How about that for a nerd gold medal, look at the time for a New Year post.
One minute past midnight. This must be the first blog in my time zone for 2022.
(originally the claim was to be first anywhere but I've been reminded
that other places celebrated the New Year a long time before me.)
So what did I do in 2021. I gave this a try.
Actually not too bad. The Arbiter song is quite good. A few duff tracks outnumber
the good tracks but it’s OK. Well to be honest it’s not OK. There is only one good
track the rest are corny and drippy . I doubt very much if I will ever play it again.
(I’ve just re-read that review. I appear to have changed my mind halfway through it..)
I’ve also been staring at this for what seems like forever.
I want a joke chess title and author to go in the blank space. Something like;
‘Win With White’ by Roy Lopez.
‘Win With Black’ by Ben Oni
‘Chess Analysis’ by Anna Tate
‘Bullet Chess’ by Rick O’Shea
So once again it’s competition time. The winner will not only see their glorious
effort preserved for posterity but will also receive a C.D. ‘Chess The Musical’
First problem of the New Year was composed by Adolf Anderssen in 1848.
And speaking of Adolf Anderssen and funny book titles. This is an ‘OOPS!’
A common mistake that one. Adolf Anderssen’s first name was...Adolf!
White to play and mate in 3.
Clue 1:
Black has only one move that does not allow mate next move.
Clue 2:
Allow Black to move then it is mate in 2.
Solution:
1.Kb1 Bh5 2.Rg6 and no matter what Black does it is mate on the next move.
The 2021 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship have just finished.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the Rapid after a play off with Ian Nepomniachtchi
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won the Blitz after a play off with Jan-Krzysztof Duda.
Magnus Carlsen played, he has in the past twice won both events in the same year.
This year he thought he would give them a chance and played all his games blindfold.
One for the ‘What Happened Next’ feature. (white to play)
P. Teclaf - T. Petrosian, World Blitz Ch. Warsaw 2021.
White played 60.Re2+ practically anything else draws. 60...Kc3.
From a clear draw White is being checkmated on the next move.
What Happened Next? In horror as to what he played a stunned
Teclaf threw himself back in his chair and fell on the floor.
The most instructive swindle of Rapid event was the following.
R. Svane - A. Giri, World Rapid Ch, Warsaw 2021
So in time honoured tradition we now look at some RHP games where the
same thing has happened. A King and Queen ending walking into a mate.
Some will note that they are all Black wins. That is because the stem game
was a Black win. I feel a wee bit sorry for those whose games I have picked,
nothing personal, There were well over 100 examples I found. I've just a few.
rookorbycrook - tazforky RHP 2019
Kimbone1960 - Dogmom16 RHP 2021 is a comedy of instructive errors.
spencer99 - ruichi RHP 2012 (White to play)
1.Qf6+ gets the Queens off and 1-0. but 1.h5 was played 1...Qf8+ 0-1.
monkeyear - Antoine RHP 2012 (White to play)
White played 64.Kh5 Qh3 checkmate.
ssaulius - Arhipov14 RHP 2016
Just to even things up here are a few White wins from the same set up.
AugurNambulus - Unicorn RHP 2017
Black played 57...Kh4 58.Qh6 Checkmate.
Alex Downs - Paul A Roberts RHP 2021
Black played 70... Kf2 71. Qg3+ Kf1 72. Qg1 Checkmate.
‘Yes. Once’
fafikone - gevage RHP 2012
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 191617