I’m thinking maybe Anish Giri, had had one of those sex changes. I suppose if he...sorry... she has then we now call her Annie Giri.
And speaking of changing things, I keep changing my mind as to what is my favourite chess study. At this moment in time it is a 1951 study by Vladimir Korolkov. I can see this choice lasting quite a while. I rediscovered it a few weeks back.
White to play and win. Look away now if you do not want to see the solution to this wonderful work of art.
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FEN
2b4k/8/5Pr1/5N2/8/8/8/K1B5 w - - 0 1
PGN
[FEN "2b4k/8/5Pr1/5N2/8/8/8/K1B5 w - - 0 1"] 1. f7 {Black now has to come up with ideas on how to stop White from promoting that f-pawn to a Queen. 1...Rf6 2.Bb7.} 1... Ra6+ {2.Kb7 then this time 2...Rf6 stops the pawn and 2.Kb1 Bxf5 is check followed by Ra8.} 2. Ba3 {The only move that wins.} 2... Rxa3+ 3. Kb2 Ra2+ {4.Kxa2 Be6+} 4. Kc1 Ra1+ 5. Kd2 Ra2+ 6. Ke3 Ra3+ 7. Kf4 Ra4+ 8. Kg5 Rg4+ {9.Kxg4 Bxf5+ 10.Kxf5 Kg7 draws.} 9. Kh6 Rg8 {The only move to stop the pawn from promoting but it looks good enough.} 10. Ne7 {10...Rf8 11.Ng6 Checkmate.} 10... Be6 11. fxg8=Q+ Bxg8 12. Ng6 {Checkmate.}
I happened upon an RHP game with the same mating pattern but because this was an RHP game things did not quite work out the way as planned.
tomak - Timmonnj RHP 2011 (Black to play)
If 50....Kg4 White will run out checks. Then Black will trade down on g1 and sail home in the pawn ending. But this was an RHP game.
50....Ng3+ 51.Qxg3 Kxg3
Stalemate.
This week the puzzles come from the games Capt. George Mackenzie (1837-1891) A Scot who crowded quite a lot into his 54 years. If you have a spare 5-10 minutes then read his bio on https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=10415 A great player who produced some great games of chess in the style of Morphy. (in fact in one of the puzzles below you can see a strong Morphy influence.)
G. Mackenzie - N. Loverin Montreal 1879
White to play and mate in three moves.
1.Qxc6+ bxc6 2.Ba6+ Kb8 3.Nxc6 mate or 3.Nd7 mate.
A clue for the next one comes from the final position of Morphy at the Opera.
It is how your mind works when spotting combinations, it recalls a pattern you have previously seen and it ‘pops’ out at you . ‘Pop!’ . The more patterns you have to call on the better you will be spotting and playing combinations.
G. Mackenzie - NN Manchester 1889. (White to play)
Make a path for the d1 Rook to get too d8. Deflect the Queen from guarding d8.
1.Rxe5+ dxe5 2.Qxe5+ Qxe5 3.Bc6+ Rxc6 4.Rd8
An RHP game with the same pattern. Minii - wolverine RHP 2012
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PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nxd4 {Not recommended, this invites tghe Queen into the centre of the board where she is safe from harassment.} 5. Qxd4 Nf6 {Another poor move.} 6. e5 Ng8 7. Nc3 e6 8. Nb5 {targeting the d6 square.} 8... a6 9. Nd6+ Bxd6 10. Qxd6 Qe7 11. Qd4 {Of course White does not swap Queens. The Black Queen is awkwardly placed.} 11... Qd8 {freeing e7 for the g8 Knight.} 12. Bd3 {Note a hasty 12.Qg4 Qa5+ and Qxe5 and Black has got away with his poor opening play.} 12... b5 {Black should have played 12....Ne7} 13. Qg4 {With a pawn on b5 the Qa5+ and Qxe5 trick is no longer on the board.} 13... g6 14. O-O d6 {This just helps White open lines favouring the better developed side.} 15. Bg5 Qc7 16. exd6 Qxd6 17. Rad1 {You can see the bones of the Morphy mate appearing.} 17... Qc7 18. Bxg6 {White has seen it. The d-file has been cleared. Now chase the Queen away from protecting d8.} 18... hxg6 19. Qg3 {Black played 19...Qxg3 and White mated with Rd8. The variation I like is...} 19... Qa5 {Black has seen Rd8 mated and tries to stop it.} 20. Qc3 {Hello.} 20... Qb6 {Of course White does not take the h8 Rook.} 21. Qc5 {Hello.} 21... Qa5 22. b4 {And that ends that one.}