I’ll mostly be using positions from the current Olympiad taking place in Hungary. We will kick off with one I am sure you will all solve. It is one of the most famous mating patterns in Chess. I am only showing it because Black was rated 1872 and to pull off this checkmate whilst playing for your country deserves to be seen on here.
J. Schneider- T. Brookfield, Chess Olympiad Budapest, 2024 (Black to play)
Just in case you have never seen it. 1...Nh3+ 2..Qg8+ 3..Nf2 mate.
In Chess Review March 1948 ( where I got a cartoon you will see later on) I saw that someone had attempted most of the puzzles in the ‘Announce Mate’ section.
They had marked them with a blue tick but this one had a red ‘X’
The position came from G. Kramer - N. Whitaker, USA Open 1947 (Black to play,)
Can you do better than the 1948 reader. (or maybe the red ‘x’ means ‘too easy.’ )
I got it quite quickly. 1....Bf3++ 2.Kxf3 or 2.Kh3 2....Qg4 mate.
Actually the really good move in that game came one move earlier. Black to play.
Black played 33...Qg6 White never saw the mate and took the Rook. We know the rest.
R. Galaviz - J. Araujo Sanchez, Olympiad Budapest, 2024 (Black to play)
In the previous puzzle Black took a Rook. Here, can Black take the Knight on d4.
No. But it is what happened. 1....Rxd5 2. Qxc8+ Bxc8 3.Re8+ mate next move.
This is fun let us do another one and because they are current, these games were played a few days ago, I can get away with saying it is World News.
A. Erigaisi - P. Prohaszka, Olympiad Budapest, 2024 (White to play)
Erigaisi, strongly tipped as a future world champion, closed this down in style.
1.Qxh6+ gxh6 2.Rxh6+ Qh7 3.Rxh7 mate.
L. Lenaerts - Z. Amdouni, Olympiad Budapest, 2024 (White to play)
Wrap this up but you must see before you play it out the cute White 3rd. move.
Header
FEN
5rk1/4Rb2/2p2qpQ/2B2p2/Np6/3P2bP/PPP3P1/7K w - - 0 34
PGN
[FEN "5rk1/4Rb2/2p2qpQ/2B2p2/Np6/3P2bP/PPP3P1/7K w - - 0 34"] 34. Qxf8+ {Setting up a Discovered Check. When the dust settles White will be the exchange up.} 34... Kxf8 35. Re6+ Kg7 {Now the smart bit. Not Rxf6 but....} 36. Bf8+ {The move that had been before White embarked on 1.Qxf8+} 36... Kxf8 37. Rxf6 {The exchange up - and in an ending being the exchange really counts. Also the c6 pawn is dropping. .} 37... Ke7 38. Rxc6 g5 39. Nc5
My last comment ‘...and in an ending being the exchange really counts’ is referring to how in modern chess, the last 25 years, we see a Rook being swapped for a Knight or a Bishop willy-nilly in the middle game. It has almost got to the stage where it is no longer a surprise. Usually, as in the coming game, if a player is the exchange down but has the two Bishops then that is enough to warrants the sacrifice. And I am talking about sacrificing the exchange, not losing it. Then it is a struggle and is often a lost game.
Been a while since I butchered a Carlsen game. Some of you may have already seen it noted up by someone with a super-duper Carlos Fandango computer. None of that here.
D. Valentin - M. Carlsen Olympiad Budapest, 2024
Header
FEN
4rbk1/1pqb1pp1/p1pp1n1p/P3r3/1P1QP2B/2N4P/2P1BPP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 19
PGN
[FEN "4rbk1/1pqb1pp1/p1pp1n1p/P3r3/1P1QP2B/2N4P/2P1BPP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 19"] 19. Bg3 {Now why can't Carlsen just be normal and play 19.R5e7 like everyone else.} 19... c5 {OK I'll let him off that. 20.bxc5 Rxc5.} 20. Qd1 cxb4 {Now it is Game On. The exchange is treated like a normal piece trade.} 21. Bxe5 dxe5 22. Nd5 Nxd5 23. exd5 {Opening the e-file. to give the Rooks targets.} 23... e4 24. Bg4 {This piece is suddenly a problem for White. Where does it go? It eventually ends up on f1.} 24... f5 25. Bh5 {Give me another exchange?} 25... Rc8 {No. One is enough...for now. Carlsen actually sacs another exchange later on} 26. d6 {Here Qxc2 or Qxd6 allows the Queens to come off and White's game is a bit easier.} 26... Qc5 27. c3 bxc3 28. Qb3+ Qc4 {With the big protected passer on c3 and the two Bishops Carlsen now wants the Queens off.} 29. Qxb7 Qe6 30. Qxa6 Bxd6 31. Qa7 {Qb7 clearing the path for a-pawn looks better. I think White wants Qe3 options to cover c1.} 31... c2 32. a6 Bf4 {A good move Carlsen would flick out in his sleep, covers c1, stops Qe3 and Qa3 ideas.} 33. Qb7 {I've spotted a cheapo! 33....Bc6 34.Bf7+ and White wins.} 33... Rb8 34. Qa7 Qd6 {Another annoying Carlsen move, White's Queen is stuck with no moves.} 35. Be2 Be6 36. Bf1 {White has nothing constructive. And now....} 36... Kh7 {...Carlsen is tidying up his position and asking White what do you do now.} 37. Rec1 {Resignation but what else. Such a move on move 37 hints at time trouble.} 37... Bxc1 38. Rxc1 {White has sacced back the exchange but the game is still lost.} 38... Rb1 {The wrap up is graced with a wee bit of Carlsen craft.} 39. Qe3 Qd1 40. a7 Qxc1 {Black is allowing White to promote first.} 41. Qxc1 {Having made time control Black resigned. The finish is....} 41... Rxc1 42. a8=Q Rxf1+ {This is the other exchange sac I mentioned earlier though this one is a bit obvious.} 43. Kxf1 {43.Kh2 c1=Q is a Black checkmate in a few moves.} 43... c1=Q+ 44. Ke2 Bc4 {Checkmate.}
Cheating is a topic never far from the chess forums all over the net. Back in 1948 a prophetic cartoon appeared in the March 1948 Chess Review showing a player receiving outside assistance. Note back then help did not come from a computer.
We close with an RHP game. Here is one with an end similar to the Carlsen game.
BamLFC - mlctulsa RHP 2022 (Black to play)
One of those combinations that work out perfectly.
