Chess

By PHILIDOR 222. E. MILLIN., (Third Prize, Good Companions, 1920) BLACK t-) mew

\VH1'I'E (30 men)

WHITE to play and mate in two moves ; solution next week. Solution to No. 221 (Guidelli) 'R—Kt 4, threat 12. x P. t . . . Kt—Q 4 ch ; 2 4. 1. Kt—Kt 5 ch ; 2 Q—Q 4. Ii ... Kt else, eh ; 2 Q—K 5. Splendid cross-checker.

The 32nd championship of the USSR, with Petrosian, Botwinnik, Keres, Smyslov and Spassky absent, was weaker' than usual—only about the same strength as a championship of the rest of the world would be ; it was easily won by Kortschnoi, despite the presence of Tal, Bronstein and. Stein, Here is a fine game from an early round.

White, SCHAMKOVICH. Black, SACHAROV. Opening, BREMER . GAmt, (Kiev, December 1964)

r 11 4 Kt—K B 3 2 Kt—Q B 3 P—K 3

3 Kt—B 3 13—Kt ; 4 P—K Kt 3 P-2. kt 3 5 B—Kt 1 B— 0-0t 1

6 0-0

7 (2—B 2 P—Q R 4 Played to restrain the White queen's side pawns, but the loss of time and the weakness created in Black's queen's side pawns outweigh this; better 7 ... P—Q 4, 8 P—Kt 3 P—Q 4

B—Kt Q Kt—Q zo P x P P x P xi Kt—Q Kt 5 B—R 3? This artificial manoeuvre is not

good. it . . P-11 3; Kt— Q 4, R-11 is best, though after 13 Kt—B 5 White still has the better position.

12 Kt (5)—Q 4 B—B 4 13 P—Q 3 B—Kt 2 14 Q R—B R—K r rs B—K R 3 P—Kt 3 B'ack's position is very awk-

ward; this move weakens him seriously on the long diagonal— but if he allows Kt—B 5, the threats of Q-133 followed by B x Kt (Q z) and Kt x Kt P or of Q—Q 2—Kt 5 will be very awkward. r6 Q—B 31 BxKt 16 . . . B—Q 3?; 17 BxKt, x B; 18 Kt--B 61 and Q x Kt is one illustration of the difficulties Black' is in.

r7 Kt xB P—B 4

P—K 31 . . . A remarkable sacrifice; the pressure on the diagonal is worth more than a piece. r8 . . PxKtP The best chance was 18 . . . Kt—K 41; 19 P—B 41, Kt (4)—Kt 51; 20 Kt—B 3, P—Q 51; zl P xP, Kt—K 6; 22 R—K B. 2, Kt (3)—Q 4 with a good deal of play for the lost pawn. rs• Q x P R—K 3 White threatened 20 B x Kt, and if 59 . Kt—K 4; 20'P—B 4 and White regains the piece with a pawn ahead and ).t:hiel better position.

ao 41 . . so B x R, P xB leaves Black 2 Kts for R and P and *good chances of defending himself.

20 • R—B r aa P—B 5 RxR 11 P

Q—K

2131 is2K IS 41 R—K 4 23 . . . R moves L24 B x Kt.

Or 24 . . . Q—K 2; 25 B R and 26 Q B x Kt.

25 Kt, ch K—R r

26 B x Kt x B 26 . . R xQ; 27 BxKt ch, K—Kt 1; 28 B x Q with a piece ahead.

27 R—B 5 P—B 3

28 R xx11P1 P— M3 28 R Q?; 29 R—B 8 mate.r

3o BxR %— 2 B 9 x111

31 QxKt Q—B8 ch And resigns 'without waiting for the reply 32 R—I3 r ch. If 31 . . K—Kt then 32 (17-K 6 ch, Q x Q; 33 R x Q with exchange and three pawns up as the simplest way to win.

7, /4