CHESS

Evening Star, Issue 23834, 14 March 1941, Page 3

CHESS

[Contributed by J.F.L.] We Invite communications on all matters concerning chess. Solutions oi problems, games, and analysis will recieve our attention, end if ot sufficient merit be inserted. All communion lions to be addicted *' Chess Editor,*’ * Evening SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. 2.909 (Mansfield) : Q-B 7. 2.910 (Frankenstein) : B-R 5. CORRECT SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. 2,907, 2,908: J.A.M'D. (Greymoulh). 2,909: J.A.C. (Mornington), W. A. Mirams (Dunedin),- E. A. Le Petit (Invercargill), A. Ellis (Roslyn), .1. J. Marlow (St. Kilda). 2,910: J.A.C., W.A.M., A.E., E.A.L. PROBLEM No. 2,911. (By J. 11. Eiulinson.) Black, 13 pieces.

White, 12 pieces. White mates in two moves. QlHs|lrßs| 1 p 1 Kt K 1 p 1 I rlb2PPll2Bkbß2| B P p 1 p 2 p 6 q P ! 4 Kt 1 kt.l PROBLEM No. 2,912. (By J. H. Einlinson.) J Black, 8 pieces.

White, 7 pieces. White mates in three moves. 2 B 4 q I K 1 R 2 b 2 ] 4 kt 2 Q I 3k4|PplrKt3| 4 p 3 | 3 kt 2 P 1 1 8. OLD GAME FROM NEW BOOK. —“ Philidor’s Defence ” (London, 1798). — White, Atwood; Black, Wilson. 1 P-K 4 P-K 4 2 Kt-K B 3 P-Q 3 3 P-Q 4 P-K B 4 ' An ancient continuation, which is strategically faulty. With his centre insecure and his pieces undeveloped, Black has no justification for thinking of an attack. He must build up a solid defensive formation, after which a counter-attack on the Q side may become possible. 4QP x P A modern player would prefer Kt-B 3, keeping well' ahead in development. BP x P 5 Kt-Kt 5 P-Q 4 6 P-K 6 Kt-K R 3 7 Kt-Q B 3 P-B 3 ,8 K Kt x K P P x Kt 9 Q-R 5 eh P-Kt 3 IO'Q-K 5 R-Kt sq. Curiously enough, White’s fine play was repeated m a game, Slcinitz-Rainer, New Vork. 1885. 11 B x Kt Here Steinitz played still more forcibly, and with a sequel as brilliant as that in the game. 11, B-K Kt 5, Q-Q 3; 12, R-Q sq, Q x K P (if 12... Q x Q; 13, R-Q 8 mate) ; 15, B-Q B 4 (sparkling! A similar mate is threatened); 13... Kt-B 2; 14, B x Q, Resigns, for after 14... Kt x Q, there is again a mate by 15, R-Q 8. B x B 12 R-Q sq Q-K 2 13 B-B 4..;...P-Q Kt 4 14 B-Kt 3 P-R 4 15 Kt x K P P-R 5

16 Kt-B 6ch K-B sq 17 Kt x R K x Kt Now comes a pretty ending, 18 R-Q 8 ch Q x R 19 P-K 7 dis. ch Q-Q 4 White mates in four, as follows: —20, P-K 8 (Q) ch, B-B sq; 21, Q-R 8 ch, K x Q; 22, Q x B ch, etc. —‘ B.C.M.’ Notes by J Du Mont, in ‘ Miniature Games.’ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP. There was a large attendance at the rooms of the Wellington Chess Club on Saturday afternoon, more than 40 enthusiasts being present to witness the playoff between Dr Allerhand and Mr Wade, two members of the club, who tied for the New Zealand title when the annual congress was held at Timaru during the Christmas holidays. Mr W. White acted as umpire, and Mr E. J. Dyer as commentator. Dr Allerhand had the move, the opening being, in effect, the Queen’s Gambit Accepted. At move 25 Allerhand succeeded in regaining the gambit pawn with the preferable game. Both players were rather short of time in a rather complicated middle game, and each had to play briskly to get his fortieth move made before the flag fell, Allerhand emerged from this mid-game clash with the exchange and a pawn to the good. This double advantage enabled him to score a well-fought and most interesting game at move 55, early in the evening session. He received a number of congratulations on his well-deserved success. (The score of the game will be published next week.) Dr Allerhand, the new champion, is 42 year's of age. He was taught chess by his father in Vienna, where he also had tuition from H. Wolf, tire well-known Austrian expert. At the age of 20 he removed to .Czecho-Slovakia, where he played for the Bretislava Chess Chib against Vienna, Bninn, and other centres, and took part in a “ Ilanpt ” tourney, a loss in the last round of which prevented him from gaining the title of chess master. He had been out of the game for nearly two decades when he arrived in New Zealand two years ago. Last season he won tlie championship of the Wellington Chess Club at his first attempt without losing a game. Mr Wade, the runner-up, is only 19 years of age. Three years ago he joined the Wellington Chess Club, and quickly climbed from rung 23 to rung 2 on the ladder, a club record for one season. At the Wanganui congress, 1938-39, be won the premier reserve tourney, and in tire following year lie made a good showing in the main event; being the only competitor to defeat the champion (.1. B. Dunlop). During the past 12 months he has been runner-up in three leading chess events —the Wellington Club’s championship, the Wellington League’s champion of champions tourney, and the New Zealand championship tourney. He should have no difficulty in enhancing his fine record in the near future. CHESS—THE GREAT LEVELLER. In our last issue we published some comments of a facetious nature why chess does not appeal to the English mind. A correspondent, now furnishes some reasons why chess has the greatest appeal of any game which has ever been played ; “ Chess is not a pastime: it is an art. There would not have been 5,000 books written on chess if it were a game and nothing else. Tire chess community is an exceedingly large one, representing every station of life. It has no social distinctions, but is everywhere the great leveller. Chess warfare is a grand antidote for the other kind, and needs no gambling to retain its interest. Abounding in historical and romantic interest, there is in chess a vast store to draw upon to provide entertainment, and as a provider of maximum enjoyment for the least possible outlay', it can easily hold its own the world over.” Another correspondent states that he has had 50 years' experience of the game, and remarks: “The strategy of chess makes a great appeal to me as a battle ground—on each side the church, (he State, the power behind the, throne (the Queen), the army, both cavalry and infantry, while even from its humble and limited capacity (he Pawn is a potential board conqueror. No ■Sandhurst College or old school tie here, but democracy in its highest form.” Even these two short excerpts give good grounds for the belief that chess will remain what it is, in fact, the most universal game which has been • invented for the amusement and edification of civilised mankind.