The Quiet Games

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 19

The Quiet Games

CHESS

CONDUCTED BY MELVILLE MILLS. All correspondence i'A connection with this column should bo addressed to the Chess Editor, Southland Times, Invercargill. Attempt the end, and never eland In doubt; Nothing’s so hard but search will find It out. —Herrick. The Southland Chess Club meets for play at their room, first floor, Alexandra Buildings, Don Street, at 2 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A cordial invitation is extended to visitors. Secretary: Mr A. LePetit-, 165 Earn Street, Invercargill. PROBLEM No. 189. BLACK (Three Pieces).

WHITE (Seven Pieces). White plays and mates in three moves. B|B|B|B|B|P7| Kt2RRpIK | kKtlqlQ2 |.

PROBLEM Jfo. 190. BLACK (Seven Pieces)

WHITE (Five Pieces). White plays and mates in three moves. 3kt4 | 5Kt2 | 3R4 [ 2p2k2 I 2Q2p2 | lBK3pl | 6pl | lb 6 |. PROBLEM No. 191. BLACK (Four Pieces). .

WHITE (Eight Pieces). 8 | lp3plK | IRpIPIPI | 281k3 16Q1 | IP6 | 8 | 7B |. White to play and mate in two moves. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS. No. 184 by Odo Chapman (2-move). Key: R—KB6. This key deprives the Black king of two flight squares, hut offers the rook as a victim, with the iuea of trapping Black in a Self Block. A very interesting little problem, with “a fragrance of Meredith,” as Dr Church comments. Details. If: B x B Q—K4 K x R Q—K7 B x P B—B3 K—Q5 Q—K4 Correct solutions from Dr Church (Portobello), E.A.L. (In’gill), H.H.T. (Waikiwi), “Quixote” (In’gill), W. McF. (Timaru), “Novice” (In’gill),, R. L. (Gore). No. 185 by Brian Harley (3-move). Key: K—B3. There is a pin model mate in the R —B4 line which is the best variation of this excellent problem. Many interesting features crop up in the play, especially in the B—B4 line. Details. If: B. W. B. W. B—B4 R—K4 (ch)B x R . P—Q4 R —B4 B —K7 any R mates P—B4 RxP(ch)K—Q3 Kt—BB Other , Kt—Q7 (ch)K—Q4 R—Q4 Correct solutions from Dr Church (Portobello), E.A.L. (In’gill), H.H.T. (In’gill), W. McF. (Timaru), “Novice” (In’gill). No. 186 by Dr Church (2-move). Key: B—Kts. This problem, the third in the composing section of the tourney, has some interesting features, and among these is neatness of design, and a quiet guile to trap the unwary. Economy of pieces is shown, and the play is interesting. It is a pity the key was not a little more obscure. Correct solutions from E.A.L. (In’gill), H.H.T. (In’gill), “Novice” (In’gill), W. McF. (Timaru), “Quixote” (In’gill). News and Notes. We are approaching the close of this tourney—the end of May will see the last problems —and then will come the conditions of the new one. I hope our ranks will be increased when the new contest begins—we have one new competitor awaiting the starting pistol. Many young players are diffident about entering competitions and this brings me to the idea that if sufficient entries were forthcoming the Southland Chess Club could hold a Novice Tourney. If young people could be brought to realize that chess is not a game exclusively for old men, but a game for bright intellects. It is not a difficult game to learn; it is difficult to obtain a mastery in it. There are joys in the elementary stages, as much as in the advanced grades, and the battle of wits is as keen among novices as among masters. It is as one progresses that the beauties of chess open out, but young people should not be frightened of the spectre of terrible men who know all the moves and who are veritable ogres. There is no game which offers so much to its devotees, none which adopts itself so easily to the capacities of its players. A Novice Tourney is a good idea and I hope the Southland Club can arrange it. A special prize will be forthcoming from the editor of this column if the tourney can be. arranged. ALEKHINE’S DEFENCE. At the Hasting’s tournament Yates defeated Takaks in game in which the English player showed distinct mastery in the middle game and finished with a neat mate: WHITE. BLACK. Yates- Takaks. 1. P—K4 KKt—B3 2. P—K5 (a), Kt—Q4 3. P—Q4 P—Q3 4. KKt—B3 B—Kts 5. B—QB4 ■ Px P 6. P x P P—K3 V 7. P—KR3 B—R4 8. Castles B—K2 9. Q—K2 P—QB3 10. QKt—Q2 Kt—Q2 11. B x Kt BP x B 12. P—B4 Kt—Kt3 13. P x P . Q x P 14. P—QR 4 QR—Bl 15. P—R5 Kt—Bs 16. Kt x Kt Q x Kt 17. Q x Q R x Q IS. P—R6 ’ P—QKt3 19. B-K3 (b) Bx Kt 20. Px B K—Q2 (c) 21. ‘ KR—QI (ch) K—B2 22. P—Kt3 R—B3 23. R—R4 R—QI 24. R x R K x R 25. R—KKt4 P—Kt3 26. R—Q4 (ch) K—KI (d) 27. R—QR 4 B—QI 28. K—BL R—B6 29. P—Kt4 R—Bs 30. K—K2 R—R5 BLACK.

WHITE. 3bk3 | p4plp | Pp2plpl | 4P3 | RP5r | 4BPIP | 4KP2 | 8. 31. P—B4 (e). Rx RP 32. R—Rl B—B2 33. R—QI P—R3 34. R—KKtl K—Q2 35. K—Q3 R—R5 36. R—QI P—Ktl 37'. P x P P x P

38. B x KKtP’ R—R4 (f) 39. K—B4 (ch) K—Bl 40. P—B4 R—R6 41. K—Kts R—Rl 42. B—B6 R—Ktl 43. R—KRI B—QI 44. K-B6 (g) B x B 45. P x B R—QI 46. R—R7 R—Bl 47. K—Q6 (h) . K-Ql. 48. . R—Kt7 K—Ki 49. K—B7 R—Rl 50. R—Ktl R—Bl 51. R—QI (i) ’ Resigns. (a) It has not yet been decided which is the best continuation for White. The safest is QKt—B3, but it is very tempting to advance the pawn. (b) Threatening B x P. (c) Castle seems preferable to getting the King into the opening. • (d) Contradicting his move of 20, K —Q2. (e) Cleverly shutting out the Rook from play at the expense of the RP. (.{) Foiled again. If R x P, K —B3 (dis. ch.) ; wins the Rook. If R —Kts, P—B4, again shuts out the Rook. (g) Finally paralysing the Black King. (h) The position is what the Germans call “Zugswang.” For that reason 47, R —Kt7 would have answered. (i) The inevitable mate was very cleverly brought about by White. IRREGULAR OPENING. A game played at the top board in the English County and District Correspondence Championship. WHITE. BLACK. A. Harper G. Wood. (South Wales). (Northants). 1. P—Q3 (a) P—Q4 2. Kt—Q2 P—K4 3. P—K4 P—QB3 4. P—QB3 B—Q3 5. KKt—B3 Kt—K2 6. P—KKt3 Castles 7. B—Kt2 P—KB4 8. Q—K2 Kt—Q2 9. Castles Kt—KKt3 10. P—Kt3 Kt—B3 11. B—Kt2 Q—K2 12. P—KR3 BP x P 13. P x P Kt—R4 14. K—R2 Kt (R4)—Bs (b) 15. P x Kt Kt x P 16. Q—KI R—B3 17. R—Rl (c) R—R3 18. Kt—KKtl • R—Kt3 19. B—Bl (d) Q—Kt4 20. Resigns (e) (a) Possibly the opening of the future, when we come to the Super-Hypermoderns, (says Brian Harley). • (b) Must be good, whether White accepts the sacrifice or not. Black’s free development finds its reward. (c) He can just manage to protect his KRP. (d) Or B—B3, Q—R5, 20. Q—KBI, Kt x P 21. Kt x Kt B x Kt, 22. Q x B Q x BP ch, 23. B—Kt2, Q—Bsch, 24. K—Ktl, B—B4ch. (e) An extraordinary “smothered” mate in two follows by Q —Kt7 ch, etc.