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Chess Chats 30 Aug 1959, Sun The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, California) Newspapers.com
Chess Chats by George Koltanowski
International Chess Master
Problem No. 195
White to play and mate in two moves.
FEN 3B4/6Kn/5rBP/6kN/2bP3r/6bp/4QNP1/8 w - - 0 1
Solution: 1. N(3)-N2(?) NxN; 2. O-O mate???;
1. Qe3+ Bf4 2. Nxh3+ Kg4 3. Qf3#
There's the story about the Russian laborer in a munitions factory who succeeded, where others failed, in outwitting the Comrades. This laborer daily left work by rolling a wheel barrow filled with sand through the front gate.
After this process had been repeated for six months, the sentries became suspicious. Daily checks were made of both the wheel barrow and the sand.
The sand was sifted, subjected to chemical tests and the ultra violet rays. The wheel barrow was carefully scrutinized for secret compartments. Nothing was found.
Off to Siberia
Finally factory officials in reprisal, ordered the sentries to Siberia. One sentry, particularly frustrated by the fruitless searches, was at wit's end. In desperation, he called the laborer aside.
“Please,” he urged, “tell me what you're smuggling out. I can't sleep, I can't think about anything else. It's driving me nuts. If you'll only tell me. I'll promise not to tell. But I've got to know what you're taking out.”
Touched, the laborer confided his secret: “Wheel barrows.”
The point, of course, is that the obvious often alludes us. It's sometimes difficult to see what's right before your nose.
Played in Colorado Springs, Colorado, recently blindfolded against two boards simultaneously.
George Koltanowski (white) vs. J. Farmington (black)
Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System
(a) For a full analysis on this line, see Colle system I and II by George Koltanowski, $3.00 for both volumes. Copies still available.
(b) Played to confuse! First R-K1 is better or even P-KR4.
(c) The moral in our story. The only correct move is 13. K-N3.
(d) After 17. R-B1; 18. N-R7 kills. He is hoping for 18. RxB R-Q8ch; 19. R-B1 Q-N3ch etc.
(e) Must lose his queen.
Semyon Furman vs Boris Spassky
USSR Championship (1957), Moscow URS, rd 18, Feb-16
Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation (A04) 0-1
(By transposition)
Played in the USSR Championship
(a) Some masters prefer a Nimzowitsch formation with P-Q3 followed later by P-KB4.
(b) We now have the once dreaded Maroczy Bind in the Sicilian. It used to be thought that White's control of Q5 gave him a dominating position in the center. But me QBP can be removed by Black's P-QN4, and as the present game shows, the KP can be exchanged against Black's KBP.
(c) Masters of the Maroczy school would never dream of this flank development of the KN, which has the advantage of leaving the KBP free to move.
(d) A surprise, gaining control of Q5, which Is worth more than the disappearance of the KB.
(e) This sacrifice completely shatters White's position.
(f) An elegant line-clearing move, a fitting climax to a beautifully-played attack by Spassky.
