Chess no. 376

PHILIDOR

Black

5 men

10 men

V. N. Ovchinnikov (1st prize, 64, 1928). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 375 (Ua Tane): K x P, threat K --B 7. 1 . . . B x B ch; 2 K X B. 1 . . . B – Kt 5 ch; 2K x P.1 . B – Q 5 ch; 2 Kt – B 5. 1 ...B–K 6 ch; 2 Kt–il 3. 1 ...K B X P ch; 2 KxB. 1 ...QBxPch; 2 KxB. 1 ... R – Q 6; 2 R x P. Fine key and excellent play. The following fine game was played on top board in a correspondence match between Great

Britain and Czechoslovakia; it illustrates two features of correspondence play—its use as a medium for opening experiments and the (rather surprising) scope it offers for imaginative sacrificial play. One might expect correspondence chess to be more cautious than over-the-board play since there is less value in surprise; on the contrary, it seems in pvactice to lead to more daring play. Notes based on those by Littlewood in Corres- pondence Chess. White, J. Augustin (Czechoslovakia). Black. 1. E. Littlewood. Opening. Sicilian. (Correspondence, 1965-67.)

P -K 4 P - Q B 4 2 Kt- K B 3 Kt - Q B 3 3 P - Q 4 P x P 4 Kt X P P - K Kt 3 5 Kt -Q B 3 B - Kt 2 6 B - K 3 Kt - B 3 7 B- Q B 4 0 -0

9 P -BKt 33 P Q - Q R 3

10 Q -Q 2 P -Q Kt 4 II 0-0-0 B - Kt 2, Littlewood says that he first

saw this system for Black played by Johanes.sen: he played it himself in a game against Hindle in the British championship and now wanted to try it out again in correspondence, where there is more time for study and analysts.

12 Kt x Kt . . . Hindle here played P - K R 4. the game ultimately being drawn.

12 P Kt 13 P -Kt 4 P -x Q R 4 14 P - Q R 3 P -1 t 5! Envisaging his coming pawn

ce.

15 Kt - R 4 PP- B 4! The point; at the cost of a pawn he now opens up lines for all his pieces. 16 Kt X P P x P

17 P x P B - B 3 18 P-QR 4 OR-01 19 Q - B 2 Kt x Kt P!

20 P x Kt Q- K 4 Threat 0 - Kt 7 or R 8 mate.

21 Kt - Q 3 . Littlewood gist:, as better 21 B - Q 5

with the following ritmihililics: fa) 21 • •P - K 3; 22 B- Q 4. Q- Kt 4 ch: 23 B- K 3. 0 - K 4 drawn; (h) 21 . . . B x B: 22 P x B, Q - Kt 7 ch: 23 K - Q 2. R x P ch. and Black will emerge with three pawns and the attack for a piece However if my comment on move 27 is correct the move plasci mar in fact be beat.

21 . . R x Kt' Another unpleasant surprise.

22 P x R . Or 22 R x R. Q- R 8 ch; 23 K - Q 2. Q x R with advantage to 13:.,..:k. material being equal and White's pawn position bad.

22 . . . Q - R 8 ch 23 K- Q 2 Q - Kt 7 ch'

24 13 - 13 2 . 24 K - K I. Q X B: 25 K - K 2, BxRPand Black stands better. 24 . . . BxRP

25 R - B I R - B I 26 K-QI R x B' 27 Q x R? If 27 R x R then 27 . Q - Kt 8 eh and now 28 B - B I. B - R 3! with the winning threat of B x B. However, it seems to me that 27 R X R.

Q - Kt 8 ch: 28 K - K 2!. Q x R ch: 29.K. - B 3 would be a much better chance. e.g 29 . . Q x P. 30 Q - Q 2!

and White should not lose. Nevertheless. I think he would have been lucky to escape! After the text the two rooks are no match for the queen.

27 . . . B x 0 eh 28 R x II Q - Kt 8 ch 29B-B1 Q - Kt 6 30

31 R - K 2 Q xR P5 ch

33 K- B 2 Q- R 6 ch 34 B - B 4 B - Q 5 ch 35 K - K I Q - B 6 36 Resigns ... 36 13 - B 1. B-B6 eh: 37 11- Q 2.

Q - it 8 ch: 38 K - B 2. Q x P ch: 39 K - 8 1. Q - R 6 ch. etc. White's pawns go down like ninepins and the game is quite hopeless