CHESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23691, 24 December 1938, Page 17

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Conducted by E McDermid, Solutions ot problems, original compositions, games, and analyses invited for this column. All correspondence should be addressed to Mr R. McDermid. Otago Daily Times Office. Dunedin SEASON'S GREETINGS We wish to thank those who have sen* seasonal greetings, and take this opportunity of wishing all our., readers the compliments of the season. We trust that they will find the coming year a happy and prosperous one. The Editor also wishes to thank the many readers and friends who have so kindly assisted by sending in contributions and friendly criticism, which have been most helpful. PROBLEM No. G7T By S. Loyd. (Black Three Pieces.)

(White Seven Pieces.) 5 R 2 I 1 Kt 3 p 2 | 3'p'k 3 | 6 P R I 3Q4|B3K3|B|B. White to play and mate in two (2) moves. PROBLEM No. 678 By S. Loyd. (Black Three Pieces.)

(White Four Pieces.) 6Rl|2Ks|B|B|sp2|6pli 1 Q 3 Kt k 1 | 8. White to play and mate in three (3) moves. As previously stated these two problems are not to be included in the solving tourney. Although slightly unorthodox, they should provide good Christmas fare for solvers. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS Problem No. 673.—Solution received from N. Barclay (Auckland). Problem No. 675.—Q to 81. Solution received from E. A. L. (Invercargill), N. S. Traves, D. S. Kemshed (Timaru), G. M. F. B. (Dunedin), "185" (Central Otago), A. Ellis (Roslyn), J. A. Cunningham (Mornington),. P.J. Kemshed (Hampden), H. E. Hewitt (Roslyn), W. A. Mirams (Dunedin) J. J. M. (Musselburgh). Problem No. 676.—R (Kt 5) to K 5. 1. . . K to Kt 5; 2. R (K 1) to K 3, etc. 1. . . K to Kt 7; 2. R (K 5) to K 3, etc. 1 . P to R 4; 2. R to K Kt 5. etc. 1. . . P to R 6; 2. Q to Q Kt 3. ch., etc. Solution received from E. A. L., N. S. Traves, D. S. Kemshed, G. M. F. 8.. " 185," A. Ellis, J. A. Cunningham, H. E. Hewitt, W. A. Mirams.

GAMES " French Defence." Played in 1937 in America by correspondence. White conceived a beautiful Queen sacrifice, leading to a mate in eight moves. „, . White. Black. A. H. Palmi. T. Wescott.

The game below, from the Margate Tournament, shows the present. British champion, a young schoolmaster, who held Alekhine to a draw in the same tournament, defeating Sir George A. Thomas, former champion and long Britain s lone contestant in international tournaments on the Continent: " Bird's Opening."

(a) White is already at a disadvantage, having a cramped position and no promising system of development. (b) White hopes to win back the Q P later. Somewhat better would be 16. P takes P, B takes P; 17. R to B 2, Kt to Q 5, and Black still has the advantage..

1. P to K 4 P to K 3 2. P to Q 4 P to Q 4 3. Kt to Q B 3 Kt to K B 3 4. B to Kt 5 B to K 2 5. P to K 5 K Kt to Q 2 6. P to K R 4 P to Q B 4 7. B takes B K takes B 8. P to K B 4 Generally it is considered better to play here Q to Kt 4. 8 Kt to Q B 3 9. P takes P Kt takes P 10. P to Kt 4 p to Kt 3 11. Kt to K B 3 Q to Kt 3 12. Q to Kt 5, ch. K to B 1 13. Q to B 6 R to Kt 1 14. Kt to Kt 5 R to Kt 2 15. Kt to Kt 5 Kt to K 2 With the idea to catch the Queen. 16. P to R 5 Kt to Kt 1 17. P to R 6 Kt takes QUI It is, of course, wrong to take the Queen, as the sacrifice leads to a male in eight moves in one variation, or to loss of material in the -ther variation. 18. P takes R, ch. K takes P 19. P takes Kt, ch. K takes P 20. R takes P K to B 4 K to K 2 would have made it more difficult for White. With 20. . . K to B 4 Black is driven into . a mating net, from which there is no escape. 21. P to Kt 3! K to Kt 5 22. Kt to B 3 Black resigns. —Australasian.

" Queen's Gambit. Played in Sac , Paolo, 1937. White. R. Flores. Black. A. Silva Rocha 1. P to Q 4 Kt to K B 3 2. Kt to K B 3 P'to Q 4 3. P to Q B 4 P to K 3 4. B to Kt 5 B to Kt 5, ch. 5. Kt to B 3 P takes P 6. Q to B 2 P to Q Kt 4 7. P to R 4 P to Q B 3 8. P to K Kt 3 Castles 9. B to Kt 2 P to Q R 3 10 11. Castles B to Kt 2 K R to Q 1 Q Kt to Q 2 12. Kt to K 5 Q to B 2 13. Kt to K 4 Kt to Q 4 14. Kt takes Kt Q takes Kt 15. Kt to B 5 QtoBl 16. P to K 4 Kt to B 3 17. B takes Kt P takes B 18. Q to B 1 Q to B 2 19. P to K 5 P to B 4 20. 21. Q to Kt 5, ch. Q to B 6, ch. K to R 1 K to Kt 1 22. P to Kt 4 P takes P 23. B to K 4 B. takes Kt 24. P takes B Q R to Q 1 25. K to R 1 R to Q 4 2G. B takes P, ch. And mate in four moves.

White. Black. Thomas Alexander. 1. P to K B 4 P to Q 4 Kt to K B 3 P to K Kt 3 3. P to K 3 B to Kt 2 4. B to K 2 Kt to K B 3 5. Castles Castles (5. 7. Q to K P to Q 3 P to B 4 P to Kt 3 8. Q Kt to Q 2 Kt to Kt 5 9. B to Q (a) B to Q R 3 10. P to K R 3 Kt to R 3 11. R to Kt Kt to B 3 12. P to R 3 Q to Q 3 13. P to K 4 P takes P 14. Kt takes P Q to B 2 15. Kt to R 4 P to B 5 1G. 17. P to Q Kt 3 (b> P takes Q P P to B 4 Kt to Q 5 18. P to R 4 B to Kt 2 19. Kt to Q B 3 Q to B 3 20 Kt to Q 5 K R to K 21. Kt to B 3 Q to B 4 22. B to K 3 B takes Kt 23. P takes B K Kt to B 4 24. K to R 2 Kt takes Kt, ch. 25. R takes Kt Q takes P 26. P to Q Kt 4 P to K 4 27. B to Kt 3 Q to Q 2 28. Q to Q 2 P to K 5 29. K R to B B to Q 5 30. B takes B Q takes B 31. K R to Q Resigns. O R to Q