CHESS

Dutch treat Raymond Keene

Last week I reviewed the new edition of grandmaster Andrew Soltis’s book on the 100 best games of the 20th century. While criticising one of his choices I mentioned a masterpiece by Tartakower in the Dutch Defence that undoubtedly deserved its place of honour in the pantheon of great games. Here is that paragon of chessboard combat.

Maroczy–Tartakower: Teplitz–Schoenau 1922; Dutch Defence

1 d4 e6 2 c4 f5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 a3Played in order to prevent ...Bb4 pressuring the e4-square. 4 ...Be7 5 e3 0-0 6 Bd3 d5 7 Nf3 c6 8 0-0 Ne4 9 Qc2 Bd6 10 b3 Nd7 11 Bb2 Rf6Black is too keen to attack. He should prefer 11 ...Qf6.

rDb1WDkD 0pDnDW0p WDpgp4WD DWDpDpDW WDP)nDWD )PHB)NDW WGQDW)P) $WDWDRIW

12 Rfe1Here White should have played 12 Ne5! when there are two lines: a) 12 Ne5 Bxe5 13 dxe5 Nxe5 14 Nxd5 exd5 15 Bxe5 or b) 12 Ne5 Nxe5 13 dxe5 Bxe5 14 Nxe4 Bxb2 15 Nxf6+ Qxf6 16 Ra2 Be5 17 f4. White is much better in both cases. 12 ...Rh6Threatening 13 ...Bxh2+ 14 Nxh2 Qh4. 13 g3 Qf6 14 Bf1 g5 15 Rad1If White had anticipated Black’s 17th move he would have preferred 15 Bg2 here. 15 ...g4 16 Nxe4 fxe4 17 Nd2( diagram 2) 17...Rxh2!! An extraordinarily deep sacrifice, not the least remarkable point about it being that Black, a rook down, subsequently

Cobra Puzzle No. 69

WDWDWDWi 0WDW4W1p WDWgWDWD DW0WDQDW WDW)W0WD DBGW4PDW P)WDWDPD DWIWDWDR

THE SPECTATOR13 May 2006 64

Diagram 2

rDbDWDkD 0pDnDWDp WDpgp1W4 DWDpDWDW WDP)pDpD )PDW)W)W WGQHW)W) DWDR$BIW

desists from the attack in order to complete his development. 18 Kxh2 Qxf2+ 19 Kh1 Nf6 Black must maintain the pin on the white knight. If 19 ...Qxg3 20 Nb1 and the white queen can come to the aid of the king. 20 Re2 Qxg3 21 Nb1 Nh5 22 Qd2 Bd7 23 Rf2 Qh4+ 24 Kg1 Bg3Both 24 ...Ng3 25 Bg2 and 24 ...g3 25 Rg2 leave Black with no attack. 25 Bc3 Bxf2+ 26 Qxf2 g3 27 Qg2 Rf8 Black threatens 28 ...Rf2 29 Qh1 Rh2. 28 Be1

WDWDW4kD 0pDbDWDp WDpDpDWD DWDpDWDn WDP)pDW1 )PDW)W0W WDWDWDQD DNDRGBIW

28...Rxf1+Not 28...Qh2+ 29 Qxh2 gxh2+ 30 Kxh2 Rxf1 31 Nd2 followed by Bh4 and White stands better. 29 Kxf1 e5 30 Kg1 Bg4 31 Bxg3 Nxg3 32 Re1 Nf5 33 Qf2 Qg5 34 dxe5 Bf3+ 35 Kf1 Ng3+ White resigns

White to play. This position is from Tartakower–Winter, Nottingham 1936. How did Tartakower finish off here? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 16 May or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7242 0603. Please include a phone number. The winner will be the first correct answer out of a hat, and each week I shall be offering a prize of a box of Cobra Premium beer.

Last week’s solution: 1 Be8 Last week’s winner: Paul Grundy, Worsley, Manchester

COMPETITION

Bouts rimés Jaspistos

In Competition No. 2442 you were asked for a poem with certain rhyme words to be used in a given order. The rhymes were taken from a poem by J.B. Morton (‘Beachcomber’) with the intriguing title ‘The Danger of Queer Hats’, which ends, ‘And Smith, who wears a common bowler,/ Has risen to be Birth Controller.’ Which brings me to brown and promotion . Their proximity in the rhymescheme had a mesmeric effect; the Chancellor’s unsmiling features haunted the competition. Yet he doesn’t feature among the prize-winning entries, printed below, which earn £30 each. The bonus fiver goes to Martin Woodhead for his masterly speech by Richard III.

And why such coil and bustle for a crown? Actions speak scarlet; blood congealed turns brown. With wishes for my horse, I’ll gallop post, And what was Edward’s bauble make my boast. Better be patient, sue, pray for promotion? A murrain fall on such a milksop notion! I who of Nature’s bounties miss my share Must use this head, to set the diadem there. What, rather droop, and simper ‘Well-a-day!’ Like some green-sickness virgin, dost thou say, With folded arms and melancholy hat, Pining for place? No, by St Anne, not that! Sooner I’ll seize ambition by the throat, And tear it in such deed of noble note Shall make men wonder. This rich cup from brim To dregs I’ll drain. Clarence? I’ll drink to him. Martin Woodhead

My great-grandfather served the Crown, Condemned to get his white knees brown In one or other distant post That gave him little cause to boast, A menial who craved promotion Yet knew it was a futile notion. Of company he had his share; There always was a whites’ club there Where he could drink away the day — ‘A home from home’, he’d always say. The gin was foul, the news old hat, But he’d orate on this and that Until the night he slit his throat. ‘What is the purpose?’ read the note He’d tucked beneath his topi’s brim, And nobody could answer him. Basil Ransome-Davies

‘I say, old bean, do lend us half-a-crown, One’s gullet craves a pint of Newky Brown; The pater’s monthly cheque is in the post, Big things are round the corner. It’s no boast, I’m definitely in line for a promotion, Seat on the board, at least.’ The very notion That this flâneur, ex-Greyfriars Owl, should share
In corporate decision-making! There Was not a chance he could put in one day Of conscientious toil. Here let me say, Without demur, I’d gladly eat my hat If Bunter ever knuckled down to that. He raised the cadged libation, cleared his throat, Issued a verbal promissory note, Inclined his head, lips limpeting the brim, Two gulps and gone; so typical of him. Mike Morrison

A former bearer of the Crown Employed a ghillie, one John Brown. Although at first a humble post, It later gave him cause to boast Of how he gained such swift promotion. This fed the dark below-stairs notion That he and Ma’am had much to share. True — for the lonely widow there Was comfort every passing day. Then friendship turned to love, they say. It stayed beneath Disraeli’s hat Until it was admitted that, Though sticking in the nation’s throat, Brown’s presence struck a happy note. So fill your glasses to the brim And drink a toast in Scotch to him! Esdon Frost

My wealth was down to less than half-a-crown. My mood was indigo, my study brown. I was a letter someone failed to post, Quite insignificant, when once I’d boast Of multi-million deals. My self-promotion Made me feel lord of all — hubristic notion! The day my stock hit 7p a share — Although it didn’t even settle there, But plummeted to zero — was the day I heard a multitude of voices say, ‘He had it coming — always a bad hat.’ My amour-propre hit the roof at that. The thought of penury stuck in my throat Till sending somebody a blackmail note At once refilled my coffers to the brim, But mum’s the word — you might have heard of him G.M.Davis

No. 2445: Snookered? You are invited to incorporate the following words, in any order, in a plausible piece of prose, using them in a non-snooker sense: pot, cue, balk, cushion, cannon, extension, bridge, pocket, kiss, spider, frame, break . Maximum 150 words. Entries to ‘Competition No. 2445’ by 25 May.

CROSSWORD

1764: Curtain by Ascot

Verifiable in Chambers or Brewer , the unclued lights, including two plurals, are connected by a theme.

AACCRROOSSSS 1 Sharp object in vehicle, female found during short trip (8, hyphened) 6 Old bands row about one contralto (6) 12 Golf club captain, owner of smeltery (10) 14 One is embraced by hero, resulting in affair (7) 15 Confront informer in plant (10, hyphened) 20 Fabric Spectator columnist returned (4) 22 Resolve shown by one French composer (7) 24 Feeds odd goose on street (7) 26 Odd goose almost put in Barrow prison? (7) 31 A Germanic tribe member holding silver nozzle (7) 34 Plunge into start of Eliot novel (4) 36 Embarrass child with a broad smile (7) 38 A chart one in CID brought back and copied (10) 39 Competitor in event ran third (7) 42 Cigar GI held in porch, with end dropping off (6) 43 Correct errors made by English friend about region (8)

DDOOWWNN 2 A rail, we hear, under distant tree (8) 3 Poet from Rhode Island and his works (5) 4 Porridge having a smell in past (7) 5 Popular luggage lines (7) 7 Sir in prison, Rear Admiral (6) 9 E.g. touch minor in front of head — that’s stupidity (13) 10 Deacons with pipes? (13) 11 Stupid fool turned up having entered wrong course (9) 19 Put down too much about Welsh stringed instrument (9)

21 When monkey gets fruit (5) 25 Forwarded about ten cents deposit (8) 27 Letters from Scottish grandchildren (3) 28 Ruin includes uprooted hollow cherry tree (7, hyphened) 29 Clive, he managed agency (7) 32 The rabble shred flag (6) 35 Old elixir can — about time! (5)

Name..............................................

Address..........................................

........................................................

........................................................

........................................................

A first prize of £30 for the first correct solution opened on 29 May, in addition to which Insight Investment will reward the inspired winner with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot vintage champagne. There are two runners-up prizes of £20 (or, for UK solvers, the latest edition of The Chambers Dictionary — ring the word ‘Dictionary’). Entries to: Crossword 1764, The Spectator, 56 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LL.

Unique financial solutions (7,10)

The formidable talent of The Spectator will be teaming up with King.com in a live Word Battle contest. Log on to www.king.com on 17 May between 17.30 and 18.30 and challenge our editor, Matthew d’Ancona, at skilled word games to win cash prizes! In Word Battle, players compete to make high-scoring words from a grid of random letters. Matthew looks forward to meeting you all on King.com and playing you at Word Battle.

Solution to 1761: Bardolph’s nose

The theme word was salamander . 18, 30and 6D are types of salamander and 2, 6A and 25 were the unscathed survivors of the burning fiery furnace (see Dan. 4). 32 and 35 are further definitions. The title alludes to Henry IV, Part I , III.iii (see salamander in Brewer ). The tenth column has HOLS arranged with SALAMANDER and was to be shaded.

First prize: W.B. Macintosh, Glasgow Runners-up: Sir Charles McCullough, London EC4;Eddie Looby, Northfield, Birmingham

THE SPECTATOR13 May 2006 65