Chess 503

PHILIDOR

Specially contributed by Rev. V. T. Ducker tHaslemere, Surrey). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. '

Solution to No. 502 (Platov-6R1/2p2pNIM7/ 4p313k2p1/3P4/p2K3P/8): 1 Kt-K6ch !, K-Q4! II . . . Px Kt; 2 R xPch, K moves; 3 R-R4 winning easily); 2 Kt-Q4!, P-R8=4) (2 . . . Px Kt; 3 R-Kt5ch or 2 ... K x Kt; 3 R x Pch); 3 R-Q8ch, K-134; 4 Kt-Kt3ch and wins. Amusing and original composition.

French chess is not what it was a hundred years ago when the French wine merChant St Amant played the English historian Staunton for the unofficial championship of the world—the possibly halc)on days of the amateur. Still ... some good things can still come out of Paris.

White, Patrat. Black, Thiellement. (Maison des Echees, Paris 1970.) P-QB4 P-K4 2 Kt-QB3 Kt-QB3 3 P-KKt3 P-KKt3 4 B-Kt2 B-Kt2 5 P-K3 P-Q3 6 KKt-K2 KKt-K2 Play throng* all this stuff quickly--it's more interesting later on.

7 P-QR3 P-QR4 8 P-Kt3 P-R4 In closed positions, one can uaisrd flank man- oeuvres like this; too be It'hite should replv in kind.

9 B-Kt2 P-KR5 10 Kt-Kt5 P-R6 This hero will one day win the game

11 B-KB3 Kt-CIKt1 12 P-Q4 P-Q83 13 K(5)-B3 Kt-Q2 14 Kt-K4 P-Q4 Not a position where loss al castling mutters nruch. control oh squares is more important.

15 Kt-Q6ch K-B1 16 Px()P BPxP 17 Kt-B3 PxP 1.8 P P Kt-Kt3 19 Kt(35-Kt5 Kt-B4 20 Kt x Kt Bx Kt

21 0-0? . A routine strove showing that he does not understand the position. He should play 21 P-R41 protecting his knight. opening QR3 and the diagonal Mr his bishop and presenting Black from capturing QB5 For his own knight.

21 . P-R5! Naturally.

22 R-B1' " . Another worse than useless routine move: better B- B3-Kr4ch.

22. . PP 23 Q x P Kt-B5 24 B-83 B-R3 25 QR-Q1 0-02 26 KR-K1 K-K12 27 R-K5 . . Fine if it's taken. lutile if it's not. P-R4 would be more sensible. followed by B-101.

27 • B-K3 28 R -Kr Better to go back to Kl.

28 . . B-Kt5! 29 R -Q3 B x B 30 RxB Q-Kt5 31 B-Kt4 KR-K1

32 0-03 8-Q7! Threat 33. . . Rx

34 Qx R. R-K11: 35 10 Pch, K x R; 36 Qx(2. R-A8 mate or 35 Qx R. Q x R; 36 Q-B8ch. K-R2 and wins.

33 Kt-87. . Or 33 Bx B. Kt x8; 34 R(3)- K3. RxR; 35 QxR. R-K11; 36 QxR, Q- B6.

33 . Kt-Kt7! 14 Kt xRch R x Kt

35 R xR Kt xQ 36 B-B8ch K-R2! Not 36. . . K-Kr!"; 37 13-K7ch, K-R2:

38 B- 86 and White wins.

37 R xPcb K-Ktl 38 R-Kt7ch K-Rl 39 Resigns.