Chess no. 354

PHILIDOR

J. Zaldo (1st prize, Stratford Express, 1950). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 353 (Ellerman): Q - B 7, threat Q x P. 1 . . . Kt (6) x Kt; 2 R- B 5. 1 . . .

Kt (7) X Kt; 2 R - K 3. 1 . . R (5) x Kt; 2 R - R 5. 1 . . . R (7) x Kt; 2 R -K 8. 1 . . . K x Kt; 2 Q X P. 1 . . . P x Kt; 2 Kt -B 3.

Attractive and original set of R mates in response to Black captures on his Q 5. One of many prob- lems dedicated to Mr G. W. Chandler in the special issue of the Problemist in his honour.

In women's chess, as in men's, players seem to come to the front younger and younger. The

woman world champion, Nona Gaprindashvili, still in the early twenties, completely dominated the women's tournaments at Havering and Paignton in August/September; the eighteen-year-old Dinah Dobson tied with Mrs Bruce for this year's British women's championship-and here is a lively and imaginative game won by the seventeen-year-old Soviet player Nana Alexandria at Kiev. Admittedly she was greatly helped by her opponent, but still ...

White, Alexandria. Black, Schivkovic. Opening, French Defence. (Kiev, 1967.) I P - K 4 P - K 3 2 P - Q 4 P - Q 4 3 Kt - Q B 3 Kt - K B 3 4 P - K 5 K Kt - Q 2 4 P - Q B 4 6 Kt - B 3 Q Kt - B 3 7 PxP B x P 8 B Q 3 B - Kt 5? Very bad. P - Q R 3 followed by P - Q Kt 4 and Q - B 2 or Kt 3 is correct; text needlessly allows White to castle and wastes time in exchanging off one of Black's best pieces. 90-0 B x Kt 10 P x B Kt - B 4 11 Kt - Kt 5 Kt x B 12 P X Kt P - K R 3 13 Q - R 5 P - K Kt 3. After 13 0 - 0 White will

have a dangerous attack either by Kt - R 3 followed by P- K Kt 4 - Kt 5 (or even P- B 5 and B X R P) or by 14 B - R 3, P x Kt; 15 R - B 3.

14 Q - R 3 Q - R 4 15 Q - R 4 . . . threatening 16 Kt X BP. K X Kt; 17 Q - B 6 ch. 15 . . . Kt - Q 1. Better 15 . . . Q - B 4 ch; 16 K - R 1, Q - B 1. Text is hopelessly cramping. 16 P - R 4! . . . with the horrible threat of B - R3 followed by Kt x K P and mate on K 7.

16 . . . Q - B 4 ch 17 K - R 1 Q - B 1 18 Kt- K 41 P x Kt 19 8 - R 3 P - K Kt 4. Forced-otherwise she loses her queen.

20BPxP R P x P. Or 20 . . . Q - Kt 1; 21 P - Kt 6! and wins.

21 Q X Kt P P - B 3 22 RxP Kt - B 2. 22 . . . 0 - Kt I; 23 R - Kt 6, Q- R 2; 24 R -R 6!' (24 R- Kt 7??, Q X P mate) and wins.

23 Q - Kt 6 Q - Kt 1 24RXPch! BXR 25 QxBch K-Q 1 26 P x Pi Q - 1

27 R-Q 1 ch K-BK 2

28 Q - B 4 ch K - Kt 1 29 P - K 6 P - Kt 4. Or 29 . . . Q - B 3; 30 Q x Q; P x Q; 31 P x Kt winning easily. 30PXP Kt - Q 1 31 B - Q 6 ch Resigns. 31 . . . K - Kt 2; 32 Q - B 7

Mate.