Aanatol v The Black Knight on e4

Look at this position.


It's the Knight on e4 that catches the eye.

Aanatol - Arkal RHP Ch 2012

Mike Wallsingham here for CBS News reporting on a near riot at the RHP chess championship. Police had to be called out after chess fanatics tarred and feathered a pawn and were threatening deadly bodily harm to him. We have managed to contact the pawn at the hospital.

Mike W: "Mr Pawn, could you tell us what happened?"

Pawn: "The hell if I know. The game ended, another lose, but so what, I've seen hundreds of those. I did manage to get into the game a bit, only one move, but that's better than standing there the whole time. Get to stretch the legs a bit, you know?

Me and the other 7 boys were heading down to the bar for some beers when this crowd of wild-eyed guys came running up to us. One of them pointed right at me and yelled 'That's him! He's the one who lost the game'. I thought it was a joke or they were drunk, but no, they were serious! I tried to reason with them. I mean look, there was plenty of blame to go around. Go talk to the KB, jamming up the works and pissing away extra moves. The QB couldn't be bothered to get off its rear at all. His royal King Highness couldn't come up with a plan to save his life and the term 'blunder check' is unknown in these parts. I took a couple of knocks on the head and the next thing I know I'm here in the hospital"

Mike W: "Shameful behavior! One last question. How did they know which pawn was which? I mean, I'm sorry, but you do all look alike."

Pawn: "Oh that, during the game we wear name-tags. Mine said 'h-pawn' for this game and I had forgotten to take it off.

Love it. If only all chess commentary was this good.

Poor Aanato, he's never going to touch his h-pawn again.
You'd think with all those a's in his name he be be prone to moving a-pawn.

I've always felt sorry for those pieces n pawn that don't get moved the whole game. If I took part in a living chess game as a pawn which never moved all game I would be miffed. Standing there for hours, not moving, wearing a stupid costume...

Reminds of a Capablanca story.

He was giving a living chess display in Hollywood and took a fancy to the girl
dressed up as his White Queen.
He could have swapped her off for an easily won game but kept her on till the
end of the game (a long Queen and pawn ending) so he could ask her out.

At the end of the game he asked her out but she said:

"No. You moved me all over the board, I'm totally shattered."

That Capa fella was a bit of a ladies man, for a chess player anyway.

Had a quick look through some of my games and it looks like the b-pawn is my lazy piece. Often only moving in the late endgame or not at all. But i suppose its all down to what opening you play.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Reminds of a Capablanca story.

He was giving a living chess display in Hollywood and took a fancy to the girl
dressed up as his White Queen.
He could have swapped her off for an easily won game but kept her on till the
end of the game (a long Queen and pawn ending) so he could ask her out.

At the end of the game he asked her out but she said:

"No. You moved me all over the board, I'm totally shattered."