CHESS.

New Zealand Mail, 30 December 1892, Page 35

CHESS.

All communications for tl is department nusT be addressed to the Chens Editor, Mr C. W. biNBOW. 30/12/92 %• The Karori Chess Clnb meets every Saturday evening at 8 o'clock in the Karon ■choolhousei Vieitors invited. In April next the club will resume its two meetings a week. A.L.T. (Wanganui). The New Zealand Congress meets this year at Chrischurch, as mentioned by us last week, and play commences on Tuesday next.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No 1368 a (John 0. Elagg.) IRtoQKte 1 Any move 3 Mates accordingly Solved by H.B. (Wellington); T.E. (Pic ton): R.P. (Ghborne) 4 An excellent initial move (8i);' A.L.T. (Wanganui); Horace (Patea); and A.B. C. (Greytown North). Good and instructive (8). t No 1369 a (Josef Pospisil). IRtoRS lKtlB3)xR 2KttoQ7(ch) 2KxB 3 Kt to K 4 mate The variations are by no means difficult.. Solved by T.E. (Picton); R.P. (Gisborne) •Very neat and effective (9); A.L T. (Wanganui); and Horace (Patea). We like this composition very much. The mate with the Kts is pretty (9). No 1370 (F. R.Gittings). We have received no correct solution to this problem, and at a casual glance it looks as if mate could not be given as stipulated. No 1371 (A. F. Mackenzie) IQtoKtS IKtoK3 2 B to Kt 3 (ch) 2 K to B 4 3 Q to Q 3 mates Solved by O.P.Q. (Foxton) ' I found this a hard nut to craek (9);' M.B. (Taranaki); T.E. (Picton); and R.P. (Gisborne) ' The combination in this problem is excellent (9).' There is some fine play in this position (9).

PROBLEM No 1382. By A. Wheeler (Worksop.)

To this and a problem by T. Taverner, of Bolton, (already published by us) was awarded the first prize in the Hackney Mercury Problem Tourney. Black.

Whit«. White to play and mate in two moves.

PROBLEM No 1383. By Anthony Dod (Birkenhead). First prize problem in the Bristol Mercury Problem Tourney, Black.

WHfT*. White to play and mate in three moves.

CHESS IN AMERICA? Herr E. Lasker, si many of our readers are aware, praceeded on a yi»it to the United Statas after his victory oyer Bird at Newcastle; on-Tvne, and has' been contesting a series of matches there, practically carry all before him. The following beautiful game, which we take from the Baltimore Sunday Nsws, was lpxt by him to Mr A. B. Hodges of the Manhattan Chess Club. Ruy Lopez Knights* Game. White. Black. (Herr Lasker.) (Mr A. B. Hodges.) TP to K 4 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to K B 3 2 Kt to Q R 3 3BtoKts 3 P to Q 3 4Kttoß3 4 B to 92 5 Castles oKKttoKS This is lost time: compare move 8. 6PtoQ3 6KttoKt3 7 B to K 3 78t0K2 8 P to Q 4 8 Castles 9 B to Q B 4 9 B to Kt 5 10 P to Q 5 10 Kt to Kt h«| 11 P to K R 3 11 B x Kt 12 Q x B 12 P to K B 4 ! 13 V x P 13 Kt to R 5 14 Q to Kt 4 14 Kt x B P 15 B to Q 2 15 Kt to Q 2 16 B to Q 3 lfrP to K Kt 3 17KttoK4 17Rt082 18QRtoKsq 18QtoKBsq 19 Kt to B 3 Lasker thinks P to Q B 4 better here. 19 P to Q R 3 20 Kt to Q sq 20 Q to Kt 2 21 B to B 3 21 Q R to K B sq 22 P to Kt 4 22 B to Q sq 23 B to Kt 2 nn The play is'very fine here; if at once 23 Pto 84,8t0 R 5; 24 PxP,B XR; 25 PtoK 6, B x B, Ac,

23 Kt to B 3 24Qt0Q84 24.Ktt0.R4 25 P to B 4 25 P to Q Kt 4 26 Q to B 6 26 Kt to K 2 27 Q x R P 27 Kt x B P 28QxKtP 28 Q toR 3 29 Kt to B 2 29 Q to Kt 4 30 B to K 4 3) Kt to B 4 31 tj to B 4 31 Kt to Kt 6 32 B to K B 3 32 Kt x R 33 Rx Kt 33 Q to R 5 Threatening to win the Quoen by Kt x P (ch). 34QtoK4 34KtxP(ch)I 35 Kt x Kt 35 Q x Q 36 B x Q 36 R x R (ch) Lasker resigned on the 42nd move.

CHESS IN GLASGOW. < One of six blindfold games played eimultane- | ously by Mr J. H. Blackburne at the Glasgow Chess Club against an equal number of strong opponents on the 15th October laat. Danish Gambit. White. Black. (Mr Blackburne ) (Mr Gilchrist.) 1 P to K 4 1 P to K 4 2PtoQ4 2PxP 3PtoQB3 3PxP 4 B to B 4 4 P to Q 3 5 0 to KtS 5Qt083 6 Kt x P 6 Kt to K 2 7 Kt to B 3 7 P to K R 3 8 B to K 3 8 Q Kt to E S 9 Castles (K R) 9 P to Q R 3 Would Kt to R 4 not have been better here ? thereafter exbhanging Kt for the dangerous K B. 10 Q R to Q sq 10 P to K Kt 4 HKttoQ4 llXttoK4 Of course here Kt dare not take Kt, as then B x Kt winning a Book. 12 P to B 4 12 Kt x B 13 Q x Kt 13 P to Q B 3 14 P x P 14 Q to Kt 3 15 R to B 6 15 Q to R 4 16 P to Kt 6 A fine move, unexpected by Black. 16PtoQ4 The best reply. 17 P x P 17 Kt x P Threatening if Kt x Kt, Q x R (ch), but the blindfold player saw the whole capabilities of the position, and played with great accuracy and brilliancy. 18 P x P fch) 18 K to K 2 19 Kt x Kt (ch) And now the check gives White time to retreat, with the Queen guarding both Rooks. 19 P x Kt 20 Q to K B eq 20 Q x R Mr Blackburne hfere suid, ' A little bit of of Morphy.' No doubt it was Black's best reply. 21 Q x B 21 K x R 22 Q to B sq (ch) We rather thought that Q to B 3 was better at this point, but the rest of the game is a marvellously fine finish in a blindfold, or indeed In any game. 22 K to K 2 23 Kt to B 5 (ch) 23 B x Kt K cannot take P on account of Kt x R P (dole ch), &c. 24 Q x B 24 B to Kt 2 24 B to B 5 (ch) 25 K to Q sq 26 Q x P (ch) 26 K to B 2 27 Q to Q 6 (ch) 27 K to B sq 28 Q to K 6 (ch) 23 K to Kt sq 29BtoQ6(ch) 29KtoR2 SOQtoKS(ch) 30PtoKt3 B to Q 5 would have saved mate for a move or two, but the game was hopelessly lost. 31 Q to K 7 mate.

Louis Paulsen.—Mr Steinitz tells a good true story of the late Louis Paulsen. During the Baden Chess congress in 1890 that eminent player (whose name the champion unites with those of Andersßen and Morphy as calling up the recollection of the very soul of chess chivalry and nobleness among the past masters) of whose absentmindedness many touching little narratives have been woven, became dissatisfied with his lodgings, and set out in company with Minckwitz and Steinitz on a voyage of discovery for new quarters. After investigating many a 'Hier iat ein Zimmer, &c ,' without results, the trio at length found something suitable in rooms, and Herr Paulsen, who was a man of few words, agreed to engage them for a fortnight, under the modest condition that he should be supplied with a cup of coffee at 6 o'clock every morning. The bargain was Btruck, but the next day Paulsen walked up to Steinita in the Congress hall, and exclaimed with some feeling, ' Why have you two played such a trick on me ?' Steinitz was astonished, but explanations revealed the fact that the two masters had engaged a room for Paulsen in the very house which he had just left, he failing to recognise it as they had entered by a door which he had not previously used. The point of the joke lay in the circumstance that poor Paulsen failed to reflect that he could not have been the subject of a practical joke, as neither of his friends (as he wae previously aware) knew the house until Herr Paulsen made his second visit to it along with them !

THE CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.

(PRESS association.)

Christchurch, December 27.

The New Zealand Cheee Championship Congress opened this morning in the Can* terbury Chess Club's room in the Chamber of C mmeice. Ten of the fore mot t players of the Colony are taking part in the congress, but it is to be regretted that Messrs Benbow, Ollivier, Llttlejohn and Monat are not among the competitors. The names of the competitors are as follows : —Messrs F. V. Siedeberg and P. A. Cleland, of Dunedin; Mr Jowitt, of Anokland ; Mr T. Sexton, of Ashurst ; Messrs Barnes and Tait, of Wellington, and Messrs Hook bam, Eyre, Wood and Milner, of Chrlstohuroh. The congress is being conducted under the super vision of the playing committee of the Canttrbury Chess Club. The play was to have begun at 10 a.m., but considerable time was occupied in settling the preliminaries. The players represented that it was desirable to so arrange the drawing that eaoh man should be matched against one from his own district in tho earlier stages, so as to obviate the chance of two players from the same club meeting in the final round. The playing committee arranged the drawing in acoord•tee with the playeis* wishes. It was also decided that in the event of ties the Sonniborne system of sooring should be adopted. The hours of play are to be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.in , and from 2.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., and from 7>30 r.m, to 11 p.m. If necessary

each player is to play one game against every other player and is to play only one game a day. Play bvgnn at 11.30 a.m Mr Barnes having the move, played the Vienna opening against Mr Tait. At the luncheon adjournment the latter had a slight advantag<i, but on resuming play he in&da a weak move of which white immediately took advantage, and by good play won the game. Mr Milner, who had the first move in his game against Mr Wood, opened with the Guioco Piano. Up to the 31th movo the game was fairly even. On the 35th move, however, Mr Milner made a slip which gave him an inferior position, and Mr Wood, gradually improving his game, compelled bis adversary to resign on the 52nd move. In the game between Messrs Hookham and Eyre, the former adopted the Hungarian defence. The game oontinued fairly even until near the 5 30 p.m. adjournment, when Mr Hookham foroed his opponent to sacrifice a bishop for a pawn, leaving the veteran with the winning position. After dinner Mr Eyre resigned. The game between Messrs Cleland and Siedeberg was very even, 34 mores having been made on each side. On resuming play the players agreed to draw, eaoh having queens, two minor pieces, and five pawns. Mr Jowitt played an irregular opening, P to K B 4, against Mr Sexton. Shortly before the 530 p.m. adjournment, Mr Sexton missed an opportunity of winning, but he had the advantage of parsed pawn and a pawn to the good. Shortly after resuming play Mr Jowitt made a slip, which allowed Mr Sexton to win the game by announcing mate in two moves.