CHESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3014, 20 December 1911, Page 65

CHESS.

Conducted by F. J. Motjat.

The Otago Chess Club meets for play at the rooms, Liverpool street, Dunedin, every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evening at 8 o'clock. Visiting chess players are cordially invited to the club on these evenings. A CHRISTMAS PUZZLE. THE THREE QUEENS. Here. :is a, pretty little chess puzzle, made some yea,™ ago by Mr F. S. Enisor. White has to checkmate the Black king without ever moving a queen off the bottom row, on which they >at present stand!. It is not difficult. As the White king is not needed in this puzzle, his Majesty's attendance is dispensed with. His three wives can dispose of the enemy without assistance —in seven moves.

SOLUTIONS TO PKORLKMP Problem 37621 Key move: B-Q 3. Problem 3763. Key move: Q-B 4. i A CHRIS? MAS PAKTIF. By W. B. Huggitt, in Newcastle Weekly Courant. Many years ago I accepted an invitation from an old schoolmate to spend 1 Christmas at his village home among the Border hills. Arriving at his c.barming little villa, I was toon agreeably impressed with the majestic grandeur of the surrounding country, and felt what a delightful contrast it was to the environment of city lifei Being Christmas Eve, we, after a substantial " five o'clock," sauntered! down hill to the villa;*©. My friend being a member, -we made for the chess club. At that time chess was not so generally practised as at presen.it —in fact; it was almost unknown, especially in the rural districts. Nevertheless, this village could boast of a wellattended club, thanks to the zeal and enthusiasm of the local Squire, who was the president and founder of the club. We found ourselves in a warm and comfortable clubroom—and were formally introduced and welcomed .by the worthy president. A great man he was in matters chess, not only in his own estimation, but more so in the estimation of the members themselves. For had he not played at Oxford and beaten soma of the best "players of the day. Had l he not played in a simultaneous exhibition against the great Paul! Morphy, and would undoubtedly have won his game had he not sacrificed' his Bishop in order to deal—(sic) — a crushing blow to his antagonist. Was not a problem of his selected, and appearing in the Christmas issue of the Coalopolis Courant! Consequently the Squire was considered by the member® thereabouts to rank as one of the first-class chess players in the country. '».•:■ The formal introduction over, the president remarked to my companion: " What does your friend say to a game?" I expressed my pleasure, and desired, as I was only a fifth-class player, that he would pair me with one of the junior. members. " Oh, you and I will get on famously together,", he said, setting up the men. I must confess' that it was with great fear and trembling that I ventured to opposo the village Squire across the board, being naturally, gifted with a modest demeanour and a due depreciation of my own merits. A number of members gathered round during the preliminaries of the game, and' my fancy detected a smile of pity in their faces as the wealthy gentleman gathered himself up in his might to vanquish the pigmy. He won the choice of moves, and commenced with White, 1 P-K 4. A very good move indeed. I carefully examined the board, and decided to follow the lead. 1 P-K 4. The president smiled l . My weakness apparently was being early shown. He replied—--2 P-Q B 4. I looked depressed like an old hat in «, shower of rain. Knowing, however, that 2 P-K B 4 was good in any case, I gave it, hoping that my opponent would accept the favour thus offeied. But no, he preferred to support his centre, and smilingly played 3 P-Q 3. I modestly replied with 3 Kt-K B 3, having heard somewhare that it was always good policy to get the knights out early. With a gleam of satisfaction, he replied l — B-Kt 5. Bather overawed with the gentleman's prowess and the smiles and nods of the spectators, I gave my opponent more credit for this move than he actually deserved. I played 4 B-Q B 4, and was evidently greener than had been anticipated. My opponent moved 5 Kt-K 2. I paused and looked round. The bystanders, chuckling at my anticipated defeat, made several smart remarks on my slow play. As stung into' action, I quickly rejoined with 5 Kt x K P. My opponent gracefully remarked, "Your queen is in danger, sir. Have the move again." I thanked him for his courtesy, and replied that I ever played a strict game; having lost my queen, I would abide by it. "In that case," said he, " I cannot do other than take it." 6 B x Q. <r lt rather spoils the game, though," he remarked. " Yes," I replied, moving l

6 B x P, mate, ] "Mate!" cried he, and his face changed 1 colour! "Neverl Ah! It's slip, of course! Let's have it over .again!" The situation was so ludicrous that my friend—who hitherto bad been standing as frigid as a loin of Yankee beef—could not refrain a burst of laughter, the bystanders joining in with considerable gusto. Even the president laughed, exclaiming, " You have it! That's a real Christmas cracker, i Then we all laughed again; we were happy. After wishing us all a very happy Christ- | mas, the good-natured president took his departure. And 80 did we, wending our way up the steep bank, through the drifting snow, to participate in the domestic festivities, till the singing of the " waits announced to us the .advent of another joyfnil morning—which tells of " Peace and goodwill towards men."

MR WATERMIK'S CHtSS ENDJNtf. " Just as Pankhurst always oarries a pack of cards about with him, to play patience in odd moments," Mr Waterson remarked, •■so I always have with me as a companion this pocket chess board.. It is an infallible source of entertainment to me on railway journeys and at times of solitude. Here is a queer position that occurred to me in a gam© I had with a man in a West Country town the other day" He showed them the position given in the diagram. "I was White," he continued, "and it was my move. What would you do in such a ease?" "Well," said Wilson, after a brief examination, " Black threatens to win your queen next move by discovered check, unless you do one of two things: check at bishop's eighth or take the rook with the queen." "If I bad taken the rook I should have lost the game," said Mr Waterson.

! Mr Waterson's ohes® ending. ) " But anybody can see that if you check at bishop's eighth you have an easy draw by perpetual check," Mr Stubbs correctly pointed- out. "If Black goes to his rook's third you mate him." "What do you think, Pankhurst?" "As there are only two courses open to you—one resulting in a drawn game and the other a Ices —you must select the draw. As .a matter of fact, what did you actually do?" " Well," declared Mr Waterson, " I won. the game! It is a certain win for White, if properly played." They sought in vain for the pretty solution until Mir Waterson showed them how it is dtone. Could the reader have won in that position, playing White? CHESS SONG BY THE LATE SHERIFF BPjft*, WLA!»«OW. (Reprinted). "A PAWN'S A PAWN FOR A' THAT." • A pawn's a pawn for a' that, j A wee bit pawn, an' a' that; The pawn can dare the furthest square Shall rule the day far a' that. 1 The muckle pieces come an' gang, 1 The pawn gangs on for a' that; He never fears the thickest thrang, J But stan'a or fa's for a' that. j Chorus—A pawn's a pawn, etc j D'ye see yon biarky oa'd a Knicht j Hits twa at ance, an' a' that? j A canny pawn gi'es him a fricht. An' aft he giaea for a' that. Chorus —A pawn's a pawn, etc. An' there the Bishops wi' a rush . Spring at the King, an' a' that, The pawns together forward push, An' beat them bacß. for a' that. Chorus —A pawn's a pawn, etc. An' weel I ken a swaggering loon They oa' a Rook an' a' that, A pawn may bring the fallow doon, An' kick him oot for a' that. Chorus —A pawn's a pawn, eto. An' lo! the bonnie Queen as well, Worth twa big Rooks —«n' a' that, A wee bit chancy pawn may sell Arf trip her up fox a' that. Chorus—A pawn's a pawn, eto. . The King wha pxoodly tek'fl his stan', xiiis guards ajroun', an' a' that, In deidly fear may flee a pawn Who cries " Checkmate " for a' that. Chorus —A pawn's a pawn, eto. A pawn can mak' a belted Knicht, A Bishop, Rook, an' a' that; A Queen is na abune his micht, G-udo faith, he'll even fa' that. Chorus —A pawn's a pawn, etc. SONNET T<> AN UNSOUND PROBLEM Through many tortuous paths, ungrateful child, Thine embryonic promise did I guide; With added variations ramified I fashioned thee. Within myself I smiled At thoughts of solvers who, with lynx-like eyes, Would strive to probe thy complex evolution, But now behold thee labelled "Kb Solution." Thou traitor! Would'st thou basely advertise A cropper such as this ? Yet I'll assuage The patrons of the fruits of this poor i brain.. j My next attempt isha.ll have saoilutions j twain, \ And so preserve a balanced average. i So bring me forth the board—the chessmen bring j And let me deal with bishop, knight, and king. P, H. Williams, from Chess Chatter and Chaff.

AN ACROSTIC. C hild of an Eastern dime, though "Western worlds have crowned thy fame, H ow life's dull vista brightens at the magic of thy name! E ven though centuries have rolled away and sunk in endless night S ince thy perfect form in all its peerless beauty leapt to light, S till each age that passes only makes thy matchless fame more bright! —W. FINLAYSON.