Chess no. 340

PHILIDOR

L. lskra (1st Pekoe, Soveiski Voin, 1966). White to play and mate in three moves; solution next week.

-Solution to no. 339 (Subrahmanyam). B-Kt 7, threat Q XP. 1 . . . P -B 3 oh; 2 Kt (5)-K 6. 1 . . . P - B 4 ch; 2 Kt (7)-K 6. 1 . . . K X R; '2 Kt - B 5. 1 . . . K-B 5; 2 2 x K P. 1 . . . K- B 3; 2 K1 x K P. Elegant cross-checker.

Perhaps the most striking illustration of the tact that chess genius alone is not enough nowadays to keep the championship of the world is the Riga grandmaster Mikhail Tal. World champion at the /toe of twenty-three, with a quickness of mind and imaginative power which made every other master

753 except Bobby Fischer seem just a little pedestrian, he lacked the physical and nervous strength to etay there; though he is now still only thirty-one ..one cannot quite believe that he will ever overcome the greater toughness and determination of a Petrosian or a Spassky. Here is an early example of his genius.

White, K basin. Black, b Tal. -Opening. Sicilian. (Leningrad. 1956.) - k 4 P B 4

3 -

2.4C 4t - K B 3 Kt -Q-B 3

4 Kt x P P x P Kt -13 3 5 Kt - Q B 3 P -Q 3 'n B 4 P - IC 3 3 -Q It .3I43 - K 3 B - Kt 3 Q - B B - K 2 9 . . . Kt - R 4 is Ws

alter- eative. damping down White's attack by removing the K B. Typi011llY, 'Lai goes on with his own counter-plans 'rather 111B13 Spend time reducing White's chances.

10 P -13 4 P-QLCt4

31 4' 5 Kt x Kt 12 x Kt 0-0 1,3 P x 1.7 . An error of judgment, micelles: the mensal tension to Black's advantage; he should play 13 Q R - Q 1 maintaining some pressure.

. . B x Not 13 ... P x P7; 14 Kt -Q 51. Kt ix Kt; 15 B x Kt with a good game. 14 Q11 -Q 1 QR-B 1

K -11 1 K R -Q 1 In iCt - Q 5? . . . 16 B - Q 5! is better. After the ellehange White's bishop is a less .good piece than Black's *night because of the Wong point on K 4 available to the bitter.

37 1. -x K

B 11 t -14 Kt

2

Q - K B4 B - B 3

1, 5 0 4 . . . or 19 P - B 3, P - Q R 4 followed by P - R 5 - R 6 breaking up the Q side. Now, however, Heck's knight cannot be challenged on the bladt squares,.

19 . . - K 1 20 P -13 3 11.-K2 20 ...R-K 777;21Q-Kt41 winning.

215-Q52 B xB

2225 QR QR tK4 t 4 'ItKt--.2113 71. White ha' no real attack. 2423 sit LXIBB5 -IC 7

'R (111 1)- K 1 26 B -1( 4 Q 2? Better Z6 . . . Kt - Kt 31 when 2711 x Kt. It P x 'Bin his favour.

27 -Q -11C I? . . Missing* curious chewing chance, vk 27 - B 4!, It-IC '7; 28 -a 32. 11 7 (26 • • • Jt x B??; 29 R x R, Q x R; 10 Q M P chi; 29 Q- B 41 E29 Q - K 3?, it X Q en drawn.

R ,P1 27 . . . 28 Q -13 2 D

. . . Not (probably his original intention) IIXR!?,QX0:29/1xPeli.K-11 1; 30 ReQ- K B 4. Kt - Kt 3!; .31 B x Kt. P x 5; 32 R --B B ch, It - R 2! winning.

R -IC 4 29 13 -Q 3 -Q 2 10 R -IC B4 Kt - B 41

at R P R - K Just when White tweet" to have 12 A) - B 3

'recovered, he is overwhelmed.

33 Q --14 5 .16: X. 3143 Q '

351 x R ch; 34 Q X R. It X R ore equally hopeless. 33_...Q x RI 33 . . . Q - K 3 also wins but

Whin is much neater.

34.11 X Q ch K- R

15 K - Kt 1 RXRch

36 QxR .37 Badges. . . .16 1C X R, R - K '13 mate. R -K 8 Tara Bret hs a ussa championship; ale was nineteen-four years later be was champion of the world and one year after that the es-champion.

Sic transit.