Chess no. 327

PHILIDOR

L Millins (1st Prize, Grantham Journal, 1927). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 326 (Hancock): (Black plays first) 1 Q — Kt 6!, B — Q 3; 2 Q— K Kt 1 chi, P x Q= Kt mate. Very ingenious and entertaining.

A Question of Rules

The rule about claiming a draw for repetition of position is not understood by many players, even strong ones. It rests on two principles: (a) a player has no right to claim a draw except when it is his turn to move: (b) when a position occurred three times with the same player to move a draw can be successfully claimed. So, if A is about to move and after his move is made a position will occur for the third time, he should call the tournament controller and say 'I am about to play so-and-so and when I have done this the position will have occurred for the third time and I claim a draw'; he then plays and the controller gives a draw. In the following game White would have been far from pleased if Black had exercised his rights. White, Ghitescu. Black, Ciocaltea. Opening, Old Indian (Rumanian Championship. 1966).

K - K

2 P - Q B 4 P t - Q 3B 3

3 Kt-QB 3 4 P - Q 5 B - K 2 5 P - K 4 0 - 0 6 P - K Kt 3 P - B 4 7 B - Kt 2 Kt - K 1 8 K Kt - K 2 B - Kt 4. I don't much care

for the whole opening system in which Black takes a good deal of time to exchange off his K B whereas, fianchettoed on K Kt 2. it is usually one of his best pieces in games with this type of pawn formation.

9 0- 0 B X B 10 Kt x B Kt - Q 2 11 Kt- Q 3 Q - B 3? Strange and bad.

P - K Kt 3, Kt-Kt 2 and P - B 4 is a better idea.

12 P- Q R 3 P- Q R 4. Otherwise P - Q Kt 4 gives White a very strong position—but this move has Its own draw- backs.

13 P-QKt41 RP XP 14RPx R X R

15 Q x RP PXP

16 Kt - It 4! . . . a beautiful 'Zwischen- zug' (intermediate move); if 16 Kt X Kt P then 16 . . . . Kt - B 4 with some play; now Black gets none. 16 . . Kt - B 2 17 Kt X Kt P P- Q Kt 4 18 Kt - B 31 PXP 19 Q - R 7 Kt - K I. 19 .. Q - Q 1?; 20 Kt - B 6.

20 Kt - B 6 K - R I 21 B - R 3 lit - Kt 3 22 B - Kt 2 Kt - Q 2 23 B - R 3? . . . this should be once too often; White is of course merely trying to gain time on the clock. 23 . . . Kt - Kt 3 24 B - Kt 2 Kt - Q 2? All Black had to do was to say 'I am about to play Kt - Q 2, giving the same position for the third time' and the game would have been drawn.

25 Kt - Kt 51. . . threatening 26 0 - R 8, Kt - Kt 3; 27 Q - Kt 8 winning a piece.

Kt - B 4. Better 25 . . .

P - Kt 3 but—if nothing better—White will win by 26 R - B 1, 27 R X P and then moving Kt on B 6 followed by winning the

Q P.

26 P - B 41 P x P 27 P K 5! Q - R 3 28 Kt x PI Resigns. 28 . . Kt X Kt; 29 Q. X Kt! and wins a piece—or 28 . . P X P; 29 Kt X P chi R x Kt: 30

R X R. Q x P ch; 31 K- B 1, K- Kt 1; 32 Q - K 7 winning easily.