Chess no. 344

PHILIDOR

S. Mlotkowski (Hon. Men. G. C. Tourney, 1919). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 343 (Sammelius): R - Q 4, threat

Kt -B 3. 1 R -R 8; 2 B x R. 1 R- R 6 ch; 2 Kt - B 3. 1 B x P; 2 Kt X B. 1 ... Kt - R 5; 2 R Y, Kt. Note the tries 1 R- K B 4?. R-R 3 ch!; 1 B-K 3?, Q x P!; 1 B-Q 4?. Kt - R 5! A problemist's problem with the inter- working of tries and true key constituting the merit of the competition.

Correspondence Chess has been running a very interesting series 'The Master Touch' on great correspondence players; while the sheer chess talent of the best over-the-board player is greater than that of the best correspondence players—because the ors game offers the more comprehensive challenge to ability and character combined— nevertheless the opportunity for analysis that cc gives produces some extraordinarily fine games. Here is one from an article on the Swedish master Harald Malmgren.

White, H. Malmgren. Black, G. Wood. Opening. Ruy Lopez. (1st cc World Championship, 1950-53.)

2 Kt -K4 B 3 Kt - Q4 B 3

3 B -Kt P R 3 4 B - R 4 P -- QQ 3 5 P -B 3 B- Q 2. The solid line. P- B 4 and B - Kt 5 are the alternatives.

6 P - Q 4 P - K Kt 3. I never greatly care for this move as after the pawn exchange Kt 2 seems sit tinealar.) square for the bishop. Kt - B 3 is a good alternAtive.

PxP P x P

B- K 3 Q- K 2? 8 . . . Kt- B 3 followed by B - Kt 2 and 0 -0 is better.

9 P - Q Kt 4! P - Kt 3 m - Q 5! P-Q Kt 4 10. . . Kt -B

II Q x Kt!, 13 x Q; 12 13 x B ch and 13 B x R.

IIB - Kt Kt - B 3

12 Q - Q 3 Q - Q 3. Black is greatly embarrassed by the threat of B - B 5.

13 - B 2 Kt-Kt 5 14B-85 Q - B 3

15 B x B R x B. 1S, K x B?: 16 P - K R 3 Kt - R 3; 17 Q - Q 2! winning a piece.

In P-Q R 41 R- Q 1 0- 0 0 is out of the question

17 Kt - R 3 Kt - K 2 18 P X P P x P 19 P - R 3 Kt - R 3 20 R -Q 1 Q - R 3. White threatened 21 Q - Q 2.

Kt (R 3)- Kt I; 22 Kt x Kt P or 22 . . Kt (K 2)- Kt I: 23 Kt - Kt 5. The text is the best chance.

21 Kt x K P! Q x Kt 22 0 - 0! B - B 3! To meet 23 R - R 1 with 23 . .

B x K P1 23 Kt X B R x R 24 RXR Kt X Kt 25 Q - Q 21 R -Kt 1. Otherwise Q - Q 7 mate.

26 B - Q 5 Kt -K 2

27 B - B 4! Q - R I. To stoP Q - Q 8 mate.

28 B x Kt P ch P- B 3

29 B - sus P - Kt 4. Otherwise Q X Kt wins easily.

30Q-Q7ela K-B 1

it (3 - B 7r Resigns. If 31. . Kt - B 1: then 32 Q- Q 8 ch, K- Kt 2: 33 Q x P ch, K- R I; 34 Q-B 6 ch. R-Kt 2: 35 R-Q 8 ch, Kt-Kt I

R x Kt cb, K x R; 37 0 - Q 8 mate and if 31 K -.Kt 2; 32 Q x Kt, K- R 1 (otherwise Q x P Q - B 6 ch. R Kt 2: 34 R - Q 8 ch. A clear chi and effective attack.