The Chess Board.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIX, Issue 22, 28 May 1913, Page 9

The Chess Board.

The Auckland Cheer Club meets on Monday Thursday, and Saturday evenings, at So. 38, His Majesty’s Arcade, Queen Street. 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 Unpublished games, containing special features, notes of critical positions occurring in actual play, aud original problems (with diagram and analysis'', are always acceptable. Answers to Correspondents. “■F.K.K.”—Thanks for reports. Problem No. 213. By B. Semerad. Bfaek —8 pieces.

White—7 pieces. 5b2, !K3p2, LS2p2i«, Ikt), !P4pQ, 2p5, PRPS, r 7. White to play and mate in two moves.. A Missed Chance. IN the following splendid game Black missed a chance of securing a remarkable draw’, which, had it been availed of, would have entitled the game to rank as one of the finest on record. Opening- Four Knights Game. White. Blaek. J. Brach. Er. Dedrle. J. P-—K4 P—K4 2. Kt—Kß3 Kt—Kß3 3. Kt—B3 Kt—B3 4. B— Kto B—Kts 5. Castles. Castles 6. P—Q3 P—Q3 7. Kt—K2 Kt—K2 8. Kt—Kt3 P—QR 3 9. B—QB4 P—R3 10. P—B3 B—QB4 11. P—Q4 PxP 12. PxP B—R2 13. P—KR3 P—QKt4 14. B—Q3 P—B4 15. B—K3 P—Bs 10. B—B2 B—KtZ 17. Q—K2 Kt—Kt3 18. Kt—Q2 R—KI 19. P—B3 QR—Bl 20. Q—B2 P—Bl! 21. PxP RxP 22. B—Kt3 P—Q4! If now 23P—K5, KtxP! 23. Kt—K2 R— Qfi? 24. B—B2 PxP The position here is: 3qrlkl, bb3ppl, p4esp, lplp4, 3PP3, IBrIBPsP, P2SIQPI, R4RKI. If now 25 BxR, Pxß; 20 Kt—Kt3, Rxß! 25. PxP R—RO 20. K—Rl Q—K2 27. Kt—KKt3 Q —Q2 Threatening Rxß. 28. B—Kt3 K—B2 29. Kt—Bs KtxP 30. KtxKt RxKt 31. Q—Kt3 P—Kt;> 32. QR—Bl R—R4 So far w’e have quite the average vivacity, but from now on the play gets more and more brilliant. 33. R—B7 RxKt! 34. RxQ Rxßch 35. K—R2 Rxß! If now 30. QxR, B—Ktl eh; 37. P— K'3, R —RB mate. 36. Q B 7 R(Ktl)—KB Blaek mieere his chance to win by B—•K5, threatening R —K7.

37. RxP! BxP 38. Qxß B—KtBch But why not B—K4ch? 39. K—Kt3 R—K6ch 40. R—B3 B—B7ch 41. K—Kt4 Now Blaek played R—K2, which was met by Q —Q5, and White, after a dozen more movce, won; but here is where Blaek missed the chance of a most remarkable draw, as follows:— 41. R—K4 42. R—Bs R—K6 Threatening mate in three by R—Ktfi, Kt—Bs, and R mates. 43. B—B2 R—Ki6 ch 44. K—R5 P—KtO! 45. PxP R—KRB Threatening perpetual ch by RxRP. 40. R—K5 R—KB! 47. R—Q5 R—QB!! If BxR, Kt -Bseli, and RxP mate, If RxR, R mates. 48. R —R5 R—QRB 49. BxKtch Rxß 50. R—KBS B—KtO 51. Q- KB7 R—Q3 52. K—Kt4 R—Kt3 ch 53. K—B3 R—BBch 54. K—K2 R—K3ch! Every move is brilliant, but this is specially sparkling. White cannot avoid the draw. .Suppose he tries to get away on the Q side, 55. K—Q2 R—Q3ch 50. K—B2 R—B3ch 57. K— Kt2? B—K4ch! 58. K R 3 R—RBch 59. K—Kt4 B—B6mate —“Australasian.”

The chess editor of the “San Francisco Call” writes: —“Edward P. Sharp, whose bright and entertaining chess column in the ‘State Journal’ of Lincoln, Neb., is read with much pleasure by many chess players outside the Peerlees One's State, is, We learn from a recent writer, a shut in, suffering from a paralytic, stroke, which left him barely able to move his arms. But, judging from his keen, incisive paragraphs, it is evident that his brain escaped the cruel stroke. If chess is in any way responsible for Mr Sharp’s cheerfulness and abounding good humour, which are weekly reflected in his ‘Journal’ column, then, indeed, blessed be chees! Commenting on our paragraph about ‘The Calls’ youthful problem solver, Mias Merle Silvios, aged 9 years, he calls attention to an infant prodigy of Table Rock, Neb., Master Herbert Howe, aged 7 years, who sent in correct solutions to problems in the pending ‘Journal’ tourney. Sharp says that the California miss is thus not entitled to ‘infant’ honours, and adds that Master Howe will ‘stand up for Nebraska.’ Well, it’s California v. Nebraska, because the Table Rock phenom has been challenged to contest two games by postal. The gauntlet has been picked up by the youth from the prairies and Uncle Sam will do the rest.” Verily, America is a land of jttedigies! Wellington Chess Club. The Wellington Cheas Club opened the season on Saturday, 17 th inst., with the customary open night. Sides matches having become stale, and the freshness of lightning tourneys having been rubbed off, the committee liad arranged a novelty. This consisted of a joint simultaneous display by the club’s two leading players (Messrs R. J. Barnes and W. E. Mason), who encountered sixteen opponents, taking the rounds alternately. Barnes made the first, third, fifth, etc., moves at each board, Mason making the even-numbered moves. The two players were bound not to consult in any way, each having to pick up the cue left by his ally in the previous round. This was found to be not such an easy task as the evening wore on. Tn order that one may appreciate the difficulty it must be borne in mind that in the interval between the single player's rounds three moves would be made at each board, viz., the reply to his move, his partner’s move, and the opponent’s reply to the latter. There were, however, very few instances of failure to maintain continuity of purpose, the result being that the HarnesMason combination won 11 games (from Mackenzie, 'Welton, Booth. Grenfell, S. Gyles, Gyles, sen., Boek, Tanner, Fell, Grantham, and D. F. Mason), drew two

(with Fouhy and W. C. Hill), and lofit only three (to Croxton, Rev. Braddock, and Kelling). Of the loners, Mr C. W. Tanner (who won the first "Petherick’’ Tourney ten years ago), made the best stand. The attendance was good. Play ended about 11 p.m. At the conclusion of the match a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Messrs Barnes and Mason, this novel form of entertainment being voted a great success. Three ladder matches are in progress at present. In the first game for rung 6, Fouhy (challenger), .lames (defender), a second sitting is required. In the match for rung 9, Purchas (challenger) and S. Maekay have each scored 1 win. The first game for rung 13 occupied three evenings, Carman (defender) ultimately scoring front- IV. Cowper Hill (challenger). The match shortly to be played against the Wairarapa team is being looked forward to with much interest. Entries for the club’s annual “ I’ethrick” tourney have been coming in freely. The entries closed last Saturday, and play is to commence this week. Wellington Working Men's Club. The annual general meeting of the chess and draughts players of the Working Men’s Club was held in the clubroom on Monday. 12th inst.. nineteen members being present. Mr. W. .1. Smith occupied the chair. The annul! report, an extract front which appeared* in our issue of the 14t!i inst., was unanimously adopted. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: President. Mr. J. M’Nee; vice-presidents. Messrs W. JSmith, J. B. Graham, and J. G. W. Dalrymple; lion, treasurer, Mr. Jas. Wilson (re-elected). The following officers also were appointed for the chess sections:—Referee. Mr. A. G. Fell, of the Wellington Chess Club (re-elected); hon. secretary, Mr. F. K. Kelling (re-elected); consulting members, Messrs R. J. Barnes and W. Featonby; match committee, Messrs Barnes, Eton, and J. Reid; delegates to New Zealand Chess Association, Messrs J. G. W. Dalrymple and J. Miles! (both re-elected). It was decided to support the nominations made in the previous week by the Wellington Chess Club to the Chess Association of Messrs F. Kummer (Wairarapa), O. C. Pleasants (Wanganui), and P. Still (Wellington), as vice-presidents for the southern half of the North Island. It was resolved to hold a handicap chess tourney on the same lines as in past years, and to invite entries at once. The impending visit of a team from Wairarapa was also referred to. In addition to the usual thanks to the chair, the meeting passed a special vote of thanks to the general committee in acknowledgment of valued support accorded in the past. ; Spanish Blood. At the recent Havana tournament the players were seriously embarrassed by the exuberant and uncontrollable enthusiasm of the crowd of spectators, who numbered not far short of a thousand. “ As the progress of the games, shown on the exhibition boards, became more advanced” (nays the “New York Sun”) “ a din started in the big hall of the Athenaeum Club such as is heard on the New York Stock Exchange. Everybody talked and analysed the games in progress, and it was impossible to stop .the noise, much as the tournament manager, the officials of the club, and others who used their stentorian voices, tried. Frequent appeals, even when made by the players, were of no avail, and it may be taken for granted, therefore, that tho players scarcely did justice to themselves in the prevailing circumstances.” Solution of Problem No. 211. (By Chr. Christensen, Copenhagen.) Position:—3K4, 8, bßfi, k 7, pls.l, SOQ, 8. 8. (W.4: 8.4.) White to play and mate in 2 moves. Key-move: Q—QBS.