Chess

BY PHILIDOR

No. 19. CONRAD ERLIN

BLACK, 10 men. WHITE to play and

mate in 2 moves:

solution next week. Solution to last week's problem by Libby: B-Kt 4, waiting. Peculiarly attractive key for a 'waiter' in that by unpinning two of his pieces it concedes Black many more WHITE, 9 men. moves only to dis- pose of all of them. l...Bmoves;2B-Q6. 1. . . P x P; 2 B-Q 6. 1. . . K-K 4; 2 Q x Kt. I . . . Kt-B 4; 2 Kt-Kt 6. 1 . . . Kt (6) any other; 2 Q-Q 4. 1 ... Kt (4) any; 2 Q-Kt 3.

One of the very best players in England at the moment is Raafi Persitz, a young Israeli studying at Oxford: full of imagination and fire in his play, he has also an excellent temperament—the love of the game and fundamental self-confidence that make him ready to tackle anyone and try anything, combined with an agreeable modesty which means that he is always ready to learn. He also has the virtue of playing his best against the best opposition—and its concomitant vice of sometimes going to pieces against comparatively weak opposition. It will be most interesting to see how he does at Hastings this Christmas.

The following fascinating and complex game s from the Paignton tournament, where he took first prize.

White, R. PEasrrz Black, P. S. MILNER-BARRY Opening., Scotch 4 Knights.

1 P-K 4 P-IC 4 16 B-R 4 B x P 2 Kt-Q B 3 Kt-Q B 3 17 R-Kt 7 Q-Q B 1 3 Kt-B 3 Kt-B 3 18 R-Q 7! Kt-Q 4!

4 P-Q 4 B-Kt 5 (a) 19 Q-B 31(g) Kt-Kt 3 5 P-Q 5 Kt-K 2 20 B-B 6 Kt x R

6 Kt x P P-Q 3 (0 21 B x R Kt-Kt 3 7 B-Kt 5 ch P-B 3? (c) 22 B-K 4 P-Q 4 (h)

8 P x P 0-0 23 Q-Q R 31 B-B 5

9 Kt-Q 7! Kt x K P (d) 24 B-Q 3 Q-B 2? to 14) 0-0 Kt x Kt 25 R-K 1 (J) B-K 4 11 P x kt B x P (e) 26 B-B 4 P-B 3

12 P x P! B x P 27 B-B 51 K-B 2

13 R-Kt 1 R-K I , 28 Q-R 3! K-K 2 (k)

14 Kt-B 6 ch B x Kt 29 Q-R 4 K-Q 3 15 B x R B-Q 41(f) 30 R x BI Resigns (/) (a) 4... P x P; 5 Kt x P, B-Kt 5; is alternative leading to drawish type of game with some chances for White.

(&) Bost. If 6 .. . Kt x P?; 7 Q-Q 4 and if 6 0-0; as: once once played (unsuccessfully) against Persitz, then again

7 Q-Q 4 with advantage.

,(c) This used to be thought correct until the ingenious resource on White's 9th move was discovered, which is now thought to refute P-B 3. Best is 7 . . . K-B 11; 8 Kt-B 3, Kt x P; 9 Q-Q 4, Kt x Kt; 10 P x Kt, B-B 4 with about equal chances.

(d) Best. Against any other move White emerges from complications with material advantage. (e) There is no fully adequate move, e.g. 11 P x P; 12 Kt x R, B x P; 13 R-Kt I, P x B; 14 Q-B 31 and

remains exchange ahead. Or 11 B x Kt; 12 P x Q B, B x P; 13 R-Kt 1, P-Q R 3; 14 B-Q 3, Q x P; 15 R-Kt 31, B-B 3; 16 B x P chl, K x B; 17 Q-k 5 'ch. K-Kt 1; 18 R-K R 3 and Wins. (f) Powerful counter-thrust: threat of B x R P, followed by Kt-Q 4-B 6 makes it very difficult for White to retain his advantage and he only succeeds by a series of fine moves.

(g) A splendid move dealing with threats of Kt-Kt 3 and Kt-B 6.

(6) Better 22 .. . B-K 3, followed by P-Q 4 when White would only win after a long struggle, if at all.

(I) Blunder. Q-Q 2 is essential, after which Black can still put up a fight.

(J) Decisive: White no* finishes the game off with a series of powerful moves. If Black replies 25 . Q-Q 2?, then 26 10 x PI wins at once.

(k) 28 . . . P-K R 3; is slightly bettor, but after 29 Q-K Kt 3 White wins comfortably.

(/) Because after loses his queen.