Chess no. 385

PHILIDOR

Black White 9 men 10 men 1930). solution Kt 7! no K - B 4; - B 6 ch, B - Kt 6; D. 1 . . . the main

C. Mansfield (third prize, Falkirk Herald, White to play and mate in two moves; next week.

Solution to no. 384 (Scheel): Q -

threat A. 1 . • B - Kt 8; 2 Kt - B 3 ch, 3 Kt x KL.B. 1 . . . B - Q 8; 2 Kt K x P or K - B 4; 3 Kt - Q 7. C. 1 2 Kt - B 5 ch, K X Kt; 3 Q - Kt 1. Kt any; 2 Q X P ch and 3 Q - B 5 are variations in a superb problem. Congratulations to successful solvers.

all the older players, but not a good sign for Hungarian chess and perhaps another small indica- tion that the dominance of communist countries in international chess is weakening in that one no longer sees quite the stream of brilliant youngsters that one did a decade or so ago.

White, Slab& Black, Kovacs.. Opening, Queen's Gambit. (Hungary 1968.) 1 P - Q Q 4; 2 P - Q B 4, P -X 3; 3 Kt - Q B 3, B -K 2; 4 Kt - B 3, Kt - K B 3; 5 P - K Kt 3, 0 - 0; 6 B - Kt 2, P - Q Kt 3; 7 P x P, P x P; 8 0 - B - Kt 2; 9 B-B4,QKi-Q2; 10 R-B 1;P-B 3 11 Kt - K 5 R - B 1? Without making any definitely bad Moves, Black has played rather passively and drifted into a position where he

has little to do but defend, himself against

White's queen's side pressure. This natural move is, however, a blunder; he should play 11 ... Kt X Kt.

12 B - R 3! R - R 1. I cannot find anything better. 12 . . . B - Q 3? loses a piece to

13 Kt X Kt and White threatens 13 Q - R 4, This year's Hungarian championship was a triumph for the veteran grandmaster Laslo Szab6, a familiar figure—and winner—at Hastings in past years. With 13+118 he was If points ahead of Barcza (another veteran); a comforting result for

P - Q R 4; 14 Kt x Kt, Kt x Kt; 15 Kt x P! 13 Kt X Kt, Kt X Kt; 14 Kt x P!, P x Kt 15 B x Kt P - K Kt 4. This attempt to - complicate hastens his defeat, but I think that he must try it. 15 . . Q X B; 16 R - B 7

will just leave White a pawn ahead with no problems and a comfortable win at his leisure.

16 R - B 7 B - R 3

17 B - K 5, P - B 3; 18 Q - R 4!, B x P

19 R - K 1 B - B 6. If 19 . , . P x B; then 20 B - K 6 ch, K - R I; 21 R - Q 7 and White wins.

20 B-K 6 ch,K-R I; 21 R-Q 7,Q-K 1

22 B - B 7 R - B 1. Or 22 . . . B - K 5; , 23 B x Q P!, R (1) x B. Black is quite lost.

23 Q x P . . . not, however, 23 B x Q P??,

R x Ill and Black is winning.

23 . . . B - Q Kt 5. There is nothing any good; White threatens (amongst other things) just 24 Q X Kt P. Black may as well try to confuse the issue.

24 B - Q 6! . . . Threatening 25 R x P mate. Q - Kt 3

25 BxB K R-K 1. He could resign without any danger

26 R-K 7 R x R 27 B x R, R - K 1; 28 Q - Q 7, B K 5 29 Q X R ch! Resigns. And not having resigned earlier, he might now have played 29 .

Q X Q; and allowed 30 B x BP mate.