David, Jovanka (and me) Isle of Man Chess.

We take a brief look at the 2023 Fide Grand Prix currently taking place on the
Isle of Man The top two places will each get a seat in the 2024 candidates.
David Howell and Jovanka Houska are commentating on the event for chess24.


10 minutes later.



First we get rid of a wee bit of controversy that happened in round 4 between
Andrei Volokitin and Vincent Keymer. In this position It is White to play


White touched the c5 pawn intending to take it (35.dxc5) but then noticed Black
can play 35...Qd1+ winning the b3 Rook. A pleasant chat followed. An Arbiter
appeared. The touch move was captured on video. 35.dxc5 was played and 0-1.

bohemia51 - Titotot RHP 2023 we saw a Queen check winning a b3 Rook.

46. Bb2 and the game goes on. White played 46. Rb3 0-1.

Staying with Black playing Qd1+ and Q taking a b3 Rook This one is interesting.

kristjan - AttilaTheHorn RHP 2017

Enough of that mini theme. how about this one.

H. Nakamura - A. Sarana, FIDE Grand Swiss (Rd 5) 2023 (White to play)

Can White play Nxa6 and then get the Knight back in time to stop the g-pawn?


Now for some recent RHP Knight v Knight and pawns endgames.

The thing to remember about Knight endings is be very wary about moving your King
to a square where it can be checked by the Knight. This pattern is very useful to know.


Placing the King two diagonals from the Knight in any direction means that the Knight
has to make, at the very least, two moves before it can give a check on it s third move.

speste - lucas5 RHP 2023 (Black, in check, to move.)

Black forgot, or possibly did not know the two diagonal pattern and it went.
1...Ke7 2.Nd5+ Nxd5 if not then White will play 3.Nxf6 on the next move
3. h7 and White won easily. Black should have automatically played 1...Ke5


The Knight stumped pattern. White can try 2.Ne8 but 2...a3 will be a draw.

wisage7 - mobkin RHP 2023 (White is in check so it is White to move!)

If you cannot set that pattern up then move to a square where you cannot be
checked on the next move by a Knight. This is a very handy rule of thumb.

From the above diagram White has a choice of three moves. 1.Kf3 or 1. Kg3
and if 1...Kxe5 2.h7 actually wins! But White played 1.Kg3 Kxe5 2.h7 Ng5+

Followed by 3...Nxh7. White lost that one due to their careless King move.

Next we see some careless play from two famous RHP members.

texasnurse - ZorroTheFox RHP 2023 (White to play)

This looks like it is heading for a well fought and fair draw. However...
1.Nxg5 Nxg5 was played and the g-pawn cannot be stopped from promoting.
It should have gone. 1.Nxg5 Nf2! and White cannot prevent 2...Nxg4. Draw.


A. Shirov - N. Abdusattorov, FIDE Grand Swiss (Rd 3) 2023



The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 198131