Chess
By PHILIDOR
No. 76 S. C. DUTT (Calcutta) lit Prize, B.C.F. Tourney No.80
BLACK (8 men)
WHITE (11 mon)
Wurra to play and mate in two moves: solution next week.
Solution to last week's problem by Mansfield: R-B 6!, no threat. 1 . . . K x P; 2 R-B 5. 1 . . . R-Q 7 or R-K 6; 2 Kt x P. 1 . . . R-Q 6 or R-K 7; 2 Q x P. 1 . . . B-Q 7 or B-Q 6; 2 Q-Q 4.
1 . . . B-K 6 or B-K 7; 2 Q-K 4, are main lines. Complete set of R and B interferences in an agreeably light setting—a delightful problem by our leading two-move composer.
A correspondent whom I once advised to take up the Sicilian as an aggressive and effective defence to the king's pawn has written to me complaining pathetically that since receiving this advice he has seen fifteen games published on the opening all won by White, and to depress him further here is a sixteenth. The explanation is that, although the Sicilian is one of the best defences, the more publishable games—i.e. those that are lively and comparatively short—tend to be won by White; but this does not mean that White gets the better of the opening as a whole. Black wins just as many.
White, L. SHAMKOVICH. Black, B. LEBEDEV
1 P-K 4 P-(2 13 4 18 Kt-Q 3 Q-Kt 1 2Kt-KB 3 P-Q 3 19P x P B-Q B 3(2) 3 P-Q 4 P x P 20 Kt x B K x Kt 4 Kt x P Kt-K B 3 21 P-B 6 ch K-K 1 5 Kt-Q B 3 P-Q R 3 (a) 22 R (4)-Q 4 Kt-Kt 3 6 B-Kt 5 Q Kt-Q 2 23 R x P K-B 7 13-14 84 P-K 3 24 13 x Kt Q-K 1 8 0-0 P-K R 3 25 R-K 1 (h) R-Q 1
9 B-R 4 Kt-K 4 (b) 26 R x R Q x R
10 B-Kt 3 Q-B 21 (e) 27 R-Q 1 Q-R 4 11 Q-K 2? B-K 2 • 28 B-Q 6 ch K-Kt 1 12 Q R-Q 1 P-K Kt 4 29 Q-Kt 4 Q-K Kt tl 13 B-Kt 3 B-Q 2 30QxQ PxQ 14P-B4 P x P 31 B-Kt 3 K-R 2
15 R x P 1(.1t-B-R 2? (d) 32 /1 x P R-K B 1 16 K-R I K I e) 33 11-Q 5 B x B 17 Kt-B 51 P X Kt( (f) 34 R x B R x P
35 K-Kt 1 Resigns (a) Fashionable or not, 1 do not believe this is good. By straightforward and rapid development, as here, White usually gets the better of this variation in practice.
(b) Interesting idea which, properly followed up, should give Black fair counter-chances. (c) Faulty transposition of moves of which White could have taken advantage by 11 B x Kt!, P x 11; 12 Q-R 51, threat Kt x K P and if 12 . . Kt-B 5?; then 13 Kt (B 3)-Kt 51, P x Kt; 14 Q x Kt P ch. 10 . P-K Kt 4 was correct. (d) He should play 15 ... Kt-Kt 31; 16 R-B 2, P-K R 4; 17 P-K It 3, P-R 5; 18 B-R 2 with about equal chances. (e) If 16 . . . 0-0-0; Shamkovich gives the line 17 R x Pl, Kt xR; 18 Kt x P, Q-R 4; 19 Kt x R, Kt x Kt; 20 P-It 5! with winning attack for White, e.g. 20 . . . P x P,• 21 R-Q 51, Q-13 2; 22 13 x P or 21 . . Q any other; 12 Q x K P. (f) 17 ... Kt (1)-Kt 3; 18 R-B Z 0-0-0; 19 Kt x B ch, 114.i x Kt; 20 B x Kt, P x B; 21 It x P is also lost for Black. (a) Or 19 . P-B 3,• 20 Q-R5 ch, K-Q 1; 21 B-B 2 R-K R 2; 22 B-Kt 6 ch, K-B I; 23 Q x PI, R-B 2; 24 Kt x B ch and wins easily. 00 The rest of the game Is of little interest: White is two pawns up and it is merely a question of when Black' chooses to resign.
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