Chess

By PHILIDOR No. 190. DR. W. SPECKMANN (Deutsche Schachzeitung, June, 1964) BLACK (1 man) (WHIM (6 men) wiirtE to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to No. 189 (Latzel): Kt—Kt 5, threat Q-K 4. 1 . . . P—Q 4; 2 Q—B 6. This is a :prob- leinist's problem' in which the interest lies in the skill with which the composer has arranged, with only seven pieces all told, that no other knight move will solve it and that all seven attempts shall be de- feated by a different defence.

Mikhail Tal is not quite the force that he was when he defeated Botwinnik in the 1960 world title match; opponents have lost the almost superstitious fear of his attacking powers that they had a few years ago and although he shared first place in the Inter- zonal it was not an altogether convincing perform- ance—a long string of drawn games against the better players (including at least one very lucky escape from defeat) plus a series of wins of mixed quality against the rest. Here. however, is a game showing how supremely well he still plays in positions that suit him.

TAI.. Black, BILLE. Opening, SICILIAN.

(Interzonal, Amsterdam, 1964; Round 13.)

P—K 4 P—QT1 4 2 Kt—KB 3 P—Q 3 3 P—Q 4 P x 4 Kt x P K-

5 Ku—QB 3 P—t. QRKB 33

6 B—Kt 5 QKt—Q 2

7 B--Q13 4 KP—txKell. 3. Not necessar■ Eithsr p--KKt 3 followed by B—Kt. 2 or 7 ... Q- R 4 preferable.

8 BxKt 9 Q—K 2 P—K 3 10 0 0 0 Q—B 2 It P—B 4 P—K 4? The losing move, Because of his

seventh move, Black has fallen behind in development and he cannot therefore afford to open up the position. He should ',fay P---QKt 4 and 13—Kt 2 though even so White is likely to get the better of mutters with P—KB 5 12 Kt—Q 5 . . . rmin pow on Tat plays with the ut- most energy and demolishes Black's game in the grand manner.

12 , . KtxKt 13 PxKt B—K 2? This °antral move is wrong: he should play 13 . . . P—KKt 3; against which Tal intended

14 Px1s, PxP; 15 Kt—K 6 with a strong attack for his piece, but not so strong as in the game. If he does not want to risk this. White gets a tine game after 13 . . . P--KKi 3 by 14 KR—B 1 or 14 PxP, PXP; 15 KR-13 1.

14 PXP PxP 15 Kt—K 61 . . . Tal's favourite move in the Sicilian!

He has sacrificed on K 6 in this way any number of times. 15. . Q—Q 3. If 15 . . . PxKr; then 16 Q---R 5 ch, K—Q 2 (id . . . K—B 1; 17 KR—B l ch, 13—B 3; Px P end wins-18 ... Q—K 2; 19 R—Q 8 chi; 17 Q---Kt 4 (threatening 18 P—Q 6, 13XP; 19 Q xP ch, K—Q I; 20 R x13 eh), R—K 1; 18 R—KB I followed by R-13 7 and White wins. 16.. Kt xi ch K-8 I /7 Kt—K 6 ch K—K I. 17 ... 18 KR--B 1 ch is hopeless for Black.

IS KR—Bt B—Kt 4 eh 19 K—Kt 1 P—Kt 4 20 Q—R 5 B—B 5 21 ft—Kt 3 P—R 4 22 Kt—B 7 ch! Q x Kt

23 P—Q 6 Resigns. 23 . . Q—Q 2; 24 R x13,. P x R: 25 Q—K 5 eh and Black will have to lose queen and both rooks to avoid immediate mate—better to resign.