What jury in the free world would not be impressed by such a magnificent name.
When the prosecution call their next witness giving that name in full then you are doomed.
In the 5th round of the 6th USA Chess Congress held in New York in 1889
our friend George Gossip as Black played a certain Jackson Whipps Showalter.
Another jury impressing name to be used by the prosecution. If George
Hatfield Dingley does not get you, then Jackson Whipps Showalter will.
George won with a fine announced mating combination.
J. Showalter - G.Gossip, New York , 1889
FEN
1k1r2r1/p1p3q1/2p2p2/3pn3/1P1b2bp/1QN3B1/P1P2PPP/1R2RBK1 w - - 0 24
[FEN "1k1r2r1/p1p3q1/2p2p2/3pn3/1P1b2bp/1QN3B1/P1P2PPP/1R2RBK1 w - - 0 24"]
24. Bxh4 Nf3+ 25. gxf3 {White now announced a mate in 6 moves.} 25... Bxf3+ 26. Bg3 Qxg3+ 27. hxg3 Rxg3+ 28. Kh2 Bxf2 29. Bh3 Rxh3+ {White resigned.} 30. Kxh3 Rh8# {Checkmate.}
Announcing checkmates is a thing of the past. A player would split the silence
of the playing hall by announcing a mate in x number of moves. The players would
leave their games to nod in approval and the audience would give a hearty cheer.
I did it once in a league match. “I announce mate in four.” No nodding looks of
approval from my team mates, just a few baffled looks. Three moves later I resigned.
So did George win the coveted Brilliancy Prize? No. Our friend George was not a
popular man and the judges (totally unimpressed with the name) decided to ignore it.
Saying George was miffed is an understatement. Absolutely furious is more like it.
George conducted a war of letters culminating in him producing, in gold leaf, the
position before the combination on the cover of his next book (a book about openings).
There is a link at the bottom of this page to an excellent article all about George
So where am I going now. Well it all started when I was going though my old
magazines looking for something else and I happened to rediscover this 1970’s game
Michael J Yeo - Ralf Hess, London, 1977
It was actually awarded a joint brilliancy prize in the 1977 Evening Standard Congress.
Perhaps the 1889 committee should have considered a joint award but after you have read
the link about George below perhaps you will get an inkling as to why his was knocked back.
The Yeo game is a jolly effort with a nice humorous touch. Very suitable for this page.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 {A playable move v the Kings Gambit and it has the bonus of being a sporadic reply thus it won't be given the full treatment by your casual club player who will spend their valuable time booking up on the 2...exf4 lines.} 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Nf6 5. fxe5 dxe5 6. Nxe5 O-O 7. d4 {7...Nxe4 is a shot here. 8.dxc4 Qxd1+ and Nf2+. 7...Nx4 has been tried OTB (surprisingly not on here) My DB give it an even split P.8 W3 D2 L3.} 7... Bd6 8. Bf4 Nxe4 9. Bd3 f6 {This idea turns out bad. Not sure if Black miscalculated thinking he was getting two minor bits for a Rook or he saw the coming Bishop sortie and went for it.} 10. Qb3+ Kh8 11. Nf7+ Rxf7 12. Qxf7 Bxf4 13. Bxe4 Bc1 {This is the Bishop sortie I was talking about. The Black King's house is about to be set on fire and the Bishop is off chasing an undeveloped Rook.} 14. O-O Bxb2 15. Rxf6 {BANG!. 15...gxf6 16.Qxh2 mate. 15....Qxf6 16.Qe8+ and mate. The threat is 16. Qf8+.} 15... Nd7 {Stops the Qf8+ mating idea.} 16. Re6 {Now the threat is Re8+} 16... Nf6 {That stops that one but...} 17. Rxf6 {We are back to square one only this time Black is a piece missing.} 17... Bg4 {Stops the Qf8+ idea.} 18. Rh6 {It's just one thing after another. Everything is happening on the dark squares. The Black King must be wondering where the dark squared Bishop is. "It's not been taken...Where is it?"} 18... Qg8 {Only move.} 19. Rxh7+ Qxh7 20. Bxh7 Kxh7 21. h3 Bc8 {Crazy? Well 21...Be2 22 Qf4+ and Qc2 wins a Bishop and 21...Bd1 22.Nd2 Bxa1 23.Qf1 harpoons another Bishop.} 22. Nd2 Bxa1 23. Ne4 {Black resigned. One possible continuation being.....Good this is where I take over.} 23... b6 24. Nf6+ Kh8 25. Qh5 {Well that was fun. Seriously there was nothing to be done. To avoid getting mated (if indeed he can) Black has to give up everything that can still move.}
Last blog we saw a couple of games with the Damiano Opening. Here is another miniature.
KJCavalier - colin57 RHP 2011
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6 3. Bc4 {The move I like here.} 3... Bc5 {This is asking for trouble 3...Nc6 holding e5 is the move.} 4. Nxe5 {Of course.} 4... fxe5 5. Qh5+ g6 6. Qxe5+ Qe7 7. Qxh8 d5 {A gamble in a lost position. White should now play 8.Qxg8+. Today's hot tip. If you can take a piece with check then always have a very good reason why you do not do it.} 8. Bxd5 {OK but a tad greedy. White wants the d-pawn and the g8 Knight. He is also anticipating 8...Be6 when 9.Bxb7 nicks the a8 Rook. Too much thinking. Keep it simple. Taking the Knight with check was the way to go.} 8... Qf8 {An instructive trap based on the fact that weaker players only see their own threats. Check out your Fred Reinfeld, he devoted a lot of ink to this subject.} 9. Bxg8 {Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway. 9.Qxg8 was the winner. 9...Bxf2+ goes nowhere.} 9... Qxf2+ {Where did that come from?} 10. Kd1 Bg4 {And that is checkmate.}
I mentioned gambling in a lost position. He are some more of your flutters.
Juman - tamperman RHP Ch.2014.
White to play, (pretty obvious that one because he is check) he has four free choices.
1. Kc2
2. Kd2
3. Ke2
4. Kd4
So the odds are 3-1 in his favour that he will choose the right square. He chose 4.Kd4
4...Rc4 Checkmate.
Next Black gambles by rejecting possibly the best move and instead sets a trap.
Billca - Pianoman1 RHP Ch.2014
FEN
3b1k2/1R4p1/N1p2p1p/1p2B3/1P6/2P4P/2r2PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[FEN "3b1k2/1R4p1/N1p2p1p/1p2B3/1P6/2P4P/2r2PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. Bd4 Be7 {Perhaps played to invite the White Rook onto c7 to have a go at the Black c6 pawn.} 2. Rc7 {OK we have the Rook on c7. Now Black has 2...Rc1+ 3.Kh2 Bd6+ winning the exchange though the Black Rook will be struggling against a Knight and Bishop. So Black rolls the dice and see what comes up.} 2... Bd6 {3.Rc8+ and 4.g3 looks good enough to sail home. Instead we see a ship wreck on a calm sea.} 3. Rxc6 {OOPS!} 3... Rc1 {That is checkmate. Players once they have played h3 or any move giving luft to their King often forget to look out for back rank shots. This is a case in point.}
OK a quick run down on the RHP 2014 Championship stats.
Games started: 5468. Finished 3996. White wins: 1979 drawn: 166 Black Wins:1851.
The longest finished game is exactly 100 moves: seamusk - tsloan Game 10640231 The quickest checkmate is 4 moves. chesco697 - OupaM RHP Ch 2014.
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bd6 3. Qf3 Ne7 {Watch your f7 and f2 squares boys. In the early part of the game it's only protector is the King and your opponent can hit it with natural developing moves.} 4. Qxf7 {I'm only glad (as we all are) that my early efforts have not been recorded because I walked into this mate when first starting out. Even Tal admits that he did as well.}
