25 OCTOBER 1957, Page 29

Chess

By PHILIDOR No. 124 Specially contributed by D. BRUMA (The Hague)

BLACK (10 men) WHITE (7 men)

WHITE to play and mate in 2 moves: solution next week. Solution to last week's problem by Mansfield: B-B 4, no threat. I...B x K P; 2 R-Q 3 (set R-13 7).

B x B P; 2 R x Kt (set R-B 5). 1 . Kt (Kt 6) any; 2 Kt-Q 4. 1 ... Kt (Kt 2) any; 2 Q-K 8. 1 ... B-R 2; 2 Kt x B. Elegant problem, theme being the changed mates after self-pins by Black queen's bishop.

One of the most brilliant attacking players of the younger Soviet school is Nejmetdinov, a Kazakstan player. I have a special pleasure in giving one of hid games since he shares a rare distinction with the illustrious Philidor, whose name I have dared tO appropriate for this column; he is a strong draughtS player as well as a chess master. Most chess players look down their noses slightly at draughts; perhaps we should take more notice of Edgar Allan Poe's view that draughts is the better game of the two.

White, D. ARONSON Black, R. NEJMETDINOV

Opening, Roy Lopez

1 P-K 4 P-K 4 16 B x Kt Q x B 2Kt-K B 3 Kt-Q B 3 17 Q Kt-Q 2 Kt-K 2 3 B-Kt 5 P-Q R 3 18 Kt-B1 Kt-Kt 3 ( g) 4 B-R 4 Kt-B 33 5 Q-K 2 (a) P-Q Kt 4 20 Kt-K 3 (h) Q x K BP 6 13-Kt 3 13-13 4 21 R x P 13-13 4 7 P-Q B 3 (b) P-Q 3 22 R x Kt? (I) P x K

8 0-0 0-0 23 Kt x P K-R 2

9 R-Q 1 (c) Q-K 2 24 R-Q I R x 10 P-K R 3 (d) II-Kt 3 25 K x R(J) Q-R 7 ch 11 P-Q 4 B-Kt 2 26 K-K Q x P ch 12 P-Q 5 (e) Kt-Q R 4 27 K-Q 2 Q x Kt 13 13-B 2 P-B 3! 28 Kt-Q5 Q-Kt 4 ch 14 P x P Kt x B P 29 Resigns (k) 15 13-Kt 5 (f) P-R. 3 (n) A good (Inc to adopt for a change; it has the advantage for those who are not great book students of avoiding a number of heavily analysed variations.

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(b) 7 P-Q R 4 is more forceful, with continuation 7 . . P.O- Kt 1 (7 . . P-Kt 57; 8 B x P ch, K x 13; 9 Q-B 4 ch); 8 P P, P x P; 9 0-0 and White's occupation of Q R file gives hint a very slight pull. (c) On the whole, I think the quiet line P-Q 3 is better. giving White a more solid game. (d) And here I prefer 10 P-Q 4, B-Kt 3; !IP x P. P x P; 12 B-K 3, B x B; 130 x B, Kt-Q R 4; 14 Q Kt-Q 2. (e) Now line in last note is not quite so good as Black has developed Q B and also can play Kt-- K. R 4, threat Kt-115 at end of variation given. ( f) Better 15 B-K 3, B x B; 16 Q x B. Kt-Q R 4; 17 Q Kt-Q 2 with approximate equality. (g) Threat 19 ... Kt-B 5; 20 Q-K I, Kt x P ch; 21 P x Kt. Q x Kt. (5) Vcry risky. Why not the natural move 20 K-R 2 with a tenable if slightly inferior position for White? ( 1) Fatal: White has quite misjudged the position. He should play R-Q 2 after which Black has a strong initiative but nothing decisive. (J) 25 Q x R is equally bad: 25 . . R-K 13 I; 26 Q-K 1, R-B 8 ch!; 27 Q x R, 13 x Kt ch; 28. Q-B 2, Q x P ch. etc., or 26 Q-R 2. B x Kt ch; 27 K-R I, R-B 8 ch. (k) 29 K-Q 3, B x Kt; 30 P x B, Q x P mate or 29 K-K I, R-K B 1 (threatening 30 Q-Kt 6 ch; 31 K-Q 2 R- 7)3 30 Q-R 2 (30 0-0 3, Q-Kt 7), x Kt; 31 R x 13, 0:;-.K 6 ch; 32 Q-K 2, R-B 8 ch; 33 K x R. Q-Kt 8 mate.