Once, for a joke, I said Murray was my son and I was the Dad in question. That was
in 1998, It took years to undo that joke and yet people still think I am Murray’s Dad.
(Murray actually dedicates this book to his father, Graham Chandler. Thankfully he
used his dad’s full name. If he had used G. Chandler I’d still be getting the blame.
I’m thinking the only way to stop it for good is to publish.
(I’ll dedicate this book to Murray so he has to spend ages denying he is my son.)
A Bishop Bonanza. They move in the first puzzle. But do not move in the second puzzle.
No.1 From a position in a Reinfeld book (White to play)
Trap and win the Queen. 1.Bb6 Qd7 2.Bf4 Qxf4 3.Nxe7+
Next is from Chess Life, August 1980. A. Barnes - H. Bird New York 1877
Black to play. (Black uses both Bishops without moving them!)
[FEN "8/7P/1B6/8/7K/8/r7/4k3 w - - 0 1"] 1. Ba5+ {Black cannot play 1...Rxa5 2.h8=Q} 1... Kf1 {If 1....Kd8 the solution has the same idea. Use the Black King to block the checks} 2. Kg3 {2. Kh3 Kg1 draws. White cannot prevent Rh2+} 2... Ra3+ {2....Rg2+ 3.Kh3 Rg1 4.Bc7 Rh1+ 5.Bh2 and the h7 pawn promotes.} 3. Kh2 {The White King does not go up the board else Black take the Bishop with a check} 3... Ra2+ 4. Kh1 {The h-pawn promotes 1-0.} *
Nothing too much has happened since the last blog.
Let’s get back to Murray’s book. Chapter 10. ‘The See-Saw’
Murray uses the classic example which everyone else uses Torre - Lasker, Moscow 1925.
I won’t bother giving it just Google it. Not his fault RHP was not up and running in 1998.
It is easier to give an example than explain, here are some RHP See-Saw Specimens.
Note in a few of the games the player on the See-Sawing misses delivering a checkmate.
Frankieboy - Andychrisnixon RHP 2019
FEN
r4rk1/ppp1b1pp/2n5/3R1p2/PP2p3/B3P3/5PPP/1R4K1 w - - 0 25
[FEN "r4rk1/ppp1b1pp/2n5/3R1p2/PP2p3/B3P3/5PPP/1R4K1 w - - 0 25"] 25. Rd7 {White is losing. Black fails to see a See-Saw - see what happens next.} 25... Bd6 {The Rook is trapped thinks Black.} 26. Bb2 {Black should now play Rf7 and the kids do not get to ride on the See-Saw.} 26... Nb8 {OOPS!} 27. Rxg7+ Kh8 {In this set up with a black pawn on h7 there is often a checkmate on the board.} 28. Rxc7+ {Rg6 or Rg5 etc and it was mate in a few moves after Be5 and Rf6.} 28... Kg8 29. Rg7+ Kh8 {Again White can take a mate with Rook anywhere on the g-file except g8.} 30. Rxb7+ {But White it having so much fun they do not want to get off the See-Saw.} 30... Kg8 31. Rg7+ Kh8 32. Rxa7+ {Missing mate again. At least we getting a good example of a full See-Saw in action.} 32... Kg8 33. Rxa8 {White went onto to win.}
SlowNsteady - McDuffy RHP 2020
FEN
1rq2rk1/1p2bpp1/7p/1Q1P4/3B2n1/8/PPP2P1P/1K1R2R1 w - - 0 21
[FEN "1rq2rk1/1p2bpp1/7p/1Q1P4/3B2n1/8/PPP2P1P/1K1R2R1 w - - 0 21"] 21. f3 {Setting up the See-Saw. There is no pawn on h7 so there should not be a mate.} 21... Nxh2 {Black had to try Nf6. Now the fun begins.} 22. Rxg7+ Kh8 23. Rxf7+ Kg8 24. Rg7+ Kh8 25. Rxe7+ Kg8 26. Rg7+ Kh8 {If you want you can add sound effect playing over these games.} 27. Rc7+ {Wheeeeeeee!} 27... Kg8 {White can actually force a mate with Qd3 but we can forgive that miss.} 28. Rxc8 {Who is not going to take Queen in that position. 1-0.} 1-0
u b luzhin - kasparov6179 RHP 2007
FEN
3r1rk1/bb2q1pp/p7/2p4P/1pP1p3/PP2RN2/1B3PP1/R2Q2K1 w - - 0 26
[FEN "3r1rk1/bb2q1pp/p7/2p4P/1pP1p3/PP2RN2/1B3PP1/R2Q2K1 w - - 0 26"] 26. Qe2 {Black could try Qd6 here with Bb8 ideas.} 26... exf3 {But they have put their faith in passed e2 pawn.} 27. Rxe7 fxe2 {Black now expected Rxe2.But White elects to ride the See-Saw.} 28. Rxg7+ Kh8 {There is a black pawn on h7 but no matte with Rg6+ due to black replying Rd4.} 29. Rxb7+ Kg8 30. Rg7+ Kh8 31. Rxa7+ {I'm fed up saying 'See-Saw' The Windmill (another term for a See-Saw) has won both Bishops.} 31... Kg8 32. Rg7+ Kh8 33. Re7+ {White picks up the e2 pawn and Black resigned.} 1-0
cimule - Bromdog RHP 2014
FEN
r2q1rk1/p1p3pp/1b1p1n2/2p5/1PP2p2/P2P1N1P/1B2PP2/R2QK1R1 w Q - 0 17
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p1p3pp/1b1p1n2/2p5/1PP2p2/P2P1N1P/1B2PP2/R2QK1R1 w Q - 0 17"] 17. d4 {Black should play cxd4 because after...} 17... Qd7 18. dxc5 {...black has no choice but to allow a See-Saw onto the board and there is a black pawn on h7.} 18... dxc5 19. Qxd7 Nxd7 20. Rxg7+ {This one is instructive because a Black Rook and Knight cover f6 so the mate is....} 20... Kh8 21. Rxd7+ {First remove a Knight with check.} 21... Kg8 22. Rg7+ Kh8 {And now Rook anywhere on g-file except g8 and it is checkmate next move.} 23. Rxc7+ {White missed it.} 23... Kg8 24. Rg7+ Kh8 25. Rxa7+ {White missed it.} 25... Kg8 26. Rg7+ Kh8 {Will White go for the mate in two or the Bishop on b6.} 27. Rb7+ {It's the Bishop!} 27... Kg8 28. Rxb6 {White comes off the See-Saw two pieces and three pawns up 1-0.}
