CHESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3890, 2 October 1928, Page 75

CHESS.

Conducted by

L. D. COOMBS.

Solutions of problems, original compositions, games, and analyses invited for this column. All correspondence should be addressed to the Chess Editor, Otago Witness Office, Dunedin. PROBLEMS: ADVICE TO SOLVERS. Most of the two-move problems which we publish are not very difficult, and are suitable .studies for comparative beginners, whereas the three-move problems will give corresponding pleasure to more advanced problemists. We mention this because we do not advise beginners to spend too much time over difficult problems, for they may by so doing turn pleasure Into labour, and be inclined to give “ the poetry of chess " up as being too difficult. Some of our end games will be found to be extremely difficult. We advise beginners to play over the published solutions, and to study the various moves and lines of play. By so doing they will see more into the rema’-kable possibilities of a position, and learn more about chess strategy, and so improve their game, than by any other method we know of.

By

PROBLEM No. 202.

F. W. Nanning

(First prize, Grantham

Journal, 1927). Black (Eleven Pieces).

“White (Nine Pieces). 3kt4|plkts|P 7 | Kt 2 p 2 p 1 | pPlklbQp| Kt 3 R R 1 P I 2p5|2 K b 4. White to play and mate in two moves. PROBLEM No. 203.

By

F. A. L. Kuskop,

Wellington.

Black (Four Pieces).

White (Seven Pieces). B|3p3P|2p4Kt | 5 P P k I 5 P 2 I spPl| 7 K | 8. White to play and mate in three moves. Note.—The above pleasure-giving problem is comparatively simple for a three-mover. We reprint it from Die Schwalbe, the new German magazine devoted entirely to chess problems. END GAME, No. 7.

W. Queckenstedt.

By

Black (Eight Pieces).

White (Seven Pieces). White to play and win. S|plp2ppl|lpP3pl|7k[3 PPb2|sPlP|B|3K2Bl. SOLUTIONS OF PROBLEMS. Problem No. 198. —P to K 5. Correct solutions received from Dr Church, H. M. Rosenberg (Wellington), and F. K.’ Kelling (Wellington). Problem No. 199.—R to K 6. Correct solutions have been received from H. V. Cunliffe (Woolahra) for problems Nos. 190 and 191, and Messrs Gyles, Mason, and Kelling (Wellington) for end game No. 4. SOLUTION TO END GAME, No. 5 (Moller). I. Kt to B 6 K to B 7 2. Kt to K 1 =- K takes Kt 3. Kt to K 4 A COMPLIMENT TO PROBLEM No. 194. TO THE CHESS EDITOJI. Sir, —Some other new chums and myself occasionally try to solve the chess problems in your very interesting column,-and found problem No. 194, by the late T. Taverner, a very hard nut to crack. We note in this week s Otago Witness that R to K R 1 is the solution, but what we cannot make out is what is White’s reply if Black plays B to K Kt 4. If the pieces are placed right we cannot find that White has an effective mate; but it is probably our ignorance. If worth while would you kindly elucidate through your column or to above address?— I am, etc., c. B. R. Invercargill, September 20. [White’s reply to Black’s move of B to K Kt 4 is Q to R 2 mate. Siich a move on Black’s part is known as a " self block.” The reply to it is difficult to find. That is one of the features that has made the problem so much appreciated and admired.

C. B. R. and his friends are not the only ones who found the problem difficult.—Chess Ed.] GAMES. Game iii the second round of the British championship tourney at Tenby. (Queen’s Pawn Opening.) White. Black. V. Buerger. W. H. Watts. 1. P to Q 4 Kt to K B 3 2. P to Q B 4 P to K 3 3. Kt to K B 3 B to Kt 5, ch 4. B to Q 2 B takes B, ch (a) 5. Q takes B Kt to K 5 (B) 6. Q to B 2 P to K B 4 7. Kt to B 3 Kt takes Kt 8. Q takes Kt P to Q 3 9. P to K Kt 3 Kt to Q 2 10. B to Kt 2 Kt to B 3 11. Castles (K R) Q- to K 2 12. Kt to Q 2 P to Q 4 (c) 13. P to B 3 P to B 4 (D) 14. B P takes P BP takes P 15. Q takes P Kt takes P 16. P to K 4 Kt to Kt 5 (e) 17. P to Q R 3 Kt to B 3 18. Q to B 3 Castles 19. P to K 5 R to Q sq 20. P to B 4 Q to Q 2 21. Kt to B 4 Kt to Q 5 22. R to B 2 R to Kt sq 23. R to Q 2 P to Q Kt 3 24. Q to K 3 B to R 3 (f) 25. Kt to Q 6 Kt to Kt 4 26. Q R to Q sq Kt takes Kt 27. P takes Kt Q R to B sq (g) 28. B to B 3 K to B 2 29. P to K Kt 4 P to Kt 3 30. P takes P Kt P takes P (h) 31. B to R 5, ch K to B sq 32. R to Kt 2 (I) Q to B 3 (J) 33. R to Kt 8, ch K takes R 34. Q takes P, ch K to Kt 2 35. Q to B 7, ch K to R 3 (k) 36. Q to B 6, ch Resigns. (a) Niemzowitsch plays Q to K 2.

(b) Premature. It would have been better to prepare for this move by P to Q Kt 3 and B to Kt 2, e.g., 5. ..P to Q Kt 3; 6. Kt to B 3, B to Kt 2 ; 7. Pto K. Kt 3, Castles; 8. B to Kt 2, Kt to K 5; 9. Kt takes Kt (if 9. Q to B 2, then 9.. .P to K B 4 ; 10. Kt to Q 2, P to Q 4), B takes Kt with an even game. After the text-movd’ White gets an advantage in development. (c) P to K 4 was, perhaps, better. (d) If 13... Castles, then 14. P to K 4, Q P takes K P ; 15. P takes P, P takes P; 16. Kt takes P with advantage in position to White. (e) Not 16. . .P takes P because after 17. P takes P Black cannot castle. (F) It 24...8 to Kt 2, then 25. B takes B, R takes B ; 26. Q R to Q sq, winning the Knight. (g) Black should have challenged the hostile Bishop’s command of the long diagonal by playing B to Kt 2, although after 28. B takes B, R takes B ; 29. R to Q B sq, "White would still have had the advantage. (h) If 30.. .K P takes P. then 31. B to Q 5, ch, K to B sq; 32. B to K 6, Q to K sq ; 33. P to Q 7 and wins. (I) Threatening Q to K 5, which, if played at once, would be met by Q to Kt 2, ch. (J) Played in order to reply to Q to K 5 with Q to B 4, ch. White, however, is now able to force the win by a pretty sacrificial combination. (k) If 35. . .K to R sq, then 36. Q to B 6, ch, K to Kt sq; 37. 13 to B 7, ch, and mate in two more moves. Game in the fourth round at Tenby. (Queen’s Pawn Opening.) White. Black. W. A. Fairhurst. Sir Geo. Thomas. 1. P to Q 4 Kt to K B 3 2. P to Q B 4* P to K 3 3. Kt to K B 3 P to Q Kt 3 4. B to Kt 5 B to Kt 2 5. Q to B 2 P to K R 3 6. B to R 4 B to K 2 (A) 7. Kt to B 3 P to Q 3 (b) 8. P to K 4 Q Kt to Q 2 9. Castles P to B 3 '(c) 10. P to K 5 Kt to R 2 11. Kt to K 4 P to K Kt 4 (d) 12. P takes P P takes B 13. P takes B Q takes P 14. P to B 5 Castles (Q R) 15. Q to R 4 K to Kt sq 16. Kt to Q 6 P takes P 17. Kt takes B Kt to Kt 3 (e) 18. Q to R 3 (f) Q takes Kt 19. B to R 6 Q to B 2 20. P takes P Kt to Q 4 21. Kt to Q 4 Kt to K 2 22. Kt to Kt 3 K to R sq 23. Kt to R 5 R to Q Kt sq 24. R to Q 6 Kt to B 3 25. Q to R 4 Kt (B 3) to Q 4 26. PtoQ R 3 (G) KRto Q sq 27. R takes R Q takes R 28. R, to Q sq Q to B 2 29. R to Q 4 Q to K 4 (h) 30. Kt takes P Q to K 8, ch 31. R to Q sq Kt to B 6 32. R takes Q (i) Kt takes Q 33. Kt takes R Resigns. (a) A good alternative is B to Kt 5, ch. (b) P to Q 4 appears to be necessary in order to to K, 4. In a game between Dr Alekhine and Gilg in the Kecskemet tournament last year the continuation was 7... P to Q 4; 8. P to K 3, Castles; 9. R to Q sq, Q Kt to Q 2 ; 10. P takes P, Kt takes P, with about an even game. (c) Black has already a very difficult game. (n) If 11. . .B takes B, then 12. Kt takes P, ch, winning a pawn. (E) If 17... K takes Kt, then 18. B to R 6, ch, K to B 2; 19. Q to'R 5, ch, K to Kt sq; 20. K R to K sq (threatening to play the Rook to the Queen’s side via K 3), with advantage to White. This was, however, Black's best chance. (f) White could havei won easily by 18. Kt takes R, for, if 18... Kt takes Q, then 19. Kt takes P, ch. (g) Threatening Kt takes P, which, if played at once, could be met by 26. . .Kt to Kt 5, followed, if 27. Kt takes R or either Kt, by 27... Q takes P, ch. (H) A last desperate attempt. (i) White does not fall into the trap. If 32. P.takes Kt, then 32... Q takes P, ch; 33. Q to B 2, Q takes P, ch ; 34. K to Q 2, R to Kt 7. ACKNOWLEDGMENT. The Chess editor wishes to acknowledge and to express his thanks for the complimentary letters of congratulation and expressions of promised support he has received after his appointment as editor of this column from Messrs F. K. Kelling ("Wellington), E. A. Le Petit (Invercargill), J. K. Campbell (Invercargill), Dr Church, O. Balk, L. D. Grigg, J. J. Marlow, J. H. F. Hamel, G. D. Wright, J. Dewar, and the committee of the Otago Chess Club.