Over the Board (OTB) Chess is making a great comeback with the Tata Steel event.
I was fed up with how easily Over the Board Chess has given way to online Chess.
Yes it is the fault of this poxy virus but having our top grandmasters stuck in their
bedrooms giving us close up zoom shots of their sleepy eyed unshaven faces whilst
they play click mouse chess wearing gaudy t-shirts or in their pyjamas is just not on.
Then, if matters could not get any worse, we saw into the players bedrooms.
Nakamura has a picture of The Spice Girls on his bedroom wall.
Typically Carlsen had a Che Guevara poster on his wall.
...and who else noticed when Giri’s wife bought him in a cup of tea he
had: ‘Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter’ stuck on his bedroom door.
We have the technology so why not use it is the answer you are ready to give.
Yes! So why not use the same high tech CGI film makers use to animate things.
We can have real life looking dinosaurs running across our TV screens, buildings, planes,
boats blowing up and super heroes flying about so why can we not animate our best
players appearing in smart suits, FIDE sanctioned haircuts and pleasant surroundings.
Perhaps a better title would be ‘Double Rook Blunders,’ please read on.
Look at this position. Black has taken both Rooks and is now looking to simplify
by getting the Queens off. White should then resign, if not then it is an easy win.
jtrep40 - skulleo RHP 2020
Black played 21...Qxe5+ expecting 22. Qxe5 Ng6+ But White played 22. Kxe5!
Now there is no Knight fork on g6. But there was a way to get the Queens off. See it?
I’ll take you back to the moment when White decided to sac both Rooks.
This next double-blunder we can label under ‘Check All Checks.’ .
White finds an imaginative way to lose both Rooks with check!
But Black missed the boat and the game finally ended in a draw.
Ghost of a Duke - Paul A Roberts RHP 2020 (White to play)
Can you see how a plausible move that losses both White Rooks.
Since I did call this part of the Blog ‘Double Rook Sacrifices; I feel I have
to show a Double Rook Sacrifice actually working. This one will suffice.
jb70 - portlees RHP 2009
Same game. White took their eye of the ball just for a moment and slipped in a slack
move. It looked like it did not matter, but as we know in Chess, looks can deceive.
Now a game where Rooks have been sacrificed like they were going out of fashion.
I love these two players, no Rook endings here for me to toil over and make a hash off.
Rippenspiess - hartdaniel RHP 2011
A good game by Giri from Tata Steel that I have noted up Thread 188038
An RHP game with the most White Queens in it. (Eight) Thread 188049
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 188075
I have decided to leave the comments off as I have no way other than keep coming
back here to see if any have been made. Any corrections etc just use the above link.
