CHESS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1264, 21 May 1896, Page 16

CHESS

All communications for this department must be addressed to the Chess Editor, Mr C. W. Benbow. 21 ; 5 DC V* 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. X.Y.Z. (Christchurch)—l RtoQ Con the part of Black seems a sufficient reply to your suggested move of 1 B to Iv 8 in Problem No. 1725. The real solution is very fine.

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No. 1721 (Victor Marin). 1 Kt to B 4 1 Any move 2 Mates accordingly. Solved by J.N.fl. and F.A.L.K. (Wellington) “ Very fine ” ; M.R. (Taranaki): T.E. (Picton); 11. D. (Bulls); Q.P.Q. (Foxton) “A real beauty (9);” Felix (Auckland); X.Y.Z. (Christcurch) ; *' This is so good that I am curious to know the first prize problem in the 1 Brighton Society ’ Tourney. 1 do not remember ever having seen it, The composer gives a Kt and a flight in one fell swoop, and by lessening his forces seems to gain in power”; Horace(Patca), ami A.15.C. (Greytown). This problem is worthy the high commendation passed on it. Tho mates are exceptionally interesting (9). No. 1725 (J. A. Broholm). 1 Q to K sq 1 R x Q 2 B to K 22 Any move 3 Mates accordingly. Solved by F.A.L.K. (Wellington) ‘‘Exceedingly difficult, and a masterpiece of strategic art (9f). To a German the solution of this beautiful problem is as the Emhcrung der Diippclcr Schanzen 11. 1). (Bulls); R.P. (Gisborne) “ This is the hardest nut I ever cracked (10)”, and A.B.C. (Groytown). A veritable masterpiece, although the position is crowded and somewhat unnatural, and it is no disgrace to any solver to be beaten by it (I'D-

PROBLEM No. 173(5. By !j. M. Joseph (New York). First prize two-mover in the recent “ Brighton b'oeioty ” Problem Tournament.

White to play and mate in two moves

PROBLEM No. 1737. By F. R. Gittins (Birmingham). From his new work entitled the “ Chess Bouquet.”

White to nlay and mate in three move'-, CHESS IN AUSTRALIA. The match between Messrs Wallace and Hodgson for the championship of Australia terminated, as many of our readers know, in an easy victory for tho first named, the final scoro being Wallace, 7; Hodgson, 1; drawn, 1. 'I he following was the fourth game, and the notes to it are from The Llude,-. Buy Lopez. White. ‘ _ Black. Mr Hodgson. Mr Wallace. 1 P to K t 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to K B 3 2 Kt t o p. 3 1! to K Kt 5 d K to 11 d 4 Castles 4 Kt x P .7 P to Q 1 '■') 11 to K 2 t! () to K 2 G K t to Q 8 7 B x K t 7 K t P x I ! 8 P x P 8 Kt to Kt 2 9 Kt to B 3 9 Kt to 13 f 10 Kt to Q 4 10 Castles If 10 B to it 3, White replies with Q to Kt 4, with a powerful attack. 11 It to Q sq 11 Q to K sq 12 K to K sq AVe do not like this second movement of tho rook, and would rather have played as follows : 12 P to Q Kt 4 12 Kt; to Q 3 13 Kt to B 5 Id 11 i P 14 Kt to K 4 threatening Q to Kt 4, with a splendid attacking position. 12 Kt to K 3 13 Kt to B 5 13 lv to It sq 14 Q to Kt 4 AVe much prefer Kt to K 4, followed by B to Q 2. 14 P to E 3 An excellent move, which speedily beats off White’s attack, and turns tho game in Black’s favour. 15 Q to K It 4 These movements of tho Q only lose time, and enable Black to develop hi.-s forces. 15 It to B 2 1C Kt x B 1C c> x Kt 17 P x P 17 Q x P 18 U to Kt 5 Though the B cannot bo captured at once this move embarrasses his position and leads

to tho loss of the game ; Q x Q is much better, and would probably have led to a draw. IS Q to B 4 19 R to K 3 There is no time for this ; Q R to B sq, followed by the retreat of the B, is imperative but in any case Black obtains much tho better game. 19 B to R 3 20 Kt to Iv 4 20 P to Q 4 21 R to B 3 21 0 to Kt 3 22 R x K 22 Q x R 23 Kt to Q 2 Now comes the Nemiscs ; he cannot prevent Black’s deadly move of Q to Kt 3, after which his game is indefensible. 23 0 to K t 3 24 B to Iv 3 21 Q x B P 25 0 to 0 Kt 1 25 P to 15 4 20 Q to Kt 3 2(5 0 x 0 27 P x Q 27 H to Kt 2 28 P to B 3 28 Iv to Kt sq 29 Iv to B sq 29 P to Q !’ 4 30 K to K sq 30 P to O 5 31 15 to Iv Kt sq 31 Kt to 15 5 32 Kt to 15 4 32 Ktx P eh 33 Iv to 15 2 33 Kt to 15 5 31 R x P 31 Kt to R (3 cli 35 Iv to Kl2 35 R x It 3(5 Ktx R 30 Ivt x B 37 Kt x I! 37 P to Q 0 White resigns. CHESS IN RUSSIA. Subjoined is tho first gnmo in tho match between Messrs AY. Stoinitz. of New York, and E. Schillers, of St. Petersburg, played at tho Rostov Chess Club, March 4th. When tho last advices left tiie scoro was three games each and one draw. Ruy Lopez.

White Black (Mr E. Schiffers.) (Mr W. Stoinitz.) 1 P to Iv 4 1 P to K 4 2 Kt to K !? 3 2 Ivt to Q 1! 3 3 I! to Q Kt 5 3 Ji to 0 15 4 ■t Castles 1 O to B 3 5 P to B 3 5 Iv K t to lv 2 () P to <2 4 (5 P x P 7 15 to Ivt 5 7 0 to Kt 3 8 Q 15 x Kt 8 13 x 15 9 I3x I J 9 Castles 10 Kt to 13 3 10 P to I) 3 11 Kt to Q 2 11 Btoo sq 12 0 to Q 3 12 Kt to Kt sq 13 13 to B 4 13 P to Q 15 8 14 Kt to B 1 11 Q to R 3 15 Kt to K 2 15 Kt to Q 2 1G Ivt to Kt 3 1(3 Kt to Kt 3 17 J 5 to Kt 3 17 13 to 15 2 18Q R to B sq 18 1! to 0 2 19 Pto Q 5 19 Ptoo B 1 20 K Kt to Q 4 20 P to Ivt 3 21 P t o 15 4 21 Q R to B sq 22 K Kt to K 2 22 P to 15 5 23 13 x P 23 Kt x 13 24 R x Kt 24 13 to Kt 4 25 P to Kt 3 25 B to ivt 3, cli 2(5 K to R sq 20 Q to Kt 2 27 Q to B 2 27 B x R 28 P x 13 28 R to 15 2 29 P to Iv 5 29 P x P 30 P to K B 5 30 K li to JJ sq 31 0 to 0 2 31 R x P 32 P to J 5 G 32 0 to 13 sq 33 Q to Ivt 5 33 P to K R 3 34 0 x Iv P 34 R to K sq 35 Q to Ivt 2 535 Q to ivt 5 3G 0 to li sq 30 R to E 5 37 l J to K R 3 37 Q to Kt 5 38 K to li 3 38 li x P, eh 39 P x R 39 R x Kt, cli 40 Kt x li 40 Q x Kt, cli And Mr Schillers resigned. This game in sevoral respects is quite characteristic of Mr Stoinitz. He defends somewhat out of tho common routine; ho retires his pieces to the royal rank, as is seen after the 12th move ; he plays moves to tempt his opponent to como on with a rush, afterwards making him pay dearly for his whistle ; and then winds up with a few fine strokes which quito overwhelm the opponent, as may he seen from move 30 onwards. It will be found of a somewhat lighter character than the Bt. Petersburg match games. NOTES. At the annual meeting of the Otago Chess Club it was resolved, after lengthy discussion — ,l 'ihat a special meeting of the members bo called at an early dato to consider the matter of registering the club under the Unclassified .Societies Registration Act, 1895.” Tho following office bearers were elected for the ensuing term ; —President, Mr JI. J. Cleland : vice-presidents, Mr T. brown and Rev Bryan

.\i. King ; hon. secretary, Mr A. R. Barclay; lion, treasurer, Mr T. John-Lone (re-elected) ; committee, .Messrs A. McDonald. O. Balk, R. A. C’eland, R. W. Clarkson, 1.. Warsaw and W. Dav.e ; auditor, Mr C. S. Beeves.

An amusing incident occurred during the fir.-t simultaneous performance given by Mr Gtcinitz at Riga. One of his opponents

appeared to be so deeply studying tho position on the boird that nothing ecu id be seen of his face, which ho kept covered bv both hands.

Mr Stoinitz was, however, astoni-hed by the rapidity and strength of the moves made by this opponent every time he came round to his board. /*.t length Mr Bteiifilz took a good look at this very skil ill adversary, and discovered that it was only Lasker. The latter hud, unperceivod by Mr Hteiuitz, exchanged places with one of Bteinitz’s opponents. Ste nitz quietly lifted his Kin/off the* board and proceeded to the next board. Many of tho great chess-players handle special pieces with greater mastery than others. Tschigoriu is nsD-l for his rook play. With Pillsbury it is tho management of his pawns that is especially striking Often, when the position looks like a hopele.-s block, an unexpected sacrifice of one of his pawns leads up to a break through the centre, against which the ad verso forces are powerloss ; and, whether the pawns are being pushed against the adverse king, or are passed and aiming at tho eighth row, they are with equal skill and effect. In Praise of Chess.—lt is one of the characteristics of chess, that it takes firm root in every soil where it is once established. It found its keen and zealous votaries, not only in tho splendid palaces of Chosroes, of Harun, and of Timur, but in the rude and primitive tents of tho pastoral Calmuc, tho roving Tartar, and tho Bedouin Arab. AVe are not awaro of a suigle instance of any people, worthy of the name and designation of human beings, that once got a knowledge of this mimic warfare and afterwards either forgot or neglected so attractive an acquisition. From the luxurious court of Byzantium, tc the sterile rocks of the Hebrides, and the ice bound region of the Ultima Thule, the game appears to havo spread with the rapidity of light, and to havo flourished with vigour, without ever losing ground, for nearly the space of a millennium.—Staunton.