The Missing White Rook
By on 23 Aug 25 11:46
1654 views | 2 edits | Last edit on 20 Oct 25 19:58
The Missing White Rook
The following tale is true. I do not have all the facts but the gist of
what happened is true. I’ll make up some clubs names because I am not
sure of all the clubs involved. All I can tell you is that the Edinburgh
Chess Club were not involved, that club has its own set of unique pieces.
The Edinburgh Chess Club pieces
After a league match at Cannon Chess Club they were putting the pieces
away when it was noticed a white rook was missing. All of the clubs used
the same style of chess pieces so the captain of Canon Club told one of his
team to nick a white rook when visiting their next opponents Thistle Chess Club.
This was done and Thistle Club nicked a white rook from the Tartan Chess Club.
You get the idea...five or six clubs were involved in this rook swapping and this next
bit actually happened. Being a white rook down the captain of the Meadow Club
told one of his team to lift a rook when he was playing at the Bankside Chess Club.
This he did, but the captain had no been specific and he brought back a black rook!
Now one club was missing a black rook, another club a white rook and one club had
an extra black rook. I got to hear of this and wrote about it in a league newsletter and a
meeting was called. I contacted Chess Supplies Scotland who thought this was hilarious
and was given free! a jumble of pieces, kings, queen, knights, bishops pawns...and rooks.
Order was restored and I still have a few of the spare pieces left.
R. Pert - P. Roberson, British Championship Liverpool 2025 Black to play.
With a Bishop and a Rook attacked 41 Rg7 looks OK Yes?
HappyChappy - ladel RHP 2023 (White to move)
Staying with this stalemate theme. The worse move for White would be
42. Ka1 Qc1 mate. Pick another poor White move that was actually played.
nemostat - bralen RHP 2013 (Black to play)
White has put their d-pawn up as bait. What happened after Black took it.
Which brings me onto this double blunder with a bit of cunning.
D1013 - dm7 RHP 2023
I mentioned how common this banana skin was on RHP. Here is a pure example.
RODbr - pantherpete 2014
Back here (Black to play)
A common move for Black here is to attack the Queen right away with 5...c5.
I like the way the RHP player beeblebrocks played v 5...c5 in the following game.
beeblebrocks - fval2 RHP 2022
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 203397
