CHESS NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13799, 3 April 1919, Page 3

CHESS NOTES.

(By "Pawn.") The little puzzle by Sam Loyd, published last week, attracted considerable attention, and although tho solution (KrKt) was not difficult, it was not so very obvious. Below, we publish another Sam Loyd. well worth examining. , Black.

White. Black resigns. What was White's next move? DEMISK OF GUSTAV KOEHLEU. Prominent for many years in Metropolitan chess circles as one oi' the leading lights among the many experts in New York city, Gustav Koehler succumbed to a long illness, following a serious operation Jast summer, and died on ,laliuary Bth. Up to the outbreak of the war, Koehler had been chess editor of tho .Newark "Sunday Call," prior to which ue had twice won premier state honours in JNew Jersey and once in New York, in addition to holding the championship of the Manhattan Chess Club. The deceased had a raro perception for the beautiful in chess, with which h,-> combined a, wide knowledge of the openings and intimate acquaintance with the play of the masters, having come to the United States from Germany 32 years ago and become a citizeji. Koehler is survived by his widow and a brother, B. it. Koehler, also a first-class player.

L'Jtalia Scucchistioa reports the tragic death in an aeroplane accident of Lieut. Gastono Montessori, who, after lighting for his country since its en-

trance upon the war, as an artilleryman, only went into the air service in February last. Born in 1892. Montessori was already one t>t' the. foremost Italian chess players, as well as distinguished in the problem world. CENTRE COUNTER, l'luycd in the championship tournament of the City of London Chess Club, December Kith, 1918. White: P. W. Sergeant; Black. A. Stephens. 1 3'—i<4 * P—Qf 2 PxP Kt—QB;J :; p—Q-i QxP 4 Kt—QBS Q—QR4 By plnving iv tha order Black avoids the 'gambit P— OKt'l. If now 5 P—Q Xt 4. Q x KtP, White cannot continue (5 R—Ktl. fi Kt—Bl' B—Kts 6 B—Q2 P—B3 A recognised move is G Q —Kt3, attacking two pawns, but it is not good, for 'White can ignore both threats and) get a line development by 7 B —K2. 7 B—QB-i P—-K3 5 Kt—Qs Q—Ql i> KxKt <:h QxKt 10 J?—j=l: , . Kt—Q2 ri I'—qr, p—K4. 12 PxP PxP 13 Q—K2 B—Qo 14 O—O—O O—O Black has not only weak pawns, but the inferior position. However, the open QKt rile- gives him chances of attack if White- .should reax. 15 Q—K4 ( BxKt 3G I'xß ' Kt—Kta 17 β-q: , . p—Kt3 Both sides play with the greatest boldness, caring nothing for open files! P—KB4'is natural line of attack. JSest perhaps is 11) P —KE4 after stopping, at move LS, Black's check at Bf>. 38 .. QR—Bl IS KR—Bl looks natural, but jicrhaps Black wishes to got his QR off White's Queen's long diagonal. As it happens, it makes no difference, 19 Q—K.4 Q—K3 t>o B—KG Rxß 21 Px.R QxP 22 B—Q:> R—Bl 2;-; K—Q3 Q—R4 24 R—RJ. QxP eh 2:1 K—.K2 P—B4 26 Q—KtT BKt5 27 R x P This allows Black to draw by perpetual check. Mr Sergeant, notes that ho should have played XR —Q.I, or. still better, KR— QKti, 27 . ,' Q--Q7 eh. 28 K—Bl eh Ih'aw. A lively