Chess no. 342

PHILIDOR

Black White 2 men 8 men Specially contributed by R. Hancock (Iver, Bucks). White to play and mate in two moves; solution next week.

Solution to no. 341 (Mansfield): R - R 5, threat Kt x Kt 1 . R - B 8; 2 Kt- Q 1. 1 ... Kt x Q; 2 Kt-K 4. 1 . . R-B 7; 2 Kt-K 2. 1 . . . Kt X Kt P; 2 R- B 5. 1 . . . Kt x B P; 2 Q x B.

1 . . . Kt x Kt; 2 R x Kt. Subtle and surprising key.

The young Rumanian grandmaster Florin Gheorghiu, who played at Hastings in 1965/6 when Spassky was first, won a decisive victory at the International tournament in Bucharest last April. Here is his win against Drimer—also a recent visitor to England, first equal at Bognor this year.

White, Gheorghiu. Black, Drimer. Opening, Sicilian. (Budapest, 1967.)

I P - K 4 P - Q B 4 2 Kt-K B 3 P-Q 3 3 P - Q 4 P x P 4 Kt x P Kt - K B 3 S Kt-Q B 3 P-K Kt 3 6 B - K 3 B - Kt 2 7 P - B 3 Kt - B 3 8 B- Q B 4 B- Q 2. in this game Black avoids castling; I think it preferable to castle and try to stand tbe attack, countering on the queen's side.

9 B - Kt 3 Q R 4 10 Q - Q 2 R - Q B 1 11 0 - 0 - 0 Kt - K 4 12 K - Kt 1 Kt - B 5 13 B x Kt R x B 14 P- K R 4 P- K R 4? Too weakening. 0- 0 fol:o%ed by K R- B 1 is a better chance. 15 Kt-Kt 3 Q -B 2 16 B - Kt 5! . . with the unpleasant threat of 17 B x Kt, B X B; IliKt - Q 5.

16 . . . B - K 3. 16 . . B - B 3 puts the Black rook in some danger; nevertheless, it may be the best chance, followed by P - Q Kt 4.

17 Kt-Kt 5! Q - Kt 3 18 Kt (5) - Q 4 Kt - Q 2? B - Q 2 is essential: now Black's position is destroyed.

19 Kt x B P x Kt 20 P - K 5! Kt X P. 20 , . . B x P; 21 Q - Q 3,

P - Q 4; 22 Q X P ch is also very good for White and 20 . . . P - Q 4; 21 B - K 3!, Q moves; 22 P - B 4 eliminates Black's bishop for the rest of the game.

21 P - B 4 Kt-Kt 5 22 Q - Q 3 Q-B 2. Or 22 . . . P-Q 4; 23 Q X P ch, K- B 1; 24 B X P ch! winning.

23 Q X P ch K - B 1 24K R-K 1 B-B 3 25 RxKP R - Kt 1 26 QxRP BXB 27 RPXB RxKBP 28 P- Kt 3 Q- B 5 28 . . R on file; 29 Q x Kt

or 28 . . . R on rank; 29 R - Ei 1 ch.

29PxR QXR 30 Kt - Q 4! Resigns. 30 . . , Q - Q 2; 31 P - B 5 followed by 32 Kt - K 6 ch.

The English team did well at Leysin, coming equal second with Spain, behind West Germany and ahead of Holland, Austria and Switzerland. They were the only team to beat the winners.