The cover of the June 1972 ‘Chess Life & Review’ published a few
months before the Fischer - Spassky match. Brezhnev and Kosygin
are asking Spassky, who has a pile of books for defences v 1.e4 what
he will do if Bobby does not play 1.e4. A prophetic magazine cover.
Of course I would now be expected to slip in game 6 of the ’72 match
where Bobby stunned Spassky and everyone else by playing 1.c4.
That’s too easy, what I can do is nick a moment from game 6.
Bobby Fischer - Boris Spassky, Reykjavik 1972
Fischer has just played 37.Qe4 and is now threatening 38.Rf8+ Nxf8
39.Rxf8+ Qxf8 40 Qh7 mate. Spassky spotted it and played 37…Nf6.
Take the pattern…
…search the RHP Database looking for a similar idea and I have the start of a Blog.
I found one and of course in typical Red Hot Pawn fashion it’s a total cock up!
gcyrus - woody65 RHP 2012
FEN
4r1k1/1b4pp/p7/3P1R1P/2q1p3/4Q1P1/6B1/6K1 w - - 0 29
[FEN "4r1k1/1b4pp/p7/3P1R1P/2q1p3/4Q1P1/6B1/6K1 w - - 0 29"]
29. Bf1 Qc7 30. Qb3 {White has placed the crafty d5-d6+ Queening winning trick on the board.} 30... Kh8 {Black saw that one and ducked it.} 31. Qe3 {White is full of tricks today. He has spotted after Kh8 Black's back rank is weak and is thinking about grabbing the e-pawn confident in the knowledge Black cannot take back on e5 because Rf8 is checkmate.} 31... a5 {Now that move could have won the 'Trap of the Year' back in 2012 because White did play....} 32. Qxe4 {When playing such moves always give it a double-take. The whole idea is unsound. Black can now play Qc5+ which also covers the square the f8. Black can then take the Queen. But alas....} 32... Rc8 {...Black missed it. Check all Checks!} 33. Qf3 {Stopping Qxg3+ and again with the back rank threats starting with Rf8+} 33... Qb8 34. Kh2 h6 {Understandable giving some air for the Black King. But White sets up the Bishop, Queen & Rook battery seen in the Fischer-Spassky game.} 35. Bd3 a4 36. Qe4 {And there is no defence to Rf8+ and Qh7 mate. Black resigned. We can try...} 36... Kg8 37. Qe6+ Kh8 38. Qg6 Kg8 39. Rf7 {Convinced?}
The same pattern pops up in the following game but a different result.
jebry - luizandre RHP 2013
FEN
5r1k/5pp1/1p2b2p/p2qP3/3r4/P2B2QP/1PP1R1P1/5R1K w - - 0 27
[FEN "5r1k/5pp1/1p2b2p/p2qP3/3r4/P2B2QP/1PP1R1P1/5R1K w - - 0 27"]
27. Rf4 {Looks like White has missed a pawn winning trick from Black with this move.} 27... Rxf4 28. Qxf4 Bxh3 {Perhaps White saw this coming and now realised his intended Be4 drops the e2 Rook to Black playing Qd1+} 29. Kh2 Be6 30. Rf2 Qd8 31. Qe4 g6 32. Rf6 Bf5 {This was worked out carefully by Black. It's actually a trap. White should have refrained in going for the mate. Qe3 hits the h6 pawn, the b6 pawn will fall and after Bxd3 cxd3 the d-pawn is a big passed pawn.} 33. Rxf5 gxf5 34. Qxf5 {And mate on h7 cannot be stopped.} 34... Qh4+ {Well there is this.} 35. Kg1 Qe1+ 36. Kh2 Qh4+ {Black has a perpetual. White being the exchange down cannot very interpose and swap Queens so it was a draw.}
OK enough of Fischer - Spassky Game 6. Let’s look at some other RHP games.
I nearly dismissed this game as it was shaping up to be a walk over.
Then I noticed that Black actually wins it. I should know
by now being two pieces up RHP never guarantees a win.
joeboy69 - Xenpak RHP 2014
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bd6 {Two moves in and we are out of recognised theory. I think it's a trap based on 3.fxe4 Bxe4 4.d4? Qh5+ with 5.g3 Bxg3+ ideas.} 3. Nf3 Nf6 {4 moves in and the first pawn fork of the afternoon.} 4. fxe5 Bxe5 5. Nxe5 Nxe4 6. Qe2 {Six moves in and Black is shaping up nicely to lose another piece.} 6... O-O 7. Qxe4 {And there it goes. Now you know that I would never show a blatant massacre unless something odd happens so don't skip this game, play on....} 7... Re8 {Maybe Black saw this counterplay down the open e-file coming when throwing his developed pieces overboard.} 8. Qf4 {The White Queen jumps off the hot e-file with a hit on f7...} 8... Nc6 {.....which off course is ignored.} 9. d4 {White decides to protect the Knight, hoping Black will defend f7 giving him time to sort out his King's position.} 9... d6 10. Qxf7+ {And now he takes on f7 and why not?} 10... Kh8 11. Bd3 Be6 {White could castle here meeting Bxf7 with Nxf7 + and NxQ remaining two pieces up.} 12. Qh5 Bg8 13. O-O {With the e5 Knight now unpinned White is actually threatening Ng6 mate. Black has to take the Knight.} 13... dxe5 14. dxe5 Rxe5 15. Qg4 Qe7 16. Bd2 Be6 {Any sensible move by the White seems OK. Instead White attempts to swap pieces.} 17. Bf5 {And Black rather neatly wins back his piece with...} 17... Qc5+ 18. Kh1 Rxf5 19. Rxf5 Bxf5 20. Qd1 {White returns the Queen to d1 to stop Black from playing Qxc2 from where it also hits b2,} 20... Bxc2 21. Qc1 {Pinning the Bishop. Is White about to get back into the game? Black can now unpin with 21...Qf5 but he spots a shot.....} 21... Ne5 22. Na3 Nd3 {White should have been wary about taking pieces from this guy. He's tricky. 23.Bd3 and the game goes on.} 23. Qxc2 {The third piece White has won from Black.} 23... Nf2+ {Black wins the White King.} 24. Kg1 Nh3+ 25. Kh1 Qg1+ 26. Rxg1 Nf2
Next we see some instructive and interesting moments from an RHP game.
White is messes up a common tactic them then makes a common mistake.
Huntingdon - f1list RHP 2008
FEN
r1r3k1/pp1bqpp1/4p2p/3n4/3N4/P2BPQ2/1P3PPP/2RR2K1 w - - 0 18
[FEN "r1r3k1/pp1bqpp1/4p2p/3n4/3N4/P2BPQ2/1P3PPP/2RR2K1 w - - 0 18"]
18. Qe4 {Nice moment to join the game. White is threatening checkmate with Qh7+ and Qh8.} 18... f5 {g6 would have been better. Black has missed this wee trick.} 19. Nxf5 {Answering exf5 with Qxd5+} 19... Qf6 20. Nd6 Rxc1 21. Rxc1 Nb6 {You can see the point of this . It is defending the a8 Rook from Qh7+ and Qh8+ and threatens Bc6. However Qxb2 hitting the c1 Rook keeps the Knight centralised and wins back the pawn.} 22. Rc2 {Obviously protecting the b2 pawn but I would have played h3 Luft! and if Qxb2 then Rc7. Sooner or later Qh7+ will be a winning threat.} 22... Bc6 23. Qg4 {I'm thinking Qh7+ was better and then on Kf8 consider Nxb7 Black cannot take it due to Rc7.} 23... Qe5 24. Rd2 {Holding the d6 Knight with tactics. Qxd6 being met with Bh7+. White likes this idea and depends upon it once again.} 24... Rd8 {White now has Bh7+ and on Kxh7 he plays Nf7 winning the exchange. Instead....} 25. Nxb7 {The same Bh7+ idea but White has played it the wrong way....} 25... Bxb7 26. Bh7+ Kxh7 27. Rxd8 {...because instead of winning the exchange White is now fighting with a Rook v a Bishop and Knight.} 27... Qxb2 28. h3 Qc1+ {Be careful how you answer this 30.Rd1 looks forced.} 29. Kh2 {White was now expecting Qxa3 when he plays Qxe6 with Qg8+ coming pulling the Black King into the open. But wait...Is there an unprotected piece in the position...is there a check?} 29... Qc7+ {White resigned.}
So we stated with Fischer playing 1.c4 back in 1972 and we finish with a trio of RHP
disasters that began with 1.c4. The first has a cunning opening novelty on move two.
MrPinkie - anticyclone RHP 2011
1. c4 e5 2. d4 Qe7 {Black has his beady greedy eyes on the c4 pawn.} 3. d5 Qb4+ {Followed by Qxc4} 4. Nd2 {Drats foiled....RHP plan two is called for. Hit the f2 square.} 4... Bc5 5. a3 Qb6 6. b4 {Plan 2 worked!} 6... Bxf2
Following on we see a Black Knight checkmating an English Opening in ten moves.
It could have and should have been nine moves but Black missed it first time around.
FisherKing108 - woodyb52 RHP 2013
1. c4 c5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. e3 Nc6 4. Nf3 e6 {This is looking all very normal, am I sure this an RHP game?} 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Bb4 {7.Bd2 looks OK here.} 7. Ne2 {Now we are back in usually RHP variations. Why develop a piece (7.Bd2) when we can move a protected Knight for the 3rd time in the opening.} 7... Ne4 8. Bd2 Ne5 {Now that is a sly, slick and shrewd move. Black is looking at playing Nd3 checkmate.} 9. Nxe4 {And he has got it! Nd3 mate.} 9... Bxd2+ {Wait a minute, he’s missed it!. White now has a think (a very dangerous thing to do on RHP). If I take back on d2 with the Queen I drop the c-pawn. So....} 10. Nxd2 {I take back on d2 with the Knight thus holding the c-pawn. Brilliant.} 10... Nd3
We have seen a Bishop and Knight mate v 1.c4 so how’s about a Black Rook
giving checkmate v 1.c4. Sit back and engage in the complete joy and misery of…
BustyBeaver - CaptainPat RHP 2013
1. c4 d5 2. cxd5 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Ne5 {If Black had now played 4....Qxd5 we would now be watching the Horror that never was. I'll show that next.} 4... Bh5 5. Qa4+ {That's an awkward check that should have led to a good White position.} 5... c6 6. dxc6 bxc6 {Leave the c-pawn alone. 7.Nc3 Develop!} 7. Nxc6 {Black can get out of this with Qd7 instead Black goes for a back rank trick.} 7... Nxc6 8. Qxc6+ Nd7 {Now 9.Nc3.} 9. e3 {OOPS! The Idea obviously being Bb5 putting the squeeze on the pinned piece. White has missed…} 9... Rc8 {This wins the White Queen or....} 10. Qb5 Rxc1 {....Checkmates White.}
I close with the ‘Horror that Never Was’ but trust me one day this will happen on RHP.
??????????? - ??????????? RHP ????
1. c4 d5 2. cxd5 Nf6 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Ne5 {Now instead of 4....Bh5 as in the previous game which wastes a tempo - and tempo will be important in this game. We play....} 4... Qxd5 5. Nxg4 Nxg4 6. Qa4+ {Of course 6...Qd7 saves the g4 Knight. But how's about....} 6... Qc6 {And if....} 7. Qxg4 {White is threatening Qc8 checkmate.} 7... Qxc1 {But Black got in first with the same idea and pattern. I told you tempo would be important.}
Another blog finished. I called it Fischer Spassky Game 6 and never gave the game.
That of course is the greenpawn way. Next week Botvinnik - Bronstein Game 11.