OK I admit it. I never painted it but I think I could have. It looks easy enough.
Anyway, I used that picture of Magnus Carlsen to get this thread about the
Carlsen - Anand World Champions match which has just finished, started.
The final score was 3-1 (with 7 draws) In Carlsen’s favour. We look at the final game.
Carlsen - Anand (game 11) 2014 World Chess Championship.
This position arose with Anand to make his 27th move.
He was trailing 2-1 with this game and one more game to play.
He took a chance or over estimated his chances (or under estimated his position)
and played 27…Rb4. Carlsen picked up the exchange, (thank you ) and won the match.
FEN
rr3b2/2p2p2/2k1bNnp/p1pNP1p1/P1P3P1/2B2K1P/5P2/3RR3 w - - 0 27
[FEN "rr3b2/2p2p2/2k1bNnp/p1pNP1p1/P1P3P1/2B2K1P/5P2/3RR3 w - - 0 27"]
27. Ke4 Rb4 {The arguments are still going on whether or not Anand needed to take such drastic action. He could have held on for a draw as he had the White pieces in the last game.} 28. Bxb4 cxb4 {Anand is putting his trust in the Queenside pawns. If it had worked it would have been hailed as the game of the decade.} 29. Nh5 {Carlsen seeks counter play and exchanges on the Kingside.} 29... Kb7 30. f4 gxf4 31. Nhxf4 Nxf4 {Now Kxf4 is playable but Carlsen decides to sac a pawn to get a Rook on the 7th. Pointless being the exchange up if you are not going to put a Rook to it's full use.} 32. Nxf4 Bxc4 33. Rd7 Ra6 34. Nd5 Rc6 35. Rxf7 Bc5 {The only move, this allows Carlsen to switch into tactic mode.} 36. Rxc7+ Rxc7 37. Nxc7 {The c7 Knight cannot take on due to Rc1 harpooning a Bishop.} 37... Kc6 38. Nb5 {Another pawn sac from Carlsen to rid Black of the Bishop pair.} 38... Bxb5 39. axb5+ Kxb5 40. e6 b3 41. Kd3 Be7 42. h4 {The creation of another passed pawn wraps it up.} 42... a4 43. g5 hxg5 44. hxg5 a3 45. Kc3 {And although 2 pawns on the sixth beat a Rook they don't if the Rook's King is nearby. Game over and Carlsen retained his crown.}
It was when I saw this position, something nipped my brain.
The Rook Harpooning the Bishops. (it’s not a skewer the pieces are of the same value.)
Where? A game from the past. Then I got it. A trick like this is in Fischer’s 60.
Game 19 Gudmundsson - Fischer, Reykjavik 1960
White to play. Black has the strong threat of Rxc1 and Re3+ and Qh2 up his sleeve.
FEN
4r1k1/pp3p1p/2p5/5p2/5P2/2PB2KP/P1Q3P1/1RB1r1q1 w - - 0 25
[FEN "4r1k1/pp3p1p/2p5/5p2/5P2/2PB2KP/P1Q3P1/1RB1r1q1 w - - 0 25"]
25. Bd2 {White saw the threat and chops wood to go into a two Bishop v lone Rook ending.} 25... Rxb1 26. Qxb1 Qxb1 27. Bxb1 Re2 {And that is the trick White missed. Fischer carries on the wood chopping because after....} 28. Bc1 Re1 {Black has harpooned a Bishop.}
And we have ourselves a Red Hot Pawn Theme of the week.
nuclearghost - enaud RHP 2012 (Black to play)
Black wants to get rid of the Queenside pawns so played 30..Bc7 intending 31…a5.
White smartly played 31.Rc1 and the Harpoon strikes home. 1-0.
JStaat - narendrababu RHP.2006 (White to play)
White made the win much easier and nicked a pawn with 36.Bxg6+ Kxg6 31.Re8
Shplunk! You guys can add your own sound effects when you a Harpoon Bishops.
TottenhamHotspurFC - klaf RHP 2011 (White to play, Black has just played 31…Rc1)
White thought Black was after the h-pawn so played 32.Kg2 this met…
32…Rd1 (add you sound effect here.) 0-1
Once you have seen the Bishops lined up pattern you will never forget it.
maris61 - Nallapuh RHP 2006
FEN
2r5/1pBn4/1P2k3/p2pPppp/P2K4/3B4/6PP/8 w - - 0 36
[FEN "2r5/1pBn4/1P2k3/p2pPppp/P2K4/3B4/6PP/8 w - - 0 36"]
36. Bb1 {With the idea of Ba2 and Bxd5+. Black spots the pattern and sharpens up the harpoon.} 36... Nxb6 37. Bxb6 Rc4+ 38. Kd3 Rb4 {OK it's a Rook fork. but it has harpoon tendencies. Well spotted.}
Now a full game where we see a lone Rook terrorise a pair of Bishops.
MrCrowley - JonPenny RHP.2011
White missed an excellent chance to steal this game but instead played the most
obvious move on the board. (see if you can spot it.) Test yourself and no peeling.
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 {Giving Black a chance to enter the Dracula-Frankenstein variation with 3...Nxe4 4.Qh4 Nd6.} 3... Bb4 {Black declines to step into that variation by developing a piece.} 4. d3 Bxc3+ 5. bxc3 Nc6 6. d4 {Too soon. 6.Nf3 and castle. Then consider d4.} 6... Nxe4 {Now I thought we were going to 7.Qg4 and the usual RHP fun.} 7. Nf3 {But with this White has just lost his e-pawn for nothing.} 7... d5 8. Bb5 {Now 8...Nxc3 looks good and playable.} 8... Bd7 9. c4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Qf6 {That looks OK. Hits on the d4 Knight and f2 and casts a weather beaten eye on the a1 Rook.} 12. O-O {12.Be3 would have saved the piece. White is thinking of winning back the piece with a pin down the e-file.} 12... Nxd4 13. Re1 {Black can now play 13...Qxf2+ and 14...Bc6. and is looking very good.} 13... Bf5 {With this Black has missed his chance to get a real plus out of the opening.} 14. f3 Nxf3+ {This is the trick Black has been planning all along.} 15. Qxf3 Qxa1 16. Qxf5 Qd4+ 17. Kh1 {Black suddenly realises he cannot take the c4 Bishop else Rxe4+ wins the Black Queen.} 17... O-O 18. Rxe4 Qd1+ 19. Qf1 Qxf1+ 20. Bxf1 Rae8 {Now 21 Re3 or 21.Rf4 but instead.} 21. Bd3 Rxe4 22. Bxe4 Re8 {Time for White to realise he has made a boo boo. If the e4 Bishop moves then Re1+ snaffles the as yet unmoved c1 Bishop.} 23. Bxh7+ {Might as well sell the Bishop for a pawn.} 23... Kxh7 {White resigned a few moves.}
Did you see White’s missed chance? Back here;
FEN
r3k2r/ppp2ppp/5q2/5b2/2Bnn3/5P2/P1P3PP/R1BQR1K1 b kq - 0 14
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp2ppp/5q2/5b2/2Bnn3/5P2/P1P3PP/R1BQR1K1 b kq - 0 14"] 14... Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 Qxa1 16. Qxf5 Qd4+ {Now instead of the very natural 17.Kh1. We must remember to look at all legal moves.} 17. Be3 {This seems silly because it stops the attack on the e4 Knight and gives up a piece.} 17... Qxc4 18. Bc5 {The very instructive point. Black cannot castle, the Knight is going and with it the Black Queen.} 18... Qxa2 {18..Qxc2 is probably the best of a bad choice. I'm showing this because it's plausible (the a7 pawn is passed with a Rook behind it.) Also there is the a Queen and Bishop two-step in here that you need to store.} 19. Rxe4+ Qe6 20. Rxe6+ fxe6 21. Qxe6+ Kd8 {The mate is simple (don't say too simple else I'll do a theme where it's been missed.)} 22. Be7+ Ke8 23. Bd6+ Kd8 24. Qe7+ Kc8 25. Qxc7
As the sun slowly sets on yet another blog we tip-toe up to that creepy
looking house that stands all alone at the end of the street.. We listen at
the window and can hear the howling screams of the poor demented souls inside
showing each other the games that have been chosen for the RHP House of Horror.
Fatwhale - Markus3105 RHP2011
Don’t you just wish I could show you Fatwhale getting harpooned.
What happens instead is Fatwhale throws a harpoon and misses.
FEN
r7/2b2pp1/4k2p/1P6/P7/4N1Pb/4PP1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 29
[FEN "r7/2b2pp1/4k2p/1P6/P7/4N1Pb/4PP1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 29"]
29. Rd4 f5 30. f3 {OUCH! that's a baddie. The game was still in the pot till that was played.} 30... Bb6 {Of course. White does even have Rd3 here as Black plays Rxa4 and the back rank hangs.} 31. Rh4 {This is no good either (there were no good moves.) See how much trouble one silly pawn move can do?)} 31... Bxe3+ 32. Kh1 Bf1 33. g4 {Black's turn to blunder.} 33... Rxa4 {OOPS! f4 and White can resign.} 34. gxf5+ Kxf5 35. Rxa4 Bxe2 {Now Kg2 and the game goes on.} 36. Re4 {The Bishops are harpooned!} 36... Bxf3 {The White King is checkmated.}
And this next one is right up there with the best of RHP bloomers.
meyekal - Flagg RHP 2011
FEN
6k1/5ppp/pB6/3Pp3/4P2P/6P1/1p1b1PK1/1Br5 w - - 0 34
[FEN "6k1/5ppp/pB6/3Pp3/4P2P/6P1/1p1b1PK1/1Br5 w - - 0 34"]
34. d6 {No need to panic Black. Move the d2 Bishop with a gain of tempo. Take the b1 Bishop and bring the Rook back to d1.} 34... Ba5 {Perfect. The d-file is opened with a gain of tempo.} 35. Bxa5 {Now take the b1 Bishop, play Rd1 give the Rook up on d8 and promote the b-pawn 0-1.} 35... Rd1 {No you are taking the very long round. Stop worrying about the d-pawn. Your b-pawn is much better.} 36. Bb4 {That my wide -eyed readers is the trap of traps. The King Trick of the week. Ba2 and Black should win in the long run. So White lays a mine.} 36... Rxb1 37. Ba3 {Of course Black can play Rg1+ ( a clearance sacrifice ) promote the b-pawn and win in any way he chooses. I wonder how long White waited before Black played the safe move.} 37... Kf8 {The Black King is going to stop the d-pawn. A master stroke.} 38. d7+ {Black resigned. The sheer of joy of it all is....} 38... Kg8 39. d8=R {White can under promote with mate.}
