They put a concrete chessboard outside Murrayfield Rugby Stadium
So I turned up with my blue (Scotland) and red (Wales) and chess set.
Picture clues. You have to guess the opening.
The Two Knights Defence.
The Three Knights Game.
...er...the Four Knights.
OK try this, who are these people?
Knights of the Round Table...Sir Dim on the Rim etc...
What Christmas Carol is this?
Silent Knight.
What month is this?
February in a leap year...29 Knights
OK a genuine puzzle from H. Lommer (1904-1980), White to play and win.
Clue = Find the Skewers.
The solution is after the following joke.
FEN
8/8/8/5K2/7q/5k2/8/R1R5 w - - 0 1
[FEN "8/8/8/5K2/7q/5k2/8/R1R5 w - - 0 1"] 1. Ra3+ Ke2 2. Rc2+ Kd1 {The c2 Rook is attacked and the Black Queen has Qh5+ or Qh7+} 3. Rh2 {3...Qxh2 4.Ra1+ and Ra2+ skewers the Queen.} 3... Qd4 {Black has to stop Ra1 mate.} 4. Ra1+ {Ra1+ anyway.} 4... Qxa1 5. Rh1+ {White skewers the Queen.}
Time for your Christmas present, this is the main treat...a Cracker!
Peter Lalic - Meri Grigoryan, Central London Congress November 2022
1. Nc3 {Not too infrequent, seen on RHP 32,000 times transposing to many different openings} 1... d5 2. e4 {This goes into an Englund gambit reversed.} 2... dxe4 3. d3 exd3 4. Bxd3 Nc6 5. Qe2 {With 0-0-0 ideas and tricks down the d-file v the Black Queen.} 5... Nf6 6. Bf4 Nd4 {Tempting but leads to Black lagging in development.} 7. Qe5 Ne6 8. Bg3 c6 9. O-O-O {For the cost of a mere pawn White has a position loaded with ideas.} 9... Qb6 10. h4 {Making sure if Black 0-0 it will be an uncomfortable home for the Black King.} 10... h5 {Black stops that idea and grabs a base for the f6 Knight.} 11. Nf3 Ng4 12. Qe1 {White is now threatening 12.Na4 forcing 12...Qd8 when 13.Bc4 is clearly winning.} 12... Qa5 13. Ng5 {White gets the ball rolling this moves hides a wonderful idea...} 13... Nxg5 {....which Black has failed to see.} 14. Nb5 {With Nc7+ and Nd6+ Black has no choice to take off the Queens.} 14... Qxe1 15. Nc7+ Kd8 16. Rhxe1 {Saving the Rook meets 16...Rb8 17.Bf5+ Bd7 18.Rxd7+ Kc8 19.Rd8+ Kxd8 20.Rd1 mate.} 16... Bd7 {The mates are appearing16...Ne6 17.Bf5+ Bd7 18 Nxe6 fxe6 19 Rxd7+ Kxd7 20.Rd1+} 17. Nxa8 Ne6 18. Bf5 Kc8 {Black has to break the pin before something nasty happens....} 19. Rxd7 {....but it's too late.} 19... Kxd7 20. Rd1+ Kc8 21. Bc7 {With the charming threat of Rd8 mate, note all of White's piece are playing their part.} 21... b6 {Luft.} 22. Rd8+ Kb7 23. Rb8+ Ka6 24. Bd3+ Ka5 {White now wraps up this original game with a wee piece of magic.} 25. Nxb6 {There is no defence it's mate in all variations.} 25... Nxc7 {25....axb6 26.Bb6+ Kb4 27.c3+ Ka4 28.Ra8 mate.} 26. Nc4+ {White had all this worked out when he played 25.Nxb6.} 26... Ka6 27. Ne5+ {Black resigned here, we play on...} 27... Nb5 28. Nxc6 {And nothing can stop Bxb5 mate. A super game.}
That opening I’ve used in reverse to avoid a London System. It’s not 100% sound but it
can lead to enterprising play if the opponent rates it too lowly and gets caught napping.
Here is a typical RHP game where White just develops with no clear plan against it.
sundown316 - thaimeup RHP 2013
1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 d6 {Probably best if White does not take this pawn as it gives Black the kind of game they want.} 4. exd6 Bxd6 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bg5 h6 {White should now drop back to h4 instead this move....} 7. Bxf6 {...just helps Black develop and gives them encouragement.} 7... Qxf6 8. e3 Bb4 {An awkward moment for White but 9.Qd2 and 10.0-0-0 should be OK.} 9. Qd3 {The wrong square, Black develops on the White Queen,} 9... Bf5 {It's still not too late for 10.Qd2 answering 10...Rd8 with 11.Bd3.} 10. Qc4 {This is just asking for trouble 10....b5 11.Qxb4 Bxc3+ is just winning,} 10... Be6 {11.Qd3 Rd8 12,Nd4 Nxd4 13.exd4 Rxd4 and Black is on top.} 11. Qb5 {Black is now winning, the White Queen is doomed.} 11... Bxc3+ {White might as well take back on c3 everything is just as bad.} 12. bxc3 Qxc3+ 13. Ke2 {Take the Rook....} 13... Bc4+ {...No the Queen is a bigger prize.}
Another short Black win in this line. Black’s 9th move is a good alert move..
xolanisigabi - papie RHP 2009
1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 d5 {Again White should probably just ignore the d-pawn and develop 4. Bf4 is OK.} 4. exd6 Bxd6 5. b3 {Too timid and slow. 5.e4 using the extra central pawn was better.} 5... Bb4+ {An annoying move to meet 6.c3 Qxd1+ and Bc5, Black is getting good play for the pawn.} 6. Nfd2 {A bad choice. It appears White rejected 6.Nbd2 because of 6...Qf6} 6... Nf6 7. Bb2 Ng4 {A fishing expedition, will White take the bait.} 8. Bxg7 {Yes. One trick here was if 8.Nc3 Nxf2 and Qf6+} 8... Rg8 {9 Bc3, two pawns up, seek exchanges though Black can still create problems with 9...Ne3.} 9. Bb2 Ne3 {Hinted at in the last note, this time it is very strong. 10.fxe3 Qh4+ and Rxg3 is winning.} 10. Qc1 Nxf1 {10...Nxg2+ was also playable.} 11. Kxf1 {Unpins the d2 Knight and holds g2} 11... Qg5 {11....Rxg2 was also on. White could not take it due to Qg5+, Bh3+ and Qg2.} 12. g3 {12. Rg1 was far better. White probably feared 12.Rg1 Bh3.} 12... Bh3+ 13. Kg1 {13.Ke1 0-0-0 and the pinned d2 Knight is in trouble.} 13... O-O-O {Bxd2 is a threat. White has to put up some kind of a defence with 14.c3.} 14. Nf3 {It got all too much for White, this move is a cave in.} 14... Qxc1+ 15. Bxc1 Rd1+ {Mate next move.}
