CHESS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18992, 11 February 1930, Page 15

CHESS.

(By

W. S. KING).

Items of interest are invited and the editor will be pleased to answer questions concerning any branch of the game of chess. Short games having points of merit will be welcomed for publication. Solutions of a problem should be sent within a week of appearance.

PROBLEM NO. 438. By the late G. C. Alvey Black (nine men).

White (seven men). 1 kt R 1 B r 2,4 k 3, 3p2p Kt, b 2 p B 3, r 4 p 2. 7 Q. 8, 4 R 1 K 1. White to play and mate in two moves. SOLUTION. Problem No. 437 (author unknown), four moves. The play is as follows: White Black. 1 P Kt 8 (Q) ch 1 K x Q 2K K 6 2 Iv —■ R SQ 3 K B 7 3 P moves. 4 B Kt 7 mate. Correct solution of this end-game four-mover is sent by F. K. Kelling (Wellington), King’s Pawn (Christchurch), J. H.' (Christchurch), “ Occasional ” (Riccarton) and Bishop (Ashburton). Solvers’ remarks indicate they enjoyed the position, especially in finding the line to avoid a stalemate. Mr Kelling says of the composition: “ The position is an old friend, but I have always seen it with the white King on Q 7. A comment made on a diagram when the problem first came under my notice, many years ago, reads: ‘Win pointed out by Dr Lasker.’ ” NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. The following game, played in the tenth round of the New Zealand chess championship on January 2, between G. Gundersen (Melbourne) and E. H. Severne (Nelson) really decided the first prize. As Gundersen and Severne were the leaders considerable interest was taken in the game. From black’s seventeenth move white gradually gains in position and material. Severne himself considers he should have played 17 . . . Q Kt 3 cb. Failure to castle seems to have led the Nelsonian into many difficulties. The game is long, but there is so much to interest one in this important bout that it is given in its entirety. The end game play of Gundersen Is all in good style, and though the Victorian appears to hold a win a hand its accomplishment is by no means easy.

Severne made a strong bid for a draw and might have succeeded against an opponent of not quite so high standard as Gundersen. The whole of the endgame should be closely studied, especially by younger players. It is of very instructive order:—

Four Knights’ Game. White—Gundersen. Black—Severn*. IP — K 4 IP — K 4 2Kt — K B 3 2 Kt — Q B 3 3 Kt B 3 3 Kt B 3 4 B — Kt 5 4B — B4 5 Castles. 3 P — Q S 6 P — Q 4 6 P x P 7 Kt x P 7B — Q 2 8 Kt — Bo SBxKt 9 P x B 9 P — K R % 10 R — K 1 ch It) K — Q2 11 B K 3 HBxB 12 R x B 32 K — B 1 13 Kt — Q 5 13 Kt — K 4 14 P K B 4 14 Kt (K 4) Q I 15 Q — Q 4 15 P — B 3 16 R — Q B 3 16 Kt x Kl 17 Q x Kt 17 Kt — B 3 <a) 18 Q x K B P IS Q — Kt 3 ch 19 K — R 1 19 QxB 20 R — Q Kt 3 20 Q — R 3 21 Q x Kt P 21 R — K l 22 Q x Kt 22 Q — K 7 23 P — K R 3 22 K — B 2 24 R — Q 3 24 Q R — Q 1 25 R K Kt 3 25 Q K B T 26 R — Kt 7 ch 26 R — Q 2 27 R x R ch 27 K x R 28 Q — E 7 ch 28 R — K 2 29 Q — Kt 3 29 Q x K B P 30 Q x P ch 30 K — K 1 31 Q x P ch 31 K B 1 32 R Q 1 32 K B 2 33 Q — Q 5 ch 33 K — K 1 34 Q x P (b) 34 Q x P 35 Q — Q 8 ch 35 K — B 2 36 Q — Q 5 ch 36 Q x Q 37 R x Q 37 R — Q B 3 38 R — Q 2 38 K — K 3 39 P — Q Kt 3 39 R B 6 40 K — Kt 1 40 K — K 4 41 K — B 2 41 P — R 3 42 K Ki 42 P KR4 4 3 R — B2 4 3 K — Q5 * 44 K Q 2 44 R B4 45 P — B 4 45 R — K Kt 4 46 R K 2 4 6 P R4 47 K — Q 1 47 P — K R 5 48 R — Q B 2 48 K — B 4 49 R — Q 2 19 K — Kt 5 50 K B 2 50 P R 5 51 P X P 51 K x B P 52 R — K B 2 52 K — Kt 5 53 K — Q 3 53 K X P 54 R B 4 ch 54 K — R 4 55 R — K Kt 4 55 R — Q 4 ch 56 Iv K 3 56 R — R 4 57 Iv — B 3 57 K — Kt 4 58 P — Kt 3 58 P x P 59 K x P 59 K B 3 60 R — Q R 4 60 K — Kt 4 61 R R 8 61 K — Kt 3 62 TC Kt 4 62 R R 2 63 P K R 4 63 R Q B 2 64 R K B 8 64 R Kt 2 ch 65 K — B 5 65 R — Kt 7 66 R Q R S 66 R B 7 ch 67 K — Kt 6 67 R — Kt 7 ch 68 K — R 6 68 R — R 7 69 P R 5 69 R K Kt 7 70 K — R 7 70 K — Kt 2 71 R R 3 71 K R 2 72 P — R 6 72 K — CJ 2 73 R R 7 ch 73 K ■— K 1 74 P — R 4 74 K — B 1 75 P — R 5 75 R — Q R 7 76 P R 6 76 R R 8 77 R — R 8 ch 77 K — B 2 78 P — R 7 78 R — R 6 79 R — K Kt 8 79 R — R 4 80 P queens 80 Resigns.