Chess

BY PHILIDOR

No. 15. A. R. GOODERSON BLACK, 8 men.

WHITE, 7 men.

WHITE to play and Mate in 2 moves: solution next week.

Solution io last week's problem by Mansfield: K-Kt 4!, threat Q-R 5. 1 ... P x Kt ch; 2 P-B 4.

1 . . . P-B 6 ch; Play in this year's British .championship was much better than last year's and, on the whole, was the best for some considerable time. One of the most striking games was Parr's victory against Wade in round 5; Parr has for many years been amongst the leading British players, and it is a great pity that he has been unable to give more time to tournament play.

White, R. G. WADE Black, F. PARR Opening, Dutch Defence.

1 P-Q 4 P-K B 4 20 P-K R 4 0-Kt 5 2 P-Q B 4 Kt-K B 3 21 P-R 5 Q x Q eh 3 Kt-Q 13 3 P-K 3 22 K x Q 13-134

4 P-K 3 (a) P-Q 3 23 P x P P x P

5 Q-B 2 P-K 4 24 K R-Q B 1 P-R 3 6 P-B 3 Kt-B 3 25 K-Kt 3 B-Q 6 7 P-Q 5 (b) Q Kt-Kt I 26 R-K Kt 1 R- K B 8 8-0 3 P-K Kt 3 27 Q R-Q B I R-B 4 9 Kt-R 3 II-Kt 2 28 R-Kt 2 B-B 3 10 Kt-B 2 Q Kt-Q 2 29 K-R 2 K-B 2

11 P-K Kt 4 (e) Kt-B 41 30 R-Kt 4 B-Q 1

12 B-K 2 P x P 31 R(B I)-K Kt 1 R-R 4 ch 13 PxP 0-0 00 14 P-Kt Or) Kt xKt Pll 32 K-Kt 2 B-134 15 BxKt(e RxKt1 33 R-Kt 3 Kt-K 5 16 KxR(/ Q-R 5 ch 34 KtxKt Bx Ktch 17 K-Kt 1 Q x B ch 35 K-B 1 R-R 7 18 Q-Kt 2 QxBP 36 R-Kt 4(i) B-134 19 B-Q 2 QxKtp(g) 37 R(Kt 1)-Kt 2 RxR 38 Resigns (I)

(a) White's handling of opening (moves 4-6) is slow and artificial; the normal line 4P-K Kt 3 followed by B-Kt 2 is much better.

(6) Nothing better, but this forced advance strengthens Black's centre and opens squares Q B 4 and (potentially) K 4 to his knight. (c) This turns out badly, but he has otherwise no reason- able plan: if he cannot do this, his opening strategy has tailed.

(d) Overlooking Black's very fine reply, P-Kt 5 is rela- tively best, but Black still stands better, e.g., 14 P-Kt 5, Kt-R 4; IS B x Kt, Q x PI; 16 B-K 2, R x KU; 17 K x R, Q-R 5 ch; 18 K-Kt I 11-R 6; 19 11-11 1, B x 13; 20 K x B, R-B 1 ch; 21 K-Kt I, Kt-Q 61 and wins,

(e) Or 15 Kt X Kt, B x Kt; 16 P x Kt (best), Q-R 5 ch; 17 K-Q 1, P-K 51; 18 R-K l (best), R-B 7; and in all lines Black seems to win, e.g., 19 B-Kt 2, Q R-B I; and threats of doubling on seventh and/or R-B 8 will be fatal. CO 16 Q x R??, Kt-Q 6 ch.

(g) Black, with 3 pawns for exchange, now has comfort- able win: the extra pawns prevent White rooks from exer- cising their rower against the minor pieces. White can now only watt to be demolished.

(0 Beginning a decisive combination. (I) If he moves bishop, then 36... B-Q 6 di; 37 K.Q 1, B-R S. (F) For after 38 R x R, B-R 6; Black is 3 pawns up in a bishop ending.