The Chess Board.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVIII, Issue 13, 25 September 1912, Page 11

The Chess Board.

All communications to be addressed to "Chess,” Box 283, Auckland. The Auckland Chess Club meets on Holiday Thursday, and Saturday evenings, at No. 24, Cis majesty’s Arcade, Queen-street [2nd floor). The Y.H.C.A. Chess Club meets on Friday evenings. The Hamilton Chess Club meets in the Public Library, Hamilton, every Friday evening, al 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 Unpublished games, containing special features, notes of critical positions occurring in actual play, and original problems (with diagram and arc always acceptable.

Answers to Correspondents.

F.K.K. -Thanks.

Position. No. 167.

By F, I'. ALEXANDER (Awarded halryrnrlv prize in tlie Bolton "Football Field.”) Black, Seven Piece*.

White, Nine Pieces.

4 s 2 K; s 7; I R •>: S 2 k 1 I’ p I; p (i p; B 4 1’ 1 S; p 4 1’ 2; Q 7. White to play ami mate in two moves. Played in the Breslau Tournament. tieore ami notes from “The Field.'’ English Opening. White. Black. •'ails. Spielmann. 1. P-QB4 P—Kt 2. Kt—Qß3 Kt—Qß3 3. P- KKt3 P— KKI.3 4. B— Kt2 KKt—K'2 5. P—Q3 B—Kt 2 •>■ B~ Kl 5 P—KR3 7. B— K 3 Castles. Q—Q2 Kt—B4(a) 9. Kt—B3 p—Q.j 10. Castles B—K3 11. QR—Bl Q—Q2 12. Q—B2(b) QKt—Q5 13. B.xKt Ktxß 14. KtxKt PxKt 15. Kt—Qs P —KKt4(e) 10- B -B4 P-B4(d) 17. PxP PxP 13. Q- Q2 P-B3 19. QxP(e) PxKt 21). I’xP B—B2 •41- RxP x . .. . Kit—Kl 22. B—K4 R K2(f) 23. QR—KBI Q—KI 24. P—KK4(o) B—Kt3 25. R—BSeh(li) BxK 20. Bxß Q — QI White mates in three. NOTES. (a) If K - R2, White would continue the attack with 9. P — KK4. (b) Threatening Kt —Q 5, and the Kt could not be taken because of PxKt winning the QBP. (e) A tempting combination, as it. threatens ito win the Kt with P—B3, Kt —Kt 4, P—QR 4, but it is doubtful whether it was worth the risk of weakening the king’s position. (d) To prevent P -85, when the BP could not be captured, because of Rxß, QxR, Kt—K7eh, etc. (<■) Ingenious and perfectly sound. He gets three pawns for the piece. If) if 22. . . R—K4, then 23. RxR, followed by Q —R4. But Rxß might oe considered, with two bishops for rook. (g) ’A trappy move, provoking Black's B—Kt3. (h) Very pretty. A lively game, played recently iin the St. Petersburg Chess Club. The eliding is artistic. Aleehin, wild has since won .the first prize in the

Stockholm tournament, gained his spurs at Carlsbad last year, and is one of the most promising of the brilliant band of young Russian masters. Score from tha Yorkshire “Observer Budget”:— Queen's Pawn Opening. White. Black. Aleehin. LowCn tiseb. 1. P Q 4 P—QB4 2- P—Q5 Kt— KB3 3. Kt—Qß3 P—Q3 4. P Kt |>- KKt3 5. P KB4 QKt — Q2 •>■ Kt—B3 P—QR 3 7- P- K 5 PxP 3. PxP Kt— KU 9. P— Kt> Kt(Q2)— K 4 10. B—KB4 KtxKteh 11- PxKt Kt—B3 12. B—B4 PxP 13- I’-xP Q—Kt3 The position livre is:---r 1 b 1 k b 1 r: 1 P 2 p 2 p: p <| 2 P s p 1 ; 2 p 5; 2 B 2 B 2; 2 S 2 P 2; P P P 4 P; R. 2 Q K 2 R. 'Pho game proceeded: — 14. Q—K2 QxKtP 15. Kt—Kts Qxßeh Hi. K —B2 QxR, 17. Kt—B7ch K—QI is. Q-QA.II B—Q2 19. I’xH Resigns. Notes and News. A special general meeting of th' ehe-jS ami draught members of the Wellington Workingimm's Club was held on Monday, the 9th inst., there being a large attendance. A lot of routine business was. disposed o.t, including the adoption of rules for the chess ladder. Mr. J. G. W. Dalrymple suggested that the club’s thanks might he tendered to the “Evening Post” and “New Zealand Times” for the excellent reports, of tourneys, matches etc., that they had been furnishing weekly for some .months past. These interesting reports were widely appreciated. and were of great assistance to the cause of chess and draughts in Wellington, catering as they did for the three other local chess clubs as well, lie had much pleasure, therefore, in moving that letters be sent thanking the papers named for their courteous assistance. 3 he motion was greeted with applause, ami carried unanimously. Before the members dispersed .Mr. Dalrymple, on tln ir behalf, presented Mr. Lightfoot with a travelling bag and a ease of pipes as a email token of their appreciation of the valued services rendered by him during his two years’ term as chairman for chess and draughts. Mr. Dalrymple also voiced the coteem in which Mr. Lightfoot is held by his fel-low-members, and trusted that'he might long be spared to further assist, them in promoting the sister game*. (Applause.) In responding, Mr. Lightfoot said he was completely taken by surprise, and words failed him to express his thanks, as he would like to, for the present so kindly made to him. lie had always enjoyed his association with the chess and draughts section. He was glad that they were holding their own so well, and hoped to be of-some assistance in achieving even greater results in the future. In the meantime he could only onee more thank them for their valued gift. (Applause.) —••Evening Post.” Commenting on the entries for the British Championship—a list of which we published last week, the "Yorkshire Olxserv'er” says:—The list is an interesting one, and remarkable for the names it does not contain. For thevfinst time since the inaugural meeting of the association at Hastings, in 1904, Messrs. IL E. Atkins and J. 11. Blackburne will be absentees, as far, at any rate, as taking part in the competition goes. It. may be assume 1 that the weight of his seventy years imposes a strain on the veteran Blackburne, which he does not feel that lie ought to continue, but the removal of so interesting a personality cannot but be a matter of deep ami universal regret. Mr. Atkins’ absention involves the relinquishment of the ehampionship, which he has consistently won since 1905, but it cannot be (supposed that his withdrawal is more than temporary. Seven others of the twelve who competed at Glasgow are also missing now, these being Messrs. J. IL Blake. J. A. McKee. R. E. Lean, E. Macdonald, A. J. Mackenzie, J. E. Parry, and the Rev. W. •'. PuhiVr. The last-named has. of eouiwe, returned to Trinidad, and Mr. Mackenzie han elected

to play in the Open Major tournament. One would like to have seen Messrs, VV. Ward and G. E. VI ainwright in tlie team again, tor there yire fpw players who produce sm-h interesting games. Mosers. Michell. \\es<. and s'a‘es are

the only three of last year's team who are included now, but Messrs. Gibson, Cole, Jacolw, Hamond, and Wab.t.icii have all eompeted in previous years. Of the newcomers, the most interesting is undoubtedly Mr. <'rackanthorp, the Australian champion (sic), upon whose achievements we may lie able to base some estimate of the standard of chest? playing in the Antipodes. Messrs. Griffith and I her are strong Metropolitan players, and Mr. Billings gained the finst prize in the tirstdass tournament last year, and has since won the championship of the Cheltenham Club. D. Janowski writes in “La Strategic*’ on the normal defence in the Queen’s Gambit Declined: "I. P—Q4, P- -Q4; 2. P—QB4, P— K 3. Is thio defence adequate is a question 1 have asked myself tor years. Logically, it is not, seeing that the QB is closed in. and there can be no equal game where inferiority of development exists. But practice' ha.? shown us as yet no better method. A possible deienee. whose resource? have not yet been exhausted, is 2. . . ~ P— K 4. Now and then it has been essayed by the timid or the bold, only to be quickly droppe I. \.,t Oat analysis or practice has pronounced against it, but simply by reason of its great complexity.”— From the ‘ British Chess Magazine.” Solution of Problem No. 165. (Pospieil). 1. R—KB.