Chess 445

PHILIDOR

W. Pauly (Deutsche Schachzeirung, 1904). White to play and mate in three moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 444 (Macleod): Kt - Q 31, no

threat. 1 K - Q 4; 2 B - Kt 8. 1 ...K x Kt; 2 Q x R. 1 . . . Kt (either) any; 2 Kt - Kt 2. Compare the play with that after the thematic try Kt - Q 5!? viz. 1 Kt - Q 5, K x Kt; 2 Q x R. 1 ...K-Q 6; 2Q-B1 butl...Kt-Blland there is no mate. Elegant example of modern two-mover.

Basmadjan at home

Everyone who knows Michael Basman's play and personality has regarded him as a unique chess phenomenon - the mixture of highly eccentric opening play with insight and great ingenuity in the middle game, his ability to win quite lost games and lose those that are easily won in a way that sends any team captain out of his mind have always seemed to us individual matters. Not at all. Basman has returned for a year or so to Armenia, the land of his origin, changed his name to Basmadjan and appears to Armenians as a rather conservative player, though one liable to make blunders. The following game, which largely defies comment, was played in the Armenian championship in which Basm(adj)an was seventh out of eighteen.

Pctrosian must be a very untypical Armenian player.

White, Hagopian. Black, Basmadjan. Opening, Caro Kann. (Erevan, 1969.) 1 P-K 4 P-Q B 3 2 P-Q 4 P-K Kt 3 A curious mixture of Caro Kann and Robatsch which I suppose is playable.

3 Kt-Q B 3 B-Kt 2 4 Kt-B 3 P-Q 4 5 P-K 5 Kt-Q 2 6 P-K R 4 .

Straightforward development seems to me preferable, but rather un-Armenian.

Kt-B 1 7 P-R 5 Kt-R 3 Otherwise 8 P - R 6.

8 B-Q 2 Kt-K 3 9 Q-B 1 ... 9B-Q3ismetby9...P-QB4; 10QPxP, P - Q .5 and if 9 Kt - K 2 (threat 10 Q - B 1, Kt - B 4?; 11 P-K Kt 4!) then 9 . ..P- B 3. The position is Armenobasmadjan.

9 ... Kt-B 4 10 P-R6 B-B 11 Kt-K 2 P-K Kt 4! Forced, because of White's threat of P-K Kt 4 - but also quite strong.

12 BxP R-K Kt! 13 B-Q 2 P-B 4 14 P-B 3 PxP 15 P-K Kt 4!?...

This ingenious counterstroke is not quite correct - but Black is well placed anyway.

15 . . . R x P 16 B-R 3 Kt-B 4!

17 Q-Kt 1 PxP! 18 BxR PxP!

To quote Basmadjan, 'Thunderous applause'.

19 Q X P?, Kt - Q 6 ch.

19 B-B 3 PxR=Q 20 BxQ Kt-K 5 Miraculously, Black has emerged two pawns up, but there is plenty of time to blunder - and Black still has his troubles.

21 Q-Kt 5 ch Q-Q 2 22 Q-Q 3 Q-B 3 23 P-K 6! B x P 24 Kt-K 5 Q-Kt 3

25 0-0 B x P The alternative is 25 R-Q 1; 26 BxKt,BxB; 27 B-Q4,Kt-Q.31; 28 Q-K 3, Q-R 3 followed by Kt-B 5 or P-B 3.

26 B x Kt B x B 27 Q x P B-Kt 3?

27 . . . Kt - Q 3/; is correct and keeps the win e.g. 28 Kt x P, Kt x Kt; 29 Q x B, Q - Kt 3 ch with a winning ending or 28 B - Q 4, Q - Kt 4. 28 Q-Q 7 ch K-B 1 29 Q-R 31 K-K I Otherwise 30 Kt - Q 7 ch.

30 Q x B Q-K B 3 31 Kt-K B 4 R-B 1?? A terrible blunder (probably time pressure). 31 . . . Q - Kt 4 ch; 32Q x Q, Kt x Q is essential with a probable draw (a just result) to follow.

32 Kt (5) x B Q-Kt 4 ch 33 Q xQ Kt x Q 34 Kt - K 5 and White won easily. Much more amusing than many much better games.