by greenpawn34 on Jan 11 2012 19:27 | 9192 views | 2 edits | Last edit on Jan 11 2012 20:10
Entries are now being taken for The RHP 2012 Championship.
I’m in and at the time of writing so are 788 others.
When it’s up and running I’ll dedicate a part of each Blog to games in the
2012 championship. The first loss, the first mate etc.etc.
So if you can enter, then enter, sounds like it could be a lot of fun.
The Birth of a Chess Book
In the early 80’s a dear friend of mine, Ian ‘Spike’ Mullen sent in a series of
positions to CHESS all showing missed winning moves. Here is just the top
section of one of the first articles.
During that period the Canadian player and writer Moe Moss saw a column,
he contacted Ian, they got together and wrote BLUNDERS & BRILLIANCIES.
An excellent book which was widely acclaimed and published in 1990.
However I recently noticed a humorous blunder that would have greatly
appealed to Ian’s wry sense of humour.
The first Diagram (in the very column that may have brought the two authors together)
is the wrong position and the players have been switched.
It is not Rubinstein v Schlecter it was infact Schlechter - Rubinstein
This is the correct position.
Schlechter - Rubinstein. Berlin 1918.
Rubinstein should have played 30…Be3 pinning the White Queen which is stopping
the mate on c2. It would no doubt have brought about Schlechter’s immediate resignation.
Instead Rubinstein played 30….Be4 and the game was drawn on move 57.
How do these things happen?
First the Rubinstein miss is explained by time trouble in the tournament book by Lasker.
Good players have been known to miss these one-movers against fellow good players.
They simply don’t expect their opponent to leave one-movers on.
The error in the position and name switch no doubt happened a very long time ago, years
before databases, when the notation was being changed from German algebraic to English
descriptive and then some enterprising Sherlock Holmes deciding that surely Rubinstein
would not miss such an easy move, it must have been Schlechter.
(no doubt adding that Schlechter was to die a few months later of malnutrition.)
Ian, who was quite meticulous, most likely got the position from a previous publication
showing blunders in GM play. I doubt he had access to the German book of the tournament
and as I said before, chess databases were a long way off in 1983.
Someone has tempered with the original position for effect.
In the erroneous position which did not appear in the game.
If it were White to play then White mates in 3 starting with 1.Qd7+
(I helped Ian in testing and selecting a few of the positions for the book - so blame me!)
So where is this leading…? any excuse to show a game.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 h6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 {Black does not have the Noah's Ark trap with 8...c5 and 9..c4 winning the be Bishop (yet). If 8...c5 9.Qd5 hitting the a8 Rook.} 8... Bb7 {Now he is threatening to float the Ark with 9...c5. I'll give an example of player getting sunk by the Ark in the next game.} 9. c4 bxc4 10. Qxc4 Qe7 11. O-O O-O-O {A pleasant surprise. I was expecting Rc8 to hold the c7 pawn. 11...d6 was no good due to 12.Ba4+} 12. Nc3 Nf6 13. Bf4 d6 14. Rac1 g5 15. Be3 {Offering the e-pawn setting a powerful trap.} 15... Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Bxe4 {The Black Queen is overloaded.} 17. Bd4 Rh7 {And now using the same theme as in the Schlechter - Rubinstein game. In this case the mate threat is on c7 instead of c2.} 18. Bf6 Qd7 19. Qxe4 {I'm hitting the d8 Rook and the h7 Rook and threatening mate by Qa8. Black resigned just beofre I could play this.}
The Noah’s Ark Trap.
So called because it is that old Noah was catching his sons with it on the Ark.
I was skipping through this recent game on RHP Game 8825512 and came across two excellent chances missed for either side.
(don't tell me good players cannot pick up things from these games. I say you can.)
First for White.
White is already a whole Rook up and just needs to switch into wrap up mode
to put this game away.
Any ideas?
Take away that Knight on f6.
Hopefully now you can see 1.Bg5 mate.
It’s how some good players spot and calculate these combinations, They remove
in their mind key pieces and work out an outcome. If they like what they see then
then try to find a way to deflect the key piece away from it’s square.
FEN
5b1N/p1qbkBpp/2np1n2/2p1p3/P3P3/2NPB2P/1rP2PP1/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[FEN "5b1N/p1qbkBpp/2np1n2/2p1p3/P3P3/2NPB2P/1rP2PP1/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1"] 1. Nd5+ Nxd5 {This is forced else Black drops his Queen.} 2. exd5 {Black will have to let the c6 Knight go because if he moves it then Bg5 is checkmate.}
I say ‘some’ good players because other good players may see and calculate the
combination is a different manner. I think I would be doing more harm than good by
telling student players ‘how to think ‘ Each person is unique.
What would attract a good player to this position….
…is the fact the King is so short of squares. A check on the h5-d8 diagonal is mate.
Others may see that the Black King and Queen being in a Knight fork able pattern and consider 1.Bg5.
In the actual game White appeared to see neither idea and played 1.Bc4. thinking
of only getting his h8 Knight back into the game and anticipating 1…g6 and 2…Bg7.
In which case 1.Bb3 trapping the b2 Rook was another idea.
This next position from the same game is more difficult but it is not it beyond an
average player. I spotted it and I’m average.
It did not leap at me like the above position but again I was lured by the state of
the White King and the fact it there were enemy pieces hovering around it.
It shows the value of knowing patterns to help you spot shots on the board and
how one idea you were looking at is the springboard for another idea.
Black to play.
Any ideas?
How about 1..Nxf3+ 2.Kh1 Nf2 mate. Three pieces always mate.
We just need to deflect the Queen from protecting f3.
And it cannot be done!
However whilst looking for deflecting Queen ideas….This mating pattern popped up
I think I have given enough clues. Let us look at that position again.
Give it a go before you look at the following sequence.
Find me a plausible continuation.
FEN
4kb2/p5p1/3p2N1/q1p1p1BP/P1BnP1n1/2rP1P1b/8/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 1
[FEN "4kb2/p5p1/3p2N1/q1p1p1BP/P1BnP1n1/2rP1P1b/8/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 1"] 1... Rc2 {Setting a beautiful trap for White to fall into. White chops the Knight. I’d have bet my Mum’s mortgage that White would have taken the Knight in that game.} 2. fxg4 Qxe1+ {The White Queen is deflected away from covering the f3 square by the Black Queen, In this game the Knight is more important than a mere Queen. This idea came to me whilst looking for a deflecting try in the first position.} 3. Qxe1 Nf3+ 4. Kh1 Rh2 {Black mates. }
You build up patterns by playing the game and by looking at tactical examples given
in books (and in blogs…….good blogs!) 😉.
Thread 144330 This was stated;
"It's often dangerous for Black to throw his Queen out on White's
K-side early in an e4-e5 game."
Good advice but one very small moot point.
Perhaps it should ; "It can be dangerous...etc etc..."
Or even; “It is recommended you get your Queen out and over to the Kingside ASAP.”
Out of curiosity I checked my 1400 RHP DB to look for games no further
than 10 moves where a Black Queen went to h4.
Found 1048. White wins = 242 Drawn = 6 Black Wins = 800.
That tips the scales heavily in Black’s favour.
Most of them are White playing a poor King's Gambit. (1.e4 e5 2.f4)
One school of thought is that at that level players should avoid opening up
their King and inviting an attack until they have built up a sense of danger.
On the other hand what better way to build up a sense danger than to keep
getting walloped in 10 moves as White by an early Black Queen sortie.
Conversely. This position with games ending in 10 or under moves.
Yields 1594 games. White wins = 1256 Drawn = 10 Black wins = 328.
That is the scales tipped back to White in alarming fashion.
So this indicates at the lower levels the first player to get in Qh4 or Qh5
usually gets the advantage.
Early Queens out to h4 or h5 = P.2642 W = 2056 D =16(!) L = 570
Here is a game where White sees what Black is up to, he prevents it,
only set himself up for another trick.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 h6 5. Nxd4 Ne5 6. Bb3 d5 {Black sacs a pawn for development and tricky trappy days.} 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O Qh4 {A good try. If the natural 9.Nf3 then Nxf3+ and Qxh2 mate. The correct move is 9.f4 instead White falls into another variation of the Nf3+ theme.} 9. g3 Qxd4 {Black has won a piece. 10.Qxd4 Nf3+.}
Here we see a Black Queen skipping out to h4 and getting punished.
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4. Nxe5 {The Pawn Fork Trick. If 4...Nxd5 5.d4 wins back the piece with a good position for White. Black plays a tempting move.} 4... Bxf2+ 5. Kxf2 Nxe5 6. d4 {And White now has a full centre with tempo.} 6... Qh4+ {Black goes fishing in troubled waters. Actually 6..Qf6+ was better try also setting a trap that has known victims. (see the next game.)} 7. g3 Ng4+ 8. Kg2 Qh5 {The Black Queen is holding the g4 Knight. The Queen is a lousy defender.} 9. Nd5 {Feints an attack on c7 to re-position the Knight.} 9... Kd8 10. Nf4 {Black resigned. He has to let the g4 Knight go. 10...Qg5 is met with 11.Ne6+ winning the Queen.}
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 5.Kxf2 Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6+ 7.Kg1 Ne7 {Oh Dear, Black has left his Knight hanging.} 8.dxe5 Qb6+ {Oh Dear, White has left his King hanging.}
Now what? Oh yes this.
Entries are now being taken for The RHP 2012 Champ....
(You have done that bit already...........Russ)
We end with this wee cracker.
davaniel - Natural Science RHP 2011
This position. White to play.
Has appeared on here and in some high level OTB games.
Most pulled the g5 Knight back to h3. One or two sacced the g5 Knight on e6.
Davaniel threw the beast on f7.
What follows is a typical under 2000 game. And as most of the readers are under 1800
then this is the type of game you should be looking at. It’s easy to understand,
unlike a GM game were all the good stuff we need to know is never played and rarely mentioned.
Hopefully I have caught the critical moments. If not just enjoy the game..
1. e4 c6 {The Caro Kann. Horatio Caro (1862-1920) was born in Newcastle, lived the majority of his life in Germany, return to London where he was buried. Next year the life of Marcus Kann. Only one Caro Kann a year on this Blog} 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Neg5 e6 7. Bc4 h6 8. Nxf7 {Here we go. The shock value such a move OTB must never be underestimated. Vukovic donates a whole chapter to it one of his books.} 8... Kxf7 9. Qe2 Nd5 10. O-O Bd6 11. Re1 N7f6 12. Ne5+ Bxe5 {Although chopping is recommended when defending a piece up. The d6 Bishop was ideally placed to launch a counter attack. 12...Kg8 and untangle slowly was perhaps a better way.} 13. dxe5 {Now you see other drawback of 12...Bxe5. The f6 Knight is chased away. The Queen comes in with effect.} 13... Ng8 14. Qf3+ Ke8 15. Qh5+ Kd7 16. f4 {With the possible idea of f4-f5 opening up more lines. Anything active, that is the key. Get the defender worrying about threats that may not be there. } 16... Qe8 {Getting the Queens off. A good defending policy but as we will see Black depends on this ploy far too much.} 17. Qd1 Ne7 18. Bb3 {With the basic threat of c4. Never be afraid to go for such shots. They have to dealt with.} 18... Kc7 {And often a defender will fail to see the best move. 18....b5 was the move. Black now has to give back the piece. } 19. c4 Bd7 {if the d5 Knight moves then 20.Qd6+ is killing.} 20. cxd5 cxd5 21. Be3 b6 22. Rc1+ Kb7 23. a4 {No respite. The Material is level, the only real difference between the two sides is the state of the Kings. White keeps the fire under the Black King's throne alive.} 23... Rc8 24. Qd2 Bxa4 {I'm thinking this pawn should have been left alone. Or throw in 24...Rxc1 first. The ½ open a-file works in White's favour.} 25. Bxa4 Qxa4 26. Ra1 Qc2 {Back to the 'Queens off' plan. As we will see 26...Qb5 was better (thank you Mr. Hindsight.). } 27. Rxa7+ {Black cannot take the cheeky Rook. 27...Kxa7 28.Qa5+ and mate in a few.} 27... Kb8 28. Rxe7 Qc6 {Suddenly Black is not interested in swapping Queens. The rest is just White mopping up.} 29. Qb4 b5 30. Ba7+ Ka8 31. Qa5 {Black resigned}
You can learn from any game. I like showing and enjoy using
examples of played by the lads on here because they are unique.
You won't see them anywhere else.
And what better games to use than those played by your peers.
@twochess: I agree. I didn't give the answer so others could solve it - hence my comment "check all checks". Poor chap who resigned.....as GP said "I hope the lad had a sense of humour" because that would be a tad annoying.
I love looking at class player games myself. It is funny, because the very first e-mail I received in 2012 was a person who unsubscribed from the chess tactics email newsletter that I write, because,
"The games were from lower rated players. I want to see what masters do."
I wrote a whole blog post about why it is fun to look at class player games here: http://tacticstime.com/?p=2353 called "Master debating: Should you study class player games?" 🙂
Keep up the outstanding work! And good luck in the RHP 2012!
Another great blog thanks! The first photocopied game at the top of the blog stuck out like the proverbial with Be3, but I couldn't see the 2nd example immediately (Horseman v Gardner); maybe it was too obvious it is easily overlooked!? White has a great attack but unfortunately it is Black to move......as they say "check all checks"!
Best rgds from Norway
Vanja Mullen Christensen, Ian`s daughter🙂
Vanja C.
You can learn from any game. I like showing and enjoy using
examples of played by the lads on here because they are unique.
You won't see them anywhere else.
And what better games to use than those played by your peers.
Just found a copy on eBay and its on the way - thanks for the suggestion.
*though I tend to favor blunders!
I love looking at class player games myself. It is funny, because the very first e-mail I received in 2012 was a person who unsubscribed from the chess tactics email newsletter that I write, because,
"The games were from lower rated players. I want to see what masters do."
I wrote a whole blog post about why it is fun to look at class player games here: http://tacticstime.com/?p=2353 called "Master debating: Should you study class player games?" 🙂
Keep up the outstanding work! And good luck in the RHP 2012!
Yes Black in the 2nd diagram plays 1...Nf3+ forking K & Q.
So White has to play 2.Rxf3 the h-pawn is now unpinned 2...hxg5.
It's bad enough losing a game. But resigning a game when you had a
winning move in the position.......I hope the lad had a sense of humour.