Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 25, No. 6. 1962.

Chess

Chess

The following game was played in the 1960 Intervarsity Tournament at Christchurch. J. Howe, playing board 2 for Vic. conclusively beat W. A. Poole (Otago) by capitalising smartly on Poole's error of judgment. Incidentally, Poole has since become Victoria's top player.

J. Howe (White) W. A. Poole (Black)
1. P-K4 P-QB4
2. P-QB3 ....

A relief from the usual 2. N-KB3.

2. .... P-Q4
3. P × P Q × P

White can't attack the Queen because of the occupied QB3.

4. P-Q4 P-K3
5. N-KB3 ....

To free the King's bishop.

5. .... N-QB3
6. B-K2 N-KB3
7. O-O P × P

To clear things up in the centre but allowing white to gain a tempo.

8. P × P B-K2
9. N-B3 Q-QR4

Black suffers from lack of development and no good squares for his QB.

10. B-QB4

A move reminiscent of the American boy wonder, Bobby Fischer.

10. .... O-O
11. Q-K2 R-Ql
12. B-K3 P-QR3
13. QR-Q1 P-QN4

Black's Queen is going to be out of the picture for a while.

14. B-N3 N-QN5

Imagining he can get a blockade Knight on Q4. Better is 14 ... B-N2

15. B-N5 1 ....

The punch line, quickly capitalising on black's mistake, leads to win of material as will soon become evident.

15. .... N(B3)-Q4
16. N × N N × N
17. B × N R-R2

Losing a piece because the bishop can't be taken, e.g. If 17 .... P × B then 18. Q × B. The mopping up process now begins in earnest.

18. B-N3 B × B
19. N × B P-R3
20. N-B3 QR-Q2
21. N-K5 R-Q3
22. Q-B3 ....

probably quickest.

22. .... Q-B2
23 R-QB1 Q-N2
24 R × B 1 Resigns.

To enlighten the unsophisticated. If 24 .... Q × Q then 25 R × R ch R × R 26. N × Q and white is two pieces up. Of course not 24 .... R × R. See why! Also if 24 .... Q × R then 25 Q × P ch K-Rl 26. N-N6 ch K-R2 27. N-K7 Q moves 28. Q-N6 ch K-Rl 29. B-B2 and Black is mated next move or loses his Queen.