Chess.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 426, 10 April 1880, Page 3

Chess.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

All communications for this department must be addressed to the Chess Editor. Original problems, games,, particulars of tournaments, matches, &c, are always welcome. T. S., Feilding.—Your proposed solution to Problem 93 is faulty ; you have failed to observe that Queen can be taken by the Black King's Pawn.

SOLUTION TO PROBLEM No. 93. White. Black. 1 Q to K R sq 1 Anything 2 Mates accordingly: Correctly solved by E. C. H., and W. 8.,- junr., Wellington.

PROBLEM No. 97. By Mr. H. E. Kidson.

Black.

White. White to play and mate in three moves.

Enigma No. 1., by Mr. S. Loyd. White.—K on Q B sq, QonKR3, Ron Q 2, Kts on Q Kt 2, and QB7, P on Q R 3, Q Kt 6, and K 3. Black.—K on QB6, Q onQB4, BonQB3, Kts on Q R 4, and K 4, P's on Q Kt 2 and 6, and Q 6.

White to play, and mate in two moves. Solutions are invited.

CHESS IN MELBOURNE.

Mr. Wisker, who for the past three years has been settled at Brisbane engaged in editing a newspaper, and other literary work, has just returned to Melbourne, where, we believe, he intends staying if he can meet with sufficient inducement. The following game recently played by him against Mr. Burns, presents several points of interest. The notes in brackets are by the Editor of the Melbourne Leader, the others are by the Editor of the Australasian.

ENGLISH OPENING. (Mr. Wisker.) (Mr. Burns.) White. Black. IPtoQB4 IPtoK3 This defence seems good against every move that can be made by the opening player from P to K 4 downwards. 2PtoK3 2PtoQ4 3 P takes P 3 P takes P 4PtoQ4 48t0Q3 This move can be made with safety when the advanced Q B P is off the board. 5 Kt to Q B 3 5 Kt to K B 3 6KttoKB3 6PtoQB3 7 B to K 2 7 Castles 8 Castles 8 Kt to K 5 9 Kt takes Kt 9 P takes Kt 10 Kt to Q 2 10 P to K B 4 Black has now the better position. 11 P to K B 4

(This leaves the K P weak, and causes White some trouble presently.) To shut out the adverse K B, Black threatens Q to R 5.

11 B to K 3 12 Kt to B 4 12 Q to K 2 Stronger than withdrawing the B to B 2. 13 P to Q Kt 3 13 Kt to Q 2 14 P to Q R 4 (Threatening to take off the Bishop, and then play BtoK 3.)

Threatening to win the exchange, but it would have proved more advantageous, we think, had he taken off the Bishop at once.

14 B to Kt 5

(This we believe is his best reply, as, had he moved the Book, White would still have taken off the Bishop, followed by B to R 3, driving the adverse Q into a bad position, and establishing his Bishop on a strong square.) A good move.

15 B to Kt 2 15 Q R to Q sq 16 Q to B 2 16 Kt to B 3 17 Q R to Q sq 17 Kt to Q 4 (Black has now undoubtedly the better game.) Attacking the vulnerable point in White's position. 18BtoBsq 18RtoB3 19KtoRsq 19RtoR3. 20 P to K Kt 3 20 Q R to K B sq 21 R to B 2 21 Kt to B 6 22 R to K Kt sq 22 Kt takes B 23 R takes Kt 23 B to K B 2 24 Kt to K 5 24 B to R 4 25 R to B 2 25 B to Q 3

Threatening B takes Kt., followed by B to B 6 (ch) 26 P to K Kt 4 (The only move to prevent more serious loss.) An ingenious resource. 26 B takes Kt 27 P takes Q B 27 B to B 3 28 Q to K 2 28 Q to K B 2 29 B to R 3 29 R to Q sq 30 Q to B 4 30 R takes P at R 4 31 Q to B 5 (Preparatory to the subtle manoeuvre by which he secures a draw, though, of course unsound if properly replied to.) : -f-yf> n n "', •••• 31 Q takes P 32" K R to Kt 2 32 Q takes K P (Black is too intent on his own game to examine properly what White is about; he ought now to have played P to K Kt 3, which must have won.) Black was too hasty here ; he should have made his position secure by P to K Kt 3. 33 R takes P (ch) Finely played, securing a drawn game if Black capture the Rook, and mating in three moves if Black move the King.

33 B takes R (Evidently compulsory, if he moves the King mate follows in three moves.) 34 R takes B (ch) 34 K takes R 35 Q to K 7 (ch) 35 K to Kt 3 36 Q to K 6 (ch) „~„ and White draws by perpetual check.

The Canterbury Chess Club opened its present season on Monday evening the Bth March with a match Married v Single. The combatants were Messrs. Hookham, Malcolm, Moore, and Peez, against Messrs. Jacobsen, Tancred, Lund, and Mainwaring, respectively. The first named won at Boards Nos. 1,3, and 4, and at No. 2 the game was drawn. The single players thus lost three out of the four games.

The annual meeting of the members of the Christchurch Chess Club was held on March 9th, at the Public Library, when the third annual report was read and adopted. Mr. A. M. Ollivier was elected President ; Mr. Izard, Vice-President; Mr. Seager, Treasurer; Messrs. Jones, R. Searell, and E. S. Pray, Committee. — Canterbury Times. Notwithstanding the absence of European players, the fifth American Chess Congress has been watched with an interest which amounted to excitement towards its conclusion. Before play began the prevalent idea was, Mackenzie first, the rest nowhere. Although the gallant Captain justified the confidence of his friends, by winning, it was only on the post; Grundy, the "dark horse," ran a good race and tied with Mackenzie, but lost in the play off; Mohle, the youthful "Manhattan" champion performed excellently and will be heard of some day to yet greater advantage.— Tovm and Country Journal,