Elegant Checkmate

Originally posted by TRAINS44
AGHHHH...You aint got no sensahumor.

I'll try harder next time. 🙂

Originally posted by iamroot
In a game I am currently playing now, I am about to sacrifice both rooks to get the mate. Also, I have to taken the opponents queen... Game is not finished, but mate is imminent: Game 1370800

Bad form. Wait until the game is finsihed before inviting people to discuss it.

Originally posted by Natural Science
Bad form. Wait until the game is finsihed before inviting people to discuss it.

it pretty much is finished. checkmate is imminent...

Originally posted by iamroot
it pretty much is finished. checkmate is imminent...

Whether it is or isn't is not the point. It's commonly accepted here that it's improper to discuss a position in a game that is still ongoing. The reason for this is so that we never have to worry about stepping into that grey area between harmlessly discussing the position, and giving advice to one of the players. I'll grant you that the TOS doesn't say that discussion in the forums of ongoing games is not allowed; all it says is that no player is allowed to receive outside help during a game, other than databases or books. It's pretty ambiguous with what consists of "help" from outside sources, so we try avoid that by quelling all discussion of any game that is still in progress.

Just to play Devil's Advocate, let's just say that you're reasonably certain that you have a checkmate, but not absolutely sure (I'm not referring to your position, just in general). You make a post linking to your game, where you have just sacrificed a rook, proudly proclaiming that checkmate is imminent. Then a few well-intentioned posters stop by and play through your game and say, "hey, nice work!" Now, with this vote of confidence, you're quite sure you have the mate in hand. This isn't major stuff; you had already invested the material. Even if it turned out to be unsound, all you'd be able to do is ride the storm out. Still, these well-meaning posters have now set a precedent. Taking things a bit further...

Suppose that next week, someone else comes on here, posts a link to a game, and says, "Lookit! I'm about to sacrifice my queen for mate in 6!" But deep in his heart of hearts, he's not entirely sure he's got the mate. A couple of 1800s look at the game, and leave messages like, "Hey, nice find!" or "Yep, you got 'im". He hasn't actually played the sacrifice yet, and certainly wasn't going to if someone would come back with, "Make that sacrifice and you can safely resign." Now, if his opponenet is monitoring this forum, he has every right to complain that the first player is receiving help from other players in the forums. Then everyone refers back to the precedent that was set the week before, and someone has to draw a line through the sand as to what can, and what can't be discussed regarding games in progress. Rather tha face this arbitrary decision, we feel it's best to completely abstain from any discussions of games that are still going on.

Originally posted by Lahaina
Game 1408756
12 moves, less pieces captured...
Is that elegant?

Should have been 11 moves. You missed it one move earlier.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
The checkmate is 32. Kg2 Bh3+ 33. Kh1 (33. Kh2 Bf1# ) Bg4+ 34. Kg2 (34. Qh2 Bxf3+ 35. Kg1 Qe1# ) Qh3+ 35. Kf2 Qxf3+ 36. Ke1 Qe2#

Now I'm not too sure why an elegant mate is one which doesn't involve taking your opponents queen. So instead I give you underpromotion for mate.

Game 1086815

I spotted the mate on move 24.

EDIT: Smiley attack

I think the original thread mate to me was a workmanlike mate I cannot see how it could be described as elegant (if I was forced to distinguish as a mate is a job well done regardless, but there does not appear to be any special finese about it?), however I have to say I liked this one.