The Chess Board.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 1, 1 January 1913, Page 9

The Chess Board.

All communications to be addressed to "Chest" Boss 253, Auckland.

The Auckland Chest Club meets on Ifonday Thursday, and Saturday evenings, at No. 24, His Majesty’s Arcade, Queenstreet (2nd floor). The Y.M.C.A. Chess Club meets on Friday evenings. The Hamilton Chess Club meets in ths 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 Unpublished games, containing special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.

Greeting.

We wish all our readers—especially contributors and solvers—a happy and prosperous year!

Answers to Correspondents.

“ Schaeh.”—Your solutions of 180 and 181 are both correct. They were received too late for acknowledgment last week.

Problem No. 192.

(By F. G. BUTCHER.) Third prize in the Chess Amateur Tourney. Black 14 pieces.

White, 11 pieces. 3rlßSl, pb4pr. qp3p2, P2k2sl, Qp.'JPBl, bIRIRPKp, ls2S3, 8. White to play and mate in two moves.

APABLANCA has been recently 1 5 playing a series of exhibition games with both Jaffe and Chajes, two well-known American international players. The following is one in which he beat Chajes. Though the latter had several opportunities in the middle game, he was unequal to the task of holding Capablanca in the ending.

Four Knights Game.

(a) Not so promising for White as B to Kt 5. (b) A sound sacrifice. Black should be able to recover the piece or obtain an equivalent positional advantage. (e) P to KB4 improves Black's prospects. If RtoKtl, B to R 4, and it is difficult to see how White can meet the threat of opening the KB file. (d) This seems to cramp the Black pieces, but it is possibly the only way to keep up the pressure now that Black has obstructed the KBP with the Q. (e) Or the Kt conies to the defence by QI and K 3. (f) Q —R4 seems preferable. If P—B3 then R—Kt3 wins back the piece. (g) This advance should have been avoided, as it tends to weaken the pawn position. (h) Possibly- the pawn was given up with the idea of throwing the three minor pieces out of combination. It does not serve, however, Capablanca winning the ending in masterly style.—“ Yorkshire Post.’’

Played at No. 9 Board in the Liverpool v. North ‘Manchester match, on October 26th. From the Manchester “Weekly Times,” which describes it as a pretty example of thrust andv counterthrust:— Ruy Lopez. White. Dr. J. F. MeCann (Liverpool); Black, Mr. A. Wolsteneroft (N. Manchester ).

*r3k3,2p2p2, p 2 p 3 p, 1 p b I p g q 1, 4 P 2 r. 1 B 1 P 1 b 2, IP P P 1 S P 1 P, R 2 Q I R K 1. If 19. Kt(BS)—Kt3, RxP; 20. KxR, Q—-R5 ch; 21. K—Ktl, Q—R6; 22. Kt—B4, QxKteh; 23. Kt—Kt2, QxKt mate.

Crakantliorp in London.

The Sydney "Evening News” publishes the following extract from a chatty letter from Mr. Spencer Craekanthorp, the New South Wales champion:— “After the chess portion of the entertainment at the Swiss Cottage, London, four of us played bridge. Marshall is a fair player. 1 would sooner play him

bridge than chess, though. I took tea with him next day, and played four rubbers of bridge. After supper, we all went to City of London Chess Club’s rooms, where Marshall • played twenty-three simultaneously, winning eighteen, losing one, and drawing four. After a cautious game, I drew, Marshall wisely declining to play for a win. The game is to bo published in London, I having been given the honour of top board for the club. He is a fine player. You fee! his strength every move he makes. Your games get a drifting appearance, and your pieces seem on awkward squares, while his position shows mobility of force. You know your traps are set in vain. He smokes furiously in front of you all the thne, and you can see that his brain is at high pressure. "Marshall lives in the Tottenham Courtroad, London. He is a thorough Yank, and says that there are young players about now who could beat Lasker. 1 have my doubts, though. Lasker is said not to shine as a simultaneous player against strong company, such as will confront the single player at the strong clubs. Capablanca is credited with being the best simultaneous player of the day. The ‘Year Book’ says Dr. Tarrasch is the most ingenious player—a* finding excuses for losing, though Lasker and Niemzowitch are fairly good, too, to attempting to demonstrate ‘how I had the best of it at one stage.’

"In a few hours I bid good-bye to Albion, its freshness and greenness; to London with its size, wonderfulness, and old romance; to the chess players and their hospitality. Soon I shall be saying: "Take me back to Leicester Square, Piccadilly or Mayfair;

St. Martin’s, that they call The Grand, Through Regent Street to one called Fleet, And give them my love in the Strand.” "I have bidden adieu to Gunsberg, a very nice, elderly gentleman; and to the City of London Chess Club, where they have 36 entries, including seven cable players, for the club championship. Paris is my next stopping place, where I am to meet Wahltuch. We are about equal at chess, but he beats me out of sight at Kriegspiel, a fascinating game, which I am going to try to popularise in Australia.”

The “Ladies’ Chess Journal” gives the following amusing description by Herr Paul Schellenberg of a game between two ladies, said to have occurred in a ladies’ chess club iu Germany. White, Mrs. Dunibuteher; Black, Miss Deff. White. —“So I am to commence?. Now, let me see. . . . What shall we do. (Plays P to K 4.) No, wait a moment—that’s not very good. (Takes the move back, and plays P to KKt3.) Just one moment, please. I’m afraid I can’t do that either. Oh, well, what does it matter? I’ll keep to my first move. It isn’t a question of life and death.” Mrs. Dumbutcher. Miss Dell. IP to K 4 P to K 4. (White reflects a while, picks up the queen, and twirls it m the air between finger and thumb during the whole of the following monologue.) "Tell me how you like my new costume. Miss Deff. Don’t you think its charming No one would dream it was made from my silk dress of the year before last; which had come to be quite old-fashioned. It’s quite stylish, isn’t it? Really-, there ought to be a jacket to it, kept tight to the waist by embroidered buckles; but I don’t think that would suit my figure. I think we might have a snack of something. Do you know, the strawberry tart I had last time didn’t agree with me at all. Miss! Miss! Please! Caft I have a lemon and raspberry ice? I can? Then that will do, thank you! Oh, but—one moment, please; I’m afraid ice will be rather too cold for me. Bring me three puffs instead; that is if the whipped cream is fresh. The last time it wasn’t, you know. Well, now, we’ll continue our game. It was my turn, wasn't it? Now, where did I intend to play my queen? (Puts the queen successively on K2, KB3, and KKt4.) Just one moment, please. I see I can go farther with it. Yes, tlurt'e much better; that’ll do.” 2Q to R 5. Q to 83. “Did you know Mr*. Smythe is hack again? I saw her at the theatre the day before yesterday, with her two daughters. How they had managed to get there we could not imagine! One of them wore a blouse of Irish linen, with a simply delightful passementerie,

and the other a blouse of Valenciennes lace and Indian muslin. I tell you we were quite speechless anil astonished. Ah! I see you have already moved. You’ve’ got there with your queen, have you? I must get my piece out too. They always say, you know, that we ought to develop.”, 3Kt to QB3. B to QB4. "How do you like your new maid? Is she satisfactory? 1 shall have to give mine notice. There is no end to the trouble I have with her. Excuse me one moment; I see a very fine move here.” 4Kt to Q 5. QtksßP ch. “Oh, Miss Deff, I must tell you something about my little Elsie! She’s a perfect little darling, and her desire to know all about everything is absolutely insatiable. The questions she asks, and the way her tongue runs on! You have no idea what a chatterbox she is. Sometimes I feel it’s more than I can put up with; her little tongue’s never still. I can’t thiuk whom she gets it from—it’s certainly not from me. Cheek, you said, didn’t you? But that can't be right; I can take your queen. Oh, no, of course not—it’s covered. Well, then, we’ll just move away. There’s still a little spot I can move to.” 5K- to QI. Qtksß mate. "What's that? Mate, did you say? Well, really, so it is! Upon my word, I didn't see it? Just fancy, how stupid! I don't understand how that could happen so quickly; my position, you know, was splendid! Well, I'm not sorry it’s over—the game has lasted long enough, anyway’. Do you know, when I have to think so long I get such a funny sensation in my head? 1 can't see the simplest thing. Good-night, Miss Dell! Next time I’ll take my revenge.—“ Australasian.”

Referring to the correspondence match' in progress between Melbourne and Sydney, a recent “Australasian” says: — "The two big demonstration-boards that hang one at each end of the Melbourne Chess Clubroom have now been called into requisition for showing the positions in the two games being played with Sydney. An enthusiastic member has carefully labelled each side of the boards, and affixed notices about whose turn to play, and, of course, the usual 'Please don’t touch’ figures prominently. Surely with such enthusiasm Sydney can have no chance. Since last we wrote two more moves have been made on each board; the Sydney players boldly accepted the King's Gambit offered them, and the Melbourne committee then settled on 3B to B4—the Bishop's Gambit; certainly a most interesting line, but, in view of the faet that latest theory inclines to giving White a draw by best play in the Muzio, we should have preferred to see this tested. In the other game, Sydney started off on what seemed to indicate real solid lines, either Ruy Lopez or Four Knights game, but, led away by the Victorian example, they branched off on to the Giuoco Piano. The Melbourne players winked at this move, and somebody suggested ‘Evan s Gambit, of course; give them the Two Knights instead; Marshall says it’s the best.’ The advice was taken, and now we may hope to see the 'Fried Liver on the board.”

The, annual tournament for the championship of New Zealand commenced on Boxing Day in the Nelson Municipal Chambers. We have already published the names of the 12 competitors. Messrs Cole and Maunsell are the only two who are making their debut. Cole is a young farmer living near Wakefield, in the Nelson district. We understand he is a sound and steady player. Maunsell is an “ old boy ” of the Wanganui Collegiate School, and is now practising as a solicitor in Carterton, Wairarapa. He has the reputation of being a elever player, with wide book knowledge. Dodds (Nelson) has not competed since 1908. He then represented the Otago Chess Club. Though not placed, he won the brilliancy prize for his game against Barnes. The other competitors are, of course, well known. Gyles and Hicks are freely tipped as coming champions. It remains to be seen which will be the first to have his name inscribed on the championship trophy. It will be remembered that the former tied with W. E. Mason at Napier, but lost in the playoff.

The reporting of the congress is in the

able hands of Messrs G. Jones (Masterton) and J. G. W. Dalrymple (Wellings ton).

White. Black. J. R. Capablanea. O. Chajes. 1. P—K4 P—K4 2. Kt—KB3 Kt—QB3 3. Kt—B3 Kt—B3 4. B—Kt5 B Kt5 5. Castles G. BxKt (a) QPxB 7. P—Q3 8. P—KR3 B—KR4 9. P—KKt4 KtxKtP(b) 10. PxKt BxP 11. K—Bl Q—B3(e) 12. K—Kt2 QR—Kl(d) 13. R—KKtl R—K3 14. Q—K2 BxQKt(e) 15. FxB Q— Kt3 16. K—Bl Q—R4 17. RxB QxR 18. Kt—Kt5 Q—R.5 19. Q—B3 R— B3 20. Q—Kt2 P—KR3(fJ 21. Kt— B3 .. Q—R4 22. K—K2 R—Kt3 23. Q—R2 QxQ 24. KtxQ P—KB4 25. PxP RxP 26. B—K3 P—Kt3 27. Kt—B3 R—Kt5 28. P—K4 P—QR4 29. P—<J4 PxP 30. PxP R—B3 31. P—QB4 R—K3 32. Kt—K5 R—R5 33. P—114 K-R2

34. K—B3 . . . . . ... P—KKt4(g) 35. K—Kt3 ... P—B4 36. P—Q5 .... R—K2 37. R—K 1 .. . . —R—R4 38. B—Q2 PxPeh 39. BxP R—B4 40. K—KU .. R—B3 41. R—KR1 .. . R—KI 42. Kt—Q7 ... R—B2(h)' 43. RxPch .... _ —- - . K—Kt2 44. R—K6 .. .. R(K1)—K2 45. B—K5eh . . K—R2 46. Kt—B6ch . K—Kt3 47. Kt—R5ch . K—R2 48. K—Kt5 . . . K—Ktl 49. B—B6 . . . . R-Q2 50. K—Kt6 . . . R—Q3 51. B—Kt7 . . .

White. Black. 1. P—K4 . . P—K4 2. Kt—KB3 Kt—QB3 3. B—Kt5 . P—QR3 4. B—R4 . . B— B4 5. Kt—B3 . Kt—B3 6. Castles . . P—QKt4 7. B— Kt3 . P—Q3 8. P—Q3 . . B—KKt5 9. Kt—<25 . Kt—Q5 10. B—Kt.5 . P—R3 11. BxKt . . . PxB 12. K—R1 . . KR—Ktl 13. Kt—K3 . B—R4 14. P—KKt4 RxP 15. KtxKt .. R—R5 16. Kt—K2 . B—Btk'li 17. K—Ktl . P—B4 18. KtxP . . . 19. Kt(K2)_ Kt3 BxQ 20. KtxR . . B—KKt5 21. Kt—Kt2 B—KR6 22. B—05 . . 23. P—Ktl . B—Q5 24. P—QB3 . BxQBP 25. QR—Bl . B—Q5 26 R B6 B— Kt3 °7 KR Bl P—KR4 OS K t K 3 K—Ktl 2<) P R4 PxP 30 R R1 B—Q2 3). P—R4 . . Q-P 32. Kt(K3)— B5 ...... BxKt 33. PxB . . . . 34. Resigns.