https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/ Game analysis, humor and instruction from chess enthusiasts around the world. en https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/viz-chess-competition-and-beth.702 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/viz-chess-competition-and-beth.702 Tue, 25 Aug 2026 16:13:26 +0000 no title Viz, the popular British distinguished and...er...educational magazine has again lampooned chess. This time with a double page feature which is a bit too indelicate, near the knuckle and too racy to reproduce here. no title Inside they are running a chess competition. What is the least n... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-chess-computer-and-the-guardian.701 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-chess-computer-and-the-guardian.701 Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:55:24 +0000 A lot of weeks we start off with what chess treasure I have found in a junk shop This week is no different except here is something my wife picked up for £2.00 a few days ago. Never pass a junk shop! no title Quite smart and in a very good condition, what was inside? no title An eight level Novag... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/a-chess-sock-and-a-bcm.700 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/a-chess-sock-and-a-bcm.700 Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:41:57 +0000 no title What is this? It is a Chess Sock. I use to have two, one for each foot. I made the mistake of putting them both in the washing machine at the same time and now it appears this sock has eaten the other one. I cannot find it’s partner anywhere. My wife, who does not believe this sock is a ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/caruana-is-a-lot-older-than-he-looks.699 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/caruana-is-a-lot-older-than-he-looks.699 Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:28:15 +0000 no title When I saw this Chess Life I thought the chap on the right was a young Fabiano Caruana. no title It was only when I looked at the date, September 1982 did I realised that it can’t be. That lad on the right is Steve Jacobi who tied with Thomas Crispin (left) for the 1982 U.S.A. Amateur Ch... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/birthdays-101-crimes-and-scottish-chess.698 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/birthdays-101-crimes-and-scottish-chess.698 Tue, 07 Jul 2026 23:35:30 +0000 I got a tee shirt for my 75th Birthday no title Notice there is a green pawn on e4!! no title I wonder if they do t-shirts for those who play the London System. If so they will be in pansy pink and have ‘Kick Me Hard’ printed on the back. green bar Another recent second hand purchase was this... ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-flanders-panel-chess.697 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-flanders-panel-chess.697 Tue, 23 Jun 2026 06:52:31 +0000 The title; “The Flanders Panel (Chess)” is thus because I have been told by my computer expert. Tommy the next door neighbours 11 year old, that web crawlers come out at night and pick up on the word ‘Chess’ so I must try to include the word ‘Chess’ in every title. Sometimes I forget. no title Fo... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/artists-masons-and-chessboards.696 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/artists-masons-and-chessboards.696 Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:41:50 +0000 Rain. To escape it I ducked into an art gallery and bumped into this. no title Chess on a 12 by 12 board, or is it, the squares are all over the place. This ruined my day. What is it with these artistic types? Why do they have to mess about so much. Can they not do anything right. How hard is it ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/mixing-and-matching-master-games.695 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/mixing-and-matching-master-games.695 Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:49:19 +0000 no title The combinations and tactical tricks we play in our games are sourced from games or positions we have seen before. Sometimes they have the been played against us (the best source of learning, once you feel burn of an idea you rarely forget it.) Here are two ‘must know ideas and patterns.... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/phoenix-knights.694 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/phoenix-knights.694 Tue, 26 May 2026 09:40:29 +0000 Back to this book by Jan Timman and we look at Phoenix Knights. no title A Phoenix Knight is a pawn that has been under promoted to a Knight. and prior to that happening a Knight has to be sacrificed to clear the way for the new Knight - which has risen from the ashes of the sacrificed Knight . E... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/pawn-promotions--dates-with-old-mates.693 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/pawn-promotions--dates-with-old-mates.693 Sat, 16 May 2026 11:31:22 +0000 no title The theme this week will be pawn promotions. Are they good or bad? The play through study this week is by A. O. Herbstmann. It is an easy one to solve. An average player should have it cracked quite quickly. (in case you are new here, we do not solve studies. we play them out.) 1. h4 {Th... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/skewers-and-squiffy-smith.692 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/skewers-and-squiffy-smith.692 Fri, 01 May 2026 19:23:15 +0000 no title This week it is Skewers and in the main it is Queens that are getting Skewered. I hate getting skewered. I was always getting skewered at school by Squiffy Smith who had a squint in his eye. Squiffy would skewer me and wink his squint eye at me. I still shudder at the memory of Squiffy’s... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/mates-with-morphy-mackenzie-and-min.691 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/mates-with-morphy-mackenzie-and-min.691 Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:06:37 +0000 no title I’m thinking maybe Anish Giri, had had one of those sex changes. I suppose if he...sorry... she has then we now call her Annie Giri. And speaking of changing things, I keep changing my mind as to what is my favourite chess study. At this moment in time it is a 1951 study by Vladimir Koro... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/toiletgate-jeangate--prepgate.690 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/toiletgate-jeangate--prepgate.690 Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:06:32 +0000 no title green bar So far we in chess we have had YoghurtGate, (Karpov - Korchnoi 1978) ToiletGate (Topalov - Kramnik 2006) NiemanGate (Carlsen - Niemann 2022) JeanGate (Carlsen refusing to wear jeans in 2024) now we have PrepGate. Nakamura, is never too far away from controversy. In the current ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-studies-are-really-jokes.689 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-studies-are-really-jokes.689 Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:06:45 +0000 A new chess friend (that makes two!) and me have been swapping our chess book doublers. I traded a book on well know opening traps for... no title ...a book on Endgames? Do not fret reader, I have not gone over to the dark side. Look carefully. It is all about the late Jan Timman and his love for... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-old-man-and-the-chess-column.688 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-old-man-and-the-chess-column.688 Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:19:37 +0000 When you get to my age (75 in June) us poor chess players have to cut corners looking for bargains, three for one deals or cheap cheats. One cheap cheat is snatching a glimpse of a chess column in a newsagents. no title This was hastily written on a free Metro. It is copied from Luke McShane’s co... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/how-to-use-a-chess-book-on-openings.687 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/how-to-use-a-chess-book-on-openings.687 Thu, 12 Mar 2026 17:12:24 +0000 The first thing you do is do NOT buy the opening book! Pick it up at the bookstall and look for the small print. For example suppose you want something v The Grivas Sicilian no title 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Qb6 r1b1kbnr/pp1ppppp/1qn5/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5 The most ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/jules-verne-blackburne-and-1863.686 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/jules-verne-blackburne-and-1863.686 Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:44:01 +0000 Jules Verne set his tale, ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ in the year 1863. I know this because he mentions a date at the start, the 24th May 1863, when a map in code is discovered. Am I enjoying the book? ‘No.’ I do not have the book no title Because my 74 year old eyes are struggling to ke... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/to-do-or-not-to-do--chess-puzzles.685 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/to-do-or-not-to-do--chess-puzzles.685 Sun, 22 Feb 2026 16:58:29 +0000 no title The header, which reeks of click bait but not meant to be read that way, stems from part of an article by John Nunn in the January 1993 British Chess Magazine. no title And a recent statement from Magnus Carlsen when talking about this game. D. Guijarro - M. Carlsen, Titled Tue 13th Jan ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-sponsor-and-stalemates.684 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-sponsor-and-stalemates.684 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:25:25 +0000 Someone left a copy of this murder mystery at the club. no title Read a few pages, seems OK as long it does not take itself too seriously. I can already see there is going to be a bit too much sloppy mush for my liking. Sex and love triangles are looming. when a player turns up with a female seco... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/blunders-and-sleepless-nights.683 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/blunders-and-sleepless-nights.683 Wed, 04 Feb 2026 16:40:09 +0000 no title Last time I mentioned chess players and their good luck charms and rituals. This time we talk about the night after a bad loss and sleep never comes easy. You toss and turn, swear you are going to give the game up, replay in your mind how you went wrong, what chances you missed, what an ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-and-darts.682 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-and-darts.682 Fri, 23 Jan 2026 20:57:42 +0000 no title small puzzles First comes from a position in the Znosko Borovsky book. no title r1b1k3/pp2bprp/2p1n3/8/2p1NB2/5N2/PP3PPP/3RR1K1 b q - 0 15 If Black plays 1...Nxf4 what is the White continuation. 1... Nxf4 2. Nf6+ Kf8 3. Rd8+ Bxd8 4. Re8 mate. However, and Znosko Borovsky makes no mention... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-players-good-luck-rituals.681 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/chess-players-good-luck-rituals.681 Sun, 11 Jan 2026 16:29:59 +0000 no title Most will deny it but all chess players are a superstitious lot and have some kind of talisman they either carry or rub before a game. Dolls, teddy bears, lockets, pens, key rings, shirts, socks, watches... If they have no talisman they will certainly have a ritual which can be anything ... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/chess-puzzles-days-are-2nd-3rd-4th-5th-january-2026.680 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/chess-puzzles-days-are-2nd-3rd-4th-5th-january-2026.680 Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:19:34 +0000 Hey everyone , to continue the daily puzzles we shall include the above dates to catch up. I hope you all have fun trying them out on yourselves and each other down at your local chess club or chess meet ups ;-) so here are the puzzles if I set this out correctly the " reveal answers " section sh... Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/chess-puzzle-calendars.679 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/chess-puzzle-calendars.679 Sun, 04 Jan 2026 21:22:48 +0000 Feast your eyes on the chess puzzle calender series from Amercian Chess Magazine The first in the series I believe started in 2021 , and then the latest edition 2026, so what better way to start off then using the 2026 edition. lets start with January 1st then chess puzzle january 1st so this puz... Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/new-year-2026-blog.678 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/new-year-2026-blog.678 Tue, 30 Dec 2025 21:19:09 +0000 Before we begin here is a puzzle for all those who have not yet logged on. 8/8/8/8/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1 And it is not going to get any better than that folks. Happy New Year. This is one of my Christmas Presents. no title It is one of those sliding puzzles things to make up a picture. I eventually s... The Planet Greenpawn https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/last-checkmate-birmingham-of-the-year.675 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/last-checkmate-birmingham-of-the-year.675 Sun, 21 Dec 2025 14:58:05 +0000 take a look at the journey to the last checkmate birmingham chess meeting of the year. Vri0XbrL9bE. Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/pavements-to-pawns-12th-dec-2025.674 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/pavements-to-pawns-12th-dec-2025.674 Sat, 13 Dec 2025 04:00:55 +0000 Join me in the land of chess adventures birmingham city centre as rooksandhooks has their chess club 😀 its been a while since I set up in the city , just walking through the city at this time of year was joyful. Plenty of people out and about, just want to get something going ... it wont happen o... Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/a-little-insight-to-checkmate-birmingham.673 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/a-little-insight-to-checkmate-birmingham.673 Wed, 10 Dec 2025 12:08:39 +0000 hey there ! Checkmate Birmingham was on at Purecraft last night but as they were fully booked they vacated to The Good Intent in the Great Western Arcade ( if you know Birmingham ) please see the video on the little trip to journey there last night ! ;-) thanks for watching ..... pGK5yBZ4r38 Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/kings-and-coffee-holland-park-chess-adventures.672 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/pavements-to-pawns-streets-and-meets/kings-and-coffee-holland-park-chess-adventures.672 Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:31:07 +0000 no title “Chess isn’t just played in quiet rooms and tournaments — it’s alive on the pavements, parks, cafés, and corners of the city. Pavement to Pawns captures the real London chess world: the street players, the café grinders, the public‑park blitz battles, and the unexpected characters behind... Pavements to Pawns: Streets and Meets https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/rhp-christmas-quiz-and-caruanas-pencil.671 https://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/rhp-christmas-quiz-and-caruanas-pencil.671 Fri, 05 Dec 2025 09:12:26 +0000 new hat It is that time of year when once again we feast on merriment. puzzles What famous chess player had to cycle to a chess tournament so he would not lose on a time forfeit. maggie bike Answer Q.1 Magnus Carlsen What famous chess player got in trouble for wearing a pair of these. jeans Answe... The Planet Greenpawn