Live Chess Cartoons and Problems

Not (sadly) an original, this is a live version of a cartoon that
I saw in the April edition of the 1992 British Chess Magazine.

That was 30 years ago. Now the I look like the psychiatrist in the cartoon.

Also in that edition of BCM John Nunn is noting up the game between
Adams and Renet, Cannes Team Tournament played in February 1992.

Here Mickey Adams has just played 8.a3


Black should not play 8...Qxd4 because 9.Be3 traps the Queen
(I wonder if any player on Red Hot Pawn has fallen for that one?)

Altern8 - Erekose RHP 2007




The White King has just moved from f3 to g3. How? It was in check from both
the Queen and the Rook. It could not have been a double or discovered check.

The position is legal, but how did it happen. (solution at the bottom.)


Where we look at some of the haunted faces on Stalemates Streets of Shame.

giotti - mcmahon RHP 2022


White played 69. f8=Q Stalemate. However 69. f8=R and checkmate next move.

Hidenori Nihei - IonutPopa RHP 2020

White played 1.bxc8=Q Stalemate when 1. bxc8=N is checkmate.

Romie Dread - pawn addict RHP 2022
Was a stalemate clouded with errors. This is the final position.


But how they got there could have been avoided...by both sides.





W.R. Todd, The Stratford Express 1930 (to play and mate in three.)


This is a great problem. The first move is the key move. When you have that Black
has three legal moves and each one is met with a different idea and mating pattern.
Give it a try, it’s not too difficult and you get the warm solvers glow. Solution below.

At Christmas I was given one of those chess desk calendars which has a puzzle a day.


This was for the 23rd May (I’ll enhance the diagram for you)

J. Szabolcsi - M. Henttinen, Hungary 1981. (White to play)


I found this one a bit harder than usual, I’ll give a clue.

The Clue: Reveal Hidden Content

Answer: Reveal Hidden Content

The 22nd May was a bit easier (I had seen it before.)

A. Karpov - V. Kramnik, Monte Carlo 1998 (White to play)


I’ll play it out from a few moves before the critical so you can see how I remembered it.


And in time honoured fashion we show an RHP game with the same idea.

bootoyou - CalWriter RHP 2011 (Black to Play)


Black has a few ways to wrap this up but the cleanest is 1...Qb6 threatening
the d4 Knight. If it moves then the Rf2 discovered check will end in a mate.
Protecting the Knight 2. Qxc4 Qb2 will also mate in a very few moves.

Alas Black got carried away and left the back rank hanging.


By the way this piece was meant to appear in the last blog (the date used the 23rd May is
a clue.) But it was making the blog far too long. I picked up from feedback quite a while
back you prefer them shorter, sharper and sweeter and at all if possible, more regular.

The W.R. Todd Mate in three solution (the key move is 1.Qa8)


Black tries 1...e4 2. Nd3 exd3 (only move) 3. Qh8 mate



Black tries 1...axb2 2.Bb1 Kxb1 (else 3. Qxa2 mate)3.Qh1 mate.


I’m saving the best line till last. A Queen and Knight sac.

Black tries 1...Kxb2 2.Qxa3+ Kxa3 (2...Ka8 3.Qc1 mate) 3.Nc4 mate.

How did this happen solution.




The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 193485