Chess no. 414
PHILIDOR
White
6 men
9 men
V. Velikoslayski (1st Prize, USSR, 1957). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to no. 413 (Schiffmann): B – Kt 2, threat Q X R. 1 . . . R – B 3; 2 Kt – B 3.
1 . . .R x P; 2 Kt(5) – Q 7. 1 . . . R – Kt 4; 2 Q – B 7. 1 . . . R – Kt 5; 2 Kt(5) – Kt 4. A superb problem—a very fine key and four black rook self-blocks. This took third prize only—I should like to see the two that beat it.
Lugano 3: middle of the finals
With nine of the thirteen rounds of the finals played, the Russians were making their usual majestic progress towards yet another victory with a score of 28f out of 36 (W 21,
D 15, L 0) followed at a very respectful distance by Yugoslavia 22f, in turn well ahead of Bulgaria 20+, us 20 and West Germany 19. The us— depleted by the absence of Bobby Fischer (last heard of in Milan)—were crushed 3+-1 by the USSR. A number of Russian spectators turned up and we reckoned that a team capable of coming second could be formed from amongst them- Keres, Bronstein, Boleslaysky, Suetin, Flohr . . .
At the same point of the tournament England was leading with 24 points in Section B, ahead of Holland 22# and Israel 21+, having made up the ground lost by a disastrous defeat 3-1 by Holland in the second round. Penrose was in grandmasterly form (score so far: W 9, D 3,
L 0); he won an ending of great subtlety against Jimenez of Cuba after six people had come to me and asked me why on earth Penrose was wasting his own, his opponent's and the official scorer's time by continuing in an obviously drawn position. Complaints have been lodged against the hours of play, the lighting, the atmosphere, the over- crowding, the spectators, the captains (unfair coo. sultations with team members), the creaking of shutters, the food, the controllers, the lavatories, the bulletins and the weather. In fact, a typical chess tournament and (I suspect) a typical inter. national event of any kind.
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