Chess no. 423

PHILIDOR

White Black 8 men 10 men

V. Zabunov (Hon. Men.. BCF Tourney 113). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to no. 422 (Fink): Kt - Kt 6, threat

Kt - Q 7. 1 P - K 3; 2 R - B 7. 1 B - K 3; 2 Kt - Kt 5. 1 . . . B - Kt 4; 2 Kt - K 6.

1 . . . R - Q 4; 2 R - K 6. 1 . . . Kt - B 4; 2 Kt - K 6. Fine set of interferences; a slight pity that B - Kt 4 and Kt - B 4 give rise to the same mate.

The following entertaining game was played in Bucharest last year. It shows once again that a flank attack will not normally succeed against 'a central attack by the opponent: here Black stays in the centre just one move too long and pays very dearly for it.

White. Gheorghiu. Black. Soos. Opening, French Defence. (Bucharest. 1968.) 1 P-K 4 P-K 3 2 P-Q4 P-Q4 3 Kt.--QB 3 Kt-KB3 4 B-Kt 5 B-Kt 5 The MacCutcheon defence—very double-edged. with slightly the sharper edge turned against Black.

5 P x P . . . The orthodox 5 P- K 5, P - K R 3: 6 B - Q 2 is slightly stronger but this has the advantage of (slight) surprise.

5... QxP 6 BxKt PxB?

Better 6 . . . B X Kt ch!: 7 P x B, P X B, with equality. Now Black cannot maintain his queen on Q 4.

7 Kt-K2! Q-QR 40r 7 . . . P - Q B 4; 8 P - Q R 3!. B x Kt: 9 Kt X B. Q x P;

10 Q x Q, P x Q: II Kt - Kt 5, Kt - R 3: 12 Kt x Q P with much better position for White.

8 P-QR 3 B-K 2 • 9 P-KKt 3 P-B 3 10 B-Kt 2 Kt-Q2 11 0-0 P - K R 4 Although this fails it is as good a practical chance as any: if he doesn't try something energetic Black's weakened pawns will mean permanent trouble for him.

12 P-QKt41 Q-K B4 13 P -Kt 5! P -B4 14 P-Q5! P-R 5 15 QP x P BP x P 16 Kt-B4 PXP 17 BP x P Q -R 2

18 Kt - K 4? BY incisive play White

has opened up the centre but now he misses his best line viz. 18 Kt x P!, Q x P ch: 19 K - B 2, Kt - K 4; 20 Kt - B 7 ch. K - B 1: 21 Kt x R. Kt - Kt 5 ch: 22 Q X Kt!, B X Q; 23 R - R I and White wins.

18 . Kt-K 4! 18 ...QxPch?; 19 K - B 2 and the threats of R - R 1 and Kt x K P are fatal; now however Q X P ch becomes a threat.

19 P - R 3 Kt - B 2 20 Q - K 21 B - Q 2? Fatal: he must play 20 . 0 - 0.

21 Kt-Q5! Q-Kt 2 21 . . . P x ICI??; 22 Kt x P ch and 23 Kt X Q.

22 Kt(4)x Pch B x Kt 23 Kt x Bch K- K 2

24 Q - B 2 Kt - Q 3 25 Kt X B was threatened.

25 Qx P QR-QB1 26 Q-K 5! Kt-B2 27 Q R - Q 1 was threatened as well as 27 Kt - Q 5 ch.

27 Kt-Q5 ch K-B1 28 R x Kt ch K x R 29 R - B 1 ch Resigns 29 . . K - Kt 1; 30 Kt-B6ch.K-B2; 31 Kt-R5ch.