October 03, 1948 The Press Democrat Chess Chats by George Koltanowski

< Prev Index Next >

Chess Chats 03 Oct 1948, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com

Chess Chats by George Koltanowski Sunday, September 26, 1948 The Press Democrat Santa Rosa, California Problem No. 53...

Posted by Bobby Fischer's True History on Monday, March 2, 2020

Problem No. 53 by Florian Kovacs, Budapest. White to move and mate in two moves.
FEN 2R1r1B1/8/3PqbN1/1rn2PP1/1NPk1B2/2n1pQP1/PP2P2K/2R5 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. Qg4 Rxb4 2. Be5#

Augusts Strautmanis vs Georges Koltanowski
The Hague Olympiad (1928), The Hague NED, rd 10, Jul-30
Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation (C41) 0-1

Descriptive 1. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 P-Q3 3. P-Q4 PxP 4. NxP N-QB3 5. B-QB4 N-B3 6. N-QB3 B-K2 7. O-O O-O 8. P-KR3 R-K1 9. P-B4 B-B1 10. NxN PxN 11. P-K5 N-Q2 12. Q-R5 Q-K2 13. PxP PxP 14. P-B5 P-Q4 15. B-Q3 N-B3 16. Q-R4 R-N1 17. N-K2 P-B4 18. P-B4 B-R3 19. N-N3 Q-K4 20. R-B2 PxP 21. B-KB4 Q-Q5 22. B-K2 RxNP 23. R-Q1 KRxB! 24. RxQ RxR 25. R-Q2 QRxR 26. BxR RxB 27. N-B1 P-B6 28. Q-K1 BxN 29. KxB N-K5 30. QxN P-B7 31. Q-QB4 R-Q8ch Resigns

Algebraic 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Bc4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. 0-0 0-0 8. h3 Re8 9. f4 Bf8 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. e5 Nd7 12. Qh5 Qe7 13. exd6 cxd6 14. f5 d5 15. Bd3 Nf6 16. Qh4 Rb8 17. Ne2 c5 18. c4 Ba6 19. Ng3 Qe5 20. Rf2 dxc4 21. Bf4 Qd4 22. Be2 Rxb2 23. Rd1 Rxe2! 24. Rxd4 Rxf2 25. Rd2 Rxd2 26. Bxd2 Rxd2 27. Nf1 c3 28. Qe1 Bxf1 29. Kxf1 Ne4 30. Qxe4 c2 31. Qc4 Rd1+ 0-1

2. Up to 1932 I used toplay this variation of defense, but after my sad loss against Kashdan, in London, 1932, I have not played the Philidor defense any more.
3. This move gives White complete control of the center. QN-Q2 is better.
9. This stops the advance of the King's pawn.
11. Best.
12. Black starts threatening things!
14. Black now frees himself of all threats White had, and starts taking the initiative.
18. Pins and develops.
21. Pins the White Queen now.
23. A nasty surprise for White.
25. His only move, as RxPch, R-R7ch, QR-N7ch and P-B6ch were threatened.
26. Black's well defended position allowed this combination and now with three pieces for the Queen he has an easy win.
31. Best.