Criticisms of Tourney Problems.

Otago Witness, Issue 2318, 4 August 1898, Page 40

Criticisms of Tourney Problems.

Problem 1181.— Tourney Problem No. 1, by S. ! S. Blackburne. In this opening criticism it is perhaps desirable to quote from a passage in " The Chess J Problem," which is the acknowledged stan- { dard authority on problems, and is the joint work of four eminent composers. According to " The Chess Problem," p. 22, " ' pure ' and even ' mirror ' mates must not be taken as themes to be illustrated occasionally, but should be carclully considered in every problem. They are the perfect embodiments of two great principles, which, though they can be ! only no.v and then absolutely followed, should ' always receive due attention. For example, a mate with one double square, other things ' being equal, is more beautiful than one wirh. two double squares, while a mate with several impurities could only obtain credit for beauty i if olher qualifications were present in great j force. Again, just as a final position with only ! mir- nr f.wn nuvo-j hi Hin ' Irino-'s field ' mniiM

one or two pieces in tbo

kins s field

bo considered good, approxhaaiing as it would to Ihe mirror principle, so a mate with gippt congestion of pieces surrounding the black king, would be an important flaw." Thus, every mate should be as nearly " pure " and as nearly a "mirror" as is practicable, and every criticism must necessarily have reference to these two leadiuf? prmuiplts. T. i~ney Problem No. 1 is defective in both these respects, it having no near approximation to either a " pure mate " or a " mirror." The key hps the merits that it is essential to four variations, it offers a sacrifice of the bishop, it provides an escape square for the black king, and gives a move to a black pawn originally pinned. There are eight variations, which is more than an average number. There is & pretty mate, after king moves, by the knight checking en. prise under cover of the rook, some other mates are fair; but no others axe remarkable. Every piece is a working piece, and no dummies are used to stop " clualb " or " cooks." — Kiwi.

Problem 14S2.— Tourney Problem No. 2, by S,

S. Blackburne.

This position provides an escape square for j the black king. The key, besides involving a | queen sacrifice, is essential to seven variations, and is thus well hidden. There sre 10 variations, which is an unusually high number. Tho problem contains numerous illustrations of the mirror principle, uo less than J 12 diflerent defences resulting in mirror i mate 1 -, and six of these mirros being perfectly distm'.t from one another. This is au excer- j tiopal achievement. No mate is absolutely j " pure," but several have a high degree of j purity. Notably, m the mate by Xt x B (aflo>- j B x Q), only one &quaie in the king's field id i more than singly guarded; in the mate Ijy Xt Q3 (after X moves) theie is again only cue square short of absolute purity, for in this case the double attack upon the square on which the king stands docs not count because

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a double check was essential to the mate (vide j " The Problem," p 20) ; and the mate by Q ] QG (after B Q sq, &c.) has only two squares ! doubly guarded. The best mates are those ! given by Xt Q3 after X moves, by Xt Q3 after , P KtG, by Xt x B after B x Q, and by | Q Q6 after certain moves of B on 82. Afler j X moves, the Xt going en priso mates by j means of a complex unfoldment, whereby .1 I offords not only a necessary second check by i discovery from the rook, but also enables bolh ■ 1 the rook and bishop each to protect a sqiuue ' I originally unguarded. After P KtG, the Xt i a<-aiu mates en prise, by a different stralojy, > unclt-r cover of the other rook. The play is j ( well distributed amorist the various pieces, ; , Bind noi,'.'--ith.'tarc!ing- the large number j .' »"ariAt2(>:is. there is no dual, pnd not even a j . pvvii is ir.ti educed for the purpose of prevent- ! ' ::jg duals or cooks, but eveiy piece, including , j the while kins, lake*, a &hare of the woik. -- ' | Ktwi. " j j Pioblom 1433.— Tourney Pioblem No. 3, by li. j 1 B Jackson. I ' The key is a queen t-arrluVe, but t!ie move is ! j too f-tron'g a Illicit There aic only five vaui- . j lions, and nono of ar-y special merit. Tho ! kind's field is much congested, and pui ; ty is ! nowhere After black 1 V EG, there is v dual by Q Kts (x P) or Q B3 {k P).— Kiwi i Pioblem IJB-1. — Tourney Problem Ko. -I. ] iJotto: " Ijo Case Ycnaka." | Tho key, which involves a queen sacrifice, < is excellent.' The oiiginal position pi ovules j a,n escape square for the king. There aie ! ei"ht variations, a number above the average. ; Tho va nation onsir.g fiom B x Q results in a, i pure mate, aiid ia very good , the mate »jy Q Q3 (after X moves) is pietty, the ciuopii matn,c en piise under cover of the rook; the mate hy Xt KtG fatter P x B) i? also fpirly good; the lest are oidmary. Thoie is no mirror, •though, in several mdte c J, the king's Held lias only one intruder. Two black pawns, one white pawn, and the white ki-ig aie drones, and the white icok and the bishop on Q7 do little work in proportion to their strength. Three defences— namely, Xt ES, Xt QG, aad Xt x P lead to dual mates.— Kiwi. , Problem 1485. — Tourney Pioblem No. 5, by i<\ l A. L. Kuskop. j The key move offers a f-ficnfiee of the rook, ' j but it deprives the black king of a promising flight square and captuie in exchange only j lor a flight and capture less advantageous on i tho f?.ce of it. After X x R, -an excellent purs mate is effected by P Bl dis. eh. All othar mates aie far from pure, and are in no v,ay remarkable. The kind's field h?s always o.ie or more occupants m addition to the king The mate by P Hi is nuMotoooxi*?, by leason of frequent repetition. The white ian» is out of the play. There are seven variations, vhicu. is about an average number. Four defencesviz., Xt Xt sq, Xt B sq, Xt 84, and Xt 13J, occasional duals through the alternative niAtcs by P Bl and Xt 130.— Kiwi. I Problem I4B6.— Tourney Problem Xo. 6, by F. I A. L. Ku&kop. i As in No. 5, the key is a rook sacrifice, -.'lid takes away a flight square fiom tlie black ! king in exchange for another, but the original I escape was obvkrasly the more advantageous defence. If X x E, the mate effected by Q x Xt P is pure, and veiy good ; all the rest aie poor. The king's field is faiily clear, bul alJ ways short of a minor. The v^hitc king and j one black pawn take no part in the play, J There are seven variations, which is about an j avciago number. — Kr\M. j Problem 1487.— Tourney Pioblem No. 7, by I>\ { A. L. Kuskop. 1 The key, which offers sacrifices of both rook I and knight, and gives two flight squaies lo | the black king, is excellent. The two mates resulting from' the king's captures are good; the uule, after R x E, by Xt x Q P is pure, I and very good, other maies are fair. There ! are no miirors, and usually the king's field ii somewhat congested. There are six variations, rather a small number foi i two-mot u\ — Kiwi. Problem 1489.— Toumcy Problem No. 8, by F. A. L. Ku'.'rof. i This problem amounts to nothing more 1 than find tho answer to P 81. which is easily discovered, and the key, thoiigh involving- the sacrifice oi a rook, is therefore poor Uvery other variation is ready set, and unaffected by the key. Nine is a high number of variations, but not one ot them has any striking feitiue. There is no pure male and no miiror, and aii i the mates are far shorb o[ these characteristics. ! The black king has no libexty, either befoie or I after the initial move. The threatened chec,:* i defence by Xt x P is a defect, as no move need bo considered for the key which will not meet it. Q x Xt, at first sight, looks like a " cook" ; but this is met by B B-l eh.— Kiwi. > Problem 1490.— Tourney Problem No. 9, by F. ! A. L Kuskof. ! Most of the variations being ready set, but j little examination is needed to discoxer the key. There are nine vai iations, which is & high number. Three variations result in mirror mates. The mates effected by P x 11, on K3 and Kt3 respectively, are also good; the rest are not out of the ordinary. There is no ' pure mate. The white king is banished fiom I the field of operations. The^ black king is throughout a close prisoner.— Kitti. Problem 1491.— Tourney Problem 1 No. 10, by \i\ A. L. Kuskop. Tho key offers a sacrifice of a Kt. It, however, gives no liberty to the imprisoned bltick king. There arc six variations, which is below the average for a two-mover. The mates 1 j effected by Pi, x P, after Q x Xt, &c, and by ! Xt Q3, after B moves, &c, are fairly good; 1 j but Xt Q3 as a rejoinder to 11 defences lh 1 ! monotonous. Other mates are poor. There is nothing approaching either a pure make or a mirror. The black pawn on Q2 is a drone.— Kiwi.