Chess 498

PHILIDOR

G. H. Goehart (1st Prize, Olympic Composing Tourney, 1948). White to play and mate in three moves; solution next week.

Solution to No. 497 (Bartolovit-8/3R3r/ 4n1Pp/7B/2p3R1 ilp0P3n/Ip2Np2/b2k I K2): Kt- Kill, threat R moves, mate. 1 Px 2 R x0. I Kt YKI: 2 R xKt. 1 . . . Kt-Q5,

B5, Kt4; 2 R(Kt4)x Kt. 1 . Kt-Kt2; 2 PxP.

Point of problem is the tries e.g. 1 R(Kt4)-Q4?, KOR6)-Kt4 l; 1 R-Ktl?, Kt(K3-Kt4!;• 1 Kt-B1?, Px Kt ---.Kt!; 1 Kt-Q4?, Kt-Kt2!; 1 Kt-B4?, Kt-Q5!; and 1 Kt-Kt3?, Kt-Kt8!

You never can tell. Nowadays, Grand Master Count Alberic O'Kelly de Galway is a less dashing performer than he sounds; and it can't be denied that Ramon Toren, the Spanish master, is a peaceful player.1 think that most of the cognoscenti would lay heavy odds on a short, placid draw when they met. And yet, at Olot .. there must be something in the air of the Pyrenees.

White, A. O'Kell∎ Black. R. Toren. Opening, Benoni Defence (Brilliancy Prize. Olot, 1970).

1 P-Q4 Kt-KB3 2 P-QB4 P-B4 3 P-Q5 P-QKt4!? An uncharacteristic move by Tordn, this sacrifices a pawn rather speculatively for queen's side pressure. I think it an unwise choice, in that it requires Black to play more actively than is his natural style.

4 PxP P-QR3 5 PxP BxP 6 Kt-QB3 P-Q3 7 Kt-B3 P-Kt3

8 Kt-Q2 ! A multi-purpose move, support- ing P-K4, preparing later to go to Q84 and enabling White. after P-K4, to recapture on KB! (should Black play B x B) with Kt and thus retain the option of castling.

8 . . B-Kt2 9 P-K4 0-0 10 B xB Ktx13 11 0-0 Kt-Q2 12 Kt-B4 Kt-Kt3 - 13 Kt-K3! White has played the opening very well and Black has - insufficient compensation for the pawn.

13 . . . Q-Q2 14 P-QR4! . . . An- other fine more, securing an outpost on Kt5 and allowing the QR to come into the game via 113; this is particularly valuable as the bishop is needed on QBI to protect the QKIP.

14 . . . Q-Kt2 15 R-R3 , KR-QKtl 16 P-R4! Kt-Q2 It might have been better, as O'Kelly says. to play Kt-B2 and double rooks on the QR file but White has a much superior game in any case.

17 P-KR5 Kt-B3 18 P x P RP x P

19 P-B41 Q-Kt5 A forlorn attempt at a . counter-attack which never-looks like succeeding.

20 P-K5 Kt-R4 20 . . Ki-K5 is marginally better, without offering any real hope.

21 Q-B3 ... Now the threat of P-K14 cows Black another pawn.

21 . . PxP 22 PxP Q-R5 22 . . . BxP; 23 Q x Pch, K-RI ; 24 Q x KIP is still worse for Black.

23 Q x Pch K-R2 24 Kt-135! P x Kt 25 Q x Pch K-R I 26 Kt-K4 R-K B I 27 Kt-B6! Kt x Kt 27 . . . Px R - R3, PxP; 29 Rx Q. Rx Q; 30 Rx R followed by R x Kick winning comfortably.

28 P x Kt' . . . 28 R-.R3, Q x R; 29 Q x Qch, Kt-R2 is much less good.

28 . B-R3 or 28 . . . RxP; 29 R-R3.

29 P.-R3 Q-Q5ch 30 K-R2! . . . So 'rat the Ron BI cannot later he taken with check.

30 . . . R x P 31 Q-Kt5 Resigns. White threatens 32 R x R, Q x R; 33 R x Bch end there is no defence.