CHESS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVLI, Issue 13, 27 September 1911, Page 8

CHESS.

All communications io be addressed to the Chess Editor, “The ’Weekly Graphio and New Zealand Mail,” Box 283, Auckland. The Auckland Chess Club meets on Monday Thursday, and Saturday evenings, at No. 24, His Majesty’s Arcade, Queen-street (2nd floor}. The Y.M.C.A. Chess Club meets on Friday evenings. The Hamilton Chess Club meets in the Public Library, Hamilton, every Friday evening, at 7.30. Answers to Correspondents. Coho.—Your solution of 109 is correct. F.K.K.—Thanks for news. Note.—An error occurred in the numbering of our problems in last issue. They should have been numbered 110 and 111, instead of 109 and 110. Position No. 112. By. O. WURZBURG, U.S.A. Black one piece.

White—Three pieces. White to play and mate in three moves. Forsyth notation: 32, k 7, S 7. IK4RI, 8.

Cheas la Saa Francisco. Game played between Messrs. N. H Greenway (White) and R. Dunipace (Black). r 1 P—K4 p_. K4 2. QKt—<B3 ..QKt—B3 3. I*—KB4 p x p 4. Kt—B3 P-KKt4 5- P-KR4 P-Kts 0. Kt—Kts P—KR3 7 KtxP KxKt 8. P—Q4 The attack that adds Mr. ThorolTg name to the sponsors of the opening ■ 8 P-Q3 »• BxP Kt—B3 10. B—B4ch K—Kt2 11. Castles B—K2 12. Q—Q2 B—o2 13. P—K5 p x p 14. PxP B—B4cb At this point the authorities are agreed in thinking Black has the better game, but the text-move, innocent-look-ing though it be, loses in startling fashion, and illustrates the supreme importance of wasting nothing in the Allgaier. ■ 15. K—Rsq Kt—KKtsq 16. B—Kts A beautiful stroke that wins in every variation, but which would have been useless had Black kept his Bat K2. The prettiness of the move is enhanced by the fact that it brings the shadow of mate over White himself, and a slip is instantly fatal. If, for instance, Qxß, 17PxQ, PxP dis eh and mate. Iff QKt—K2 17. R—B7ch K—Kt3 18. Kt—K2 Resigns —“lllustrated Loudon News.” End Game. The following remarkably pretty ending is (says the "Yorkshire Observer”) said to have occurred at the Cafe de la Regenee, Paris. The “8.C.M.” quotes it from “La Strategic,” so that it is probably genuine, although the mimes of the players are not mentioned. Position: —White, K at QB sq, Q at QKt3, R’s at Q sq, and KR sq, B at K 3, Kt at Q 6, P’s at QR2, QKt2. and QB3. Black, K at KR sq., Q at KB6, R’s at KB sq, and Q sq. Kt at K 4. P’s at KR2, KKt2, KKt.3, and QKt2. Forsyth Notation: 3r Ir Ik: lp4pp; 3S2pl; 453; 8; IQP]Bq2; PP6; 2KR3B. The game continued —- 1. B—Bs Kt—Q6 eh 2. K—Ktl Ktxß Black evidently failed to appreciate the reason for White's first move, offering him 'this opportunity of winning a piece, the object being to entice tht> Knight away from guarding KB2. 3. Kt—B7ch K—Kt 1 Still Black does not perceive the impending mate. After this all his moves arc forced. 4. Kt—R6 dbl ch K—Rl 5. Q—Kt 8 c-h R x Q 6. Kt—B7ch Q x Kt 7. R x Peh K x R 8. R—Rl mate The Cafe de la Regenee. 1 Continued.) Voltaire played a match at chess with Frederic of Prussia, and calculated many of his moves in the room where I now ponder. Is that nothing? I can believe I hear the ringing of the courier's spur! as he receives his despatch, and mounts yonder at the door, to ride post to Berlin. Voltaire was strong in chess, since we know a first-rate could but give him the knight; whilst Rousseau wa4 decidedly inferior in skill. Fancy the two playing together! And giving the camera lueida another screw, lo 1 we are presented in a twinkling with a fresh group —the children of the first generation. Citizen Robespierre, in the powder and ruffles he so closely elung to, is playing chess with Fouche; now poor, and of mean repute. Foucho •was so wedded to chess, that he is said to have bestowed a place in the customs upon Deschapelles, in return for teaching and practice. In the tableau before me, citizen Fouche is all smiles and compliments before the great dictator; while the sly, cat-like eye of Robespierre weeps at each glance both board and

hall, to see if the latter hold any of the denounced —any heads which are dne to Madame la Republique —any job of work for neighbour Samson. “Friends depart;” while the lingerers around subdue their voices, and strain for a smile. Fouche himself shivers in his shoes, and his fingers shake as they move the pieces. One youth alone meets Robespierre’s glance, imd quails not. Napoleon, the young lieutenant, is there among the spectators, and like carvings of bronze are his impassible features. Buonaparte at one time played chess at the Regence daily; while waiting, like the sailor- whistling for a wind, to get employment of the Directory. The sun of Montebello was yet to rise.

Napoleon was a great advocate for chess, which he practised’ constantly. He was even wont to say, that he frequently struck out new features relatively to a campaign, first suggested by the occurrence of certain positions of the pieces on the chess-board. He played ehess all his life. In his youth, at college, in manhood, on shipboard, in camp, en bivouac. He solaced himself with chess in Egypt, in Russia, in Elba; and, lastly, on that darksome rock which yet contains his bones. As might be anticipated, Napoleon, as a ehess player, was not really of great force. His mind demanded a larger field for the expansion of its faculties. His chess was that of Marengo, of Austerlitz, of Jena, and of Eylau. Upon our mosaic of sixty-four squares 1 could have given him the rook; upon his own board ihe could afford odds to Julius Caesar. Buonaparte had no time to make chess a study. He played the openings badly, and was impatient if his adversary dwelt too long upon his move. _ Each minute of the clock was life to a mind so energetic. In the middle stage of the game, when the skirmish was really complicated of aspect, Napoleon frequently strwk out a brilliant coup. Under defeat at ehess, the great’soldier was sore and irritable.

The great variety of character developed in the Cafe de la Regenee is not the least interesting feature of the picture. The French are the worst losers in the world; in more ways than one. I have

seen them, when checkmated, dash the men about the floor, with as many sacre tonnerres as would sink a seventyfour. They are, moreover, not too exact in the settlement of certain small debts of honour, for which judgment is sometimes claimed in our chequer court. A very small stake is necessarily risked at the Regenee: it being the custom that tin- loser on the balance pays the sixteensous tribute levied by the garcon for the use of the ehess equipment for the sitting; no matter how long. A half-franc or franc is occasionally wagered on the game, in addition; and this slender slip of silver creates a system of petty ' u i kism. which, like that of Newmarket, bears many branches. While you go <m. game after game, dropping your *’* n kindly and readily Monsieur is funny ‘.‘-ntlemanly enough; but turn the tai I. s on him, and the pestes and sacres I teak bounds audibly. I once played, when a youngster, in the Regenee, several days consecutively, with a regular old soldier, at half a franc 'the game, and departed a:tcr each sitting, minus some two or three francs. Now it happened that upon one glorious occasion, rising to leave, I found myself to be. for the first time, on the credit side of the account. One half franc was the. sum due to me; and I could not forbear smiling at the rueful took of my very respectable friend on casting up the score. Poor fellow! deeply, and slowly, and vainly, did he dive for the needful. The silver would not come; the pockets were free from encumbrance. Feeling pity for the mans position, 1 turned to quit the cafe, saying, “never mind,’ and all that. Monsieur,” cried the gentleman, grave*y- “je suis Franeais —je suis homine d Imnneur—what do you mean in going thus without your money?—rendez moi un demi-frane.” Of course I complied, handing him the change I supposed him to require, and presenting my palm to grasp th e larger piece of silver in return. Now. sir,” quoth monsieur, dropping the cash into his pocket with a low bow, now, sir, I owe you a franc, which I '‘hall do myself the honour to pay the ''hV first opportunity.” Ibis last recollection walked into my ’mud through the circumstance of a mm s crossing the room, a fair average ♦ "A* ** a class not unknown, either „ 're.pienters of the Regence or of baiting for a fare. When a flat draws

the London chess divans, as a tribe of Arabs to whom the “little shilling” is a thing of system. He claims an especial paragraph; and even the devil shall have his due. So stand back, ladies and gentlemen, and make room for the great Monsieur Pillefranc.

The Sieur Pillefranc dwells in a mansarde, for he is high of soul, and loves to soar above the crowd. He has neither employment nor sinecure, beyond an annuity of three hundred francs yearly; and depends for further means upon Providence and the chessboard. Poor as he really is, write him a billet without styling him proprietaire, and your chance of reply were slender. At the Cafe de la Regence, seven days in the week this player occupies one particular chair, the leathern bottom of which he has worn to rags three several times during his five-and-thirty years’ war. A good ehess practitioner of what I terra the castiron school, he plays with great rapidity; and so as he despatches his enemy, cares not how. He knocks down knights and bishops as though they were ninepins, rarely winning by checkmate; bui preferring the certainty of picking off your men in detail, one at a time, until the board is a blank. In aiming at mate, he knows he might made a blunder, even with queen and rook aginst a pawn; and the wise will run no risk. M. Pillefranc is the most modest of bipeds. He speaks ever of himself as a mere block, stock, and stone. He owns to having acquired the rudiments of the game —plays daily pour se desennuyer merely—and protests he would not encounter La Bourdonnais at the rook for pins; the truth being that he is about what is termed, in club parlance, a knight-player. In 35 years, M. Pillefranc has never purposely played a single party with a better player —I say “purposely”, because the greatest tactician may now and then catch a Tartar. M. Pillefranc plays upon a system; his system being to win. A stranger enters the cafe, and is invited smilingly by the Pillefranc to play a game—of course, for nothing. The new comer wins once, twice, thrice; and monsieur then quietly tries on the question of “Voulez-vous interesser la partie?” —the stake proposed never, I must own, exceeding vingt sous. But somehow it happens, although really I know not how, that, after the franc is wagered, the stranger wins less and less, and at last cannot win at all; but yet goes away comfortable, for if he lost the four last games (at a franc), did he not win the first three? (played gratis). An appoint, ment is macle for the next day; and the Frenchman, hating to win money, chivalrously proposes to render odds. “ I think. I could give, perhaps, pawn and move,” says he; and I, who have looked over his play some years, think he could give a castle! But even at the pawn, Pillefranc will not take every game. No; monsieur- knows better than to kill the bird which lays the eggs, and stands so quietly to have its tail salted. Pillefranc wins at each sitting a small but certain majority. He speaks with profound respect of the stranger’s skill; and the latter boasts in society that he plays daily with the great Monsieur Pillefranc, who can only give him pawn and move! Should a chess-player of acknowledged force ask our adventurer to play, the Frenchman has the headache or is going away, or is waiting for somebody—from the kingdom of the moon! You are fain to take the excuse; but, as you glance from your “ Galignani” to the stove by which sits monsieur, you may mark his cold, grey eye, watching the door —like a cat under a gooseberry-bush looking out for a fat sparrow. A greenhorn is not long wanting, and monsieur nails him down to the mahogany; taking care, as you are within hearing, to tender the invite in a low tone, that you may believe this was the gentleman he told you he expected. Should the preliminary game, with a fresh hand eause Pillefranc to believe he has hooked a trout too strong for his tackle, with that one battle does the war then and thereafter for ever cease and determine. Should the visitor, again, decline peremptorily to play for money, most assuredly will he never henceforth be honoured with the light of M. Pillefranc’s countenance over the chess field.

The family of Pillefranc is large, hut its members never play chess with each other. Wolf tears not wolf, thief robs not thief. You may espy at times a brace of the Pillefranes sitting amicably side by side, engaged in conversation; each watching to do a little business on his own account, like Thames watermen nenr, the Hcramblo to secure him is too ludicrous, either Greek popping the question in so smiling and indifferent a tone

of voice. The Pillefrancs never talk of their profession, but it is conventionally assumed that they are all honourable men—most perfect gentlemen. As the foulest thing has it use, so may M. Pillefrane be made serviceable to the tyro who wants a block to chop at. Three hours’ amusement are surely worth a crown; and thus you get a pennyworth for your penny, and take it with your eyes open. And with this, M. Pillefranc, I bid you God speed—au revoir. It is to be noted that none o' the first-rate artists practise the dirty tricks of Pillefrane. They render large odds, and are quite satisfied to have the turn in their favour.

NOTES AND NEWS. Auckland Chess Club. The leading scores in the level tourney are Grierson, tij wins out of 7 games played; Miles 4 —7; Miller 3J —7. Messrs Wingfield, Ewen, and Freeman have scored less than fifty per cent of their games; and Mr. Davies has only played four games out of which he won two. New Zealand Association. QUARTERLY -COUNCIL MEETING. The quarterly council meeting of the New Zealand Chess Assocation was held on the 18th inst. The following delegates were present:—B. B. Allen (Auckland C.C.), F. H. Kelling (Auckland W.M. Club and Timaru), H. L. James (Gisborne), W. E. Mason (Wellington and Oamaru), A. Gyles (Westport), R. J. Barnes (Otago C.C., Rangitikei and Wellington W.M. Club), A. G. Fell (Canterbury C.C. and Napier C.C.), and W. J. Harper (South Wellington C.C.) Mr. Allen was voted to the chair. The action of the lion. see. in ordering a further 100 copies of the Congress Book at a cost of .£3, was unanimously approved. It is estimated that the loss on this publication will only be about £ 2 or £3. It was decided to vote £1 16s. to the Blackburne testimonial. This, with the amounts received from clubs, makes the amount to be remitted to England £5 ss. This sum is in addition to the amounts which have been remitted direct by other clubs. The revision of rules relating to the annual championship tournament was then taken—the various delegates reporting the instructions received from thenrespective clubs. The decision of the clubs is as follows:—■ 1. Reduction in the rate of play from 18 to 15 moves per hour (as from the commencement of the game) was carried by 40 votes to 7. The competitors, therefore, no longer have the option of overstepping the time limit in the first hour and making up the shortage of moves in the second hour.

2. Both proposals for excluding from the championship tournament competitors whose playing strength is not up to standard were lost. The present not too satisfactory position, therefore, continues.

3. It was decided, by 33 votes to 9, to retain the existing rule for drawing the rounds of play, whereby brothers and members of the same club have to meet in the opening rounds. 4. The proposal to institute a junior championship for New Zealand was rejected by 27 votes to 20. 5. The proposal to reduce the maximum number of rounds to be played per week from nine to eight was carried by 35 votes to 12.

6. The proposal that official records shall be open to newspaper representatives, under such restrictions as the council may direct, was carried by 39

votes to 5. 7. It was decided, by 37 votes to 10, that in every case of a tie at the congress the prize or prizes affected thereby shall he equally divided, with the proviso that in the case ot a tie for the first place there shall be a play off merely to decide the championship.

8. Of the alternative schemes for a more equitable division of the prize fund Mr. James’ proposal was carried. Briefly put, the prize-winners will be those who score over half their games, and the prize fund will he divided amongst them in proportion to the points scored over and above one half of their games.

Messrs. W. E. Mason, Barnes, James, and Fell were appointed a committee to make the rules net-ord with the above decisions.

Solution of Position No. 109. The bishop is on the wrong colour to be effective in stopping mate. The Rook consequently can drive him to a square where he can be attacked, and mate threatened at the same time, e.g.:—■ 1. R— Kt 3 B—KC 2. R—Kl4 B— BQ 3. R—KB4 B— Kt 7 (a) 4. R—B2 8—413 5. R- QB2 B—Q2 ti. R—QKt2 and wins. (a) If 3 B— K 7; 4. R— 82, B—B5; 5. R—QB2, B—R3 (b) ; (I R—86. B—Kt2, 7. R—Kt (I and wins. (b) If 5 B— Kt 4 , <l. R—B« ch, B— KI 7. R—QB, and wins. By Horwitz and Kling.