CHESS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 38

CHESS

All communications for this department must be addressed to the Chess Editor, Mr C. W. Benbow. 23/1/96 The Wellington Chess Club meets every Tuesday and Friday evening at 7.30 in Room No. 11, Exchange Buildings, Lambton Quay. Visitors are cordially welcomed. Llennoe (Wellington).—You are correct with 3 r our solution of No. 1695, but in No. 1699 Black plays for liis second move Kt to Kt 6 and there is no mate. Try the position again. A further correct solution have been received from X.Y.Z. (Christchurch) to Problem No 1691.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No. 1692 (Eustace King). 1 Q. to R 2 1 An> r move 2 Mates accordingly*. Solved by 1T.13., F. A.L.K. “ This is another of Mr King’s fine problems, pretty and faultless ; ” and J.N.H., (Wellington) : T.E. (Pictm) ; M.R. (Taranaki) ; O.P.Q. (Foxton) “ A. quiet but very effective ke3* move (8.1) ” ; Te lka a Maui “Exceedingly prett3 r lI.D, (Bulls): R.P. (Gisborne), “There are so no pretty mates in this problem (8)”; Felix (Auckland): A.B.C. (Greytewn); and Horace (PaUa). This is an extremely nice problem, and one not very easy to solve (8.1). No. 1693 (Carl Schlechter). IPtoB3 1 B x Q 2 P to B 4 2 Any move 3 Mates accordingly Solved by H.B. and F.A.L.K. “ A beautiful problem ’’ (Wellington) ; T.E. (Picton) ; R.P. (Gisborne), “The first two moves of White in the main variation are grand (9.V) Te lka a Maui, “ The waiting moves are very good”; Horace (Patea); and M.R. (Taranaki). The ke3 r is subtle, and the problem as a whole is an exceptionally fine one (9).

PROBLEM No. 1702. By Sigmund Schuster (Bohemia). First prize two-mover in the Problem Tourney of the Sakk-Szemle, of Bnda-Pesth. Black.

White. 'White to play and mate in two moves

PROBLEM No. 1703. By John C. Andersen (Christchurch)

Black

White, White t,o nlav and mate in three moves

NEW ZEALAND CHESS CONGRESS

The following game was played between Dr ilaiherly, of Wanganui, and Mr E. J. Barnes, of Wellington Four Knights’ Game. White Black (Dr liatharly.) (Mr it. .1. Barnes.) 1 P to K I l P to K 4 ‘J Kt to K B 3 2 Kt to Q B 3 3 Kt to Q, B 3 3 Kt to K B 3 -1 B to B 4 4 Kt x P 5 B to Q o Wc like the following continuation better than the actual one : —5 B x P ch, K x B ; 6 Kt x Kt, P to Q 4 : 7 Q Kt to Kt 5, K to Kt sq or K sij, etc. 5 Kt to B 3 If sKtxKt ;(! P x Kt, PtoQ3; 7Kt to K Kt 5, with a good game. (5 Q to K 2 0 Kt x B 7 Kt x Kl. 7 1 5 to Q 3 ■3 P to D, 3 -3 B to ift .1 x' to B 3 9 B to K 2 10 B to Q 2 10 P to Q If, 4 There was doiibtlcss a meaning in this diversion on the Queen’s side, but wc should have preferred 10 Castles, followed by 11 P to K B 4, etc. lIP to Kit 3 11 B to K 3 12 Kt to K 3 12 Castles 13 P to K Kt 4 13 P to B 4 14 P x P 14 B x B P 15 Kt x B 15 R x Kt 10 Castles Q E 16 Q to Q 2 17 Q E to Kt sq 17 Q to K 3 IS P to B 3 18 Q R to K B sq A line of play which has an attraction for us is :—lB Q to Q Kt 6 ; 19 R to Kt 3, Kt to Kt 5 ; 20 B P x Kt, P x P ; and Black has a strong attack. The move adopted is also satisfactory. 19 R to Kt 3 19 Q to B 2 20 IC R to Kt sq This throws away a piece, and with it, of course, the game ; while, on the other hand, if he had played 20 B to K R 6 he would have had at least an equal position. 20 R x Kt 21 R x P ch 21 Q x R 22 R x Q ch 22 K x R 23 B to K 3 23 P to K/3 24 QtoK sq , 24 Bto E 5

White might have safely resigned at this point. 25 Q to Kt sq ch 25 K to R 2 20 Q to Kt 4 20 B x P 27 B to Kt 5 27 P x B 28 Q to R 5 ch 28 K to Kt 2 29 Q x P ch 29 K to R 2 30 Q to R 5 ch 30 K to Iv 2 31 Q to Kt 5 ch 31 K to Q 2 32 Resigns. The Marton Mercury, referring to Messrs Meldrum and Pleasants, the winner and runner up at the Congress, says : “ Mr Meldrum at one time resided in Auckland and began his chess there, but as is wellknown locally he has now for some years been living and practising his profession in Huuterville. On the formation of the Rangitikei Chess and Draughts Club in Marton in June, 1893, lie at once became a prominent and active member. He has taken part in almost all the important matches fought by the club, and has generally defeated his opponent. He has won the Club Championship for two years in succession without losing a game, and he has also been a Vice-President of the club during the past two years. Mr Meldrum had not before played in anything more important than a local match.

Mr Pleasants, the other representative of the Rangitikei Club at the Congress, and who won second honours there, has been playing chess for some time. He was at one time a member of the Feilding and Asliurst clubs respectively, at which latter he had the advantage of playing with the veteran Mr Thos. Sexton. He has since become a prominent member of the Rangitikei Club. Mr Pleasants has twice previously been a contestant at the New Zealand Chess Association Congress, but has not before acquired honours. His quiet and unassuming manner causes him to be universally liked, and his many friends will be glad that his perseverance has been so far rewarded, and we wish him further success.” We also learn that the members of the Rangitikci Chess Club on the 10th inst. gave a smoke concert to celebrate the prowess of the above gentlemen, that their health was drunk most enthusiastically, and that a very pleasant and enjoyable evening was spent by the large company gathered together. We also are glad to offer our congratulations to the prize winners on their success, and from what we have seen of the games played at the Congress we should say they thoroughly well deserved the high positions attained by them. CHESS IN ENGLAND. A capital specimen of the Centre Gambit, played in the Fraser Tournament by correspondence. between Messrs -1. Russell, Glasgow, and J. Burks, West Hartlepool. Centre Gambit. White Black. (Mr J. Russell.) (Mr J. Burks.) 1 P to K 4 IP to IC 4 2PtoQ4 2 P x P 3 Q x P 3 Kt to Q B 3 4 Q to K 3 4 Kt to K B 3 Mr Gunsberg rather favours P to K Kt 3 either on this move, or on the next move in reply to Q B to Q 2 on White’s part. 5 B to K 2 This is best, it being requisite to prevent Kt to KKt 5 on the part of Black. We pointed out a fortnight ago in the game between Messrs Jas. Rayner and Pollock, that 5 P to 1C 5 was risky. 5 B to K 2 If 5 P to Q 3, White gets the better game by 6 P to iv B 4, Wo. GKtto Q B 3 g Castles 7 B to Q 2 7 P to Q 4 Both players have opened the game in the most approved methods for attack and defence, and the timely advance of this Pawn is usually most effective. Here it cannot bo allowed to go a stop farther. 8 P x P 8 Kt x P 9 Q to B 3 9 B to K 3 10 Castles 10 Kt to Q 5 11 Q to K 4 11 Kt to Q Kt 5 12 B to K 3 12 Kt x B eh 13 K Kt x Kt 13 B to Q 3 14 P to Q R 3 The game has been well developed on both sides, and forms a most interesting specimen of the Centre Gambit in the modern dress. Black is not afraid of the isolation of his Q P, which will take place immediately, because the Q B filo becomes open for the Rook. White, however, plays ingeniously to try and win the Q P. 14 Kt to B 3 15 Kt to Kt 5 15 Q to K 2 16 Kt x B 16 P x Kt 17 Kt to B 4 17 Q R to B sq 18 Kt to Q 5 IS Q to Q 2 19 Q to K B 4 19 Kt to K 4 Very good, for if threatens to win straight off, as follows :—-B x Kt ; R x B, Q to Q B 3; if now it to Q2, .Black wins the Q. If Pto Q B 4. Black plays Kt takes Q B P, threatening a most dangerous check by discovery. And if Q to K 4, Black plays P to K B 4, and wins the Q. Hence the reaeon for White’s next move. 20 Kt to B 3 20 Q to B 3 21 Qto K 4 21 Q to QR 3 Black threatens to follow with Kt to Q B 5, and Kt x R P. 22 R to Q 4 22 R x Kt Bold and decisive, producing most critical positions. 23 P x R 23 Q x P eh 24 K to Q 2 24 R to Q B sq What a line position Black’s Knight holds, allowing no succour to the wounded place. 25 R to C> B sq 25 CJ x P ch 26 K to K 2 20 Q to 3 2 Defensive and offensive. 27 1 j to B 4 27 B to B 5 ch 28 K to (> 2 18 P to G Kt 4 This Pawn inarches to vietoiy in fine sfvle. 29 P to K Kt 4 29 Q to B 4 30 P to Q B 3 30 P to Kt 5 31 B to K 3 Because if the Pawn were taken it would cost a Rook. 31 P to Kt 6 32 R to !v Kt sq 32 Q to R 6 33 R x B 33 Q to R 7 ch 34 K to K sq 34 Kt x R 35 K to B sq 35 P to Kt 7 36 lv to Kt 2 36 Kt x B ch Remorseless to the last. The Kt cannot be taken without paying-heavy interest. And White resigns. —Newcastle Weekly Chronicle.

MR PILLSBURY. On October 15th last a banquet was given at Brooklyn to Mr Pillsbury to celebrate hisvictory at the Hastings Congress ; and the' speech of the proposer of Mr Pillsbury’s health is such an amusing specimen of the-high-faluting, that we preserrfc it to readers — : “ Gentlemen,—On the second da.y of September, 1595, from below the horizon, a new star shot into the heavens and took its place in the immortal constellation of fame.

“ On the historic battleground of Hastings,, where SOO years before, William of Normandy won his title of Conqueror, Henry Nelson Pillsbury, an obscure American youth, went out to meet the fine flower of European chivalry in a pure contest of brains, and the shouts which greeted his victory have rung clean around the world. “ That is what this occasion means. Thatis why our American hearts are swelling with pride, that is why all these banners and strains of music, and flowers, and lights and wines.

” There was something dramatic about the" contest at Hastings. From the start the young unknown kept abreast of the veterans. The eyes of everybody were upon him as the most interesting figure in the whole field ; and fortune held so steady a hand that until the very end, there was no day that was not big with the final result. So when, on that memorable September 2, Gunsberg, after a gallant fight, finally went down before Pillsbury’s lance —it is not given to many in this world to tread so suddenly the dizzy heights of fame. A month before unknown, his name in every language under the sun was flashing over continents and under seas, and before he slept was in the mouths of men in every city, town and hamlet in the civilized world.

4 " You may live a long life, full of happiness and lionouvs, which no one wishes you more earnestly than I do, but nothing of joy which it has in store will ever compare with the delirious madness of joy of that hour of triumph. That was the supreme hour of life. Though you should die to-morrow, you can say, 4 1 have lived.’ “ I had the fortune to pass a couple of hours at Hastings on the day Pillsbury played Lasker. It was a scene never to be forgotten. Eleven games were in progress. All the great chess masters of Europe were there bent to the struggle. Spectators gazed breathlessly at the players, or moved noiselessly about on tip-toe. The only sound which broke the stillness was the distant murmur of the sea breaking on the brown shingle. In the hushed air there was a subtle, mysterious sense of tension, of stress and strain. Each player’s name and the country he represented was printed in largo letters on a card which lay at his elbow on the table. There was Tschigorin, Russia; Janowski, France; Vergani, Italy ; Schlechter, Austria ; Lasker, England ; Tarrasch, Germany: but my eye fell upon a slender figure and a beardless but thoughtful face, and when on the card beside him I read Pillsbury, America, I felt a patriotic thrill and it seemed for a moment that the honour of my country was in his hands. We never know how much we love our country till we seo her colours in a fo.eign land. 44 Mr Pillsbury’s triumph is an American triumph, but it is not merely an American triumph, it is peculiarly a triumph for Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Chess Club, in the face of scepticism and ridicule percoived the possibilities which slumbered in Pillsbury’s play, and I think he is not ashamed of the fact that it was the patronage of that club that afforded him the opportunity out of which ho has plucked such brilliaiit laurels. 44 Brooklyn has always been despised as the incarnation of mediocrity. The world has been saying, 4 Can any good come out of Brooklyn?’ ever since i can remember. The city was thought to be great in nothing. _ It was celebrated principally as containing Greenwood Cemetery and being at one end of the Brooklyn Bridge. But the name of the city has gone out to the world coupled with Pillsbury’s, and Brooklyn to-day is a familiar word in a million mouths to which it was strange before. It is not too strong a statement to say that Pillsbury, the Brooklynite, the representative of the Brooklyn Chess Club, has given Brooklyn more celebrity tliau any other man. 44 But I must not forget that I am only here to set the men, and not to play the game : for keeping you so long I tender you the chess apology, 4 J’adoube.’ 44 Gentlemen, I have the honour to introduce to you the hero of Hastings, Henry Nelson Filisbury.”