Chess no. 404

PHILIDOR

Black White 9 men 7 men E. Rukhrs (1st Prize, Estonia, 1956). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 403 (Berger): R–KB1 11, no threat. (A) 1 ...K – Q 5; 2 Q – Q 3 ch, K – K 4; 3 P – B 4 mate. (B) . . . K x P; 2 R – Kt 1 ch and 3 Q mates. (C) 1. . . P – K 4; 2 R – Q Kt 1, P–K 5; 3 Q x P or 2 . . .K–Q 5; 3 Q–Q 3. Hidden point of the key move appears in variation (A).

One of the most dangerous things in chess—at least against a well-informed opponent—is to play a variation which has recently had a crushing success; if your opponent allows it you may be sure that he has something waiting for you. As here . . .

(A) White, Yodovich. Black, Strom. Opening, Sicilian. (Championship of Spartak Club, Moscow, 1961.)

1 P-K4 P-QB4 2 Kt-KB3 P-K3 3P-Q4 P x P 4 Kt xP Kt-KB3 5 Kt–QB 3 B – Kt 5. The Sicilian counter- attack—too ambitious to be good.

6 P – K 5 Kt – K 5 6 . . Kt – Q 4 may be better.

,7 Q–Kt 4 Q–R4 8 Q X Kt B XKtch

9 PxB Q x Pch 10 K–Q 1 Q X R

11 Kt – Kt 5 P – Q 4. Best 11 . . . K – Q 1; 12 P – Q B 3! and II . . Kt – B 3; 12 Kt – B 7 ch are both in White's favour.

12 P X P e.p.? . . . Despite its success in this game, this is wrong. Correct is 12 Q – Q Kt 4!,

Q x K P; 13 P – K B 4 and While should win.

12 . . . Kt – R 3

13 P–Q 7 ch K x P? Avoiding 13 . . B x P because of 14 Q X Kt P . . . but see the other game.

14 B-B4 R-Ql 15 K-K 2 K-Kl 16 R - K 1 Q - B 3

17 Q x RP . . . Threat 18 Q – Kt 8 ch,

K–K 2; 19 B–R3 ch,K–Q2; 20 R–Q1ch.

17 . . . P – Q Kt 3. Now I8 Q – Kt 8 ch, K – K 2; 19 B – R 3 ch, Kt – B 4!

18 B–R 3 B–Kt2. 19Kt–Q 6ch R X Kt

20 B X R Q – Kt 4. To stop 21 B – Kt 5 ch, K – Q I: 22 Q – Kt 8 mate.

21 Q – Q 3 Kt–B4 22 B–Kt 5 ch Kt–Q2 23 P – Q B 4! . . . Preventing the defensive re-

source Q – Q 4 and—by protecting the bishop —freeing the queen.

23 . . . Q x P. Threatening Q – K 5 ch 24 B – B 7! B – B 3 24 . . . Q – K 5 ch; 25

Q X Q, B x Q; 26 R – Q 1 25 R – K Kt 1! Resigns. 25. . . Q X R; 26 B x B and 25 . . . Q – K 5 ch; 26 Q X Q, B X Q; 27 R – Q 1 are equally hopeless. A conclusive variation? Well . . .

(B) White, Artiushikhin. Black, Koifman. Opening, Sicilian. (Semi-finals, Moscow Championship, 1961.) The same as above up to Black's thirteenth move.

13 P – Q 7 ch B x Pl Losing a piece. but . 14 Q x KiP . . . White would be wiser to refuse it and play Kt – Q 6 ch.

14 . . . 0-0! . 15 Q x Kt Q R - Kt 1 16 P-QR 4 KR-Q1 17 B-Q 3 R-Kt 3! 18 Resigns . . . 18 Q X P, R X Kt!: 19 B X R (19 P x R, Q x Q), B x B ch; 20 K – K 1, Q X B mate.