CHESS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIV, Issue 8, 23 February 1910, Page 10

CHESS.

All communications to be addressed to the Chess Editor, “The Weekly Graphic and 2iew Zealand Mail,” Auckland. Position No. 29. End Game Study. Bluek.

White to play an* Notation:—K6kllp22RBp7t>4. For solution to above study see en* of chess notes. Correspondence Game. The following game was played in the “8.C.M.” Correspondence Tourney: — "Queen's Ganrbit Declined.”

(a) The text move is recommended by Schlechte.r. Tn a match game between Rubinstein and Teiehmaun last year, the latter continued 7.., P—QKt3, which is not so good. (b) Palmer v. E. G. Sergeant at Tunbridge Wells, 1908, continued 8... P—QKt3, which seems no more satisfactory now than a move earlier. But the text move brings White's king's knight into a favourable position, from which it would hardly be wise to dislodge him by 9.., P—K4. on account of the square then awaiting him at B—Bs. (c) P—QR 3 was played chiefly with the intention of inducing Blat-k to play QR —B before White's queen went to Kt—Kt3, so as to be able -to threaten (after Q—Kt3l KfxP. BxKti.Bxß, Pxß; QxPch, and wins. Biaek with his 14.., B—Q3, stops this threat, because he could now answer 15 KtxP bv BxRPc-h. (d) Relying still on BxRP eh. Black discovers, when too late, that his sacrifice of a bishop only loses him a piece; while White’s long contemplated KtxP, when it comes off. finds Biaek unable to accept the loan of a knight. (e) Black, not -eeing the sufficiency of White's 20th move, probablv thought that White must here play 18. K—R, whereon 18. ~ Q —ll 4 would win at oace. (f) The game might have ended here; Black's strenuous efforts to obtain compensation for his piece having come to naught. (g) To prevent P—KR4. which would have given Black the ehance of a ‘"dying kick.” Dreihundert Sehachpartcn. (By Dr. Tarrasch.) This work embodies —to quote Dr. Tarr'asch’s own description—three things. "Firstly, a collection of 300 games, for the most part finely played and interesting: secondly; the annotations have made it gradually a mantiel of chess, especially of the middle game, though one without system or order: thirdly, to all those who take an interest in me personally—and. strange to say, all-chess players are not included in this category —it present's a review of my development as a player.” The ‘‘British Chess Magazine’’ says: Considered from either of these three aspects, the book must be pronounced a brilliant success.' Dr. Tarrasch has crossed swords with all the most eminent chess duellists of the last' fifty years. The details of these encounters, annotated with ths leisurely, analytic, picturesque, and incisive pen of the "Praeceptor Germaniae,” cannot fail to lie interesting and instructive. They constitute a well of pure chess undefiled, accessible to all conversant with the German system of notation. 'File unsympathetic character of the book, considered as a manual of instruction, will enhance its attracCiveneM

to most players, for, generally speaking, we are'tasters of chess rather than students. preferring to take our instruction, if have it we must, with a maximum of pleasure and a minimum of effort. It is not for our own good, but for the other fellow’s undoing, that we tolerate instruction at all. We need it because he may have it, and we want no whit more of it than is necessary to beat him every time. Most of us have an inner conviction we only require to be lightly armoured with it. If any stranger of the Dreadnought type, laden to the scuttles with the "Handbuch” and other foreign death-dealing contraptions, sail into our waters —well, we are not devoid of ingenuity; there are more combinations in the board than were ever played upon it. Even the "Handbuch” is not final. Anyway, it is a costly and top-heavy equipment. Fine as the game is, it isn’t worth the scandal.

It is the third aspect of the book that will appeal most to the average chess player, lor in sketching the development of his powers, Dr. Tarrasch presents us ■with some excellent vignettes of himself at various stages of his career. One does not need to be a devotee of chess to appreciate the human interest in the following excerpts, which we have taken the liberty of shortening here and there:—

I came into the world no ordinary being. To the horror of my parents I was afflicted with a club foot, which, however, proved no hindrance to my rapid progress. At the age of four I could read and write, and at six I read every book in my father’s library that 1 could lay hands on, and not unintelligently, either. Even to-day I recall with pleasure how ray teacher an the preparatory class raised his hands in astonishment when, on being told to read aloud, I did so easily and flowingly like an adult, instead of toilsomely spelling out each word like my school companions. I had less taste and talent for arithmetic, and even later, after I had grown up, I remember my mother used often to say in reproach that I could not count. In other branches, especially in ancient languages, I was nearly always first at school. Indeed, I became so accustomed to the position that it was accounted a reproach to me at home if I took a second pla ee. Chess first came within his purview at the age of sixteen, when he was “Obersekundaner’—an Upper Second boy. Here is the manner of it:

It is true that under the guidance of a friend I had made fantastic ex cursions on the chess board at an earlier age. But the real beginning of my chess career dates from the moment when a school comrade gave me the surprising information that chess, too, was a subject on which books had been written, and lent me “The Practical Chess Primer of Alphonse von Breda.” This book opened a new world to me. Tlie amazing beauty of our splendid game took hold of me irresistibly, and I immersed myself in its study with enthusiasm. “His progress was rapid.” Aly enthusiasm spread to my schoolfellows, and soon half the Upper Second was playing chess, and not badly, either. When, by practice, we had acquired some little skill, one fine day. we made an excursion, five deep—singly we should not have dared to invade this sanctuary —into the confectioner’s shop of Fiseher and Busch, in the Konigsplatz, at Breslau, where every afternoon ehess was in strong evidence. We were looking on quietly and respectfully at some play ix progress, when a gentleman in the circle of spectators invited me to a game. The excitement that stirred our young minds can readily be imagined. How could I come out of the ordeal—l, who was looked upon as the strongest player in the school? The excitement grew in intensity when my opponent opened the game with 1. Kt-QB 3. We were all well acquainted with the amusing game in the “Chess Catechism of Fortius,” where the band conductor leads the Baron on to slippery ground by such disconcerting moves as 1. Kt-QB 3; 2. Kt-KB 3. Did my unknown opponent really think he could dispose of me in this off-hand manner? The presumption gained in probability when upon my reply of 1.., P-K4. he developed his King’s Knight. But his next few moves dissipated the illusion, and I saw that his opening proceeded from simplicity and not from cunning. I beat him easily several times in succession. The exultation in our circle was intense, and we became frequent visitors at the confectionery establishment. We soon found that in

chess, maturity is not a question of years; we were more than a match for the best player there. But space prevents us from giving further extracts from the interesting narrative of his chess experiences at Breslau. He tells that at 1 p.m. the School was discharged, and “at two o’clock prompt I was at Fischer and ■Bleach's deep in a game,” where he remained till the evening, proceeding home to study chess books. Naturally, this devotion to a pastime alarmed his mother, who extracted a promise from him to forego chess till he had undergone his "Abiturienten” examination. He kept his word faithfuny, and in 1880 passed his examination “more brilliantly than any pupil at the Gynasium for some deeades.” The illness of a girl friend, under whose fascination he had fallen, determined him to take up the profession of medicine, and in 1880, when eighteen years of age, he left Breslau to study at the University of Berlin. (To be Continued.) The English Champion. Playing for Birmingham against Manchester, Mr. Atkins at top board lost to Mr. V. L. Wahltuch —his first loss in club matches for 20 years. Wellington Chess Clnb. The Club is removed from Mannersstreet. and the members now meet at 9, King's Chambers, Willis-street. South Wellington Chess Club. The annual general meeting was held on Friday, the 11th inst., at the Club's room in the Newtown Public Library. Mr. B. B. Allen presided over a wellattended meeting. The retiring honorary secretary. Mr. G. H. Loney, submitted the fifth annual report and balancesheet, which showed that the year (which ended on 31st December last) had been a very successful one. The annual handicap tourney had been well contested, the first prize being ultimately won by Mr. B. B. Allen, Messrs. E. Hicks, and D. Purchas, finishing up a tie fpr second place. Mr. Hicks had Irepresented the dub with credit at the Congress for the championship of New Zealand held in Auckland recently Mr. W. H. P. Barber was elected president, and Bev. J. Walker, Rev. Jenkins, Dr. Kemp, J. P. Duke, M.P., and W. Armstrong, were elected vicepresidents; Mr. D. Purchas, hon. secretary. The Club’s 1910 programme is an attractive one; several new features are proposed, one of these being a match with Karaka Bay, which is able to muster about a dozen players at this time of the year. Solution to Position No. 29. 1. R-R3, ch K-Kt2 2. R-Kt3, ch K-R.3 3. RQ3 B-83, ch 4. K-R2 P-QB—Q 5. RxP, ch QxR, state mate Other variations will also repay careful study. BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIP. . Messrs. H. E. Atkins, of Huddersfield, and J. H. Blake, of London, met at the Bradford Chess Club on the 3rd of January to play off the tie they had made at Scarborough for the championship. The match was the best of four games. Atkins won the first two and drew the third. There was no necessity to play the fourth. In N.Z. Championships, one won game only, decides a tie. Would it not be a wiser plan to have it the best of four games, as above?—Chess Erl. Add Our Illustrations

White, Black, Mr. P. W. Sergeant. Mr. F. D. Yates. 1. P—Q4 1. P—Q4 2. P—QB4 2. P—K3 3. Kt—QB3 3. Kt—KB3 4. B—Kt5 4. B—K2 5. P—K3 5. Castles 6. Kt—KB3 6. QKt—Q2 7. Q—B2 7. P—B4 <a>« 8. Ft—Q 8. BPxP (b) 9. KKtxP 9. PxP 10. BxP 10. Q—R4 11. BxKt 11. KtxB 12. Castles 12. B—Q2 13. P—QR3 (c) 13. QR—B 14. Q—Kt3 14. B—Q3 15. B—K15 15. KR—Q (d>l I 16. BxB 16. RxB ’ 17. KtxP 17. BxPch 18. KxB (e) 18. Q—R4eh 19. K—Kt 19. Kt—Kt5 20. KR-K 20. R—K2 21. Kt—B4 21. Q —R7 ch 22. K—B 22. P—KKt4 23. Q—Q5 23. Kt—K4 24. Q—Q6 24. R (K21— K 25. Kt (B4> — K2 25. R—B3 26. Q—Q5 26. Q—R8eh 27. Kt—Kt 27. P—Kt5 28. P—KKt3 28. Q—R3 (f) 29. R—Q4 29. Q—Kt2 30. Q—R (g) 30. R—KB 31. KR—Q 31. R—QKt3 32. R—QKt4 32. Q—B3 33. Kt—Q5 33. Resigns