Chess 480

PHILIDOR

P. ten Cate (Schach-Echo, Oct. 1969). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to No. 479 (Hjelle 8/3K1Qn1/1PNBp3/

Rq1kPp2/13p1PR3/2bP3p/N1r5/nr5B): K-B8, threat Kt-K7. I . . . B-Kt7; 2Kt(2)xP. 1 . . .

B-Q7; 2R-K I. 1 . . . B-K8; 2R-K2. 1 BxP; 2R x B. Fine key and pleasing play, with Black interferences caused by pinning defences.

This week's game really is too striking to miss; so, with apologies to those readers who have seen it elsewhere, here it is. The winner is the twenty-three year old Italian student Sergio Mariotti—the loser, one of the most seasoned of all the grand masters, the Yugoslav Svetozar Gligorie; a classic example of the best way of beating a great player—taking your courage in both hands and launching an attack doutrance.

White, S. Mariotti. Black, S. Gligorie. Opening, King's Indian Defence. (Praia da Rocha 1969).

1 P-Q4 Kt-KB3 2 P-QB4 P-KKt3

3 Kt-QM B-Kt2 4 P-K4 P-Q3 5 P-B4 . . . The Four Pawns attack—the most vigorous line; but there are more pawns to come.

P-B4 6 P-Q5 0-0 7 B-K2 P-K3 8 PxP PxP

9 P-K Kt4 !? Five!

Kt-B3 10 P-KR4!?

Six! This may or may not be good—what is important is (a) that it is little played (b) that it is extremely dangerous for both players; both these factors tend to equalise the chances and the game being highly tactical lavours the younger player.

10 ... Kt-Q5 11 P-R5 P-Q4? Better 11 . . . Kt x B; 12 Q x Kt, P-QKt4!:

13 Kt xP, B-Kt2; 14 Kt-B3, P-Q4 gaining valuable time at the cost of a pawn. The text more is the critical error—one mistake is enough in such positions.

12 P-K5 Kt-K5 13 RPxP RPxP The alternative is 13 . . . P-1(14. If 14 P x Pch then 14 . . . K-RI and is hard to get at or

14 R x P. KtP x P. However, after 13 . . . P-Kt4; 14 Kt x Kt, P x Kt; 15 P x KtP. White is clearly better.

14 Q-Q3 ! P-QKt4 15 Kt x Kt KtP x P 16 Q-R3 P x Kt 17 Q-R7ch K-B2 18 P-B5! KPxP 18... KtPxP; I9PxP

(threat P-B6), Kt xP; 20 B-Rich. K-K2;

21 B-Kt5ch winning or 19 . . . P x P; 20 B-R5ch again wins.

19 R-R6 Kt-B7ch 19 . . . Ktx1); 20 Q xPch, K-Kt1 ; 21 Q-127ch, K- B2; 22 R- B6ch, K-KI; 23 Q x B, ItxR; 24 P x R and the double threw of 25 P-B7ch and 25 Kt x B is fatal.

20 K-Bl PxP 21 K-Kt2! Kt-K8ch

21 . . . Kt x R?: 22 Q-Kt6ch, KTICt I ; 23 B x Pch.

22 K-R1 Kt-Q6 23 Q x Pch K-Ktl 24 Q-R7ch K-B2 25 B-K3 Q-K2 26 R-Blch K-Kl 27 Q-Kt6ch R-B2

28 Q-B6ch Q-Q2 . All is quite lost; White

just has to choose the best method of demolition.

29 R-K6ch K-B1 30 B x Pch Kt x B 31 Q x Ktch K-Ktl 32 R-Q6 Q-Kt2 33 R x R K xR 34 BxPch K-Kl 35 B-Q5 Q-K2 36 Q-B6ch K-Bl

37 Q x R Q-R5ch The familiar

final 'spite check'.

38 K-Kt2 Resigns..