Chess 494

PHILIDOR

G. F. Anderson (The Problemist, Nov. 1969). White to play and mate in three moves; solution next week.

Solution to No. 493 (Volkmann-483/136b/ 3pPpl r/Q1N2k2/R4Np1/6B1/2K2R2/7n): Q-Q2, threat Q-Q5. 1 ... K-Kt4ch; 2 Kt(4)-Q3. 1 ... K-K4ch; 2 Kt-K16. Note the try R-Q2?, threat R-Q5 with variations 1 K-Kt4ch; 2 Kt (5)-K4.

1 K-K4ch; 2 Kt (5)-Q3 but 1 ... R-R7! and there is no mate.

When a new Informator appears the first thing I look for is the selection made by a grandmaster panel of the ten best games in the previous volume. Eight grandmasters vote and each allots from 10 (for the best) to I (for the tenth) to his choice from amongst the 600 or so games in the previous volume; the scores are then added to produce a ranking list.

Not surprisingly, Spassky's 24-move win in the nineteenth game of his world championship match with Petrosian came overwhelmingly first with 78 out of a possible 80; though to my mind this is a vote for the spectacular massacre rather than for the great game -Petrosian's win in the tenth game (which did not figure at all in the list) might well be rated as a deeper and finer game. Fischer took second place for a very fine win against Saidy, and Spassky third-the fifth game in the world championship match.

All these I have published already: here is the fourth prize winner, a classic attack by Tal.

White. Tal. Black, Gurgenidze. Opening. Caro- Kann (Alma-Ata, 1969).

1 P- K4 P-QB3 2 P-Q4 P-Q4

3 Kt-Q133 P-QKt4? Those whom the gods would destroy, they first drive mad. The idea of this strange move is no doubt to meet P r P by P-Kt5, but after Taf's calm reply Black has merely created a weakness-and Tal is the last person against whom to do this.

4 P—QR3! P P 5 Kt x KP B—B4

6 B—Q3 Bx Kt 6... Q x P; 7 Ks—K83, Q- Q4: 8 Q-K2 gives White ample compen- sation for the pawn in his superior development. Nevertheless it might he a better practical chance here, or on the next move, to accept it.

7 B x B Kt—B3 8 B—Q3 P—K3 9 Kt-B3 B-K2 10 Q-K2 QKt-Q2 11 0-0 0-0 12 R-K1 R-K1

1 don't like this, but Black's position is bad anyway.

13 Kt-K5 KtxKt 14 PxKt Kt-Q4

15 Q-Kt4 P-QR4 Black's game is clearly

lost because of his denuded king's side—the interest lies merely in the manner of execution.

16 P-KR4! BxP It would be better to decline the offer. though in that case P-R5 followed by Q-K4 will be unpleasant.

17 P-KKt3 B-K2 18 K-Kt2 P-Kt3 BxPcli was threatened.

19 R-R1 B-BI 20 B-Kt5 Q-B2

21 R>:131 QxP 21 ... KxR; 22 It-R1 ch, K-Ktl ; 23 B-B61, Kt x B; 24 P x Kt, Q-K41 25 Bx KIN)! and wins.

22 RxPI KxR 23 BxPchl K-Ktl 23. . . KxB; 24 B-B4ch, K-B3; 25 Q-114chl and wins.

24 BxR B-Kt2 24 . . . RXB; 25 B-136ch.

25 B-Q7 Kt-B2 26 B x BP R-KB1 27 R-Q1 Q-QB4 28 B-B3 Q x QBP 29 R-Q7 R-B2 30 R-Q8ch R-B1 31 B-B6 Q-R2 32 B-K4 Q-R3 33 B-Kt5 Q-R1 34 R-Q7 Resigns.

34 . . . R-B2; 35 Rx KO, Rx R; 36 QxPch, K-Bl (36. . . R-B2; 37 B-Kt6); 37 Q-Q6ch winning easily.