Chess
By PHILIDOR No. 170. G. HEATHCOTE (First Prize, Hampstead and Highgate Express, 1905)
BLACK (II men)
WHITE (10 men)
WHITE to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to No. 169 (Sheppard): R(R 7)—K 7, threat R—K 6. I . . . R—K 4; 2 Kt—K 8. l . . . Kt—B 2; 2 Kt—K 4. 1 . . . Q—K 4 ch; 2 Q—B 4. 1 . . . Kt—B 4; 2 Q—KB 2.
1 . B x Ktch; 2 R x B. First two variations show the theme—Black defences unpinning the White knight; the two mates by the White queen are a splendid bonus in a beautiful problem.
lust after I had written my apology for not pro- ducing an 'old master' last week, a correspondent sent me one, so I am redressing the balance by publishing it this week. As an ardent Baker Street fan, I find just the same kind of attraction in this game as in a Sherlock Holmes story; one knows what is going to happen and the idea in a way is a hackneyed one—but the whole thing is so well done that the foreknowledge in no way reduces one's admiration and pleasure.
White, A. Farrz; Black, J. MASON; Opening, FRENCH • DEFENCE (Nuremberg, 1883) Notes based on those by the loser, whose appreciation of the game is a refreshing feature.
I P—K 4 P—K 3 2 P—Q 4 P—Q 4 3 Kt—QB 3 Kt—KB 3 4 B—KKt 5 B—K 2 5 B X Kt B X 6 Kt—B 3 0-0. Here or on the next move Black should play P x P. 7 B—Q 3 P—QKt 3? It is very interesting that Mason does not even comment on this move which is the root of his subsequent troubles: it is a wrong idea. 8 P—KR 4! B—Kt 2? As Mason says, B—R 3 is better but even then 9 P—K 5 is very strong e.g. 9 . . 13x13; 10 Qx B (or 10 P x KB), B—K 2; I I Kt—KKt 5, P—Kt. 3: 12 P—KB 4 with a powerful attack.
9 P—K 5 B—K 2 10 B x Pch!
We are no more surprised by this than we are by the return of Holmes from the Reichenbach falls—but we enjoy it al the same.
10 . . K x13 II Kt—Kt 5ch K—Kt 3. II . .. K—Kt I 12 Q—R 5 and II . . B x Kt; 12 P x Bch are both rapidly fatal, while 11 . . . K—R 3; 12 Q—Q 2 is also hopeless. 12 Kt—K 2! . . . Very line. The obvious 2 Q—Q 3 en would also win but BnotKsto convincingly as the text. 12 . .
13 Px B P—KB 4. 13 . . Qx P; 14 Kt—B 4 ch!. K—B 4(14 . . . Qx Kt; 15 Q—R 5 mate); 15 Q—Q 3 eh' K—Kt 5; 16 Q—R 3 ch, K x Kt; 17 Q—B 3 mate 14 KtP x P c.p. R—R 1 15 Kt—B 4 ch K—LI 2 16 Q—Kt 4! . . . no sacrifices are more agreeable than those when you can make the supreme gesture of allowing capture with check.
16 . . . R xR ch
17 K—Q 2 P x P 18 Q—Kt 6 eh K—K 2 19 Q—Kt 7 ch K--K 20 Q—Kt 8 ch K—K 2
21 QxR B P ch K-11-13 22 R x and now White mates in four niove. by 23 RR 8 ch, K—Kt 2; 24 R—R 7 ch!, KxR; 25 Q—B 7 nn' K—R I; 26 Kt—Kt 6 mate.
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