Fried Liver Game with Cunning Trap

Hi Chaps,

I've mentioned this game in a couple of threads now but never
got around to finding and showing it.
I found it tucked away on an old Corner.

It has a lovely trap set by a then under 1800 player.

J.Crawford - C.Dickson Edinburgh Congress 2008.
Black to play his 18th move - set the trap.



It's no good dropping it into a box 'cos boxes do not
play or show human traps. (yet).

I give a big clue and go into more details about this game and
the Fried Liver plus some 'chess' books to avoid on:

http://chessedinburgh.co.uk/chandlerarticle.php?ChandID=267

Give up?

OK here is the full game. Watch out for Black's cunning 18th move.

I'm 99% sure both players are members of RHP - one is for sure.
So look out for the Scottish poster coming on saying it's a great game.

Yes, brilliant Reveal Hidden Content

I don`t think that you should be engine or titled player to ignore that cheap trap and play 19.Kh1 - 18...a5 will be waste of time then.

Here is one good example to see what can happen with cheap traps



In 8th move Black could get obviously better position after 8...Nxd5. Instead of that Black set a trap with 8...Bh3? hoping for strong initiative after "natural moves" like 9.Nf4? Re8+. Instead of that White played 9.Bg5! with excellent attacking chances after 9...Bg2 10.Rg1 Bxf3 11.Qd2!

Originally posted by Cimon
I don`t think that you should be engine or titled player to ignore that cheap trap and play 19.Kh1 - 18...a5 will be waste of time then.

Hi Cimon.

"...a cheap trap."

Why are looking for a flaw in this piece of creativity?

Play over the game, you are good enough to tell that the player
of the Black pieces was not the greatest player in the world.

Yet he came up with the beautiful idea fo 18....a5!! whilst
sitting in the minor section of a chess tournament.

To actually stop and consider NOT moving the Knight and then to
see the following Queen sacrifice is a wonderful piece of imagination.

Did seeing the final act of this game not even bring a hint of a smile.
A small nod of approval for the craft that went into playing 18...a5!!

C'mon Cimon, lighten up. We have been blessed with loving a game
that has the power to make us happy. Enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly.

I see you quote George Orwell in your profile.

Let us borrow another quote from George Orwell.

"The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection."

Originally posted by Cimon
I don`t think that you should be engine or titled player to ignore that cheap trap and play 19.Kh1 - 18...a5 will be waste of time then.

This from a guy that plays the London system.

Originally posted by BailieDonaldson
This from a guy that plays the London system.

And your point is...?

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi Cimon.

"...a cheap trap."

Why are looking for a flaw in this piece of creativity?

Play over the game, you are good enough to tell that the player
of the Black pieces was not the greatest player in the world.

Yet he came up with the beautiful idea fo 18....a5!! whilst
sitting in the minor section of a chess tournament.

To actually sto ...[text shortened]... e from George Orwell.

"The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection."

Come on greenpawn - I understand that idea was creative but I don`t value creativity which can be ignored. Imagine - you spend some time to create such a trap but your more pragmatic opponent believes you "on word" and quickly plays 19.Kh1. How would you feel then?

Originally posted by Cimon
Come on greenpawn - I understand that idea was creative but I don`t value creativity which can be ignored. Imagine - you spend some time to create such a trap but your more pragmatic opponent believes you "on word" and quickly plays 19.Kh1. How would you feel then?

"How would feel you then?"

I would have shrugged my shoulders and got on with the game.

How did you feel as Black in Game 6285893 when your
opponent castled here.



Were you not hoping for Nc7 so you could then play Qe5+ winning the Knight.

Not quite as deep as in the in the original game but I would
certainly not call it a cheap trap. 😉

Originally posted by greenpawn34
"How would feel you then?"

I would have shrugged my shoulders and got on with the game.

How did you feel as Black in Game 6285893 when your
opponent castled here.

[fen]rnb2rk1/pp2bppp/4p3/1N1q4/8/3B4/PPP2PPP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 0 10[/fen]

Were you not hoping for Nc7 so you could then play Qe5+ winning the Knight.

Not quite as deep as in the in the original game but I would
certainly not call it a cheap trap. 😉

I don`t believe that you can`t see the difference between useless (without trap) 18...a5 in game you advertising and natural developing move 9...0-0 in my game. And I did not expect my opponent to be so foolish for make stupid blunders like 10.Nc7?? So answer to your question is "No emotions".

Please be so kind and stop your demagogy.

Originally posted by Cimon
I don`t believe that you can`t see the difference between useless (without trap) 18...a5 in game you advertising and natural developing move 9...0-0 in my game. And I did not expect my opponent to be so foolish for make stupid blunders like 10.Nc7?? So answer to your question is "No emotions".

Please be so kind and stop your demagogy.

I doubt any pawn move is useless... When it comes to moving a pawn there is only bad and good. Because, if you think about it... If your opponent is your equal then you will find yourself in an endgame. Does ...a5 make your b6 and b5 squares weak or does it get your pawn to the queening square, attack the b4 square and hamper whites queenside pawns? Answer, it does all these things so it has a use, your job is to weigh the good and bad and make a decision. Do I need to hamper whites queenside pawns? Will having control over the b4 possibly give me any advantage later? Then you have the tactical considerations. You say that ...a5 is useless but nothing about how useless Kh1 is? I would argue that you are wrong not to mention the beautiful trap that is laid... Maybe this brilliant trap was to force Kh1 looking forward to an endgame where an advanced a pawn would be to powerful for the poor king sitting all lonely over there in the corner. So stop being so arrogant to say a move is useless. Can you see all the way to the last move? No. So just appreciate the beauty of the game or stay out of the thread and stop flaming.

Originally posted by tomtom232
So stop being so arrogant to say a move is useless.

Well put.

Originally posted by tomtom232
I doubt any pawn move is useless... When it comes to moving a pawn there is only bad and good. Because, if you think about it... If your opponent is your equal then you will find yourself in an endgame. Does ...a5 make your b6 and b5 squares weak or does it get your pawn to the queening square, attack the b4 square and hamper whites queenside pawns? Answer ...[text shortened]... move? No. So just appreciate the beauty of the game or stay out of the thread and stop flaming.

1) "get your pawn to the queening square" could be good point if the pawn are passed or there are any other circumstances which gives reason to think that pawn could be able to get on last horizontal.

2) "attack the b4 square" - Why this square should be attacked? If you have a good idea then please let me know.

3) "and hamper whites queenside pawns" - Why it`s so important in current position? Again - idea from you would be useful.

4) "Maybe this brilliant trap was to force Kh1 looking forward to an endgame where an advanced a pawn would be to powerful for the poor king sitting all lonely over there in the corner" - we are still in middle game. Idea of 19.Kh1 - it creates threat of 20.cxd4 real as Black Queen will not be able to take on f2 with a check (see the game to understand importance of this factor).

5) "So stop being so arrogant to say a move is useless." - I don`t want to start childish arguments ad hominem so I`ll only ask you to explain - how my opinion about badness of some move may lead to conclusion about arrogance?

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi Chaps,

I've mentioned this game in a couple of threads now but never
got around to finding and showing it.
I found it tucked away on an old Corner.

It has a lovely trap set by a then under 1800 player.

J.Crawford - C.Dickson Edinburgh Congress 2008.
Black to play his 18th move - set the trap.

[fen]3rkr2/p5pp/2p2q2/1pb1p3/3nQ3/1PP5/P2P1 ...[text shortened]... f8 18. c3 a5 19. cxd4 Bxd4 20. Nc3 Bxc3 21. dxc3 Qxf2+ 22. Rxf2 Rd1+ 23. Rf1 Rdxf1[/pgn]

I will show YOU something else interesting behind the scenes of this game. White walks right into a pawn fork to save the day after 20.Ba3!(a counter trap! If Bxa1 then white wins a clear pawn!) b4 21.Nc3! 😏 this is what makes some games truly beautiful... The behind the scenes action.

Originally posted by tomtom232
I will show YOU something else interesting behind the scenes of this game. White walks right into a pawn fork to save the day after 20.Ba3!(a counter trap! If Bxa1 then white wins a clear pawn!) b4 21.Nc3! 😏 this is what makes some games truly beautiful... The behind the scenes action.

Engine finds it very fast 😉 - but it`s not so obvious (for human) and simple as 19.Kh1.