CHESS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 5, 31 January 1912, Page 11

CHESS.

All communications to be addressed to •“Chess,” Box 283, Auckland. The Auckland Chess Club meets on Monday Thursday, and Saturday evenings, at No. 24, Bis Majesty’s Arcade, Queen-street (2nd floor). . The YJf.Cd. Chess Club meets on Friday evenings. . The Hamilton Chess Club meets tn the 'public Library, Hamilton, every Friday evening, at 7.30. Hon. Secretaries of Chess Clubs are invited to furnish items of Club news. Unpublished games, containing special features, notes of critical positions occurring in actual play, and original problems (with diagram and analysis) are always acceptable.

Problem No. 133. (By O. Brenander.)

Black—Two pieces.

White —Three pieces. 3K4, 8, lp6, 8, k 7, P2Q4, 8, 8. White to play and mate in three moves. The following highly entertaining game was recently played by the rising Continental player Herr Kostic (who, it will be remembered, took part in the Carlsbad Tournament, and tied with Johner and Rabinowitsch) against Herr Wia'rda. The score is from the "Morning Post.” The notes marked (G.) are by Mr. Gunsberg in that journal. Those marked (L.) are by Mr. Lawrence in "The People.” Curiously enough, the "Chess Amateur” says Kostic was handling the White men and Wiarda the Black, whereas the "Australasian” states' the opposite. We incline to the belief that the latter is correct. Four Knights opening. White. Black. 1. P—K4 P—K4 2. Kt—Kß3 Kt—Qß3 3. Kt—B3 Kt—B3 4. B—Kts B—Kts 5. O—O o—o 6. P—Q3 Kt—Qs A welcome variant on the stereotvped 6 P— Q. 3 (L) 7. B-QB4 P—QB3 Intending to give up the KP to get an attack by Q —R4 in case it is taken. In the alternative, Black has a lively scheme, beginning with P—Q4 (G). 8. B—KKt5 With the idea of preventing P-Q4 (L). 8 P-Q4 But Black is not to be baulked of his intention, and with the text move initiates a striking and ingenious combination. The play is not at all on the surface, and will repay study (L). »• PxP B—Kts 10. PxP Q—Bl The necessary sequel (L). Strong and subtle, PxP would now bring the Q into position for attack; and Black also has in view the valuable strategic position at KR6, which must be available immediately (G). 11. BxKt BxKKt kH -•••■ Q - R8 No doubt hoping for KtxPch, "! which case White would sacrifice " s Q with enough compensation. Black, lowever, i» bent on getting his pieces (G)° an d strengthening his attack QR—KI Not 13 KtxPeh, because of 14. QxKt, QxQ; 15. PxR (Q), RxQ; 10. BxKP, with the advantage (L), 14. B—Q5 P—K5 Beautiful play (L). Very pretty, threat—Q3, w l**eh would force mate

The position here is 4rrkl, • pP3ppp, 582, 384, lblsp3, 2SPIPIq, PPP2PIP, R2Q IRKL 15. P— KtB (Q) Obviously BxKt is impossible, because of B—Q3 (L). 15 RxQ 16. BxKt B—Q3 17. R—KI BxPeh 18. K—Rl B—K4 eh 19. K—Ktl Bxß It is curious that this leaves White with nothing to do. There is no satisfactory way of averting the threat R—Kt3 and R—KR3. Black also threatens .Q —Kt 6 ch, and if K—81, BxP and Q —RO mate (G). 20. RxP R—Kt3 A clever surprise, for now 21. R takes B would be met by R to KR3, forcing the mate. (L.) 21. Q—KBI QxP 22. R—KO Sheer desperation. White has no saving move. (L.) 22 Q—Ktseh 23. Q —Kt2 QxQeh 24. BxQ PxR Resigns. A special prize was awarded to Mr.A. Burn and Herr Chajes for their game in the Carlsbad Tournament, which was not completed until the 115th move was reached, Mr. Burn eventually winning. In spite of its length, it was a very interesting game, and at one point there were no less than four queens on the board. "The New York Evening Post” publishes the text of a challenge from Capablanca to Lasker to a match for the championship of the world, with Lasker's comments thereon, in the course of which the latter says; "It would be rash to give a definite reply without mature deliberation. It will take some time to work out terms and conditions upon the basis of justice to all concerned, but I do not hesitate in declaring that in principle I am ready to defend the title.” The chess editor of the “Bradford Observer” describes this' as a cryptic utterance, which, as the Gilbertian song has it, “may mean little, or nothing, or much.” The Students’ Corner. ADVICE TO SOLVERS. Some time ago “Queen’s Knight,” in the “Illustrated Weekly News,” gave the following excellent advice to young problem solvers: “Two-movers should be within reach of every player: (1) Avoid checking for key moves. (2) Avoid capturing for key moves. (3) Keys that restrict the black king's movements, or cut off his retreat squares, should not be entertained. (4) Moving a white piece from an en prise position is a palpably objectionable key. (5) Stopping a threatened check to the white king is bad. ((>) Moving a piece from idleness into action is rarely successful. I do not mean to say that these keys never occur, but what I wish to convey is that .they do not represent the original key, consequently when they act the problem is cooked (second solution), and the key lias yet to be found. The delights of chess-projjlem-saving are manifold, as the merest tyro will soon learn. Common sense and reasoning play conspicuous parts in problem solving. These rules are excellent, and should be pasted in the hat of every young solver. At the same time composers of two-movers have occasionally (but only occasionally) indulged in checking or capturing keys, but only

when the idea could not be otherwise expreasedl Last year's first prize-winner in the 'Western Daily Mercury’ (a beauty, too) began IKxP. Loyd, who is a law unto himself, has many checking keys.” Here are two more simple positions from the “Chess Amateur.” The first must not be ‘taken as a sample of the modern problem. It is simply an exercise. They do not illustrate any particular point, except that the shortest way to victory is the best way. In each of them White has sufficient strength to effect mate in a moderate number of moves, but in the latter an inexperienced player might easily get into difficulties with the united Black pawns. Position S.C. No. 6. White (4 pieces) K on K Kt 8, Q on K 1, B on K R 4, B on Q Kt 3. Black (3 pieces) K on Q 2, B on Q 82, P on Q 3. Forsyth notation: 6 K 1; 2 bk 4; 3 p 4; S; 7 B; , B b; 8; 4 Q 3. White io play aiiil mate in two moves. Position S.C. No. 7. White (J) K on K Kt sq, R on K K sq, B on Q R 2, B on Q B 1. Black (4) K on K R sq, pawns on K R 2, K Kt 2, and K Kt 3. Forsyth notation: 7 K; 6 pp; 6 p 1; 6 P 1; 8; 8; B 7; 2 B 3 K R. White to.play and mate in two moves. Solution of Position S.C. No. 3. 1. K—Q 86. K—Kt 1: 2. R—Q R 1, K—Bl; 3. R—Q R 8 mate. Similarly, if Black for his first move plays K—R 2, White replies 2. R—K R 8, and mates next move by R—Q R 8. Solution of Position S.C. No. 4. 1. R—Q R 8 ch, K—R 2; 2. B—K Kt 8 eh, K—R 1; 3. B—K B 7 dis. eh, K— R 2; 4. B— ; K Kt 6, mate. Solution of Problem No. 131. (Von Holzhausen.) Key-move, R—K R 3.