Archive: UNCUT! 43

The Sean Marsh Chess Column
UNCUT!
*Column 43*
* *November 2005* *

History

We have an old trophy at Elmwood Chess Club that I was able to examine recently. Some of the

names should be very familiar to our locals….

‘Stockton Chess Club
Challenge Cup
In Memory of Arthur W. Welch
Member 1885-1946’

Winners
1946-7 H.A. Turnbull
1947-8 H.A. Turnbull
1948-9 J.R. Paterson
1949-50 A.H. Clark
1950-1 J. Harper
1951-2 H.A. Turnbull
1952-3 H.A. Turnbull
1953-4 H.A. Turnbull
1954-5 W.S. Winscom
1955-6 W.S. Winscom
1956-7 A Ward
1957-8 D.A. Smith
1958-9 F.N. Stephenson
1959-60 I. Middleton & D.A. Smith
1960-1 F.N. Stephenson
1962-3 I. Middleton
1963-4 I. Middleton & B.R. Smith
1964-5 R. Horner

I wonder how many of the above players are known to our readers? E-mail me with any memories you have of this tournament and I shall include all relevant feedback in a future UNCUT!

Revolver 1

Have you all been to see ‘Revolver’ yet? Ignore the poor reviews; this British gangster film is actually well worth your time, not least because it features a recurring chess theme throughout.

Revolver 2

The story goes that Alekhine reached the following position - with White - against a German general in a simultaneous display (blindfolded to boot) during the Second World War
Here the General was acutely aware of the mating threat and offered to resign. Alekhine offered instead to switch colours. The General agreed, whereupon Alekhine played 1 … Rh4! 2 Nh4 Qc3! with another mate threat.

Again the General thought he had better resign but Alekhine repeated his earlier offer and switched sides! The General accepted, but after 3 Qh8+! Kxh8 4 Ng6+

…he was mated anyway after 4 …Kg8 5 Rh8 mate.

Test your own fighting skills on the following famous positions….

Von Popiel - Marco
Monte Carlo 1902
Black resigned (1-0), seeing no way out of the potentially lethal pin on the Bishop. Can you see a decent alternative to resignation?

Anon - Sonnenschein
Berlin 1937
White resigned (0-1), thinking the pin was decisive. Can you see what he should have played?

Flohr - Grob
Match 1932
Seeing no defence to 26 …Qf1 mate, White resigned (0-1). Can you do better?
Answers next time!

Sean Marsh
November 2005