Chess

WHITE, 7 men. BLACK, 6 men. WHITE to play and mate in two moves: solution next week.

Stahlberg's Chess and Chess Masters (Bell, 12/6) gives a series of pen pictures of the leading masters from Lasker onwards: it is always interesting to see what one great player thinks of others since he can appreciate their strong and weak points in a way that the ordinary writer cannot. His assessment, with which I agree, is that while Capablanca is the most perfect tech- nician and virtuoso, Lasker and Alekhine—when one takes into account creative force and psycho- logical insight—are probably the two greatest players of all time. A comic touch is added to the book by the author's acid (but not unfair) sketch of his great personal rival, Najdorf. A number of illustrative games are given: I would have liked rather fuller notes to some of the games. I have chosen from Stahlberg's book an early example of Bronstein's attacking skill—a game in which Black is probably lost after his fifth move.

White, D. BRONSTEIN Black, P. DUBtNIN Opening, King's Gambit.

1 P-K 4 2 P-K B 4 3 K t-K 11 3 4 P-K R 4

5 Kt-K 5 (a)

P-K 4 14 Q-Q 2

P x P 15 Q R-K It I

P-K Kt 4 16 Kt-Q 5 P-Kt S 17 P-K 51

P-K R 4? (b) 18 P x P P-Q 3 Kt-Q I le II-0 2

8-133 6 B-13 4 R-R 2 19 P-K 6!(f) B x Kt 7 P-Q 4 B-R 3 (c) 20 R-B 7 ch Kt x R

8 Kt-Q 13 3

Kt-Q II 3

21 R x Kt en

K-R 1

9 Kt x B PI (d) R x Kt

22 Q-B 3 ch Kt-B3 10 B X R ch K x B 23 R x Kt Q x R 1IBxP 11 x B 24 Q x Q ch K-R 2 12 0-0 13 R x Bch Q x P K-Kt 2 25 Q-B 5 ch Resigns is

(a) The Kieseritzky Gambit played (as is often the case nowadays with King's Gambit) partly with a view to middle game attack and partly in the hopes of getting superior endgame.

(6) Too slow. Black must play Kt-K II 3 or P-Q Ind not try to retain his pawn. (0 Refuted by White's sacrifice on move 9, but there 1. no satisfactory move: alternatives P-B 6 and B-K 2 are also good for While-combination ofhis superior cativo position with Black's broken king's side is decisive. Id) Obvious and typical sacrifice—but very good, all th. same.

(e) Necessary to keep rook from B 7, but it is now cleat hat Black will never develop in time to hold the attack. ( f ) Threat of Q-B 3 or Q 4 ch is conclusive.

Ot) Not at all a difficult attack, but nevertheless the neatness and efficiency of its execution is striking: Bronstein was twenty-two when it was played.