CHESS

Evening Star, Issue 21706, 28 April 1934, Page 4

CHESS

[Conducted by D.H.H.] Thr Otago Club meets (or play at the rooms. Allbell liuiliings Stuart street, every Monday Wednesday, and Saturday evening, at 7.50 o clock. Visitors are -ordially invited to attend, and by r ging u|i 32-04 Ga* angerntnis rould be made for a game any afternoon and evening, as the rooms are open to both club members and visitor* at any lime. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. A.W.P. (Kelburn).—Thanks for clipping-. R.E.B. (Auckland).— Thanks for report. Will publish article next week. A.E. (Roslyn).— Thanks for analysts of end game. A.O.G. (Christchurch).—Am writing to explain position shortly. if Alekhine does come to Melbourne X think a visit io this dominion will bo quite on the cards. P.K.K. (Wellington).—Regret impossible to utilise information until next week. SOXjUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. 2,193; Kt-B 6. 2,200: B-Kt 2. End Game by Max Karsedt.—There was an ei-for in the original publication in the ‘ Chess Amateur ’ of this study—viz., the rook on white's b's square should have been a black, not a white one. This was not discovered until the next number came to hand. Will solvers kindly, note, and, if possible, attempt further solutions. CORRECT SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. 2,197: W.J.S. (Balclutha). 2,19?: J.S.M.L. (Dunedin), R.S.M’D. (Roslyn). 2,199: J.J.M. (Musselburgh), T.J.W. (St. Kilda), A.E. (Roslyn), A.J.M’D. (Mornington), R.M‘D. (Roslyn), J.S.M.L. (Dunedin), E.A.L. (Invercargill), J.A.C. (Mornington), W.A.M. (Dunedin). 2.200: A.E. (Roslyn), A.J.M'D. (Mornington), R.M'D. (Kosiyn), J.S.M.L. (Dunedin), E.A.L. (Invercargill), J.A.C. (Mornington), W.A.M. (Dunedin), PROBLEM, 2,201. [By Dr N. Kovacs.] Black, 11 pieces.

White, 8 pieces. White to play and mate in two movas. oboe;: kt 7: bß4rl: lktßE2pl; 7p lppklvt2; SpPQ; 3RIK2. PROBLEM 2,202. [By S. Loyd.] Black, 2 pieces.

White, 4 pieces. Mate iu three. 2Q53Kt4; 4k3; 8; K 7; 8; lp6; 186. CENTRE COUNTER GAMBIT., The following brilliant game was played bv the late Mi E. A. Hicks in the con-, gross of 1912-13 against. Mr G. F. Dodds, of Nelson, and is published as a small tribute to his memory White, Dodds; Black, Hicks. 1 P-K 4 .P-Q 4 2 P x P N-K B 3 (a) 3 N-Q B 3 (b).-....N x P 4 P-Q 4 N-n. B 3 5 N-K B 3 B-B 4 6 B-Q B 4 P-K 3 7 Castles B-K 2 8 N-K 2 (c) .Q N-Q 2 9 N-B 4 P-B 3 . 10 R-K 1 N-N 3 11 B-N 3 (d) P-K R 3 12 P-B 4 (e) P-N 4 13 N-K 2 (0 N-K 5 14 N-N 3 (g)...N x N In B P X N (h)...:..r-K R 4 16 B-K 3 (k) P-N 5 ' 17 N-K 5.. 1.. P-B 3 18 N-Q 3 P-R S 19 N-B 4 (ml ,P x P 20 P x P P-K 4 21 N-K 2 (n) Q-B 2 22 Q R-B 1 (0)....'..8-N 5 23 N-B 3 (p) Q-R 2 24 P x P Q-R 7 ch . 25 K-B 2 R-R 6 26 K-B 1 (q). R x.P 27 Q-K 2 B-Q 6 28 Resigns. i Notes by the late H. J. James (in the book of the first Nelson congress). (a) Played by Morphy against Andersen, and recommended by Biackburne, but since ISO 7 considered to be of doubtful worth. (b) Marco prefers here 3 P-Q 4, N x P; 4 B-Q B 4, etc; " • (c) He should mobilise the Q-B by B-K 3. or B-K B 4. This and the following move of this N are a waste of time. (d) Considering the position of the hostile K P, which makes this B ineffective on this diagonal, he would do well to retire to another (by B-Q 3), on which he can do better'work. (o). More waste-of lime. The mobilisation of the Q B by B-K 3 is a pressing necessity, etc. ■ ~ fft Were the B at K 3, or the Q B I at B 3, this N could now retire to CJ 3, a much better post for him. (g) With a K-side attack in active progress against him he cannot afford. thus to trifle with his defences by displacement of In's K-side pawns. J he IN should go to B 3 ' (hi This is, perhaps, rather worse than Tt P x because it low 'White' a parsed K P ' , (k) The church awakes at last, fm) And perforce goes to sleep again* as the natural mbve. B-B 2 «'’* R feW of the loss of the O P by 19 B-B 2, r x ■n, 20 B x P Q x “P ch. ■ (n) Here he should seize the opportunity to force the ■exchange of queens by 27 P _ r> p x P: 28 Q x Q, R x O; 29 N-Tv 2. Black cannot in this avoid the exchange, for 27 O-B 2 leads to an immediate disaster for him by P x P, winning a piece at (o> a K-B 2. followed by R-R 1, seems to be now required. C-reful defence should bo his 'ir.it cen-’.d-ra I ion. ■ Terribly bad tactics, removing from (|i»' objective plane one of its chief defence* 1 R B 1 is a painful necessity here. (o) Vbandoning Id*■ entrenchments withnut a struggle, to give up the exchange by N back to K 2 was now ins only hope, ihough indeed a poor one. [Note by the

amateur, who helped Mr James, ran as follows“ He’ might play P x P.' Black's best reply would bo K-B 1,-when. White would have to give up the exchange by N-K 2, but with q,uite a playable game.”] (r) Not more immediately fatal than anything else. He is absolutely without, resource. Mr Hicks has played this game with great, vigour and in fine and characleristic style. THE CAPRICTOUSNESS OF COMBINATION. \>:k [By V. Soultanbeie/T, in ‘ I/Ecliiqner.] Translated fnr the * Evcnipe Star 1 ' E.A.L. (Invercargill). When must one play by combination— , that is to say, give free rein io one’* im- s agination—and when must one play posi-■] tionaliy—that is, with a cold, methodical calculation h V.’hat arc the characteristics j of the position which lend them selves to ; cither of the above modes of conducting 1 the game; what plan must one adopt in a given position P These and many other questions are often asked by amateurs, who can rarely End it satisfactory answer in the books. We cannot, within the scope of tin* . short article, deal with the subject at any ! great length, but must confine ourselves t« ■ n few, interesting examples which will serve ! as a framework for our theme. In ‘ L’Echiquct-,' July-August, 1931, wa* published » game played in the French championship tourney, between ; Messrs Thiellemcnt and Mufl'any, with notes on the game by the latter. After Black’s thirty-third move the following position was arrived at:—r3r3; spbk: 4b2n; ppßqlp2; 3PIQpP; IPIN4; | P3RPPI; 4RIKI. Play continued as follows : —34 K-R 2, B-B 3; 35 P-K N 3 (al- 1 most forced, says Muffang in his, notes), K R-Q 1: 36 N-K 5, K-N 2: 37 R-Q 1, R-R 1: and after some very uninteresting play the game was given up as drawn. But was this continuation really forced * Let us take stock of the position as given above. The material is equal, the White pieces are well posted and centralised, the K is in security, the single weak point—the P at Q 4—-easily dependable. The Black pieces are also well placed, especially the two B’s, but against that the P’s are weak, and the K ran hardly he considered in absolute security.

These (wo weaknesses in Black’s position (which would be intensified if one of tint B's disappeared) should have inspired White with certain aggressive ideas in (he way of combination. 34 R-K 5 would have inaugurated a prolonged attack on the Black K. After 34...8 x P (Black is obliged to accept the sacrifice of the exchange, either now or after; 34... Q-Q 2 or 11; 35 R x B. there arc two main lines of play (al 35... Q-Q 2, ov (b) 35...0-0 1 '33 ...Q-N 2 would be too feeble; and 35...0-B 3 would lose the B after); 36 P-Q 5, B x P; 37 Q x B P oh, followed by R x B, etc.).

(a) 35 R x B, Q-Q 2; 36 P-0 51! B x P; 37 B-K 3. The explanation of the double sacrifice of the exchange and P is that Black cannot prevent the canture of the K R P by the 0, for if 37... R-R 3: 38 X-B 5; and if 37 Q-Q 3 or B 3; 33 Q iB P ch, etc.: 37 R x R (the best): 38 0 x R P ch. K-Kt 1: 39 X x R, Q-K 3 (if 39...0-B 21 ; 40 Q-Kt 5 ch. K-R 2 (40... K-B: 41 B-B 5 chf etc.); 41 Q x B P ch, R-X 2: 42 Q-X 4 ch. and wins: 40 Q-X 5 ch, K-R 2: 41 Q-R 5 ch. K-X 2 or 1; 42 B-0 4 wins. For example, 42... P-B 3; 43 O-X 6 eh. K-R 1: 44 X-Q 7! If 42...0-K B 3; 43 X-E 3: and if 42...8 anv: 43' X-Q 7. (bl 35 R x P. Q-Q; 36 P-Q 5, B-Q 2; 37 R x K B P. A "ocoud sacrifice of the exchange! Here .37 B-K 3 will not answer, as Black would reply with 37... 0 x R P (37...8 x R: forced, if 37... R-K X 1) ; 38 R x B P ch. R-Kt 2. B Q 4! (38 Q x B ch. K-X 1, if K-N 2) : 59 Q-Kt 4 ch. K-R 8 (39... K-B 3; 40 Q-R 5. with the threat of Q x R P): 40 B-O 4 ch, P-B 3; 41 Q-X 6, R-R 3; 42 Q x R P ch, K-N 1; 43 O-X 6 ch, K-R 1; 44 X-B 4. etc. (59 Q y‘X P ch, K-R 2: 40 P-Q 4. P-B 3; 41 Q-B 5 ch, K-X 2; 42 X-B 4, with numerous winning threats —B x. P ch. Q-Kt 6 ch, or X-R. 5 ch, etc. As can ■ be; seen, White wins by the progressive accumulation' of tactical threats. Tt is rather curious to see _ how the mobility of (he light White pieces overcome the cumbersome heavy Black R’s. (To be continued.)

AUCKLAND CHESS CLUB., The fiftieth annual meeting of the Auckland‘Chess Club-was held last week, when there was a large attendance of members, the president (Mr H. Oakley Browne) being in the chair. The, annual report and balance-sheet, which were unanimously adopted, showed that the club was in a satisfactory posi. tion. The winners of the various tour, neys were Championship: D. I. Jones 1, 0." 0. Roberts 2, H. N. Maddox 3. Inter, mediate: E. E. Baeyertz 1, C. A. Langabeer 2. Minor: Mr Rickman 1. Handicap; R’ E. Baeyertz 1, : C. A._ Langabeer. 2. Auckland and Suburban Bummer ‘ Challenge Gup: Hethenngton. Junior competition : Messrs Hefferen and Newell. The election of officers resulted; —Patron, Mr E. W. Smith; president, Mr H. Oakley Browne; vice-presidents. Mr F. Stubbs and Dr G. Short; hon. vice-president, Mrs Thorpe; hon. secretary, Mr R. E. Baeyortz; lion ■ assistant-secretary, Mr, N. R.He'tuerington; hon. treasurer, Mr C. P. 'Belton; hon. auditor, Mr H, Roskilly; committee— Mrs Short and Messrs C. A. Langabeer, A. Pickett, and A. B. Dallow.

During the evening reference was mads to the innovation of permitting lady members. Mrs Thorpe was the first lady vice, president elected since the club bad teen 'in existence.—Own Correspondent.

[I have much pleasure in conveying to the inembers of tho Auckland Club the best wishes of the Otago -dub upon mcir attaining their jubilee," and .wish them prosperity and success,—Cjiess Editor.] NOTES. Referring to the B.C.C.A. handicap, in answer to a correspondent, the entrant* played level in, the handicap is in the scoring—i.e., for a win against a class 1 man the class 4 scores 8 points, the class 1 man scoring 1 point for a win against class' 4. etc.—Christchurch Correspondent. According to the ‘ 8.C.M..’ there is a strong prospect of Dr Alekhine being a competitor at the centenary congress in Melbourne next December. Assuming that this information is correct, the New Zealand Chess Association Executive should he up and doing at once in try and arrange 'for a visit to New Zealand from the world’s chess champion. A curious point has been raised in the • Port-of-Spain Gazette,’ Trinidad, as to whether the words “ the position a.t Black’s thirty-fourth move” mean the position before or after Black has made his thirty-fourth move. The matter was referred to the editor of the ‘ British Chess Magaaiii-' ’ for his decision, and his opinion it •• The position at Black’s thirty-fourth move conveys to us that is Black s turn to make his' thirty-fourth move.”