OK forget that. How about we catch up on some world chess news.
Ding Liren (26) the Chinese grandmaster, this is he...
...recently tied for first place in the Sinquefield Cup with Magnus Carlsen.
Ding won the rapid and blitz play-off winning the critical game in style.
Magnus Carlsen - Ding Liren Sinquefield Cup, USA 2019 (blitz pay-off game)
FEN
b1r3k1/B1q1bp1p/Q2p2p1/3np1P1/8/pP4NP/5P2/R3R1K1 w - - 0 35
[FEN "b1r3k1/B1q1bp1p/Q2p2p1/3np1P1/8/pP4NP/5P2/R3R1K1 w - - 0 35"] 35. Rec1 {With this Carlsen wins the Queens but in exchange for a Rook, Bishop. and two pawns.} 35... Qxc1+ 36. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37. Kh2 {It's a very tricky position especially at blitz chess.} 37... Bc6 {Played before White can think about Be3 hitting the Rook and a8 Bishop.} 38. Qxa3 {Bet Carlsen was glad to see that passed pawn off the board.} 38... Bxg5 39. Qxd6 {Natural capture at this speed. White sees an idea and goes for it.} 39... Bf4 {Black too has seen an idea and calmly goes for it. The battle of blitz ideas.} 40. Bc5 {White's idea. Qf8 mate and it hits the c6 Bishop.} 40... Ne7 {Black stops the mate, defends the c6 Bishop and Rh1 is mate. Carlsen resigned.}
A selection of RHP games with the above Ding mating pattern. First a basic example.
polarbear - czewiske RHP 2018
FEN
2b5/4rk2/6p1/R4p1p/7P/4B1P1/3P1P2/6K1 w - - 0 43
[FEN "2b5/4rk2/6p1/R4p1p/7P/4B1P1/3P1P2/6K1 w - - 0 43"] 43. Ra8 {This is met with a tactic that possibly misled White. f3 and Kg2 is safe.} 43... Rc7 44. Bf4 {Too routine. Ra1 and there is no danger.} 44... Rc1+ 45. Kh2 {White may have gone this way thinking now Rh1+ and Bb7+ was going to happen.} 45... Bb7 {Alas no.} 46. Ra7 Rh1
Now a couple of trickier wins.
burnt toast - OdBod RHP 2016
White either overlooked or did not know this Rook and Bishop mating pattern.
FEN
3B2k1/p4p1p/b3p1p1/Pp6/2r1P3/6P1/5P1P/R5K1 w - - 0 24
[FEN "3B2k1/p4p1p/b3p1p1/Pp6/2r1P3/6P1/5P1P/R5K1 w - - 0 24"] 24. Rd1 Rxe4 {That is a mistake. White should now play Bf6 Black has to give up the Rook to stop Rd8 mate.} 25. Rd6 {White missed their chance to play a Rook and Bishop mate and instead....} 25... Bb7 26. h4 {OOPS!} 26... Re1+ 27. Kh2 Rh1 {....allowed a Rook and Bishop mate.}
In this next game the proximity of the Black King may have confused White.
jimm619 - Steve Lake RHP 2019
FEN
8/pbpr3p/1p5B/8/6kP/2P3P1/PP3P2/4R1K1 w - - 0 24
[FEN "8/pbpr3p/1p5B/8/6kP/2P3P1/PP3P2/4R1K1 w - - 0 24"] 24. Kh2 Rf7 25. Bf4 Kf3 26. Kg1 c5 27. Re3+ Kg4 28. Bg5 {White senses danger and plays to get the Rooks off.} 28... Rd7 {Re1 is the best move here.} 29. Re7 Rd1+ {It checkmate with or without the Black King on g4.} 30. Kh2 Rh1
A recruit is being talked through his survival gear by his sergeant.
‘A knife, rations, map, chess set, compass, flares...’
“Wait a minute,” asks the recruit, “Why do I need a chess set.”
“If you are alone and need help, take out the chess set and play over an ending.
Sooner or later someone will appear to tell you where you are going wrong.”
A recent Chess thread mentioned en passant captures. I revealed I had found
10 Red Hot Pawn en passant checkmates. This next game is the most recent one.
Blade1968 - padfoot300 RHP 2019
1. e4 d6 2. h3 {Pointless. If you are being offered a full pawn centre, just take it.} 2... Nf6 3. Qf3 {Defending a pawn with a Queen...I'd rather sac the pawn than do that.} 3... Nbd7 {Aiming for Ne5. If 3...Nc6 then 5.Bb4.} 4. d4 {Why not play that on move 2.} 4... e5 {Usually Black has to prepare this, here it is the most obvious move.} 5. d5 c6 6. Nc3 Qc7 {A bit too early to find a suitable place for the Queen. Be7 and 0-0 was a plan.} 7. Bg5 {This allows a trick. How about 7...g4 to try and unsettle Black.} 7... Be7 8. dxc6 {Black was threatening to win a central pawn with 8...Nxd5 9.Bxe7 Nxe7.} 8... bxc6 9. h4 {Having seen one trick based on the undefended Bishop, White protects it.} 9... h6 {No need for that, it drives the Bishop to a better square.} 10. Be3 {If he was worried about the Bishop then this is what he should have played instead 9.h4.} 10... Rb8 {Black is back on track developing with tempo.} 11. b3 {The c3 Knight is now unprotected. The alternatives, Rb1, 0-0-0 or Bc1 look just as dismal.} 11... Nf8 {I'll let Black off with that. It has Bg4 ideas and Knight has a future with Ne6 and Nd5.} 12. Qd1 {To thwart Bg4, but the c8 Bishop has another role in this game.} 12... d5 {With the piece winning threat of d5-d4.} 13. exd5 cxd5 {The trick shot are appearing. 14.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Qc3+ and Qxa1.} 14. Na4 {To avoid the pawn fork on d4.} 14... Ne6 {The Knight comes back into the game aiming at some juicy looking central squares.} 15. Nf3 {This Knight finally gets into play. The Queen had been sitting on f3 for 10 moves.} 15... d4 16. Bd2 {16.Bc1 avoids what happens but I do not think it would have saved the game.} 16... e4 17. Nh2 {There is not much else to recommend here.} 17... e3 {Black smells blood and pushes on.} 18. fxe3 Qg3+ {Always instructive to see a pointless h3 (weakens g3) getting punished.} 19. Ke2 Ba6+ 20. c4 dxc3 {An en passant checkmate.}
