More memories from old blogs.
Here are a couple of joyless games that made it into a section I use to run
called the ‘Hall of Doom’ I introduced this one as possibly being unique
in correspondence chess Black missed mate in one and allowed mate in one.
jvecchio - gafford RHP 2007 (Black to play)
31...Bxf1 32.Qe5 mate. (of course 31...Qxf1 was mate)
And this one is a real heartbreaker. First we see how it ended.
kiadvent - benda RHP 2012 (Black to play)
17...Qxh2 18.Re8 mate.
Sadly one of many back rank mates on RHP . I did a scan through the RHP
database for Re1-Re8 checkmates. 8,062. And that is only on Re1- Re8 mates.
But if we go back a few moves before Black was bank rank mated.
They missed a beautiful win by not following my golden rule if you
are material up. Give it back!. If you are a piece up, good, that means
you now have two (yes two!) pieces to sacrifice to expose the enemy King.
Before the disaster (Black to play)
Black is two pieces and a Queen up. One should be looking to sling some material away to
get at the White King. It went 16.Kf1 Nf4 17.Ng3 (The above diagram ) 17...Qxh2 18.Re8 mate.
We now see what could have and should have happened.