Chess no. 339

PHILIDOR

Dr S. Subrahmanyam (1st prize, The Hindu, 1957). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 338 (Barnes): Kt - Q 5, threat R- Kt 5 or Q-B 3. 1 ...R x Q Kt; 2 Q-B 3. 1 . . . B x Kt; 2 R - Kt 5. 1 . . R x K Kt;

2R -B 4. R x R; 2 Q- Kt 2. 1 ... Kt x R; 2 Kt - K 5. 1 . . K x R; 2 Q - R 3. Fine key and variations and excellent thematic try 1 R - Q 5?, defeated only by R x Kt! Worthy prizewinner.

This week's game was played in one of the events in the recent Monte Carlo centenary congress. I publish it largely for its brilliant finish, but the opening too has some interest. Notes based on those by the winner.

White. Honfi. Black, Thiellement. Opening, R uy Lopez (Bird's Defence). (Monte Carlo, 1967.)

1 P - K 4 P - K 4 2 Kt - K /3 3 Kt - Q 11 3

3 8- Kt 5 Kt - Q 5 A move that is not quite sr. had

as it looks 4 Kt x Kt P x Kt 5 0 - 0 P - Q B 3 6 B - R 4 B - B 4 7 P - Q 3 Kt - K 2 8 B Kt 5 0 - 0 9 B - Kt 3 P - K R 3

10 B - R 4 P - Q 3. An aPernrive g;vyng a free-T- it. more dangerous—position for Black ;‘ 10 . . P - Q 4; 11 P x P. P - K Kt 4; 12 B - Kt 3, Kt x P.

11 P-K B4! 8-K 3 12 P - B 5! B x B

13 R P X 13 P -B 3 Necessary to stop P - B 6 bet now Black is very weak on the White squares.

14 Q - Kt 4 . . . While this turns out very well, 1 think that I would have preferred 14 Kt - Q 2, to meet

14 . . P -0 4 with 15 P - K 5, P x P; 16 P - B 6,

P x P. 17 Q K1 4 ch and 188 X P. 14 . . Q - Q 2 15 R - B 3 P -1111 4 8 - Kt 5 Hi Kt - 2 17 R - Kt 3 Kt - B 1 Against 17 . . . P - K Kt 4; litm6 vie, II Kt - B 3! with a very wrong :mask 11 R - 8 2; then 19 R - R 3 followed by I - B 2. And 17 . . Kt x Pit to IS Kt - B 31 iF - B 3 P x P SPxP - Q 3

(, R - R 3 K - R I

:1 - 8 2 P - B 4 P - B 3 P x P 23 P x P R - K 1 24 Kt - R 4 Kt - K 2 25 B - K 3 Kt - Kt I 26 - I Q- B3 Q - Q B 2 la safer. after which it is far from clear that White's attack will win.

:7 P - K 5! BxP n . . PXP; 213 R-Kt 3 andnow 213 ...0-B2;29RxIltar 20 ...R-K 2;

29 Kt - Kt 6 ch.

25 Kt - Kt 6 ch K - R 2 BxRP! P )< B? He must play 29 . . Kt x B;

30 R x Kt ch. P x R; 31 Kt - B I eh!, K-S 1! 32 R - Q 7. Q x R; 33 Kt x Q. White has the batter chances but Black can still tesist strongly. It is bowever iery hard to defend these minions in practice and it is not •urprising that Black overlooked White's cosibansasion.

30 Kt - B chit R x Kt 30 ... K - I; 31 R -Q 7.

O -iCi6 K - R 1

Rxp ch

Kt x R Q X Kt ch K - Kt 1 34 Q-Kt6ch K-R 1

35 R - Q 3 B x P els A last kick; 1/ 36 K X la liken

M . . . - 13 2 tan and 37 . . . Q -R 2. 36 - If Resigns.