Chess no. 387

PIIILIDOR

Black White 8 men

12 men G. Guidelli (3rd Prize, Riv. Scacc. ltaliana, 1918). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 386 (Funk): Kt – Q 3, no threat.

1 K – K 6; 2 Q –B 2 (set Q – K 2). 1 ...R –K 6; 2 P - B 4 (set Kt -Kt 3). 1 R - K 7; 2 Q -B 1 (set Q x R). 1 R -K 8; 2 Q X R (set Q- Q 3). 1 . . . R else; 2 Q -K 1 (set Q- K 2). Attractive mutate.

In the first of the four candidates' quarter-final matches Boris Spassky beat Effim Geller as ex- pected; the margin (5f-2+) and the style—three

crushing victories with White for Spassky, the other five drawn—were both impressive. Less expected was the start to the match Tal v. Gligoric; Gligoric won an exciting and complex first game with the Black pieces and drew the second, but Tal hit back with two wins, and at the time of writing is leading by 4f to 3f with two games to play. In the following game from the Sousse Inter- zonal tournament Gligoric gives an example of something in which he is very expert; winning with Black against a weaker opponent who is trying to draw.

White, Suttles. Black, Gligoric. Opening, Four Knights. (Sousse, 1967.)

1 P-K4 P-K4 2 Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3

3 Kt-B3 Kt-B3 4 B - Kt 5 . . . This is reckoned to be the best drawing opening in the game; it is very instruc- tive to see how Black extracts a win.

4 . . . B - Kt 5 5 0 - 0 0 - 0

6 P-Q3 P-Q3 7 B-Kt5 B X Kt 8 P x B Q- K 2. The Merger defence in- tending Kt - Q 1 - K 3, if allowed. White's reply prevents it but gives up the two bishops in which lie his chance of some initiative.

9 B x Kt PXB 10 R-K 1 P-KR 3

11 B-Q2 P-B4

12 Kt-R4? . . . Not a good idea; 12 P - B 4 is better.

12 . . . B -Kt 5! Creating a small weak- ness in the White pawn position which later proves important.

13 P-B3 B-K 3 14 Kt-B 5? . . . Better 14 P - Q B 4 first to stop P - B 5.

14 . . . B x Kt 15 -P X B P - B 5!

16 P X P . . . 16 P- Q 4 may be marginally better but Black now has the advantage anyway, White's bishop being an ineffectual piece and Black's centre position much better.

16 . . . KR-K1 17 P-Kt4 Q-Q2

18 P-KR4 P-K 5!

19 P-Kt5? ... Consequent, but bad; P x P is

relatively best. .

19 . . . Q x P! 20 P x Kt P x P 21 K-B 2 R-K7ch! 22 R x R P x Rch

23 K x P Q-Kt5ch!

24 K-B 1 . .. or 24 K-Q 3, Q-Kt 3 ch!;

25 K - K 2. R -K 1 ch; 26 B -K 3, Q - Kt 7 ch and wins. Note that the immediate 23 . . . R -K 1 ch is less good; Black needs his queen on Kt 3, not B 4.

24 . . . Q-R fich 25 K - Kt 1 Q-Kt6ch 26 K-B 1 R--K1 27 B-K 1 Q-R6ch 28 K-B2 R-K 3 29 Q-Q3 Q-R 7 ch 30 K-B 3 R x Pch 31 K-K 3 Q-Kt 7 32 Q - Q 5 R-K3ch 33 K-B 4 Q - B 8 ch 34 K -Kt 3 . . . 34 Q- B 3?, R- B 3 ch.

34 . . . R--K 6 ch

35 Resigns . . . 35 K - Kt 4, P - R 4 ch; 36 K x P (36 Q X P, Q - B 6 ch, etc.), R - K 4. ch winning very easily.