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Capped Knight - from Fireside Book

Capped Knight - from Fireside Book

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Found this in "The Fireside Book of Chess"

The capped Knight...Much more difficult even than giving Queen odds is it to undertake to give mate with a specific pawn or piece. Clearly, the opponent can afford to give up any amount of material just to rid himself of the only piece that has the power to checkmate him. Here is a rare example of this stipulation being carried out successfully.
Max Lange contracts to checkmate with his Queen Knight.

[Event "Lange contracts to checkmate with his Queen Knight"]
[Site " "]
[Date "June 1858"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Lange, Max"]
[Black "Von Schierstedt, Jenny"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 g5 5. Bc4 g4 6. O-O gxf3 7. d4 fxg2 8. Bxf7+ Kxf7 9. Qh5+ Kg7 10. Rxf4 Nh6 11. Be3 d6 12. Ne2 Qe7 13. Kxg2 Be6 14. Raf1 Bf7 15. Qxh6+ Kxh6 16. Rg4+ Kh5 17. Ng3+ Kxg4 18. Rf5 h6 19. h3+ Kh4 20. Rh5+ Bxh5 21. Nf5# 1-0

Here is the final position...



In the course of completing his task, Lange sacrificed his Queen, both Rooks, a Knight and a Bishop...

Amazing.

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Originally posted by TheBloop
Found this in "The Fireside Book of Chess"

The capped Knight...Much more difficult even than giving Queen odds is it to undertake to give mate with a specific pawn or piece. Clearly, the opponent can afford to give up any amount of material just to rid himself of the only piece that has the power to checkmate him. Here is a rare example of this stipula ...[text shortened]... ompleting his task, Lange sacrificed his Queen, both Rooks, a Knight and a Bishop...

Amazing.
Wow. That's a good way to give odds.

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Originally posted by TheBloop
In the course of completing his task, Lange sacrificed his Queen, both Rooks, a Knight and a Bishop...

Amazing.[/b]
It is somewhat less amazing that her illegal moves were not also recorded.

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In those games, is the opponent told what piece they are going to be checkmated with?

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Originally posted by THUDandBLUNDER
It is somewhat less amazing that her illegal moves were not also recorded.
what do you mean? I actually quoted the story exactly as it appeared in my Fireside Book, but is there some part of the story that's missing?

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Originally posted by TheBloop
what do you mean? I actually quoted the story exactly as it appeared in my Fireside Book, but is there some part of the story that's missing?
Sorry, I merely meant that anybody who is THAT weak is likely to have made some illegal moves. 😛