Chess

By PEIILIDOR No. 185. F. GAMAGE (First Prize, Falkirk Herald, 1941)

BLACK (3 men) WHITE (8 men) WHITE to play and mate in two moves; solution next week. Solution to No. 184 (Marble): B-K 4,

threat Q x P. 1 P x B; 2 Q-Q 8. 1 Kt(7)x B;

2 R(R 3)-Q 3. 1 . . . Kt(4)x B; 2 Kt-K 6. 1 . . . R(5)x B; 2 Kt-B 5. 1 . . . R(7)x B; 2 R-B 1.

1 . . . Q x B; 2 R-B 2. 1 K x 13; 2 R-B 4. Superb example of multi-sacrifice key which has never been surpassed.

A major tournament is naturally one of the great sources of opening innovations and so often when you see these you wonder why you didn't think of them for yourself. This week's example, from the Amsterdam interzonal tournament, I find inter- esting as it provides an open-game type of attack against the French, something I have often looked for unsuccessfully. Why didn't this occur to me? Incidentally, the winner, Bent Larsen, played ex- tremely well in the Interzonal, showing a return to his best form. Marriage-an event of uncertain effect on chess players-seems to have improved his play.

White, B. LARSEN (Denmark). Black, L. PORT1SCH (Hungary). Opening, FRENCH. (Amsterdam, 1964.) 1P---K4 P-K 3

2 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 3 Kt-QB 3 B-Kt 5

4 PxP PXP. 4 . , . QXP; 5 Kt-B 3- followed by B-Q 2 gives White a good game.

5 Q-B 3 An original and interesting idea. If Black replies 5 . . . Kt-K 2; then 6 B-Q 3 and Black has difficulty

in developing the QB satisfactorily; if 5 . . Kt-KB 3; then 6 B-KKt 5 threatening to disrupt the king's side Pawns. 5... Kt-QB 3

6 B-QKt 5 Kt-K2 B-KB 4 0-0 8 0-0-0 Kt-R 4. Too optimistic. Better to develop and centralise, e.g. 8 . . . B-K 3; 9 KKt-K 2, P-QR 3; 10 B-Q 3, Kt-B 4. 9 KKt-K 2 P-.--QB 3 10 B-Q 3P-QKt 4. Black's play in the next half- dozen moves continues to be based on an over-estimate of his attacking chances; he should, I think, try to simplify the position by B-KB 4 and later B-Q 3. 11 P-KR 4 Kt-B 5 12 P-Et 5 P-B 3. If 12 . . . Q-R 4; Larsen gives the variation 13 P-R 6, P-Kt 3; 14 71, Q X B; 15 Q-B 6 and wins.

13 P-Kt 4 Q-R 4? Here surely Black should plaY B-Q 1.

14 BXKt QPxB 15 P-R 31 BXKt. And not 15 . . . BxP; 16 PXB, QxP •ch: 17 K-Q 2, P-Kt 5; 18 R-R !, P XKt chi 19 Kt XP, Q-Kt 5; 20 KR-QKt 1 and wins the queen. 16 KtxB Q-Q 1

17 KR-1C 1 P-R 4. Still too optimistic. 17 . . • Kt-Q 4; 18 KtXKt, QX Kt; 19 QXQ ch, PXQ; 20 P-B 3 would give Black an inferior endgame because of his difficulty in developing the QB but With careful play he would have good drawing chances.

18 Q-Kt 31 R-R 2. 18 . . . P-Kt 5; 19 B-Q 61 is good for White.

19 P-R 6 P-Kt 3 20 B-Q 6 R-K I. Or 20 . . . R-KB 2; 21 R-K 3 and 22 QR-K I and Black is hopelessly tied up. Now White produces a crushing series of moves. 21 Q-B 4 K-B 2. 21 . . . Kt-Q 4; 22 Kt XKt. PxKt; 23 QxPI (Larsen). 22 11-K 5 P-KB 4. 22 . . . Kt-0 4; 23 Kt XKt• P X Kt; 24 II x PI or 22 . . . Kt-Kt 1; 23 Kt-K 4. 23 B-Kt 8 R-Kt 2 24 Q-K 5 R-Kt 1 25 P-Kt 5 , . . Black is hopelessly weak on the

black coloured squares; his bishop might as well be in the box.

25 . . . P-Kt 5

26 Q-B 6 eh K-K 1 27 QxB P ch K-B 2. 27 .. Q-Q 2; 28 R xKl ch. Kx R; 29 R-K I ch or 29 Q-B 6 cis.

28 Q-B 6 c.h K-K

29 P-Q 51 R-B I. Otherwise 29 .• . P-Q 6 wins.

30 0-B 6 ch Q-Q 2 30 . . . K-B 31 QXBP, PXKt: 32 P-Q 6 ch. 31 .11-Q 61 R-KB 2. 31 . . . QXQ; 32 PXQ, 2; 33 Kt-Q 5. 32 BxKt PxKt. 32 ... RXB; 13 RxR eh, KXRi 34 Q-B 6 ch, K-K 1; 35 R-K 1 ch.

33 B-Kt 4 ch Resigns. 33 . . K-Q 1; 34 BXP ch.