Here is my VIP pass to the 2013 London Chess Classic.
Copy it out (use a colour printer) paste it to a piece of card.
stick it in a plastic folder, tie it around your neck and swan
about the 2016 London Classic like you are someone important.
If some jobs-worth security guard spots the 2013 and challenges
you then tell them you have been waiting at the door since 2013.
If that fails, bribe them. Most are as bent as a Russian Athlete.
(I’ll print some bribing money off next week for you to copy .)
Good Luck
I stumbled upon this game played in the 2016 British Championship.
R. Birkett - A. Kalaiyalahan 2016 British Chess Championships
I know Richard, he displayed a strange kind of chess blindness.
FEN
1Rb4r/p1q1k3/2pNp1Qp/3pb3/5p2/2P5/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 0 27
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
Nxc8
Rxc8
2.
Rb7
Qxb7
3.
Qh7
Kf6
4.
Qxb7
Rb8
5.
Qh7
-4
[FEN "1Rb4r/p1q1k3/2pNp1Qp/3pb3/5p2/2P5/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 0 27"] 27. Nxc8+ Rxc8 {White now spotted a way to win the Black Queen.} 28. Rb7 Qxb7 29. Qh7+ Kf6 {Now White saw that his intended QxQ is met with Rb8 and White has to give up his own Queen to avoid being back rank mated. He resigned a move or two later.} 30. Qxb7 Rb8 {But back a move ago White failed to spot he has this move...} 31. Qh7 {Which stops the mate and the game, due to the exposed Black King should be a draw.}
This error can only be explained by White missing the Queen can go back to h7.
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
In the heat of the battle visualising a piece already on a square
going back to the very same square is not an uncommon error.
I asked in the Chess Forum if anyone could think of a term for this type of blunder.
I knew the Problem Solving lads would have a term for it, so I pinched this book
from a posh book shop (no way was I going to pay their posh book shop prices.)
And true enough the Problem Solving lads (bless them all) have such a term.
It’s called a ‘Switchback’. Missing one is now called a ‘Switchback Blunder’.
This is their example of a ‘Switchback’ composed by F.Salzer 1968.
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
White to play and mate in two.
As most of us lot could not solve, play, or even spot a mate in two,
I’ll just give the solution rather than make a genuine puzzle out it.
1.Qg5-g2
Threatening 2.Qa2 checkmate. So Black plays 1....Bxe6 2.Qg5 mate
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
The White Queen went from g5 back to g5 to give checkmate. A Switchback.
We do have RHP examples of Switchbacks and from the same h7 square.
DStew - devanlovesashley RHP 2012
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
White played 14. Qh4+ f6 15.Qh7 mate.
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
ontheclock - zonnebloem RHP 2013
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
White played 35.Qd7+ Kxh4 26.Qh7 mate.
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
As per usual I have saved the best example until last.
garythehat - jfrank72001 RHP 2010
FEN
5k2/4q1p1/3Qp2p/3bPp2/2pP1P2/r6N/8/4K2R w - - 0 1
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
Qb8
Kf7
2.
Ng5
hxg5
3.
Rh8
gxf4
4.
Qg8
Kg6
5.
Qh7
Kf7
6.
Qh5
g6
7.
Qh7
-2
[FEN "5k2/4q1p1/3Qp2p/3bPp2/2pP1P2/r6N/8/4K2R w - - 0 1"] 1. Qb8+ Kf7 {White is not looking too good so decided it's time to fire the last arrow and hope it hits something.} 2. Ng5+ hxg5 3. Rh8 {Black's defence here is to play 3...Ra8 White has nothing after that. (Hey that could be a late Switchback Blunder, that Rook started the game on a8.)} 3... gxf4 {This move allows White to play a Switchback Mate.} 4. Qg8+ Kg6 5. Qh7+ Kf7 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Qh7 {From h7 to h5 check and back to h7 to give the mate.}
rookie54 - greenpawn34 (that’s me!) RHP 2016
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
e4
e5
2.
Nf3
Nc6
3.
Bc4
Nf6
4.
d3
d5
5.
exd5
Nxd5
6.
O-O
Bc5
7.
a3
O-O
8.
h3
Be6
9.
Re1
a6
10.
c3
Bb6
11.
Nxe5
Nxe5
12.
Rxe5
Bxf2
13.
Kxf2
Qf6
14.
Kg1
Qxe5
15.
Nd2
Nf4
16.
Bxe6
fxe6
17.
Nc4
Nxh3
18.
Kh1
Nf2
19.
Kg1
Qg3
20.
Qd2
Nh3
21.
Kh1
Rf1
0
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {They call this The Two Knights Defence.. but you must think of it as the Two Knights Attack.} 4. d3 {This 'Quiet Move' as Estrin calls it is popular. and playable but passive, the Two Knights Attacker shuns passive play.} 4... d5 {Again according to Estrin not good. His 'not good' is possibly a correct assessment though some of the variations are questionable.} 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. O-O {5.Qe2 is meant to be the test of 4....d5. Black usually has to let the e-pawn go for active play. There is nothing wrong with 6.0-0.} 6... Bc5 {Sticking the Bishop on the Trick Shot Diagonal.} 7. a3 {I'll let White off with that. In some of these 'Quiet Lines' Black plays Na5 hunting the c4 Bishop. 7.a3 gives the Bishop a cubby hole on a2.} 7... O-O {I toyed with idea of 7...a5 to stop a latter b4. Decided to castle first and see what happens.} 8. h3 {But White is not getting let off with this one. It weakens the Kingside for no good reason. Looks like a safety first move. When in doubt get a piece out. 8.Nc3.} 8... Be6 {I leave my pawns alone and develop.} 9. Re1 {Now he is sniffing at my e-pawn. But it's being held with a tactical trap. Black often leaves this pawn hanging in this opening for trappy reasons.} 9... a6 {A handy waiting move. Hoping to give the impression I was worried about him playing b4. Take the e-pawn...please take the e-pawn.} 10. c3 {He never took it. The trap is still on.} 10... Bb6 {The perfect trap setters move. Moving a key piece backwards. What threat can that pose? Now will you please take e-pawn.} 11. Nxe5 {Yahoo!! He took it.} 11... Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Bxf2+ 13. Kxf2 Qf6+ {The point!} 14. Kg1 Qxe5 {Black has won the exchange and still has a 'trick a day' position.} 15. Nd2 {That Knight is on it's way to f3. I have a nice surprise for it when it gets there.} 15... Nf4 16. Bxe6 {See next game for what I had planned on 16.Nf3.} 16... fxe6 {The open f-file means more than keeping the pawns intact with the docile Qxe6.} 17. Nc4 {17.Nf3 meets to same next Black move. 17.Ne4 Rad8 all look grim for Black.} 17... Nxh3+ {I like tactically taking advantage of moves like 8 h3. If the pawn was back on h2 this sac would not be on.} 18. Kh1 {if 18...gxh3 Qg3+ 19.Kh1 Rf2 wins.} 18... Nf2+ 19. Kg1 Qg3 20. Qd2 {There is nothing to be done. Get mated or give up the Queen. White sportingly allows the mate.} 20... Nh3+ 21. Kh1 Rf1
Now a look at hidden variation in the previous game.
FEN
r4rk1/1pp2ppp/p3b3/3nq3/2B5/P1PP3P/1P4P1/RNBQ2K1 w - - 0 15
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
Nd2
Nf4
2.
Nf3
Nxh3
3.
gxh3
Qg3
4.
Kh1
Bxh3
5.
Qe2
Rae8
6.
Bxf7
Rxf7
7.
Qxe8
Rf8
8.
Qe2
Bg4
-2
[FEN "r4rk1/1pp2ppp/p3b3/3nq3/2B5/P1PP3P/1P4P1/RNBQ2K1 w - - 0 15"] 15. Nd2 Nf4 {Here against the expected 16.Nf3 I had planned and actually sent as 'Deep Mode' continuation. I was most disappointed to see it had not been played.} 16. Nf3 Nxh3+ {That h3 pawn gets clobbered again.} 17. gxh3 Qg3+ 18. Kh1 Bxh3 {Now the only reasonable move to prevent mate and hold the f3 Knight is....} 19. Qe2 {But that is the Queen overloaded holding f3 and g2. All she needs now is a nudge.} 19... Rae8 {The Nudge. and I do not mind falling for....} 20. Bxf7+ {I was keeping an eye on his 'trick shot' Bishop. This one also wins the exchange.} 20... Rxf7 21. Qxe8+ Rf8 {Back to e2.} 22. Qe2 Bg4 {That was a far as I got with my 'Deep Mode' continuation. I like using that feature. I could be sleeping or reading a book on a tram and RHP is springing my traps for me.}
This week we shall be switching back to the Switchback Theme.
I’ll stay on the square on h7 only this time it is the Black King that
does the switching from h7 and back again only to be checkmated.
In all the games Black need not have got themselves checkmated.
schlabumski - QMartinez RHP 2015
FEN
3q3k/2r3p1/pn3p1p/8/5P2/1B6/PP1p2PP/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 30
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
Qe2
Rc1
2.
h3
Qd4
3.
Kh2
Rxf1
4.
Qe8
Kh7
5.
Bg8
Kh8
6.
Bf7
Kh7
7.
Qg8
0
[FEN "3q3k/2r3p1/pn3p1p/8/5P2/1B6/PP1p2PP/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 30"] 30. Qe2 Rc1 31. h3 {A crafty move. White has one chance here (Black’s back rank) This move encourages Black to over reach and gives the White King a flight square.} 31... Qd4+ 32. Kh2 {Now Nc4 by Black and they are winning.} 32... Rxf1 {OOPS!} 33. Qe8+ Kh7 {The Black King is on h7.} 34. Bg8+ Kh8 35. Bf7+ Kh7 {Back to h7 to be mated.} 36. Qg8
This one is good. Black sets up a trap that White had anticipated .
C Hess - Chippy Minton RHP 2014
FEN
r5k1/5pp1/1r1p3p/p1p1b3/2B1Pp1P/3P4/P1PK4/1R6 w - - 0 24
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
Rxb6
Ra7
2.
Rb8
Kh7
3.
h5
f6
4.
Bg8
Kh8
5.
Bf7
Kh7
6.
Bg6
-7
[FEN "r5k1/5pp1/1r1p3p/p1p1b3/2B1Pp1P/3P4/P1PK4/1R6 w - - 0 24"] 24. Rxb6 Ra7 25. Rb8+ Kh7 {Black is now seeing d6-d5 attacking both the Bishop and Rook.} 26. h5 {White can see it too. d6-d5 can be answered by Re8 hitting the then unprotected e5 Bishop. White is waiting for Black to protect the Bishop.} 26... f6 {There it is. Now the trap is on the board. If only it were Black's move then d6-d5 wins....But it's White's move and the c4 Bishop now mates Black} 27. Bg8+ Kh8 {The Black King goes from h7.....} 28. Bf7+ Kh7 {...back to h7 again.} 29. Bg6 {Checkmate.}
All of these examples are good. We must do this theme again.
JDPDX - ansar73 RHP 2012
FEN
r1b1r1k1/1pp2pp1/p1n4p/1q6/3P1PP1/2B2Q1P/PPP2P2/2KR3R w - - 0 18
SETUP
1
8
a
7
b
6
c
5
d
4
e
3
f
2
g
1
h
1.
g5
hxg5
2.
Rhg1
Qe2
3.
Qg3
g4
4.
Rde1
Qf3
5.
Rxe8
Kh7
6.
Qh4
Kg6
7.
Qg5
Kh7
8.
Qh5
-1
[SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b1r1k1/1pp2pp1/p1n4p/1q6/3P1PP1/2B2Q1P/PPP2P2/2KR3R w - - 0 18"] 18. g5 hxg5 19. Rhg1 {White is a piece down and trying to drum up an attack.} 19... Qe2 {Black would like the Queens off then White would consider resignation.} 20. Qg3 {Bf5 by Black threatening mate on c2 is the move here.} 20... g4 {But Black is trying to keep the files closed. Now he is punished.} 21. Rde1 {OH NO.! Black can now play Nxd4 answering RxQ with NxR+ and NxQ. White had to play Rg-e1.} 21... Qf3 {Black has missed it. Now it's a Switchback Mate.} 22. Rxe8+ Kh7 23. Qh4+ {The Black King is kicked off h7....} 23... Kg6 24. Qg5+ {....and kicked back to h7 to be mated.} 24... Kh7 25. Qh5
