuboff). Kt-Kfc 3! ...A inove which White seems to have left out of account—possibly under time pressure. It leaves Black with a winning ending. 50 BiE Pis useless, on account of 30...8 xB. 50 B-Q 3 Kt x B 31 Q s Kt Q x Q 32 B x Q K-K B 1 33 P-K B 5 B-Q 2 34 E (Q 1)-Q 2 B x P 35 E(B 2>K 2 Ex E 36 B x K R-K 1 37 E-B 2 R-K 4 • 38 E-Q 5 ‘ Black’s rook threatened to get amongst the queen side pawns by ...E-Q E 4 and ...E-E 6. P-K Kt 4 59 E x E P s E 40 P-B 5 At last! But it is now only a pis aller to keep the black king from reaching tho square. P x P 41 B-E 6 P-K 5 42 P-Q E 4 K-Kfc 2 43 P-R 5 P x P 44 K x P K-B 3 45 K-K 3 K-K 4 46 B-B 4 B-Kt 5 47 B-R 6 P-R 4 48 B-B 4 P-R 5 49 B-E 0 B-Q 8 50 B-Kt 7 P-Kt 5 Resigns For after 51... P-Kt 6 Black will play ...B-Kt 6 and B-Q 4, and tho black king gradually gets round on the queen’s side.

DOMINION CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

OTAGO v. WELLINGTON,

The annual match between the above clubs was concluded on Monday evening last, this being the final stage of this season’s series of telegraphic matches for the club championship of New Zealand. Moves sealed on tho previous Monday were sent through promptly, an early start was effected, and very good progress was made. Eight- games were disposed of when play ceased, the results being as follow: Board I.—J. B. Dunlop (O.) v. A. W. Gyles (W.). The latter sacrificed a minor piece in order to win tho exchange, but had to-forgo" the taking of an unsupported rook, as hia queen would have been trapped. This left Dunlop a piece up, which enabled him to force the play and score at move 34. Board 3.—0. Balk (O.) v. W. E. Mason (W.). Conducting a vigorous attack with all his old-time skill, Mason won a pawn and the exchange. He next threatened to add a rook to his gains, and the Otago Club’s champion accordingly resigned at move 31.

Board 4.-F. K. Kelling (W.) v. W. G. Stenhouse (O.). The former had no difficulty in pressing home the advantage gained on the previous Monday. Gaining furthei material, he scored at move 55. Board 5.—L. D. Coombs ''Ll v. W._ Mac kay (W.). A well-contested bout that yielded no advantage to either side. -At move 29 Coombs suggested a draw, and this was accepted bv the local president. Board B.—G. Wigham (W.i v. Ron. M'Dermid (0.). The former, putting up a good uphill fight, regained the exchange at the cost of a pawn.” This, however, left M'Dermid, who is the ex-champion of the Otago C.C., with two connected passed pawns. The local player accordingly resigned at the close of the session, recognising that ttdiudioation should go in Otago’s favour. Board 9.-Dr G. Barnett tO.) v. D. Purchas (W.I. A rather complicated position was reached in the final stage of this interesting game, Purchas having five pawns against opponent’s knight and three pawns Neither player was anxious to “ bum his boats,” and so a draw was agreed to at move 49.

Board 10.—J. C. M’Crea fW.I v. L. D. Grigg (0.). A well-fought battle, even all the wav. The draw accented bv M'Crea at move 30 was a fitting termination to a good game. _ , Board 15.M f Dormott (0.) v. H. J* Thompson (W.). The former scored the first win of the match early in the evening through being, able to fork his opponent’s king and queen with a knight. The position at present is that the Otago Club has won 3 games, lost 2. and drawn 3, while 8 gamee are unfinished. Three of these incomplete games are in a very even state, but the remaining five favour _ the Wellington Club, as G. P. Anderson is a bishop to the good, while Messrs E, A. Hicks, E. E. Hicks. A. E. Jessup, and F. Gradv have each won a pawn. Any games concerning which agreement cannot bo reached in the negotiations between the two captains are to be referred to the Auckland Adjudication Board. During the evening it was learnt with much regret that neither Mr Dunlop nor Mr Direk Pihl would be able to compete in tbe New Zealand championship tourney that opens m Wanganui on Boxing Day. This match, like_ so many of its nredecessors, was not without some humorous touches. There were some broad smiles when the Otago caotain proposed a tug-of-war between the two teams. ' The smiles broadened when the Wellington captain, doubtless with a mental eye on Mr Pihl s ma°rnficent physique, suggested that the pull should bo by wireless.