Me with my Father’s Day ‘Cool Dads Play Chess’ t-shirt
and The Lewis Chessmen at the Edinburgh Museum.
I might go and see this act at the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
The Falkirk Herald and Linlithgow Journal began their Chess column on the
10th April 1895.This was the first problem (no composers name was given)
White to play and mate in two moves. (solution later)
That was followed by The Immortal Game (I won’t bother showing that)
then came this study composed by Stamma (born sometime in the 1700’s)
White to play. to play and win.
The first Falkirk Herald problem
The answer is 1.Qh1 and no matter what Black plays next it is checkmate.
The Stamma Study. It quite a famous one this. Most will have solved it.
FEN
3K4/R7/3k4/4R3/7r/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "3K4/R7/3k4/4R3/7r/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Rh5 {Black has to take the Rook. White is threatening 2.Ra6+} 1... Rxh5 2. Ra6+ {Followed by 3.Ra5+ and 4.Rxh5.}
And just when you thought it was safe to continue I’m now going to give
you another one to solve. You have to admit the last two were pretty easy.
M. Gurevich (2635) - R. Ovetchkin (2554), Germany 2007 (White to play)
White agreed to a draw. It is very helpful when someone puts a diagram in
front of you and says’ ‘White to play’ It is totally different being able to spot
these things during an actual game especially when you think it is a draw.
FEN
5r2/8/2R2b2/pp3pp1/1k3P1p/1p3B2/PP1K2P1/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "5r2/8/2R2b2/pp3pp1/1k3P1p/1p3B2/PP1K2P1/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. a3+ Ka4 {And now the move White missed.} 2. Rc4+ bxc4 {Only move.} 3. Bc6# {Checkmate.}
A Theme. RHP games with a Rook sacrifice and a Bishop checkmate.
emiliomc - RiverCraven RHP 2014 (White to play)
If only that g1 Bishop was not King-Pinned...
1.Rd2+ Qxd2 unpinning the Bishop 2.Bb6 mate.
littleredcat - cardiffwizard RHP 2011 (White to play)
Remember the object of the game is to mate the King not win the Queen.
Not 1.Bf5 but 1.Rxc6+ bxc6 2,Ba6 mate,
Let us look at a game with theme of the week
michael odonnell - yourmovecreep RHP 2010
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 {A good alternative to more popular 3.Nxe5} 3... Nxe4 {There is a cute trap in the 3....exd5 4.e5 Ne4 variation. I'll show that next.} 4. dxe5 {OOPS! the move here was 4.Bd3.} 4... Bc5 {Now White is in a spot of bother. The unattractive 5.Be3 looks forced.} 5. Qd5 {Hitting two loose pieces but Black comes out of this OK.} 5... Bxf2+ {A pawn up and an awkwardly place King and Black does even have to give up a piece.} 6. Ke2 f5 {Only now does White see 7.exf6 Nxf6 8.Qe5+ Kf8 9.Kxf2 Ng4+ wins the White Queen.} 7. Nbd2 {Hoping for 7...Nxd2 8.Bxd2 Bh4 (forced) 9.Qc4 and White though a pawn down has a lot of play.} 7... c6 {Now maybe 8.Qc4 to stop Black from castling.} 8. Qd3 O-O {I like this. Black is giving the pawn back for development.} 9. Nxe4 fxe4 10. Qxe4 d5 {Where does the Queen go. 11.Qd3 Bf5. or out to the wilderness with 11.Qa4.} 11. exd6 {White decides to give up the Queen for a Rook and Bishop.} 11... Re8 12. Qxe8+ Qxe8+ 13. Kxf2 Qg6 14. Bc4+ {Now 14...Be6 followed by Nd7 and Re8 or Rf8.} 14... Kf8 {I'm not liking that move. White has chances to get back in this game.} 15. Bb3 {15...Be6 get the Bishop off the board.} 15... Qxd6 {16.Be3 here and I prefer White.} 16. Bg5 {A loose threat. Rad1 and Rd8+ The Bishop belongs on e3.} 16... Qc5+ {Black allows Be3 with tempo. 16....Nd7 had to be tried but White looking better now.} 17. Be3 Qa5 {At least the Queen out of the way of the White pieces. 17.Qh5 was also an option.} 18. Nd4 {18.Rhf1 had to be played. Black now has 18...c5 and c6 is free for the b8 Knight.} 18... Na6 {This Knight is going to f6 via c7 and d5. White should bring his Rooks in.} 19. Rhf1 {At last!} 19... Nc7 20. Rae1 {White is fully developed and ready to pounce. I'm not sure Black can save this.} 20... Nd5 {At least this shuts out the b3 Bishop.} 21. Kg1+ {21...Kg8 33.Bd2 Qd8 Bg5! is winning for White.} 21... Nf6 {The Knight arrives to defend the King just in time....} 22. Rxf6+ {...to be taken. Now 22...Ke7 23.Bd2+ White ends up two pieces to the good.} 22... gxf6 {Better a quick end than a lingering one.} 23. Bh6# {Checkmate.} 1-0
That cute trap I mentioned.
geadon - porygon RHP 2007
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 {Not recommended due to White’s following reply.} 4. e5 Ne4 5. Qxd4 d5 {White should now play 6.exd6 but instead they chase the d-pawn.} 6. Nc3 Bc5 {The move players of the White pieces have overlooked when going this way.} 7. Qxd5 {White has the d-pawn. 7.Bb5+ giving the King f1 as a flight square was better. You will see why.} 7... Bxf2+ {After 8. Ke2 or 8.Kd1 then 8...Nxc3 check! and Qxd5. 0-1.} 0-1
