This is Philidor – Wilson (London 1789). Black has just mistakenly moved his rook to e8 (d8 would have been better). I’m sure you can do better than Philidor and find the best continuation here.

I suggested on Monday that, judging from games like this, Philidor might have struggled to make our C team.

Perhaps I was right: first with the correct answer was C/D team star (and one of the team behind our successful new junior group) David.

White should have continued 29. Re1!, continuing, for example, 29… Qf7 30. Rxe8+ Qxe8 31. Qe5 and White is winning the ending.

Instead he played the imaginative but sub-optimal 29. Qe5!?. Black lost the ending quickly after Qxe5, but 29… Qd8! holds after, for example, 30. Qxe8!? Qxe8 31. Rc8 Qxc8 32. Ne7+ Kf7 33. Nxc8.

The game was played at unusual odds: Philidor played without his queen’s knight and his opponent without his f-pawn.

Click on any move to play through the game in a pop-up window.