Monday 10 November 2008

Cannot find chess books!

While holidaying in England has been pleasant, the one thing I've missed is finding second hand chess books. A planned trip to Hay-on-Wye failed to eventuate, and now that I'm 'oop north', I haven't seen many second hand bookshops.
Instead I've been reduced to reading through Rupert Jones' chess collection. One interesting volume was a bound set of British Chess Magazine from 1920. As a past chess magazine publisher I can sympathies with the editorial team who were extremely worried about the magazine finances, and the level of subscriptions (at one stage as low as 500, although it was soon after World War I).
There were a number of reports from British chess, as well as mention of events like the Victorian State Championship, and a Melbourne Chess Club v a Sydney Club telegraphic match.
At random I've picked a short game where Black tries the Philidor Counter Gambit and quickly becomes unstuck.

Mlotkowski,S - Perry,E [C41]
1919

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5?! 4.exf5 e4 5.Ng5 [ 5.Qe2!] 5...Bxf5 6.Nc3 d5 7.f3 Nf6 8.fxe4 dxe4 9.Bc4 Now white is winning. 9...Bg6 10.0-0 [ 10.Ne6 would also be effective.] 10...h6 11.Ne6 Qe7 (D)
12.Rxf6!!
Setting up a nice finish. 12...gxf6 13.Nd5 1-0

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