April, 1903.] 



KNOWLEDGE 



95 



PROBLEMS. 



By C. D. Locoek. 



No. 1 



Black (5). 



"'^^'""^1^'^Bl 





m. ■^ mm :://■ 



l^i 



« « • 



White (;)). 



Wliite mates in two moves. 



No. 2. 



Black (8). 



k 



« fm W""i 



m ii 





WiiirE (7) 



White mates in two moves. 



After this number I shall hope to give at least one 

 three-move problem every month. 



"KNOWLEDGE" PROBLEM TOURNEY. 



After careful consideration I have placed the eight 

 problems, selected by the more successful solvers, in the 

 following order : — 



1st 'No. 12, "Ariadne." — A problem with many beatiti- 

 f ul points. The key, perhaps, is rather more " tak(> " than 

 "give," but as Black could evidently not take the Knight 

 where it stands, I cannot consider it weak. Three out of 

 the four continuations are quiet, one being a Queen 

 sacrifice. Very pretty is the successive visitation of 

 Q'5, QBl-5, and QKt3, and the use of the Black Bishop to 

 block the King in two different mates. It is a pity that a 

 third attempt of this kind results in a dual or triple mate. 

 Very pleasing too is the distant action of the White 

 Bishop, with its one " Ruy Lopez " mate. The great 

 variety .after 1. . . . B X P is probably due to the fact that 

 the problem, though it simulates a " block," is in reality 

 of the " threat " class. Q to R8 is a good " try," the 

 White King being cleverly used to prevent its becoming 

 too good. Q to KKtii and P to B4ch are also fair " tries." 

 Every piece, and one of the rather numerous White Pawns, 

 gives a mate. 



•2nd. No. 2(5, " Bi'H trovato." — An ideal light-weight 

 problem. The substitution of a Rook (which mates on 

 three different squares) for the customary Knight or 



Bishop is most refreshing. The key is distinctly 

 difficult, and good to the extent of giving additional 

 freedom to the Black King. Of the six continuations two 

 are quiet, though confining, and many of the mates are 

 good, while none are absolutely commonplace. The one 

 weak point is the uselessness of the White King. Its 

 position may serve to call attention from the key, but its 

 proper place, if possible, was at QR8, removing one of the 

 Black Pawns. But for this the economy is almost 

 perfect. The White Knight is curiously stationary 

 throughout. 



3rd. No. 10, " Posnibilities." — A very pretty position. 

 The two continuations with the Knight, which makes the 

 key, are in excellent style, and P to B3 is a subtle defence 

 to the threat. Some of the mates are admirable. There 

 is rather less variety than in the other prize-winners. The 

 composer probably found some difficulty in stopping a 

 dual, but in other respects the construction is first-rate. 



4th. No. 18, " Bargany." — A slashing problem, with 

 much bloodshed on both sides. I cannot consider the key 

 good. Though the Rook is offered it was already en prise, 

 and the square given to the Black King is not sufficient 

 compensation for the square of winch he is robbed. The 

 threat is, nevertheless, not obvious, and results in a 

 great variety of rather inferior mates. The two main 

 variations, involving the sacrifice of Queen and Rook, are 

 very brilliant ; other continuations are moderate, and lead 

 to mating positions in which one or more of the White 

 pieces have no part. There are some dual mates in two 

 of the variations. The economy of Wliite force is by no 

 means satisfactory, and only three of the mates are at all 

 pure and economical. Particularly annoying is the position 

 of the Black Knight when the King is mated at K.5, and 

 of the Pawn at Kt3 when he is mated by Kt to Kt7. The 

 White King gua.rds one square in one continuation, but 

 takes part in no mate. This problem was easily first in 

 the estimation of our solvers. For this reason I have, in 

 these remarks, dwelt more on what seem to me its defect.s 

 than on its many good points. 



Equal 5th. No. 13, " Leonard." — Distinguished above 

 all others for the purity and economy of the mates. The 

 key is good, followed, as it is, by a quiet threat ; though 

 the piece to move is, perhaps, rather obvious. Tiiere is a 

 fine try by 1. Kt to B5. But for the unfortunate dual 

 after K to Q3 this problem would probably have been a 

 prize-winner. As it is, it must be content with iionourable 

 mention. 



Equal 5th. No. 4, " Three Steps and a Shuffle-off." — A 

 well-constructed diagonal flight-square problem of not 

 unfamiliar tyjie, with three quiet continuations and some 

 very nice mates. The key lacks difficulty, and, moreover, 

 dei)rives the Black King of what was clearly his best 

 chance of ultimate escape. The economy is of course quite 

 faultless. 



7th. No. 24, " Weiijhty." — An ingenious " block," but 

 Black's threatened check and the position of the Black 

 Bishop both aid in the quick discovery of the key, the 

 brilliancy of which is somewhat discounted by the fact 

 that the Queen is out of play. The subsequent continua- 

 tions, including the Queen sacrifice, strike me as a little 

 obvious ; the best variition follows on 1. . . Kt x Q. which 

 leads to two cajiit^iil mates. The remaining variations are 

 only of a moderate character, and more than one White 

 piece is generally " looking-on " at the mate. Q x P and 

 B to Bsq are fair " tries." 



8th. No. t>, " Trifolium duplex." — The main feature 

 consists in the mates given by three White Pawns, in one 

 case by promotion. The key would be good if it did not 

 threaten a mate on the move, and Black is provided with 



