CHESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9503, 5 May 1894, Page 4 (Supplement)

CHESS.

TO CORRESPONDENTS, Problem No. 1168.—Solved also by " Tyro.** A. R. tennon, Waitara.—Thanks for cutting from Northern Leader. You will have noticed, however, that the news has been anticipated in last week's issue, where later particular* are given. It wad recorded in several of the European and American journals that Steinitz bad won the first game,'but this subsequently proved to be incorrect. SOLUTION OF PROBLEM No. 1159. Br E. LASKEB. White. Black. 1 R to Kts ch K takes Kb 2 R takes R ch R takes R 3 Kt to B"J And wherever the R moves, White wins it by check with Kt. The above is the author's solution, and the pro. blem bad been generally commended as being a very neat bit of chess. But Mr. Babson, the author of the "Ichthyosaurus" and other monstrosities, writes to the i.eeds Mercury claiming a win for Black in forty-tive moves. The Mercury says:— The idea is based upon the fact that two knights cannot force checkmate, owing to the difficulty of avoiding stalemate. But if White possesses a pawn which he must move when the stalemate position arises, the two knights can win. Mr. Babson has tackled the matter in earnest, and, after much labour and care, he comes to the conclusion that Black can mate with the knights in less than the stipulated fifty moves required by rule to establish the drawn result. Mr. Babson's solution is as follows White. Black. White. Black. 1 R-Kts ch KxKt 24 K-KS K-K3 2 Itch RxR 25 K-Q8 (d) K-B2 3 Kt-B3 (a) QKt-BS 28 K-B8 K-K sq * £ tx,t „ KxKt 27 K-B7 K-K2 6K-H4(b) K-Qfl 28 K-H8 K-Q3 I) K-BS li-Kti 29 K-Q8 . Kt-Q2 7 K-ICO K-KS 30 K-KS K-K3 8 K-B6 KKt- 31 K-QS Kt-113 ch 32 K-B7 K-Q4 9 K-Kfl KKt-Kfl 33 K-Q8 K-Q3 10 K-BO K-Q4 34 K-B8 Kt-Q4 11 K-KtO K-K3 35 K-Q8 Kt-B2 12 K-KtS K-K4 38 K-B8 Kt-K3 13 K-KtO Kt-Kts 37 K-Kt7 K-Q2 14 K-Kts Kt- 38 K-RtJ K-B:l 15 K-KtO Kt-ICS , 39 K-R7 Kt-B4 10 K-B7 K-Q5 40 K-Ktß K-Q2 17 K-Kt6 K-K3 41 K-117 K-B2 18 K-Kt7 Kt-Kt4 42 K-B8 Kt-Kt3 ch 19 K-KtO Kt-BO 43 K-K7 Kt-B ch 20 KKi7 Kt-K4 44 K-118 Kt-Q2 (e) 21 IC-RS K-114 45 P moves K -Kt3: 22 K-Kt7 K-I<t4 mate. 23 K-158 K-B3 (a) The whole fabric hinges on this move, as designed by Herr Lasker; and the move is a beautiful one. It catches the Black rook wheresoever it moves. (b) Mr, Babson says this is best, for if White moves elsewhere the a, "° is won more speedily. (c) " As the other Kt is always required to block the pawn, there will.be 110 use for taking him into consideration until the closing act." (d) If K-ÜB, Black replies R-Q2. (e) The white pawn, of course, prevents the position being a stalemate, and causes White to lose. PROBLEM No. 1161. (By Mr. E. S. Maouirk, Philadelphia. From the Philadelphia Times;. Black, 7.

White, 10. White to play and mate in two moves, THE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH. Third Game.— Lopez. White, E. Lasker; Black, W. Steinitz. Commenced March 21, adjourned after forty-five moves, and finished March 22. 1 P-K4 P-K4 27 It-B sq (o) Q-B7 2 KKt-B3 QKt-B2 28 B-Q2 K-K2 3 B-Kts V-QU 29 Kt-K6 QxP ch 4 P-Q4 B-Q2 30 Q-K3 <^xKtP 5 Kt-K3 KKX-K2 31 P-Kt3 K-K sq 6 H-B4 PxP 32 Q-K2 Q-U6 7 KtxP KtxKt 33 K-Q sq 11-Qltsq 8 QxKt Kt-B3 34 11-B2 K-K7 9 Q-l<3 KHC4 (a) 35 P-Kts P-B4 10 B-Kt3 B-K3 30 KtxKtP P-Q4 11 P-B4 Kt-B5 37 K-B sq Q-Q6 12 Q-Kt3 Kt-Kt3 38 IJxQ KtxQ ch 13 B-K3 P-QB3 (b) 30 K-Kt sq R-Kt7 ch 14 P-B5 Bxß 40 K-B sq KxP 15 RPxB . Kt-Q2 41 R-U3 P-BS 16 Is-B4 Q-B2 42 Kt-KB Kt-Kts 17 P-Kt4 P-B3 (c) 43 R-Kt3 11-Hrt IS Ki-K2 Kt-I<4 44 K-Kt .sq K-KM ch 19 Kt-Q4 Q-lvt3 45 K-B sq Kt-Q8 ch -20 r-B3 Castles 46 RxKt PxR 21 Kt-K6 lt-Q2 47 Ktx I* RxKtP 22 B-K3 Q-Kt4 48 Kt-K3 K-B3 23 RxP P-QKt3(d) 49 P-B« P-Q.i 24 Jt-ItSch K-KM 60 Ki-Kt7 PxP 25 Rxß KxR £1 BxP K-Kt4 26 Ktxß Q-Q6 62 P-B7 Resigns. (a) As in the first same this hone again jumps about aimlessly, anil the poor, overworked beast makes seven of Black's first eighteen moves. Either B-K2, B-K3, or P-KKt3 is preferable, we believe. (b) And this again weakens the QP, against i which White immediately directs his attack. (c) This weak move, which allows White to bring Kt-KG with fatal effect, is nothing short of a blunder. Mr. Steinitz certainly cannot have been in "good form." (d) K-Kt aq is perhaps a trifle stronger, but gives rise to manv pretty variatians, one of which follow:— K-I& sq; 24 K-82, Kt-Q8 ch : 25 Kt-83, Kt-K4 ch; 26 ttxKt, QxQ. best; 27 KR-QR sq, QxlCt, best: 28 B-Ktfl, QxKPcli; 29 ICxQ, R-K2 ch ; 30 K-83, K-B sq (if it ch, Black, of course, is lost); 31 It ch and 11 mates. (e) Winning is now only a question of time. Fourth Game. - Giuoco Piano. White, W. Steinitz; Bltck, R. Lasker. Played March 24. Duration about live honrs, 1 P-K4 P-K4 31 R-B8 B-Q2 2 KKO-B3 QKt-B3 32 Bxß Kxß 3 B-B4 (a) B-B4 33 K-B2 K-B3 4 P-B3 Kt-B3 34 K-K2 K-Kt3 5 P-Q4 PxP 35 R-R sq P-QR4 6 P-K5 (b) P-Q4 36 K-Q3 P-R5 7 B-Kts Kt-K5 37 P-IC4 R-KB2 8 PxP K-K2 (c) 38 P-K5 B-B6 ch 9 Kt-B3 Castles 39 K-K4 R-B7 10 B-Q3 P-KB4 40 lt-QKt sq K-B3 11 PxP ep(d) KtxP 41 P-Q5 ch K-Q2 112 B-K3 Kt-QKt5 42 K-IJ4 (1) R-Q7 ch 113 K-Kt sq Kt-KKt5 43 K-B5 It-B7 ch !14 P-OR3 Ktxß 44 KxP R-K7 15 PxKKt B-U6 ch(e) 45P-K6ch K-Q3 16 P-Kta (i) QB-lCt5 46 K-Q sq RxPch 17 Castles Q-Ksq 47 KxP RxP 18 PxKt 00 (i- best 48 R-K sq R-H2 ch 19 KtxP (h) ItxKt (i) 49 K-Kt3 R-R sq 20 Kt-B4 RxKt 50 K-B4 P-Kt4 21 Q-Kt3 ch R-B2 51 PxP PxP 22 RxR (j) Ox It 52 K-Q4 R-R5 ch ? 23 B-K2 «xQ 63 K-Q3 R-Roch 1 24 BxQ ch K-B sq 64 K-K4 P-Kts 25 PxK (lc) K-K-2 55 IC-B5 , R-ll «q 26 B-Q5 P-B3 56 P-K7 R-K sq 27 B-K4 P-KR3 57 K-B« P-KtO 28R-K5 P-Qll3 53 K-B7 K-Q2 29 P-Kls BPxP 69 P-Q6 P-Kt7 30 BxP R-K2 60 R-KKt sq Resigns. (a) Steinitz would be unhappy if he could not spring surprises. .Never before has he played the Italian opening in a match. (b) Aml here he continues with a variation generally regarded less advantageous than PxP. (c) B-Kt3 is the customary continuation and considered sKongur than B-Ktach. Steinitz said after the game tint he intended to introduce a new line of play in this variation, but that owing to Inker's move of B-K2 it did not come to the surface. (d) Most players would have preferred to keep the strong passed king's pawn. (e) Such hazardous play might bo safely risked in a simultaneous performance or against a less formidable adversary, but, though it nearly succeeds, must almost surely come to.grier against tho champion. (f) K-Q2 or K-K2, followed after the retreat of tho knight by KtxP, look-, safe and wins a p iwn. (g) Bxß looks like a stronger defence.'for if QxP ch, or Q-R4,19 K-Kti, and Black's attack is broken. (ll) Though this is perhaps good enough, Pxß at once, followed soon by Q-l£ sq, appear to do better. (i) If BxP; 20 Pxß, BxKt (RxKt; 21 Q-K sq, etc.); 21 liiß, RxR; 22 K-Kt2, QR-KB sq; 23 Kt-84, RxP, ch; 24 KxR, QxQ; 25 B-R2. ch, etc. (j) Not B-K2 or Pxß owing to B-B3 or B-86. (H) White has now a fairly certain win, but owing to weak moves on both sides later on the result is doubtful in several stages of the ending. (1) R-KKt sq is the proper move.—Chicago Times.

The entrants for the fourthcoming tourney of the Ponsonby Chess Club have been classified, Mr. White being the sole scratch man. Play commences on Monday next. Intending competitors who have not already entered the lists, may do so on Monday prior to the commencement of play. In the Hodges-Shc-.valter match of seven games up the latter leads by 5 to 4, four draws.

J. B Munoz, the well known problemist, player and editor, died in New York March 11.

The games of the recent Tarrasch-Tscliiporin match nave been published in book form by Albert Ileyde. ;; A transposition* tournament (knights on bishops' (squares and bishops on. knights'- squares) has just been concluded at- the Brooklyn Chess Club. The': able pl'iyer - and problemist, Edward>N. Oily, was the chief prize winner, with & score of 10$ to 3J. ' In a recent communication to. the St. John (N. B.) Globe Mr. Steinltz states that the delay in issuing volume 2 of the " Modern Chess Instructor" is due to his public eng gements. The price of volume 2 will be 'idol, or *2.50d0L The whole work will probab y consist of four volumes, instead of three. To anxious subscribers of volume '2 he offers to return their 2.50d01., and leave them Volume 1 free of charge. Adalph Alhin won the deciding: game in his matcliwith Eugene Delmaron the 7tn March. Below is a summary of the results, Mr. Delmar having moved first in the odd-numbered games :— No. Opening. Moves. Winner. 1. Queen's Pawn „ „ 68 .. Delmar 2. Hungarian Defence .. SO .. Albin 3. Queen's Pawn .. .. 47 .. Albin 4. Two Knight's Defence .. 68 .. Albin . fi. Queen's Pawn .. .. 43 .. Albin - 6. PetrofT's Defence.. .. 68 .. Delmar 7. Queen's Pawn .. .. 67 .. Albin Problems are in chess what sonat isarein music— the combining of the most pure harmonies, the building of ideas in th<» framework of imagination. They are the cleVer conceptions of genius whose creations often show the possession of powers'equal to the educated architect. The chess pieces and board are to the problemist what the canvas and pencils are to the artist, and, though the composer limy not have so larue an audience, his work is appreciated in proportion to its merits in its own field as any work of art would be.—Dr. Broughton, in the Bropklyn.SouYenir,.