Chess
By PHILIDOR No. 59. H. LAWTON (Sheffield)
BLACK (13 men)
WHITE (9 men) WHITE to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.
Solution to last week's problem by Mansfield: R- K Kt 11 no threat. Double focal theme: BACKS TO THE WALL When, a few aeons ago, I was a young and rapidly improving player I won most of my games with dashing attacks, and chess seemed too easy; one brought out one's pieces rapidly, rushed them up the board, usually preceded by a few pawns, sacrificed the latter as necessary, and duly assassinated the enemy king. Then I began to play against strong players, and suddenly these attacks were no good any more; the assault would be held, and I found myself subjected to heavy counter-attack or left with a lost end-game. What I had not realised was the extent to which the success of the attacks had depended on my opponents every now and again giving them a further impetus through failing to find the best line of defence.
This taught me one of the most valuable lessons to be learnt in chess: %hat a difficult position is not a lost one. If you get a difficult game or are subjected to an■attack, your normal reaction should be that if you can find the correct defensive moves you can hold the position. Remember that if you do hold out you have a great psychological advantage; your opponent, having got a good position, will expect to win it, and if he fails to make headway is likely to overpress the attack or just to play badly through a feeling that he has missed his chance.
Which brings up another point worth mention —don't throw good money after bad. If you have had a good position and have spoilt it, then accept this fact and play the existing position on its merits; many games are lost that could be saved, because a player insists on playing as if he still had an advantage which in fact no longer exists.
Lastly, do.not take all this as advice never to attack: it is far better, and far more fun, to attack too much than too little. This is only to say don't despair if you do have to defend, and remember that a position has to be very bad before it is lost.
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