Chess
BY PHILIDOR No. 43. A. M. SPARKE WHITE to play and mate in two moves: solution next week.
BLACK (10 men)
Solution to last week's problem by Larsen: Kt-K 7!
1 . . . Q x Kt ch; FOUR-HANDED CHESS At one time there was a four-handed chess club in London; to the best of my knowledge, there is no such club now—I should be delighted to be told I was wrong, as the four-handed game is far too good to be allowed to disappear. In an attempt to help to save it and to give readers the chance of a new enjoyment in chess, here is a description of the game.
A special board is needed, but should be fairly easy to make, and two distinguishable sets of pieces. The board has a centre composed of the normal 8 x 8 square and four borders of 3 x 8- i.e., it is a 14 x 14 square, with the four 3 x 3 corners cut out: 160 squares in all. Each of the four players has the normal 16 men, which stand on the back two rows of the 3 x 8 portions of the board. Labelling the players clockwise as A, Y, B, Z, A and B are partners against Y and Z.
The object of the game is to mate both opponents: if one is mated, then he goes into a state of suspended animation until the mate is relieved—none of his pieces can move or exercise any power (they do not even give check), nor can any be taken. If mate is relieved, he restarts play. A player must get out of check when it is his turn, i.e., if A checks Y, Y must relieve chock and is not allowed to leave it to Z to help him out. Pawns queen on opponent's back rank, and therefore can only manage it by a series of captures, i.e., it never happens.
A typical tactic in the game is for two players to combine against one opponent, e.g., A checks Z, Y plays, B also checks Z, and Z may find himself mated by the double check. It is very useful as a tactical resource against this kind of thing to get in a position to check the player immediately following you; then when A attacks Z, Y checks B, thus preventing B from joining in the assault on Z. It is a most amusing and highly combinative game. Try it.
WHITE (9 men)
Previous page
