The Chess Board.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 9, 28 February 1912, Page 11

The Chess Board.

r 'All communications to he addressed to "Chess,” Boa; 283, Auckland, The Auckland Qhess 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. Hon. Secretaries of Chess Clubs are invited io 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 Unpublished games, containing special features, notes of critical positions occurring in actual play, and original problems (with diagram and analysis) are always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, 137. (By E. PALKOSKA.) Black, four pieces.

White, three pieces. 8,8, 8, Klss, 4p3, 8, bIQS, k 7. White to play and mate in three moves. THE following, says the “Westminster Gazette,” are two exceptionally pretty games from the late Herr Rudolf Charousek’s manuscript collection. EVANS GAMBIT. Played at Kasvhau in 1892 between Herr J. Sarkany (White) and Herr Charousek (Black). White. Black. 1. P—K4 P—K4 2. Kt—Kß3 Kt—Qß3 3. B—B4 ;.B—B4 4. P—QKt4 BxP 5. P—B3 B—KU l». Castles 7....... P—Q3 7. P—Q4 B—Q2 (a) 8. PxP PxP 9.' B—R3 .Q—B3 10. Q—Kt3 B— Kt3j 11. QKt—Q2 i .KKt—K3 12. B—Q3 .Kt —KtS 13. Kt—B4 ..:..........Kt—Bs 14. Ktxß iRPxKt 15.' P— B 4 ...; B—R6 (b) 16. Kt—Kl BxP Resigns (c) (a) Recommended by’ Alapin, and a novelty at the time the game was played. Charousek’s lines of play' would have surprised the inventor of the variation. (b) .Sarkany did not see the whole danger of this move. He was under the impression that 16. Kt—Kl would be. a sufficient guard. (<•) For if 17. Ktxß, 17....Q —Kt 4; and Black mates next move. RUY LOPEZ. Played in 1897, between Herr Makovetz (White) and Herr Charousek (Black). White. Black. 1. P—K4 I’—Kl 2. Kt—Kß3 Kt—Qß3 3. B— Kts P—QK3 4. B—R4 .' P—Q.S 5. P—QI B—Q2) 6. P—<B3 Kt— BIS 7. B—B2 (a) P—KKt3 8. QKt —Q2 B—Kt2 9. Castles Castles 10. P—Q5 Kt— K2 11. Kt—Kl Kt— KI 12. Kt—Q3 P— KB4 (b) 13. P—K B 4 KtxHP 14. KtxKt ..P.xKt 15. RxP . PxP 16. KtxP ...Kt—B4, 17. Kt—Kt.> (e) . A'.. QxKt 18. RxKt Q —K.» 19. B— KV> • • Q—QB.» 80. Rxiß'eh Hxlt £l. Q—Q2 B—Kt4

22. P—KR3 , ~,R—BB cli 23. RxR j,.. .QxR efl 24. K—p2 K 4 cli 25. P—Pt3 B—K7 ?0. B—K4 Q—B7 cR 2". K—Rl QxV 28. Qxß QxP eh 29. K—Ktl Q—Ktfi eh 30. B—Kt2 (d) Qxß And Black eventually won with the two passed pawns. (a) By this voluntary withdrawal, White loses a move. He might have defended his king’s pawn by 7. QKtQ2. (b) Taking the initiative. (c) A flashy move, which only brings the Black queen into plav. (d) If 30. Q—Kt2, then 30....Q—K8 eh; 31. Q —Bl, etc. We are very glad to be able to announce that there is to be a book of the games at the Napier Congress, and that the notes will be contributed by Mr. H. L. James. Mr. Dalrymple, the chairman at the Council meeting called to consider the matter, aptly expressed our own view. He said he thought that the Council should not be afraid of risking a small loss in the matter, especially in view of the everincreasing interest which is being taken an chess in the Dominion. We may go further and say that money so spent is more wisely spent than money paid away in the form of fat prizes. There is too much pot-hunting in the Dominion already—but that is another question. The Students’ Corner. MORE ABOUT THE ROOK. Tasker gives an illustration of the mating position with Rook, Knight, Pawn, and one obstruction, but it is not very clear. We will endeavour to elaborate the idea. Rope off a rectangle of eight squares, forming two perpendicular “files” or columns. Put a White Rook on the top square of one file, a White Pawn on the lowest square of the same file, and a White Knight on the lowest square but one of the other •file, so that the Pawn supports the Knight and the Knight supports the Rook. Now put a Bla-.k Pawn immediately above the Knight, and you have the King-trap complete. Put the Black King alongside his Pawn,' and below the WR (see diagram). Now, you will see that there is no escape for the King. With the aid of the Black Pawn, the White pieces have got him like an octopus. Note, first, that the WK has taken no part in the mate, and. secondly, that the edge of the board has nothing to do with it. Consequently, if you reproduce this position on any part of the board, the mate is .still there, although the White King may . be far away. Lasker continues;— On account of his attacking qualities he is always a valuable ally when yon want to force any obstructions out of the way (for instance) of passed pawns; but he is less fit for fighting against them, and really too valuable a piece to be given away for such a purpose, if other alternatives are open. The best way to stop an adverse passed l Pawn with a Rook is to place the Rook behind it, as his .reach will increase the more the Pawn advances. He can stop, and even win (if they are unsupported) two passed Pawns, of which one is on the sixth the other on the fifth row; but two passed pawns on the sixth row will queen against him if united. Used against advanced: Pawns, he is, therefore, not so manageable as the King, or even’ the Bishop, but he is the more dangerous to the Pawns before they assume a threatening attitude, as his reach is very great, ami exactly calculated to serve against Pawns in their strongest position—that is when they are abreast. Ille can attack, if unobst.rukded, -any square of the board in one move, and will command -thirteen at a time. This enables him to restrict, the opposite King to a portion of the board.” We may explain for the benefit of novices that the term “passed Pawn” means n Pawn which has passed all danger of being atop ped or taken hy a Pawn nt the adversary. In other word* there is no adverse pawn ahead of it on Re own (He, or on either adjacent

file. For instance, suppose White han a Pawn on the Q file, and Black has no Pawn on Q file, or K file, or QB file, then White’s QP is a passed Pawn. Again, suppose White has a Pawn a't his KB4, and Black has Pawns at his KB4, K 4 and Q 4, and no other Pawn on these files. Then if White play BP takes P, the Pawn so taking becomes a passed Pawn, for the Black Pawns on the Q file and KB file cannot stop him. We may further explain that “united Pawns” are Pawns of the same colour on adjacent files, e.g., KB file and KKt file. Solution of Position S.C., No. 7. 1. R- —Rti. PxR (must). 2. B mates. Solution of Position S.C., No. 8. 1. R—Q4. If 1....K1—Q4 or K 5; 2. RxKt, KxP. 3. R—QR 4. If 1 Kt moves elsewhere; 2. K—Kt3, any move; 3. R —QI. Solutions. No. 135.—1. R to Kt 7, BxR; 2. P to Kt 7 ch, K moves; 3. P to KtB (Q) mates. 1. . ...B to Kt sq; 2. R to R 7 ch, BxR; 3. P to Kt 7 mates. ] Kt to B 3; 2. P to Kt 7 eh, K moves; 2. P to KtB (Q) eh mates.