Chess

By PHILIDOR No. 165. E. E. WESTBURY (First Prize, The Puzzle, 1934)

BLACK (10 MOH

WHITE (10 men)

WHIII to play and mate in two moves; • solution next week. Solution to No. 164 (Sheppard)": B-Kt 6, threat P-Q 4. 1 . . Kt121-Kt 4; 2 R-B 5. I . . . Kt(3)-Kt 4; 2 R-K 6. 1. . . Kt-K 3; 2 Q-K 4.

I . Kt-B 4; 2 Q-B 4. 1 . . . P-B 4; 2Q-Q 4.

I ...QXQ ch; 2 Kt x Q. 1 Bx R ch; 2 Kt X B.

Superb problem with Black defences unpinning White by interference and with Black self-pins as well.

Older players, generally speaking, attack less; partly because their creative power has waned, even more because their nervous stamina is insufficient. I am delighted therefore to give a brilliant win by a veteran—the Finnish master EerO B&W, who is ancient as chess players go—over fifty.

(Brilliancy' Prize, Finnish Championship, Tartu, White, BOOK.; Black, Uusr, Opening, ENGLISH.

1963.)

P-K 3

I P-QB 4

2 Kt-Q13 3 P-Q13 4 3 Kt-I3 3 Kt-KB 3 4 I'-KKt 3 l'-QKt 3 5 B-Kt 2 13-Kt 2 6 0-0 It-K 2. I prefer the more active P-Q 4.

7 P-Q 4 I' xi'

8 Q P 0-0. Better first Kt-B 3. 9 P-K 4 Kt-B 3 10 Q-K 3 . . . for now White has an eseellent square for the queen.

10... P-Q 3 11 12-1:5 I Q-Kt 1 12 Q-K 2 R-Q 1 . . . due to his weak opening play Block cannot now form a plan—nor can I form a good one for him. lie oscillates feebly between attempts to force l'-Q 4 and i'-QKt 4 neither of which looks like succeeding. 13 P-Kt 3 P-QR 3 14 B-K 3 Kt-Q 2 15 QR-B 1 Q-R 2 16 P-KR 4! . . the grand manner. Having tied Black up on the queen's side he attacks him on the king's. 16 . . . QR-13 1 17 Kt-KKt 5 l'-R 3. Otherwise Q-R 5—but now there is ,a weakness.

18 Kt-R 3 Q-Kt 1 19 Kt-B 4 B-R 1 20 B-R 3 Kt(3)-K 4. Better Kt-13 I. 21 Kt XP! . . . I am not certain that this is absolutely sound, but it will win nine times out of ten in practice. 21 . . PXKt 22 BxP ch K-R 1 23 13-Q 4. R-B 2 24 P-B 4 Kt-I3 I. 24 . . Kt-QB 3 at once is better when BXP ch is dubious, but after 25 B-K 3 White has plenty for his piece.

25 13-Q 5 Kt-13 3

26 BXP ch! KxB 27 Q-Kt 4 ch Kt-Kt 3. 27 . . . K-B 3; 28 Q-B 5 ch etc. 28 P-R 5 13-Kt 4 29 PXKt . . . 29 PxB, Kt-K 4; 30 PXP ch. K XP is less good. 29 .. 13-13 3 30 P-1( 5! PXP 31 Kt-K 4. threatening Kt x13 followed by P-Kt 7.

31 . . . K-KB I

32 B-I3 7 . . . threatening 33 Kt x13. K x Kt; 34 Q-R 4 ch and 35 P-B 5.

32 . . . B-K 2 33 P-13 5 Kt-Q 5 34 RXKL! PxR 35 P-B 6 ch! lix P 36 KIX B R-13 4. 36 .. . K X Kt; 37 Qxl. eh and mate follows.

37 Kt-Q 7 Q-Q 3 38 Kt X R(138) Resigns. 38 . . . K x Kt; 39 P-Kt 7 ch or 38 . Q X Kt; 39 Q X P ch, R-K 4; 40 Q X R mate.