Chess

BY PHILIDOR No. 18. F. LIBBY (1st Prize, 'Morning Post,' 1901)

BLACK, 7 men. Warm to play and smoalutetioinn n2eitmres: An 'old master. Solution • to IJcI week's problem b)

6.

Carnage: Kt-R threat Q-B 4. Boo tbi ifnuiln gproblem Bi a ck half' o:1111d'

pin theme (B Kt R) with masked pin of WQ. 1 Kt-Q 5; 2 PA I . . . Kt-Q 3; 2 R-B 5. 1 . . . Kt-Kt

2: 7.

R x R; 1 ... Kt (4) else; 2B-Q 6. 1 R-I5' (4) 2 Q-Q 6. 1 . . . R-K 3; 2 R-B 5. I . . . FtK else; 2 R-Q 6. 1 ... Kt-Kt 3; 2 Kt-B 7. Very fine, indeed.

HOW DO THEY DO IT?

As expected, the Russians again dominate) the scene in the Interzonal 'tournament a1 Gothenburg, and it is quite clear that they wow" comfortably defeat a 'rest of the world' Warn ill a match on any number of boards what&er. What is the explanation? One answer is that it is all in the Slav soul. This I believe to 14. nonsense: a hundred years ago France an Britain dominated the international seen` (Labourdonnais, McDonnell, Staunton, St' Amant), later the Germans (for over fifty,YO the giant figures of Steinitz and Lasker held tho world championship between them), and it 15 and only in the last ten years •that Russian Pre' dominance has existed. The reasons are economic and social. Chcs5 is greatly encouraged by the Soviet state, the leading players can give as much time as the) wish to the game, and a chess master has till assured and distinguished social position rather like that of a leading artist or scientist. I imagine that the reason for this is that the Soviet Govern' ment feels that in chess, as in sport and athletic'' the prestige and propaganda value of kw r4; the world makes it worth while encourage players to give the whole or the major part

o.

their time to it. The results of this policy are seen in mane ways. Soviet players are better prepared

f or

/both! tournaments, physically and mentally k' equally important), than any other competitors' they are noticeably more self-assured and rn°r` conscious of representing their country and 01 just themselves than any other playes (and,

,lc

must say, are consistently sporting and agrees,os opponents); and, being the pick of 2,o"InPv

-- regular players in the USSR, are players of WI/ lo great natural ability. All this adds LIP supremacy.

Chess, in short, is treated seriously—as `1 branch of science or art rather than as a 8aine--: 15 in the USSR. Is this better than our way? 11 is a philosophical question which I find uri -

,1

answerable; but it is the way to produce goo chess players: WHITE, 9 men.