September 30 1956 The Press Democrat Chess Chats by George Koltanowski

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Chess Chats 30 Sep 1956, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com

Chess Chats by George Koltanowski Sunday, September 30, 1956 The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Problem No. 43...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Monday, February 10, 2020

Problem No. 43 by Leah Colton. White to play and mate in two moves.
FEN 8/3p4/3K4/6p1/4R3/5kpQ/2n2pN1/2N2R1n w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Qh7 Kxg2 2. Qxh1#

Thomas-Marshall Game

Sir George Thomas is 75 today, and players all over the country will join in congratulating one of the greatest names in the history of British chess. One can think of few chess masters who has had any athletic distinction, but Sir George, of course, also achieved outstanding honors at badminton. The following win against grandmaster opposition was played in the international team tournament at Hamburg, 1930, when Sir George's excellent captaincy was one important reason for the good result achieved by the British team.

George Alan Thomas vs Frank James Marshall
Liege (1930), Liege BEL, rd 6, Aug-24
Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System (E14) 1-0

(1) This anti-positional move blocks both the QB and the QBP and is a direct cause of Black's later troubles.
(2) More promising is 8. … P-Q3; followed by … P-K4.
(3) White has taken advantage of his opponent's opening errors in an absolutely logical manner, and Black is now in difficulties owing to his backward QBP. Black has now nothing better thant he unattractive 15. … R-B1. It is understandable, and typical of Marshall, that he prefers an attempt at counterattack.
(4) Repulsing the attack.
(5) A well-calculated finish.
(6) White announced mate in four by 23. QxPch, RxQ; 24. R-B8ch, B-K1; 25. RxBch, R-B1; 26. RxR mate.

Game of the Week

Young David Grimshaw of Toronto is one of Canada's bright new prospects on the chess horizon. In the recently concluded Ontario championship he impressed by forcing a tie for fourth place. We present below Grimshaw's only loss, to International Master Paul Vaitonis, a game in which the experienced master does not allow his youthful opponent the slightest leeway. In this game the winner makes chess look like an easy game indeed.

Paul Vaitonis (white) vs. David Grimshaw (black)
English Opening: Mikenas-Carls Variation

Descriptive 1. P-QB4 N-KB3 2. N-QB3 P-K3 3. P-K4 P-Q4 4. PxP PxP 5. P-K5 N-N1 6. P-Q4 B-N5 7. N-B3 P-QB4 8. PxP BxNch 9. PxB Q-R4 10. Q-N3 QxP 11. B-R3 Q-R4 12. R-Q1 B-K3 13. QxNP QxBPch 14. N-Q2 QxKPch 15. B-K2 P-Q5 16. O-O QxB 17. QxR Q-K4 18. R-N1 Resigns

Algebraic 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. e5 Ng8 6. d4 Bb4 7. Nf3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qa5 10. Qb3 Qxc5 11. Ba3 Qa5 12. Rd1 Be6 13. Qxb7 Qxc3+ 14. Nd2 Qxe5+ 15. Be2 d4 16. 0-0 Qxe2 17. Qxa8 Qe5 18. Rb1 1-0

3. P-QB4 is my preference here but the text move is also good.
8. An excellent move showing keen positional judgment.
10. A mistake with extremely serious consequences. Now Black will not be able to castle. Better is 10. … N-QB3.
17. And now White plays the most devisive move—18. R-N1 leaving Black only one alternative—resign.

Chess Quote of the Day

Decent prizes are necessary and proper incentives to good chess and good tournaments. Before I am deluged with protests by well-meaning amateurs that one should play chess for the love of the game let me say that I love the game just as much and perhaps more than most of them do. Bt the exercise of skill and the playing of hard and strenuous games should meet with a due reward. Such incentives result in that high seriousness with pertains to great chess as well as to great poetry.—Harry Golembek, British Chess Magazine