I use to interview Speedway riders and the fans, this is the kit I wore.
A friend has taken an old picture of me interviewing Stevie Lawson who rode of the Glasgow Tigers and turned us both into chess pieces.
First a warm up puzzle based around the finish of a game won by Janos Flesch.
White to play and....What would you do here as White here?
1.Kg8 Black cannot prevent Ng6, Nh8 and Nf7 mate.
After the warm up puzzle A feel good puzzle, solve it and it will put a skip into your step for the rest of they day. You will whistle a happy tune, pat dogs, kiss babies and give up your favourite seat on the bus to a complete stranger.
Composed by M. S. Liburkin and first appeared in 64 1931 (White to play and win)
It is a genuine work of art. I shall give you just one clue.
To win this one you will need to under promote, twice!
Take a note of the position because I guarantee right after seeing the solution you will rush off to your club, or neighbour, or parole officer to show it to them.
Header
FEN
8/p2P4/k7/P4P2/nKPn4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
PGN
[FEN "8/p2P4/k7/P4P2/nKPn4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]1. d8=N {Taking any other piece fails to the Knight Fork 1...Nc6+} 1... Nxf5 2. Kxa4 Nd6 {There other tries for Black, they all lose, this is the trickiest way to defend as Black.} 3. c5 Nb7 4. c6 Nxd8 5. c7 {Hope you got this far. That pattern with a pawn on the 7th attacking a Knight is well worth remembering} 5... Nb7 {Taking a Queen or Bishop is Stalemate. 6.c8=N is a draw after 6....Nxa5.} 6. c8=R Nxa5 {And the final beautiful move.} 7. Rc5 {7....Nc6, 7...Nb3 or 7...Nc4 all lose the knight. and....} 7... Nb7 8. Rc6 {...is Checkmate.}
That idea where a pawn on the 7th rank attacks a Knight
is handy and in fact not too uncommon.
TheGambit - demonseed RHP 2006
Header
PGN
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 {The Winawer variation of the French. Very tactical and consequently heavily analysed} 4. e5 Ne7 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 c5 {So far very known territory. Now the real fun starts with 7.Qg4.} 7. Nf3 {But this is OK and good. I prefer this move to 7.Qg4.} 7... Nbc6 8. a4 {Grabbing the b5 square but mainly hoping to play Ba3.} 8... Qa5 {Designed to put off Ba3 ideas. 9.Qd2 is deemed playable but...} 9. Bd2 {Giving up the Ba3 idea is a very popular choice.} 9... Bd7 10. Bb5 {Usual is 10. Be2. This is a Donald Byrne idea trying to squeeze out 10...a6 and then 11...Be2.} 10... Nb8 {An interesting idea in a well known position. Black wants to trade off their hemmed in by central pawns Bishop.} 11. c4 {That makes things awkward and appears best. 11.Bxd7+ just falls in with Backs plans.} 11... Qc7 12. Qb1 {A wonderful alert idea. It is probably not the best move (12 0-0 is OK) but the trap, and it is a trap, is carefully masked.} 12... Bxb5 {Black steps on the trap door. Better was 12...cxd4 or 12...dxc4 or even 12...0-0 and feel happy.} 13. axb5 {Now will Black see what White is up to.} 13... dxc4 {Apparently not.} 14. b6 {Now 14...Qc8 and all Black has lost is a bit of pride.} 14... Qc6 {It would appear Black has never seen the pawn on the 7th v a Knight idea before..} 15. Rxa7 {Black resigned. They either lose a Rook or allow White to have another Queen.} 15... Rxa7 16. bxa7
