The most famous game of chess must be Morphy at the Opera, Paris 1858.
Not the best game ever played, the most famous, the difference is important.
In the last few months another game has become famous, or depending on
your point of view, infamous and many points of view have been expressed
about the Carlsen - Niemann game played at St. Louis on the 4th September.
Everyone ranging from Karpov to the non-players you happen to bump into
in the street have speculated, theorised and given a guess at what happened.
Did Hans cheat during that game or did Carlsen have a sore losers sulk?
Although I am very famous in the chess world, (me and Karpov went to different
schools together) I have never met Hans nor am I privy to Carlsen’s frame of mind.
However, I’m an enterprising kind of chap and to get answers I’ve even attempted to
hack into their email accounts by guessing their passwords and I can now reveal that
neither of them have ‘Morphy 1858’ as their passwords which I thought was a certainty.
Having failed to hack their email accounts. I wondered if this book would have the answer.
But it came out in 2021 so that is no...Hang on the picture is upside down.
What a stupid cover, no wonder I got it wrong the first time.
I looked at the game soon after it was played and now I am going to note it up.
(Some others have come to the own conclusion by looking at the result, looking
at the ratings, looked at Carlsen’s reaction and simply decided that Hans cheated.)
Those who have looked at the game seem to be in general agreement that
the game is sound and Carlsen played poorly which takes something away
from Niemann because this is a fine game and Niemann played good chess.
There are two key positions where others using top notch computers have spotted
that the top choice was not played by Hans. They then plod on showing analysis
of the unplayed computer move because the computer is doing their work for them.
What is not mentioned is why Hans played what he played. The reason is simple.
The moves were played by Hans in critical positions and were are not top choice
computer moves because they were human moves. Hans set a couple of good traps.
A couple of practical OTB moves as you would expect a good chess player to play.
Position one, Black to play
Surely here 34...Rf5+ to hold f7 (it’s what I would have played and it is apparently the
top choice of computers ) but when you look deeper at what was played 34...Rc1+ and
35...Rd2 inviting 36. Rxf7+ you can see it is a trap because after 36...Kg6 the Bishop is
under attack and although White can wriggle about and not lose a piece Black’s Rook
and Knight by chasing the Bishop soon take up alarming positions near the White King.
Position two, Black to play.
Black played 43...Kf5 This move more than any other convinces me that a computer
was not involved. It is another trap (and computers do not set traps) Better was 43...Kf6
so White has to lose a tempo after the Rooks come off saving the Bishop and has no time
for 46.a5. The trap is 44. Rxb2 which allows Black a mate which I show in the game.
.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 {A few days later in an internet game v Niemann Carlsen resigned here.} 2... e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. g3 {Uncommon but not unknown, it's been seen 140 times on RHP} 4... O-O 5. Bg2 d5 {All this has been seen before.} 6. a3 {But this is an odd one. it appears to lose a tempo.} 6... Bxc3+ {The Bishop was always going to take on c3, why waste a tempo.} 7. bxc3 dxc4 8. Nf3 c5 9. O-O {the few known games here have now gone 9...Nc6 or 9....Qa5} 9... cxd4 {Now why not 10.cxd4....} 10. Qxd4 {...apparently Carlsen fancied his chances in a Queenless middle game.} 10... Nc6 {Niemann gives the pawn back and after....} 11. Qxc4 e5 {....this a fairly level position. White has got nothing from the opening.} 12. Bg5 h6 {Carlsen now tries to win back the tempo he lost with a3.} 13. Rfd1 {Expecting top see 13....Qe7 14,Bxf6 Qxf6 which is in White's favour.} 13... Be6 {Good move, it ensure Black has a slight pull after the exchanges.} 14. Rxd8 Bxc4 15. Rxa8 Rxa8 16. Bxf6 gxf6 {After all that the e2 pawn hangs.} 17. Kf1 Rd8 {And Black grabs the d-file.} 18. Ke1 Na5 {Good. Stopping Nd2 and Ne4. If 19.Nd2 Rxd2 and Nb3+} 19. Rd1 {Is this Carlsen admitting this a draw.} 19... Rc8 {Niemann took 15 minutes on this move keeping the tension.} 20. Nd2 Be6 21. c4 {Giving up a pawn to go active. Carlsen only defends placidly if forced too.} 21... Bxc4 22. Nxc4 {Getting rid of the Bishop. White has counterplay designs on the f7 pawns.} 22... Rxc4 {Now 23 Rd7 Rc1+ 24.Kd2 Nb3+ and Black is really on top.} 23. Rd8+ {To get among the Black pawns and....} 23... Kg7 24. Bd5 {...gaining a tempo for this move which stops Nb3.after Rc1+} 24... Rc7 {Defending the 7th rank and still keeping a grip on the position.} 25. Ra8 a6 26. Rb8 f5 {The Bishop is dominating the Knight but Black soon frees it.} 27. Re8 {Carlson is planning to break up the centre pawns.} 27... e4 {Carlsen now undermines the e-pawn.} 28. g4 Rc5 {Again Niemann crosses Carlsen, the Bishop now has to retreat.} 29. Ba2 Nc4 30. a4 Nd6 31. Re7 fxg4 32. Rd7 {Carlsen is getting the counterplay he was after.} 32... e3 {But this move must have shocked him 33.Rxd6 Rc1+ 34.Rd1 Rxd1+ and 35....exf2 0-1.} 33. fxe3 Ne4 {Another good move Carlsen possibly has missed the last two moves when playing 28.g4} 34. Kf1 {Here I would have played 34...Rf5+ holding the f7 pawn.} 34... Rc1+ 35. Kg2 Rc2 {Carlsen gets the target pawn but not with the counter play he expected.} 36. Bxf7 {Best. With the Bishop under attack 36.Rxf7+ Kf6 is tactically suspect.} 36... Rxe2+ 37. Kg1 Re1+ 38. Kg2 Re2+ {Gaining a few moves to get closer to the time control at move 40.} 39. Kg1 {Of course 39.Kf1 Rf2+ and Rxf7 is 0-1.} 39... Kf6 {If I was Black in that position v Carlsen I would have taken the perpetual.} 40. Bd5 {This looks good, the Bishop is getting into the Queenside pawns.} 40... Rd2 {But this pin just in time control stops that idea.} 41. Rf7+ Kg6 42. Rd7 {Threatening Bf7+ winning the d2 Rook.} 42... Ng5 {Which Black tactically defuses.} 43. Bf7+ {Here the computers all like 43...Kf6.} 43... Kf5 {White cannot take on b2 because there is a checkmate on. I'll show that next.} 44. Rxd2 Nf3+ {The point of 42...Ng5.} 45. Kg2 Nxd2 {If Black had played 43...Kf6 White would not have time for this next move.} 46. a5 {Fixing the Queenside. White is planning to attack the a and b-pawn with the Bishop.} 46... Ke5 {Stopping Be6 and Bc8} 47. Kg3 {White is saccing material to get that Bishop active.} 47... Nf1+ 48. Kf2 Nxh2 49. e4 {Threatening Bd5 and Bxb7 and Bxa6} 49... Kxe4 {The Bishop is allowed to carry out it's plan but the Knight has the final say.} 50. Be6 Kf4 {Holding the g4 pawn, the Knight is needed on the Queenside.} 51. Bc8 Nf3 52. Bxb7 Ne5 53. Bxa6 Nc6 54. Bb7 Nxa5 {Just in time. This is now a clear Black win.} 55. Bd5 {One last trap. 55...Ke5 to free the Knight, 56.Kg4 Kxd5 57.Kxg4 is a draw.} 55... h5 56. Bf7 h4 57. Bd5 Ke5 {Now it all over and Carlsen resigned.}
That checkmate mate I mentioned, it is a Rook Knight and pawn mating pattern.
FEN
8/1p1R1B2/p6p/5kn1/P5p1/4P3/3r3P/6K1 w - - 0 44
[FEN "8/1p1R1B2/p6p/5kn1/P5p1/4P3/3r3P/6K1 w - - 0 44"] 44. Rxb7 {Instead of Rxd2.} 44... Nf3+ {Kh1 then Rxh2 mate.} 45. Kf1 Nxh2+ {Clears the way for the g-pawn to advance.} 46. Ke1 {Or Kg1 it makes no difference. the King is forced back to f1.} 46... Nf3+ 47. Kf1 g3 {And Rf2 mate cannot be only be delayed by a few senseless checks.}
That Rook, Knight and pawn mating pattern is fairly common. There are 90+ examples
of it on RHP and that is not counting the times players have seen it coming and resigned.
John yoder - MAN O WAR RHP 2019
FEN
8/8/N1P5/Pp1n2k1/1P6/3pp1pr/8/3K2R1 w - - 0 52
[FEN "8/8/N1P5/Pp1n2k1/1P6/3pp1pr/8/3K2R1 w - - 0 52"] 52. c7 Nc3+ {Black ignore the c-pawn. They have spotted the mate.} 53. Kc1 Rh2 {Rc2 mate is coming.} 54. Rxg3+ {A mistake would be Kf5 allowing White to promote with check.} 54... Kf4 55. Rg4+ {Hoping Black takes the Rook then c8=Q is a CHECK.} 55... Kf3 56. c8=Q {White allows the mate. Very sporting of them.} 56... Rc2
In this next RHP game White misses the first chance to play for the mate.
zzarkis - luzhindefense RHP 2012
FEN
r3k2r/p2Rn2p/2p1P3/1p3pp1/3R1N2/1P6/PKP2PPP/8 w - - 0 22
[FEN "r3k2r/p2Rn2p/2p1P3/1p3pp1/3R1N2/1P6/PKP2PPP/8 w - - 0 22"] 22. Nh5 Nd5 {White should now play Rxd5 and mate as in the game.} 23. c4 c5 24. cxd5 {Now White spots it.} 24... cxd4 25. Nf6+ Kf8 {Only move.} 26. Rf7
I bet you never knew that the first chess stamp was issued in 1947 by Bulgaria.
Neither did I until I read an article in CHESS monthly July 1996 by Mike Pennell.
