Chess

By PHILIDOR

No. 275. Specially contributed by Brig. C. E. H. SPARROW, Slimbridge (after Ruicx)

witrrE to play and mate in five moves ; solution next week. Last May I pub- lished Rinck's fa- mous study in which White sacrifices B and R to draw Black's forces across a critical square ; this week's problem

tat-ACK 7 men)

the same idea in a different mode. Solution to No. 274

(Loshinski) : Kt—B 7 !, threat Q—Q 5. . B—R 7 ; 2 Kt—R 6 (set B x P). . P—K 3; 2 Q—B 8 (set B—Q 6). r Kt—B 3 ; 2 Q Kt—K 6 (set K Kt—K 6). I. . . Kt—B 5 ; 2 Kt—K 4 (set P x B) are the main lines showing a set of attractive changed mates.

This week's game is an interesting example of a strategic error in the opening losing the game ; from this Black is saddled with a basically weak pawn structure and despite ingenious tactical wriggling he is never able to recover from this initial mistake.

White, Hoar. Black, PIRG. Opening, ENGLISH. (Marienbad, 1965.) P—Q 4 P—Q 3 2 P—Q B 4 P—K 4 3 Kt—K B 3 . . . 3 PxP, PxP; 4 QxQ ch, K x401 is ineffective—after P—Q B3 and K—B 2 by Black, White's advantage is very small.

3... P—K s

4 Kt—Kt 5 P—K 134? This is lust the kind of error I used often to make so I sympathise with Pirc. The pawns look splendid but they are 'fixed': they can't do anything and when White—at his convenience—exchanges off the K P, the K B P will be weak. Kt—K B 3 was correct.

5 Kt—Q B 3 B—K 6 Kt—R 3 P—B 3 7 P—K Kt 3 Kt—B 3 8 B—Kt s 10—R 3 9 P—B 3 0-0

ro 0-0 P x P Sooner or later he must play

this or P—Q 4 and if he plays ...to P—Q 4; then t t P xQ P, P xQ P; z2 Q—Kt 3 and with moves like B—Kt 5 followed by Kt—R 4 threatened Black will have great difficulty in defending his Q P.

zr RxP Kt—B2 rs R—B r B—K 3? This natural move is prema- ture: K—R z preserving the options of B—K 3 or P—Q 4 might be better—though Black's game is bad anyway. 13 Q—Kt 3 ! . . threatening both Q x P and Kt—Kt 5. P—Q 1(1 4!? The alternative—which may be best!—is the humble B—B r. Or ij . . . R—Kt 1; 14 Kt— K Kt 5, Q—Q z; and either P—Q 5 or nut Kt x13 will give White the advantage with his two bishops and better pawns. However, either of these lines would be better than the more aggressive text move which is not quite adequate.

r4 BxP tlxP

:5 Q—B 2 R—Kt z6 Kt-111 5! . . . 16 Q xP?, 13--K 31 P—K R 3

17 P—Kt 3! P x Kt 18 PxB P—Kt 5

19 Kt—Kt 5 P—R 3 20 Kt x Kt tEtl Kt 21 13—Kt 2 Kt—K 5 22 B—K 3! . • • 22 B xKt, PxB; 23 QxP, R X K ch; 24 K Y. R, R—B z ch; 25 K—Kt 2, Q x PI; 26 Q x B, Q x Q P and White may have to take a draw by Q—K 6 ch with perpetual check.

Kl—B 6

23 Q—Q 3 QR—B r

24 RxP RxR 25 QxR QxP

26 R—Q B r!! . . . A splendid move threatening (a) 27 B—Q 5 ch as in the game, (b) 27 R x Kt!, Q x R; 28 B—Q 5 ch, K-11 1; 29 Q—R 3 mate. B—B 3 26 ... Kt x P ch ; 27 K—B a, Kt x It; 28 B—Q 5 ch.

27 B—Q 5 ch Q x13 28 Q Kt xQ 29 RvItch K-132 3o K—B 2 Kt—B 6

sz R—Q R 8 P—Q 4 However . . 32 K—K r! • • • 'On fire that burns with heat intense, I turn the hose of common sense and out it goes at small expense'.

32 • • KtxRP 33 R x P Kt-13 6

34 B—Kt 6 Resigns. He mieht have continued a little longer but in such positions the advantage of the exchange is overwhelming, especial) with all the Black pawns isolated. 31 • . . fl—/C 2; 35 B—Q 2 followed by B x Kt will Mil easily.

An ingenious final fling.