Good Book and no I’m not going to repeat a format I used recently by
showing some positions from the book and then some RHP examples.
I can’t! Joe Gallagher shows a very good trick he actually walked into and
despite my frantic searching I can find nothing like on the RHP. Database.
M.Manik - J.Gallagher Mitropa Cup 2003
Some games some players are destined to lose. There is nothing you can do
about it. If Cassia has the result down as 1-0 against you then you are doomed.
In this game Joe had this position with him to play.
41…Rg1+ 43.Kh2 Qf5 (threatening Rh1+ and Qxh3+) White can resign.
Black missed this but to stay on the board White had to shed a piece.
Many moves later with the clammy stench of time trouble or an Allegro
finish betraying a few of them Black found a way to give the piece back..
Here Black played 76…Bxf4 77.Rf7+ and Rxf4.
We now head for the position given in the above book.
FEN
r6k/1R3Kp1/8/6PP/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "r6k/1R3Kp1/8/6PP/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Re7 Kh7 2. Re6 Ra7+ 3. Kf8 {Joe now writes he could have drawn easily with 3...Ra8+ (no argument here.) but instead he says he found the 'clever'...} 3... Ra5 {This is position No. 24 in the Book. White to play and win.} 4. Rh6+ gxh6 5. g6+ {Black resigned. It's Mate.} 5... Kh8 6. g7+ Kh7 7. g8=Q
As I said it’s a good book full of well chosen puzzles. The first two levels are a
breeze. (this one was a level one puzzle.) The latter chapters are real brain busters.
My only gripe is that I cannot understand why he chose the number 365.
I reckon if I thought about it for a whole year I’ll never figure out the why.
The good thing about 365 is that it leads us nicely onto the Grunfeld.
365 divided by 5 is 75. (I think) and D75 is the ECO code for the Grunfeld.
I’ll kick off with a valid and authenticated Grunfeld Opening Trap.
J.B.Howson writing in 1970 in his book ‘200 Modern Chess Traps in
the Fianchetto Openings.’ states as yet no master has fallen for this trap.
However 16 lads on RHP have and so has 20 non-master players on my OTB Database.
So it does appear that this one is worth knowing especially with those OTB statistics.
A recent example from here is 64squaresofpain - BigMartin RHP 2014
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 {The key move signalling the Grunfeld Defence.} 4. Nf3 Bg7 {The actual game reached this known Grunfeld position via a slightly different move order. Best is 5.cxd5 the playable looking....} 5. Bg5 {….sets the scene for the following trap.} 5... Ne4 {White should pull the Bishop back to f4 but why should he, there is a loose pawn on d5.} 6. Nxd5 {And it is the taking of this d-pawn that springs the trap. What can be wrong with it - Black has no checks...} 6... Nxg5 7. Nxg5 e6 {Ding! A Double Attack on both the d5 and g5 Knights. White has lost a piece.}
I suggested playing 6.Bf4 and this was played in this wee instructive miniature.
kasa33 - takky RHP 2013
White starts calling the shots with a few threats. Alas Kasa33 gets carried
away and displays a trait that so common with a lot of the players on here.
They only see their own threats and completely miss their opponents/
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bg5 Ne4 {We have been here before and saw what happened should White nick the d-pawn.} 6. Bf4 {I'm must be psychic in reverse. I suggest that move in 2015 and White played it in 2013.} 6... Nxc3 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Qa4+ {White rushes to get the pawn back before Black defends it with 8...b5. However I think White may have something with 8.e4 b5 9.a4.} 8... Nd7 {Black has thought about this. This has been chosen over the more natural Bd7. On d7 This Knight is ready to back up e5 or c5.} 9. Qxc4 {Hitting c7.} 9... c6 {9....c5 is playable answering 10.dxc5 with 10....Qa5.} 10. Ng5 {Now hitting f7 with mate in one on the board.} 10... O-O {Black saw it and now threatens e5.} 11. Be5 {Pretty sure White never played this to stop e5. White has another idea in mind.} 11... Nxe5 12. dxe5 Bxe5 13. Qh4 {And there it is. Black must take time out to defend against the checkmate on h7.} 13... Bxc3 {Or Black can ignore it and give checkmate themselves. I will allow you to ignore your opponents threats if you give checkmate.}
Learning from the Good Guys No.202 (a Trap set in 1888 gets sprung in 2013)
Jacques Mieses - Siegbert Tarrasch, Nuremberg, 1888
Mieses has just played the crafty 13. Qd1-d3
And is inviting Tarrasch to go for 13…Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Nf2+. Lets have a look see.
FEN
r3k2r/ppqbbppp/2pp4/n2Pp3/4PPn1/2N3P1/PPP1N1BP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 13
[FEN "r3k2r/ppqbbppp/2pp4/n2Pp3/4PPn1/2N3P1/PPP1N1BP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 13"] 13. Qd3 Qb6+ {Tarrasch did not fall for it. He played 13...c5 instead.} 14. Kh1 {Now why not...} 14... Nf2+ {...if Kg1 Black does not have a smothered mate starting off with Nh3+ (f2 is covered by the Rook g1 by the e2 Knight) Black takes the Queen 14.Kg1 Nxd3.} 15. Rxf2 {OK Black wins the exchange.} 15... Qxf2 {Why was this not played....It was the sly and sleekit Qd3 that holds the answer.} 16. Be3 {The Black Queen is trapped. That is why Tarrasch never went for Qb6+. Mieses offered his Queen as Queen winning bait.}
Time passes, we have had two World Wars, walked on the Moon, The Beatles came
and went we are currently on our 16th World Chess Champion. It is 125 years later.
delnz - lundybishop 2013
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. Nf3 d6 6. O-O Nf6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 O-O {So far so even. White now tempts Black. You have to get it just right. If your opponent is too weak he might not see it. If too strong he will see right through it.} 10. f4 Ng4 {Black is going for it.} 11. Qd3 {There is that Qd3 idea again.} 11... Qb6+ 12. Kh1 {And now we wait....Will Black fall for it? This suspense bit is the best part of chess. Playing out the trap is an anti-climax.} 12... Nf2+ {Black has walked right into it.} 13. Rxf2 Qxf2 14. Be3 {The Black Queen is trapped. 1-0.} 14... Qxg2+ 15. Kxg2 1-0
Those that read the Forums will be aware of the passing of Mike Lomax (Mikelom)
This sad news of player who touched so many on here came as a shock
because right up till the end of his fight against cancer Mike was posting
and sending cheerful messages to everyone. I received an up beat message
a few weeks before he passed away giving no hint of how critical he was.
At the bottom of this page you will find links to threads from different
Forums with various members of Red Hot Pawn paying their own kind tributes.
A Mike Lomax tournament has been set up as a Memorial. Even if you were unlucky
enough not to cross Mike’s path please do not let that put you off from joining in.
A game of Mike’s. Difficult choice and hard to decide which way to do it.
A tough game v a tough opponent or a typical light but instructive Blog game.
I like the way Mike wrapped this one up. You will too.
mikelom - daka2000 RHP 2011
FEN
2rqk2r/p4p2/2nppn1p/2p3p1/2P2P2/P1P1B3/4PPBP/1R1QK1R1 w k - 0 15
[FEN "2rqk2r/p4p2/2nppn1p/2p3p1/2P2P2/P1P1B3/4PPBP/1R1QK1R1 w k - 0 15"]
15. fxg5 hxg5 {OK we are 5 moves from resignation. In those 5 moves both Bishops will chop both Knights. Both Rooks and the Queen will be involved in the final mate.} 16. Bxg5 Rxh2 17. Bxc6+ Rxc6 18. Bxf6 Qxf6 {That is the Bishops gone. Yes the two Bishops are a bonus but you must know when you can give them up to catch bigger game.} 19. Rg8+ {All the White heavy bits now clear the first rank.} 19... Kd7 20. Rb7+ Rc7 21. Qa4+ {Black resigned. The mate is….} 21... Ke7 22. Re8 {Checkmate. Note If Black were giving a chance he could play Qxc3+ and Rh1 mate. He just never got a chance.}
I think you may guessed that I’ll choose a light, instructive and humorous game.
Mike liked this Blog and it’s off beat content. You may remember before The Duck
was lost in the post Mike took it for a while sending us Duck pictures from Vietnam.
You will enjoy this. Mike takes a risk or two (or three or four) all in the cause
of sheer entertainment. He sacrifices his Queen and has a chance to win it back.
This is declined so Mike can play a ‘Startling Castling’ move. This is perfect.
Redshoes - mikelom RHP 2010
The game of chess was invented so games like this could be played.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 {The Bird Defence to the Ruy Lopez. Named after Henry Bird. That’s the instructive bit over with.} 4. Bc4 {Black can now play a quiet ‘look at me I'm a duffer ‘ type move here. 4....a6 hoping to trick White into the Shilling Trap with 5.Nxe5.} 4... Nf6 {Instead Mike develops a piece. Probably the best choice.} 5. Nxe5 d5 {That kicks things off. Ok Hang onto to your armchairs here we go....} 6. Bxd5 Bb4 {Crazy but quite brilliant. Yes c3 forks the Bishop and Knight. But f7 is also hanging. White can take on there and play c3 later.} 7. Nxf7 {The Queen is hanging, the h8 Rook is hanging. The Bishop and Knight are waiting to be pawn forked with c3....} 7... Bg4 {And now this...} 8. f3 {Mike has cheerfully succeeded in putting nearly everything he has en prise. The good news is White can make one move at a time so has to pick carefully which order to take them in.} 8... Nxd5 {Of course....With your Queen hanging why not ignore it and put a Knight under the hammer as well.} 9. Nxd8 Ne3 {Ahh....Black wins back the Queen because the d-pawn is pinned. But Black still has a few bits under attack...Not forgetting the coming pawn fork on c3. Don't forget the pawn c3 fork, it will happen.} 10. fxg4 O-O {Eh? Is that Legal? Apparently so. What to play? The White Queen is still trapped, Black is going to play Nxc2+ .Ah yes. That c3 pawn fork that has been hanging over Black head since move 6.} 11. c3 {I told you that would happen.} 11... Nxg2 {White has been checkmated. What a game, all that was packed into 11 moves. Mike's Mini-Immortal. Rest in peace Mate and Thank you.}
