Chess for the Million.

Otago Witness, Issue 2051, 15 June 1893, Page 38

Chess for the Million.

White to play and mate in two moves.

When a player is left with a king, bishop, and knight to his opponent's king, he will, unless he has studied the position beforehand, have to be satisfied with a drawn game. The mode of play required to checkmate is, however, so instructive that every student should endeavour to master it, although he may never play a game in which the position may occur. The king mu3t be forced to a corner of the board which can be commanded by the bishop, or it will be impossible to checkmate by force. There are only six squares in each case on which a checkmate can be forced—namely, R. 1 and 2 and Xt 1 at each of two opposite corners. If White is left with king, knight, and queen's bishop against the Black king, the latter will have to be forced to White's queen's rook's corner, or his king's rook's eight corner. If the king's bishop is left then the Black king must be forced to one of the White corners. The number of moves required to accomplish a mate depends upon the relative position of the kings. Under the most unfavourable conditions for the winning player about 30 moves on each side are necessary. The subjoined play is taken from the Boys' Own Paper, the notation only being changed. Place ±he White king at Xl, the bishop at QB 1, and the knight at QKt 1. The Black Kat his X1 :— |

The first point is to bring the White king into opposition to the Black king, and then to play the pieces so as to force the Black king into a comer ' commanded by the bishop. Care must be taken to av.iid stalemate positions. Tf at his fourth move the Black king goes to X 3 instead of B 4, the proper reply is 6 Kt-Q 5, &c , and if at his tenth move he go to Ql instead of Xt 1, then 11 Kt-K 4, K-K 1, 12 Xt-Xt 5. &c. If at his Ist,h j move he go to B 1 instead of X 1 , he would be j mated on the 28th move ; and if ou his 16th move I he go to Q 1 instead of B 2, then follows Kt-K 7 and mats in a few moves. If on bis 18th move he go to Xt 2 instead of B 2, the reply is 19 K-K 6 ; ami if on his l%h move K-B 1 instead of X 1, the White move*? K-K 6. If Black for his 25fch move pixy K-K 1 the knight mates at once. Students should endeavour thoroughly to master the play given above, and try and work oat for themselves all the variations. Such practice will greatly improve their knowledge of the game and their power of seeing through positions. To give checkmate with two knights against a king and a pawn I is a matter of such difficulty that it is seldom attempted in play except in positions very favourable for its execution. There are a few positions, however, when the X and Xt oan win against a X and P which occur occasionally in actual play, and are well worth knowing. The following is a position not too difficult for learners. White X at Q 8 1, Xt at Q2 ; Black KatQRB,V at QR 6. White plays 1 Xt-Xt 3 eh, Black replies K-R 7, and the play proceeds :— White. Black. White. Black. 2 Kt-B 5 K-R 8 5 Kt-B 1 P-K 7 3 K-B 2 K-R 7 6 Xt-Xt 3 Checkmate. 4 Kt-K 3 K-R 1 This is akin to a form of checkmate which is brought about by the aid of the knight and called " smothered mate. The principle is to play co as to force the losing side to block the kiug with his own pieces aud then ghe mate with a knight. The following is a common instance : White Kat KKt 1 , Q, at Q4, Xt at K5. P's at X Xt 2 ami X R 2 ; Black X at X R 1, R nt Q 1. "P's at X Xt 1 and X II I. White plays 1 Kt-B 7 eh, 1 K-Kt 1, 2 Kt-R 0 double eh, K-U 1 (if to B 1 le is mated at once), 3 Q-Kt 1 eh, R x Xt, 4 Kt-B 7 mate. (To be conti/iitcd.)

Games in the Telegraphic Chess Match. Game played between Messrs E,. A. Cleland (Otago) and A. J. Littlejohn (Wellington). White. Black. (Mr Cieland.) (Mr Littlejohn.) 1 P-K4 P-K4 2 X Kt-B 3 Q Kt-B 3 3 B-B 4 B-B 4 4 P-Q Xt 4 B x P 5 Ph 3 81l 4 6 Castles Kt-B 3 7 Jf-Q 4 P x P-a 8 Q-Kt 3 Castles 9 B-K 3 P-Q 3 10P-K5 Kt-K 5 llPxPatQs B-Kt3 ' 12 Q-Q 3 X Kt-K 5 13 Q Kt-Q 2 Xt xX Xt UKtx Xt - B-K Xt 5 15PxP PxP 16 P-Q 5 Kt-K 2 17 Kt-Q 4 Xt-Xt 3 18 Q-Q 2 K-K 1 19 P-B 3 B-Q 2 £0 K-K 1 Kt-K 4 21 B-Kt 3 Q-B 3 22 B-Kt 2 Q-Q 1-6 23 Q K-K 1 Q K-B 1 21 Q-K B 4 B-Q B 4 25 Q-Kt 3-c P-K Xt d-d 26 Q-B 4 Q-K 2 27 Q-Kt 3 P-K B 4 28 B-B 1 Q-Kt 2 2tf Q-K 4 BKt 3 30 B-K Xt 5 BQ I 31BxB QKxB 32 P-K R 3 P-K Xt 4 33 Q-K B 2 P-Q R 3-e Time lhr 55min. (a) If 7... castles, white may proceed 8 Xt x X P, &c— the .Richardson attack, very difficult to defend, but which should iebulo favourably to the defence. See Lipschitz's edition of Gossip Appendix, p. 43. (0) Tne ually of the queen seems only to have lost time. (c) Should be inclined to try R-K4. (dj This weakens Black's position. Is there any valid objection to 25... Xt-Xt 3 ? (<?) White's attack more than outweighs Black's extra pawn. Mr Hookham awarded a drawn game, and we cannot see how ne could have done otherwise. When a game is little more than half finished and bo evenly balanced aB this a win to either side is not demonstrable. Kokomo Match. Queen's Pawn's Opening. White. Black. (Lasker.) (Showalter.) 1 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 2 Kt-K B 3 Kt-K B 3 3 P-K 3 P-K 3 4 B-Q 3 P-QKt3 5 Q Kt-Q 2 B-Kt 2 6 Kt-K 5 B Q 3 7 P-K B 4 Castles 8 Q-B 3 P-B 4 9 P-B 3 Q-B 2 10 P-K Xt 4 Kt-K 1 11 Q-K 3 P-Kt3 12P-Kts BxKt 13 B P x B Xt-Xt 2 14 R-K Xt 1 Kt-Q 2 15 Kt-B 3 B-B 1 16 B-Q 2 P-Q R 3 17 Q-B 1 P-Kt 4 18 P-K R 4 P-B 5 19 B-B 2 B-Kt 2 20 Q-R 3 P-Q R 4 21 Kt-R 2 P-Kt 5 22 Xt-Xt 4 P-Kt 6 23 B-Q 1 Kt-K B 4 24 P-R 5 K-Kt 2 25 Kt-B 6 R-R 1 26 B-Kt 4 Kt-K 2 27BxP KtxP 28PxKt Pxß 29 Q x P R-R 3 30 P-R 6 eh K-Bl 31 Q-Q 7 Q x Q 32 Xt xQ eh K-K 1 33 Kt-B 5 R-R 2 34 P x P PxP 35 R-K B 1 B-B 1 36 Xt x P P-R 5 37 Kt-Q 4 R-K B 1 38 K-B 6 B-Q 2 39 P-K 6 B-B 1 40 Kt-Kt-5 Resigns-*, (a) A fine game. Answers to Correspondents W. X.— Always glad to aid the young student. "Castling" consists in moving the king to the second square to the right or left of his own square (K 1), and at the same time moving the castle or rook to the square on the outside of, but next, the king. Although both king and rook are moved the operation counts only as one move to the player making it. Castling on the king's side is XXt 1 and R-B 1; on the queen's side K-B 1 aud R-Q l. It can only be made by each player once in a game and can only be made subject to the conditions that— l. The king cannot pass over or move to a square where hs would be in check. 2. Neither king nor rook must have been moved. 3. The squares between the king and the rook must be vacant. Solution of Problem 1026. White. Black. 1 P-K Xt 4 P x Xt 2 Q-Q B 7 Any move 3 Mates. This is the composer's solution but there is another beginning 1 1 R-B 3 check. Solution of Pkoblem 1028. Key-move : White (1) R-B 2. Black. White.

Chess Items. j The Sketch of March 29 gives I Boaie amusing illustrations of the match between the Metropolitan and Ludgalo Clubs. Several heads, illustiative of the normal typo of chess fiend, "Mr Blackburne looking in to see how the amateurs were getting on," and "A group intently watching the game between the captains." Gunsberg aud Blackburne adjudicated the 22 unfinished games.

White. Black. 1 K-K 2 K-K 2 2 K-K 3 K-K 3 3 K-K 4 K-Q 3 4 Kt-B 3 K-Q B 4 5 B-R 3ch K-B 3 6 K-K 5 K-R 2 7 K-Q 5 K-Kt 3 8 K-Q 6 K-Kt 2 9 B-B 5 K-B 1 [0 K-B 6 K-Kt 1 • lI Xt-Xt 5 K-R 1 .2 Kt-B 7 eh K-Kt 1 i 3 B-Q 4 K-B 1 A BR 7 K-Q 1 15 K-Q 5 K-K 1 White. BlacK. 16 K-Q 6 K-B 2 17 Kt-K7 K-B 3 18 B-K 3 K-B 2 19 B Q 4 K-K 1 20 K-K 6 K-Q 1 21 B-Kt 6 eh K-K 1 22 Kt-K B 5 K-B 1 23 B-Q 8 K-K 1 24 B-B 6 K-B 1 25 B-K 7ch K-Kt 1 26 K-B 6 K-R 2 27 K-B 7 K-R 1 28 K-Kt6 K-Ktl 29 Kt-R 6 eh K-R 1 30 B-B 6 Checkmate.

RxP Q-K 5 Q x Xt Q-K 5 Q Xt any Q Q 5 B-Q 3 Xt x B Kt-B 4 Q-B 3 Kt-B 6 Q x Xt B-B 3 Kt-Q (3 Q other Q-K 5 Solution of Problem 1029. Key-move: Whits (I) Kt-Q 6. Black. White. KxKt Kt-K4ch K-Xt 4 Kt-K 4 eh K-K 4 Kt-K 4 BxR Kt-K 4 eh Xt x Xt Kt-K S eh, mate in 2! P moves Kt-K 4, &c. Kt-Kts M 8 p.Q 3 B x P K-B 5 B-Q 0 ; K-K 3, 5 Kt-B 5 i Auy B-Q 6 I K-K 4 B-Q 6