Chess

By PHILIDOR No. 176. J. M. RICE (Correspondence Chess, December, 1963)

BLACK (4 men) WHITE (3 men)

mis week's problem is a 'helpmate.' The players co-operate to enable White to mate on his second move; solve it (a) if White moves first (b) if Black moves first. Solution to No. 175 (Wertheim): Kt-Q 5, threat Q xKP. 1 . . . P-K 4; 2 B-Q 3 (set Q-B 5). 1 . K X Kt; 2 Q X KtP. 1 . . . P X Kt; 2 Q-B 5. 1 . . . B-K 6; 2 Kt-B 3 (set B-Q 3). 1 . . . B-B 5; 2 Kt-B 6 (set QXKtP). Set mates are changed but reappear against different defences- the so-called Rukhlis theme.

A few weeks ago I gave a game lost by the fourteen-year-old German player Robert Hubner; here is one in which he shows to better advantage. Too much should not however be read into a victory in the style of this game; especially for a young player, slashing combinational attacks against a rather inferior defence are the easiest kinds to play- the real test comes later when the talented young master has to raise his level of play to cope with

master opposition. Some fall at this hurdle; paters arc able to say, like Botwinnik, 'I now learnt hog/ to win games against strong masters.'

White, HUBNER; Black, PLESSE. Opening, FRENCO. (Bad Schwalbach, 1963.)

1 P-K 4 P-K 3 2 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 3 Kt-QB 3 B-Kt 5 4 P-K 5 P-QB 4 5 P-QR 3 B-R 4. Quite playable, but think 10.

ha cmorneconormal B x Kt ch gives Black rather better practicoi 6 P-QKt 4 PxQP. 6 . . P xKtP: 7 Kt-Kt 5' PxP ch; 8 P-B 3, B-B 2; 9 BXP gives White excellent P for the pawn.

7 Kt-Kt 5 13-B 2 8 P-KB 4 Kt-K 2 9 Kt-KB 3 QKt-B 3

10 B-Q 3 13-Q 2. This move, combined with the Oct: is the source of Black's subsequent troubles. Here or next rnnv° Black should play P-QR 3.

II 0-0 Kt-Kt 37

12 Kt-Kt 5! P-QR 3. 12 . P-KR 3; (ails 11011 13 Ktx BP!, KxKt; 14 Q-R 5, Kt-K 2; 15 Kt-Q 6 ch! w- advantage.

13 KtxBch QxKt

14 B-Kt 2 QKt-K 2. A better chance now might I% the risky 14 . . P-KR 3. If White retires the knight „,.C. pressure is relieved and the aggressive 15 Kt x KP, 11)C" dt 16 P-B 5, Kt(Kt 3)xP; 17 P x13. P-B 3 is not clear. Bil throughout gets the worst of both worlds by timid play o'''!, neither saves him from the attack nor gives him counter chanccs 15 BxQP 11-Kt 4 bin! 16 P-B 5 . . I am not sure whether this cla!: move is entirely correct. 16 Q-R 5 would retain a posio"`" plus e.g. 16 , . . BK13; 17 P x B, P-R 3; 18 QR-B .01 16 . . . KtXBP 7 16 . BXB; 17 PXP! giv se Is. White a winning attack after 17 . . B-B 4, BXR or i; by 18 PxP oh, e.g. 17 . . B-13.4; 18 PxP ch. K---Yieg 19 P-K 6 eh, K-Q 3; 20 BxP, BX KP; 21, Ktx13, K r'"is 22 Q-Kt 4 ch, K-Q 3; 23 R-B 6 ch. The only chaneco 16 . . . P X P!; 17 P-K 6. P-B 3; 18 Kt-B 7, 0-01 a still unclear position.

out the queens. 18 BX Kt winning material.

22 QxKt Q X P

24 . . . KR-K 1

20 KtXP! KxKt 21 Q-R 5 ch K-Kx 1 23 RxP Q X Q 24 R Q . . the attack remains just as 25 R X P ch K-B 26 R-K t R-K 2 27 R-Kt 5 R-Q 1

28 R-R 5 Resigns.

18 RxP 0-0 19 P-K 6 P-I3 3

17 13>

strong it

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