40 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Jan. 9, 1885. 



(2^ur Cf)rge( Column, 



By Mephisto. 



AX INTERESTING VAKIATION IN THE EVANS GAMBIT. 

 Compromised Defenxe. 



A CORRESPONDEXT wrot', asking why we gave some specimen 

 games in this defence in which White won, whereas we declared 

 the play in favour of Black. Our answer is that we give specimen 

 g.imes not as theoretical proofs, but as practical illustrations of 

 what a certain variation mav possibly — but not necessarily — lead 

 to. 



These games have the further use of testing the soundness of 

 theory. The more the games are at variance with a hitherto 

 recognised line of play, the more the games deserve quoting, and if 

 analysis proves the play sound, then the theory of the particular 

 opening will have to be modified accordingly. 



A case in point is contained in the following interesting variation, 

 in which it is somewhat doubtful whether Black has reallv a good 

 defence, i.e., 1. P to K4, P to K4. 2. Kt to KB3, Kt to Q,B3. 

 3. B to B 1, B to B-1. 4. P to QKt4, B x P. 5. P to B3, B to R4. 

 6. P to Q4, P X P. 7. Castles, P x P. 8. Q to Kt3, Q to B3. 

 0. P to K5, Q to KtS. 10. Kt x P, KKt to K2. 11. B to E3, 

 Castles. 12. QE to Q sq., P to Kt4. 13. B to Q3, Q to K4. 

 14. Kt to K4:— 



Black. 



m 



■w 



White. 



We have recently played several games from this position, bnt 

 have not been able to meet with any player who defended Black's 

 game to our satisfaction. The best defence arose from Black con- 

 tinuing with 



14. P to Kt.5. 



15. B to Kt2 



Jlore often than not Black lost. Black played now P to KE3, in 

 order to avoid the threatened sacrifice of B x RP (ch) at the moment 

 the Q reaches K3, but if 



15. P to KR3 



IG. P to KR3 

 threatening Kt to Kt3 ; the Q could not retire to KtS, on account of 

 Kt to BG (ch), therefore 



IG. Kt to B4 



17. Kt to KtS Kt X KJ 



18. P X Kt B to KtS (ch) 



19. K to R2 P to Q3 



20. Q to Q5 B to Q2 

 23. P to Kt4 and White won. 



An interesting variation was tried here on Black's 20th more, 

 when Black plaved Kt x P. 21. B x Kt, P x B. 22. Q x R, B x P. 

 23. Q X R (ch), k X Q. 24. P x B and White won. 



Another line of play, recommended by Zukertort in his notes to 

 his game with Hirshfeld, in the " Chess Monthly," was tried, i.e., 



14. 11 to K sq. 



15. Kt to KtS Q to Kto 



16. B toK4 Pto KtS 



17. B X Kt on K2 R x B 



18. P to KR3 Q to B5 



19. BxKt Px B 



20. E to Q4 Q to R3 



21. Q to R3 and White won. 



Then again in this variation Black attempted on his IGth move 

 to play at that moment instead of P to KtS, P to QKt5, which 

 resulted not unfavoui-ably, although by no means quite satisfactorily. 



On the other hand, we 

 White, i.e., 



14. 



15. 



IG. 



17. 



18. 



give another line of play, attempted by 



R to K sq. 

 Kt to KtS Q to KtS 



P to R3 Q to QR5 



B x P (ch) K X B 



Q X BP and White won. 

 Finally we have to consider whether it is not after all a choice of 

 the least evil for Black to play Q to KS, allowing the EP to be 

 taken by the B, and moving in reply thereto K to R sq. 



We shall be very pleased to receive and publish any noteworthy 

 contribution by our readers to this opening. 



SELECTED PROBLEM No. 145. 



By W. R. Coe. 



Black. 



r?»i 



WM 



ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



#*# Please address Chess Editor. 

 Correct solutions have been received from W. Fnrnival, H. B. 

 G. W., O. H. Labone. 



Uncle John.— If 1. R to Q sq, Kt to Q2 and there is no mate. 

 G. W. wishes to find an opponent for a correspondence game. 

 O. H. Labone. — Received with thanks. 



Contents of No. 166. 



PAGB 



Dickens's Story Left Half ToM. By 



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The Entomolo^ of a Pond. (Illus.) 



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The Chemistry of Cookery. L. 



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