PROBLEMS. We give, this month, one of the competing sets in the Problem Tourney of the British Chess Association, and as the object of the publication is to obtain the assistance of all Chess players in the examination, we shall be obliged by our readers sending us solutions, and their opinions of the problems. GAMES. Edited by J. WISKER. The following are the remainder of the games in the first match between Messrs. Bird & Wisker, and also most of those which have been contested hitherto in the second match. It is agreed by both players that the latter games are far superior to those in the early part of the first match. Throughout both matches Mr. Bird played with the white men, but for the sake of convenience the first player is here given white. 3 B to QB 4 4 P to Q Kt 4 5 P to QB 3 6 Castles 7 P to Q 4 8 P takes P 9 P to Q5 10 B to Kt 2 11 B to Q3 12 Kt to Q B3 13 Q R to QB sq 14 B to Q Kt sq 15 Q Kt to K 2 16 Q to Q 2 17 K to KR sq (a) 18 K Kt to K Kt sq 19 B to Q 4 20 Q to Q 3 21 P to KB3 22 P to K B 4 23 Kt takes B 24 Kt to Q B6 (b) 26 Q takes Kt 26 Q takes P 27 Q takes Q 28 B to Q3 29 P to K Kt 3 (d) 30 B takes P 31 B to Q 3 32 Kt to K 2 33 B takes Kt 34 R to K B2 35 Kt to Q 4 Resigns. 7 P to Q B3 8 P to Q 4 9B to K 3 10 Kt to Q 2 11 P takes QP 12 Castles 13 QBP takes P 14 Q to Q 3 15 P to QR3 16 K R to K 17 Q to K B (b) 18 KR to Q sq 19 Q R to QB sq 20 Kt takes B 21 B takes Kt 22 R takes P 23 Q R to QB 3 24 Kt to B3 25 P' takes Q 26 R takes R 27 K takes B Resigns. 8 B to K Kt 5 9 Castles 10 P to Q 4 11 Kt takes P 12 P takes P 13 B to K B3 (a) 17 Kt to Q Kt 3 19 B takes Q P 20 Kt takes Kt 21 Q takes B 22 B to K Kt 3 (c) 23 B to Q6 (d) 24 Q takes R (e) GAME 135.-Continued. (a) The isolated Queen's Pawn is very difficult to defend. In all the other Ruy Lopez Games Mr. Bird moved his Queen's Pawn one-the better play. (b) This unfavourable position of the Queen leaves Black with the advantage. Had the Queen been played to K 2, Kt to K B 5 of course follows. (c) Though the second player has not won a Pawn he remains with a great advantage of position. (d) This decisive coup, which was not feasible on the previous move, on account of B takes KBP check. No reply can now be made. (e) White overlooked this response. 5 P to QB 3 6 Castles 7 P to Q 4 SP takes P 9 Q Kt to B3 10 Q to R 4 II Pto Q 5 16 Kt takes Ba Evans Gambit. 17 QB to K Kt 5 (b) 19 P to K B4 27 R takes R 28 Q to B 5 ch, and wins. Black. Mr. BIRD. 1 P to K 4 2 Q Kt to B3 3 KB to QB 4 4 B takes P 5 B to QB4 (a) White has conducted the opening somewhat feebly, and now has no advantage of position. GAME 137. Played at the Divan, 27th March 1873. Ruy Lopez KLight's Game. White. Mr. BIRD. 1 P to K 2 K Kt to B3 3 B to Q Kt 5 8 Ptakes P 9 P to Q3 12 B to Q5 (a) 13 B to Kt 3 15 Q Kt to B3 17 P to K B3 20 Q Kt to KB 2 23 QR to QR sq 24 K Kt to Q Kt 3 25 K to Kt 2 26 P takes KBP 27 P to Q4 (c) 28 Kt to Q 3 37 Q to KB 4 (e) 35 P takes Q 40 R takes R 41 Pto Q Kt ↓ 41 K to Kt 4 Black. Mr. WISKER. 1 P to K 4 6 B to K 2 7 R to Q Et sq 8 P takes P 9 Pt Q3 10 Castles 11 B takes B 12 Kt to K 2 13 Kt to K Kr 3 14 B to KR6 15 P to QB 3 16 Q to Q 2 (+) 17 QRt Qt sq 18 K to KSA 19 B to K KA 20 B to K 3 21 Q takes B 22 Pt K BA 23 PO QI 24 B to K 2 25 Q R to Q 8Q 26 Q takes P 27 B to Q3 28 QR to K sq 29 B takes P 30 R to K 2 31 KR to K sq 32 P to KR4 (E 33 P to KR 5 34 Kt takes Kt 35 P to R6 ca 36 Q to KB 3 37 Q takes Q 38 Kt to Kht 3 59 Rtakes R 40 Kt takes R 11K to Kt sq 42 K to B 2 13 A to B 3 44 P to K: 3 45 K to B2 46 K to Kt 2 47 K to B 2 43 P takes P 49 Kt to Kt 5) Kit K 2 Resigns. (a) The exchange of Bishop for Knight at the preceding move was weak. Tue subsequent play of the other Bishop is an obvious loss of time, giving Black the advantage of position. (b) Black might now have prepared for the advance of the KB P. (c) White has successfully emerged from his difficulties. Black should have (d) A very nawise course. withdrawn his Bishop, and submitted to the exchange of Rooks. (e) Forcing the exchange of pieces, and remaining with won position in the end game. White s play has been remarkably good since his defects in the opening. 4 Kt to K B3 10 K B to K2 2 P to K B4 3 K Kt to B3 4 B to B 4 5 K to B sq 6 P to Q4 9Q Kt to B 3 10 B to K 2 11 P takes B 12 KR to K Kt sq 13 P to K 5 14 K to K Kt 2 2 P takes P 3 B to K 2 4 B to R 5 ch 5 P to Q3 6 B to K Kt 5 7 Q to K B3 8 Q Kt to B3 9 K Kt to K 2 10 B takes Kt 11 Castles (QR) 12 P to Q 4 13 Q to K 3 14 Kt to KB4 15 P to K B3 16 P to K R4 17 P takes P 18 P to K Kt 4 20 B to K 2 21 P to KR5 3 B to Q Kt5 4 B to R 4 5 Q to K2 (a) 6 Castles 7 B to Kt 3 8 P to Q R 4 9 P takes P 10 P to Q3 11 P to QB 3 12 P to KR 3 13 P to K Kt 4 (c) 14 K Kt to R 4 15 P to K B4 16 B takes P 17 Kt to Q 2 8 QR to Kt 9 P takes P 10 QB to K Kt 5 (b) 11 Castles 12 B to R4 13 B to Kt 3 14 Q to Q 2 15 P takes P 16 Kt to K 17 P to Q B 4 19 P to K Kt 5 22 Kt to K Kt 6 ch 18 B takes Kt (d) 15 P takes B 19 Q Kt to KB3 19 Q to QB 2 20 R to K B 2 (e) 20 P to QB 5 21 Kt takes B 22 P takes P (a) White conducts the opening in a very eccentric fashion. (b) A strange mistake. Had White now played 22 Kt to K B 4, he would have had the better game. GAME 139. Played at the Divan, 5th April 1873. White. Mr. WISKER. 1 P to K 4 2 K Kt to B3 3 B to Q Kt 5 4 Kt takes Kt 5 Castles 6 P to Q3 7 P to KB4 8 Kt to Q2 9 Kt to K B3 10 B to B 4 11 P to K 5 12 B to Kt 3 13 B to Q 2 15 Kt to R2 16 K to R sq 17 P to K Kt 4 (a) 18 P to QB 3 19 P takes P 20 B to Q B2 21 P to QB 4 22 B to QR4 23 Q takes B 24 Q to Q 7 23 B takes P 24 QR to KB 25 P to Q Kt 4 (f) 26 Q takes B 27 Q to KR 4 28 K to Kt 2 29 Q to K 30 B to Q5 31 Kt takes P Ruy Lopez. Black. Mr. BIRD. 1 P to K 4 2 Q Kt to B3 36 Kt takes Q 25 KR to K Kt sq 26 R takes P 27 Q takes Q 28 Q R to K Kt sq 29 KR to KB3 30 QR to Q Kt sq 31 P to Q R 4 32 P to QR5 33 R to Q Kt 7 34 K to K Kt 2 35 R to KB sq 36 Kt to K B 3 (d) 37 Kt to KR 4 38 R takes R 39 P to KB 5 40 P to K6 41 R to Q Kt sq 42 P to K 7 43 P Queens (a) Premature. 3 Kt to Q 5 4 P takes Kt 5 B to B 4 6 Q to KR 5 7 Kt to KB3 8 P to QB 3 9 Q to KR 4 10 Castles 11 P to Q 4 12 Kt to K sq 13 Kt to Q B2 18 P takes P 19 P to Q B4 20 P to Q 5 21 B to Q2 (b) 22 B takes B 23 P takes P 24 P to K Kt 6 25 B to Q sq 26 Q to B 3 ch (c) 27 P takes Q 28 Kt to K3 29 R to KB4 30 B to Q Kt 3 31 QR to KB sq 32 B to Q B2 33 B to Q Kt sq 36 P to QR3 41 R takes R 42 Kt to Q 2 Resigns. White should first have brought out his Queen and Queen's Rook. (b) Black thought he had the advantage at this point; but his adversary's next move equalises the game. (c) If Queen takes R, then follows R to K Kt sq. (d) The correct and the winning move. A little examination will show that the KBP could not be taken by Black. 32 B to Q Kt 3 33 R to B2 34 Q to K 4 45 Q takes Kt P 37 R to K B5 38 K to B3 39 K takes Kt. 21 RP takes Kt 22 Ptakes P 23 B to QB 4 24 Q to Kt 2 25 B takes R ch 26 Kt takes KP (g) 27 Q to Kt 3 ch 28 Q to K B3 29 Q to K B5 35 Q takes Q 38 Kt to K5 37 R to Q 7 ch 40 Kt to K 7 ch, and mates next move. (a) As explained in a note last month, this mode of conting the Ruy Lopez game is not approved by most leading players. (b) This method of play, adopted by me in all the Ruy Lopez games, invariably secured a sound position of defence. 7 P to Q Kt 4 8 QB to Q Kt 2 9 Q to Q Kt 3 11 P to Q R 4 12 Castles on K side 13 P to Q Kt 5 (b) 14 Q P takes P 15 P to Q R 5 16 Kt to QR4 17 K R to Q sq 18 P to Q Kt 6 19 Kt takes Q Kt P 20 Q to Q R 4 21 Kt to K sq 28 Q takes Kt ch 22 B to KR 3 (c) 23 Kt to K 5 24 K Kt to K Kt 4 (d) 25 Kt takes Kt ch 26 Q to K B 3 27 Q R to Q sq 28 Q takes Q 29 B takes B 30 R to Q 8 ch 31 R to Q 7 ch 32 R takes B 33 B to Kt 2 34 R to K sq 35 R takes K (a) The long series of irregular openings, of which this was the first, was conducted by both parties in the same way throughout-Mr. Birl vanced the Pawns on the Queen's side. playing for the attack, whilst his opponent ad (b) White has now a very good position. (c) Black gets up a formidable attack, but he ought not to have neglected the advanced Pawn (c) The daring style, characteristic of Mr. Bird, on the Queen's side. As Mr. Steinitz suggested, but its soundness is open to question. (d) I now consider White's game too much exposed. (e) An error, which costs the exchange and gives Black a won game. It was the second player's object to move P to QB5 for the double purpose of excluding his adversary's Bishop and of bringing his own into play. He can now, of course, throw forward the Pawn with proportionately greater advantage. (f) These Pawns are too weak to form a balance to the gain of the exchange by Black. The second player however, having gained an advantage, took scant pains to preserve it. (g) The following variation will show how defective would have been 26 Q takes KP:26 Q takes KP 27 R takes B B or Kt to Q R 3 would have been prudent. (d) The position from this point was the subject of a lengthy discussion. With the best play on both sides, the attack would probably have succeeded, but it is much easier to discover the best moves for the first than for the second player. Black somewhat precipitates his onslaught. (e) This turns the scale. The entry of the Queen in this fashion ought not to have been permitted. (f) At first sight it would appear that Black could win a piece by taking Q with Q, but that line of play would cost the game. GAME 144-Continued. 43 Q to K Kt 3 41 B interposes 45 to KB 2 46 Q to K Kt 2 47 P to K R 4 48 K to B 2 49 Q takes R ch 50 B takes B Played at St. George's Club. 16th April 1873. Irregular Opening. 42 Q to K sq 3 B to K Kt 2 4 P to Q R 3 5 P to QB4 6 Q Kt to B3 7 P to Q Kt 1 4 Kt to K 2 5 P to Q4 6 Castles (a) 7 P to Q Kt 3 8 B to Q Kt 2 9 P to KR 4 10 Kt to KB4 11 P to Q B4 12 P takes Kt P 17 P takes QBP 18 B to Q 4 19 Kt takes P ch 20 Kt to QB6 21 P to Q R 1 22 P takes P 23 R to QR2 (g) 24 Kt takes B 25 KR to KB 2 (h) 26 Q takes Kt 3 P to K 4 4 P to Q4 5 P to K 5 6 P to Q Kt 3 (b) 7 B to K 3 8 P to KR4 (c) 9 Kt to K Kt 5 10 B to KB 2 11 P to K Kt 1 12 Q takes P 13 P to K R5 11 P takes QBP (d) 15 Kt to Q R 3 16 R to KR 3 17 B to QB 4 18 Castles (e) 19 K to Q Kt 2 20 R to K (1) 21 P takes K Kt P 22 Q R to KR 23 B takes B 24 KR to KR 7 25 Kt takes R 26 K R to KR 2 27 B to KRI 28 P takes P 29 B to K B6 30 P takes B 33 P takes Q 34 K to R 2 35 KR to KR 7 ch 36 R to K B ch 37 K to Kt 2 38 Kt to B4 39 R to QR sq 40 K to B2 45 Kt to KB4 46 Kt to K6 47 Kt takes Kt 48 Kt to Q 6 44 K takes R 45 R to Q B7 46 K to Kt sq 47 P takes Kt 48 K to B 2 49 P to K 5 50 K to KB4 2 P to K 3 3 Kt to K B 3 4 P to Q B3 5 B to Q3 6 Castles 7 B to Q B2 8 P to Q4 9 P to Q Kt 3 10 P takes P 11 Q Kt to Q2 12 Q Kt to Kt sq 13 P to K R3 14 K to R 2 15 P to K Kt 4 (a) 16 Q to K sq 17 R to K Kt sq 18 K Kt to Q2 19 R to K Kt 2 20 Q P takes K P 21 BP takes Kt 22 K to R sq 23 Kt takes B 21 B to QR4 25 Q to K R4 26 Q to Q 8 ch 27 R to K Kt sq 28 Q to K RA 29 Kt to Q Kt 3 30 P to KI 31 R takes Q Resigns 8 P to QB 5 9 Kt to KB3 10 Kt P takes P 11 Q to Q R 4 12 Castles 13 R to K sq 14 P to K 3 15 R to Q Kt sq 16 R to K 2 17 R to Q Kt 2 (b) 18 K Kt to Q 2 19 P to K 4 (c) 20 K Kt takes P 21 B takes P (ch) 22 B takes QBP (d) 23 Q takes B 24 Kt to K4 25 Q takes R 26 K to Kt 2 27 B to Q 2 28 B takes B 29 P takes Kt 30 Q takes B 31 P to Q Kt 7 51 B to K 2 52 R to Q Kt 7 53 P takes P 51 B to Kt 2 55 P to B 7 56 K to K sq 57 K to Q sq 58 K to Q2 59 K to Q sq 60 B takes P 61 K to B 2 62 K to Kt 3 42 Q to KR 4 52 P to B 5 53 Kt to B4 54 Q to Q 7 58 Q to K 6 ch (a) White now attains a superior position. Mr. Bird has again given insufficient attention to the play on the Queen's side. (b) This was hardly necessary, and somewhat weakens White's situation on the King's side, the more so as it is his intention shortly to remove his K B to B sq. (c) An important element in the attack White meditates on the Black Q Kt P. (d) Black saw the possibility of capturing the Q Kt P, but decided that it would be unsound. (e) It is not so, however. Were Black to scize the Rook the advance of the Q B P would win. f) The Black Knight cannot take the K P, and might therefore have been left where he was. If the K P is taken, White replies with Q to K sq. (g) An ill-advised move. White underrates Black's chances on the King's side as much as Black previously underrated his opponent's game on the opposite wing. hi All this is much too slow. White, at move 33, or afterwards, should have seized the opportunity of playing his B to Q Kt 5-a point which, as Mr. Bird observed, was the weak point in the Black game. GAME 145. Played at the St. George's Chess Club, 21st April 1873.-Irregular Opening." 19 K to Q 2 1 P to QB 4 50 R to K 7 2 P to K3 51 R to QB 7 3 P to K Kt 3 3 Kt to KB3 52 K to K 2 4 B to K Kt 2 4 P to QB 3 4 B to K 2 5 Castles 6 P to Q 4 9 Q to Q R 4 10 B to QR3 11 K Kt to K 2 12 P to QB 5 13 Kt takes P 14 Castles K R 15 K Kt to QB 3 16 Q R to Kt sq 17 Q to B 2 18 Kt takes B 19 Kt to Kt 5 (a) 20 Kt to Q 6 21 Q to K2 22 P to K B 3 (b) 23 Kt takes Kt 21 R to Kt 6 25 KR to Kt sq (e) This also was scarcely necessary, but still 26 Q to Q3 (c) Black retains a fine game. (f) R to K R sq, at once giving up the exchange, would have decided the game in favour of Black. (g) The saving clause, which would not have been possible two moves carlier. This move of the Rook prevents R to R 8 ch, and then Q to KR 3, winning White however cannot take the Queen's Rook on account of the attack of the Black's Bishop upon the White K. P. (h) By thus giving up the exchange, White retrieves himself. The strength of his Pawns in the after game is great, whilst those of Black are indefensible. 9 Castles 10 R to K sq 13 Kt to K B sq 11 B to Q 2 15 QB to B 3 16 Q Kt to Kt 3 17 P' to KR 4 15 Q takes Kt 19 Q to Q 2 20 KR to Kt sq 21 Q Kt to K 2 22 Q Kt to QB sq 23 R takes Kt 24 Q to K 2 25 R to QB 2 26 P to Kt 3 27 Kt to Q2 (4) 28 R fr B2 to B sq (e) 29 Q to K Kt 4 30 Q to Q sq 31 Kt to KB3 32 Kt to Kt 5 33 Kt to KB3 31 R fr Q R to Q Kt sq 35 R takes R 36 R to QB sq 37 P to KR 5 38 P takes P 39 Q to K sq 40 P to K Kt 4 41 Kt to KR2 8 Q Kt to Q 2 9 Kt to K 5 10 K BP takes Kt 11 P to K 4 12 P takes QP 13 Kt to KB3 22 Q to K B 4 (b) 25 Kt to K sq 26 Q to K Kt 3 27 B takes K Kt P (c) 28 R takes B 29 R takes Q 4 P to K Kt 3 5 P to Q 6 P to K3 7 K Kt to B3 8 P to Q Kt 3 10 Kt to Q 2 11 KB to Kt 2 12 P takes P 13 Castles 14 B to Q Kt 2 15 Q to K 2 16 Ptakes Q P (a) 17 Q R to QB 84 18 P to Q Kt 4 19 Kt to Q Kt 3 20 Q to K 3 21 R to QB 2 22 R to QB 6 23 KR to Q B sq 21 Pto KR 3 25 Kt to Q 2 26 Kt to K B sq 27 B takes QB 28 Kt takes B Resigns. (a) The second player, without committing any serious error up to this point, has already an inferior position. Mr. Bird's play throughout is marked by great vigour and accuracy. (b) White has now an attack which it is exceedingly difficult to resist, but Black might have made a better defence. (c) Finely played, and decisive. |