16 APRIL 1965, Page 20

Chess

(pat Prize, Ajedrez Espariol, 1948) BLACK (12 men)

WHITE (9 men)

WHITE to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to No. 225 (Heathcote): Q—Kt 5, threat Q—K 3. z . . . B—K 5 ch; 2 Q—B 6. B—Q 4 ch; 2 Kt—B 5. t . . . B else, ch; 2 Q—B 4. . . . K—K 5; 2 Kt x P. a . . . K—B 6; 2 Qx B. Splendid key and good play.

Except when people play it against me, the open defence to the Lopez never seems to be quite as good as it looks on the surface; Black's free game does not quite compensate for the looseness in his position caused by his pawn advances and it is significant that only Euwe of the great modern masters has been

addicted to it. This week's game is a good illustration of the dangers to Black.

White, GIPSL1S. Black, HAAG. Opening, RUY LOPEZ. (Asztalos Memorial Tourney, Pecs, 1964)

4. P—K 4 P—K 4

2 Kt—KB 3 1a—QB 3 ;B—Kt 5 P—Q It 3 4 B—R 4 10-113

50-0 Kg XP

6 P—Q 4 },...42 KI 4 711-103 P—Q 4

8PxP 13—K3 9 Q—K a 10-13 4

ro R—Q r. typical of the modern style of play against the variation: an immediate pressure against Black's Q 4. Kt x11? Natural but premature; B—K 2 is correct. Now the Q R P :Ind Q Kt P come under pressure I1B well as the Q P. ii It P x Kt Q—B z To avoid, as he thinks, White's threat of P—Q B 4. 12 P—B 4! . . . A remarkable and unexpected sacrifice.

QPxP

13PxP BxP 13. . . P x I? [caves Black a clearly unsatisfactory position, but what's wrong with the text? 14 Q—K 4! Kt—Kt 5 14. . . Q—Kt 2; leaves Black badly tied up by the pin on his queen and White has more than enough compensation for the pawn. However, it is probably better than the move played.

15 10—R 3 13-10 6 r6 Kt x PI B x R

47 Kt x P ch! Q x Kt 17 ,. . K—Q 2; IS Kt x R, B—B 4; ig P—K 6 ch, P x P; 20 Ks—K 5 ch, K—K 1; 21 B—Kt 5 is also wretched for Black. rli Q x R ch K—Q 2 t8 ...Q—Q 1; to QxQ ch, K xQ; 20 B—Kt 5 eh and 21 R x11 with a winning ending.

19 B—KI 5! BxKl

2oQxQB 11-84 ao . , . B—K 2; 21 QxP, R—K r; 22 R—Q r ch and wins. , az R—Q I ch K—B 1 22 R—QB r! . . . threat Q—R 8 ch 22 ... R—K r Or 22 . . . K—Kt x; 23 B—B 4 (threat P—K 6), Q—Kt 3; 24 P—K 6 ch, K—R 2;

25 R x It!, Q X R ; 26 B—K 3. Black is lost.

23 Q—R8 ch K—Q a

24 H—Q r ch B—Q3 .....501--Re ... 25 R x B eh?, Q x III;

26 Q x it ch, K x Q; 27 P x Q, K—Q 2 is not nearly so good. ft—K3

26 Q—B 5 P-113

27BxP . . . 27 R x B ch, Q x R; 28 P X 111, P x B would also win but not quite so decisively. Kt—Q 4 27 . . . P X B is better, but 28 R x B ch will still win.

28 P x B Q—R 4 29 13-1131 Resigns Ile loses the knight for nothing—as well as being two pawns down and in a bad position; If 29 . ,.. Kt x II; then 3o Q X Q, Kt X R; 31 Q-13 7 ch, K—K 1; 32 P—Q 7 ch, etc.