I am sure you have all heard of Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss (1891-1975). It was
he who wrote the music for the ballet ‘Checkmate.’ which was first performed in 1937.
One of the scenes is where the Black Queen fights the Red Knight.
The Red Knight wins he but cannot bring himself to put the Black Queen
to death because he loves her. (a good excuse as any for losing a game.)
The Red Knight turns away and the Black Queen stabs him in the back.
The love struck Red Knight is laying slain at his King’s feet.
I found an RHP game that re-enacted the dance of the Black Queen v Red Knight
The Red Knight is the b1 Knight. The Black Queen is the...er...Black Queen.
I cannot lay my hands on the music that goes with the ballet so I experimented.
I find that this game goes best with Booker T and MG’s playing: ‘Time is Tight.’
MarkusDaBrave - CopeyLue RHP 2017
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Qh4 3. Nf3 Qxe4+ 4. Qe2 Qxc2 {White should now play the Red Knight to c3 with the threat of Bd3 winning the Queen.} 5. Nxe5 {But no, the red Knight let's the Queen live.} 5... Qxc1+ {The Queen kills the Bishop (not in the Bliss script, I’m improvising.)} 6. Qd1 Qxb2 7. Nc3 {The Red Knight has a dance with the Black Queen.} 7... Nh6 8. d4 {The Red Knight (the b1 Knight now on c3) turns it's back on the Queen.} 8... Qxc3+ {The Red Knight is now off the board. White resigned.} *
Again we walk up the garden path in Never-Never Land looking for a fantastic
and unplayed wonderful checkmate so we can show it to our grand children.
The first 8 moves are Nicksten - Tea Boy RHP 2021
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 {The Scotch Opening.} 3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 {Usual here is 5...Qf6 and after White has defended f2 Black plays 6...Qxc6} 5... bxc6 {But this too has also been played.} 6. Bd3 Nf6 7. Nc3 d5 8. exd5 {So far all RHP players have now played 8...cxd5 but....} 8... O-O {...this move offers a gambit pawn for some attacking chances.} 9. dxc6 {9.0-0 cxd5 goes back into known mainlines.} 9... Bg4 {The best way to get things going.} 10. f3 {Looks OK but now Kingside castling is prevented due to the c5 Bishop.} 10... Re8+ 11. Ne2 {I'm playing this instead of B2 as there is a good defensive idea I want you to see.} 11... Bh5 {11...Nh5 looked good but then 12.Bxh7+ and Qxd1 wins for Black.} 12. g4 {Continuing on the trip into the land of not 'Never - Never' but 'Maybe - Maybe.'} 12... Nxg4 {Now the same idea to kill the attack but this time it is not as strong.} 13. Bxh7+ Kxh7 14. Qxd8 {14...Raxd8 is good but we are flying on cloud nine.} 14... Rxe2+ 15. Kxe2 Rxd8 {and if...} 16. fxg4 Bxg4+ 17. Kf1 Rd1+ 18. Kg2 Rxh1 19. Kxh1 Bf3# {Not an hallucination, that is Checkmate.} *
That Bxh7+ and Queens off is a good idea to stick in your pocket for a rainy day.
Here I pointed out that the tempting 11...Nh5 would work if White took the Knight right
away but by slipping in 12.Bxh7+ 13. Qxd8 and then 14.fxg4 White would be winning.
So then I searched the RHP database for examples of Bxh7+ and QxQ to see what I
could find and I found a wonderful unheard melody. It’s a missing a piece of Mozart.
AttilaTheHorn - Quester RHP 2012
White to play. 1. Bxh7+ Kxh7 2.Qxc6 dxc6 3.Rxd8 wins...or does it?
[FEN "3r2k1/1p3bpp/1p3p2/8/1P1pP3/P1qB1Q2/5PPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. e5 Bb3 {This is the critical moment.} 2. Bxh7+ Kxh7 3. Qxc3 dxc3 4. Rxd8 {I...c2 then Rc8 and the White King marches to d2 and the game is won.} 4... Bd5 {What a wonderful move that is. 5.Rc8 Bc6 and if....} 5. Rxd5 c2 {The c-pawn promotes.} *
I was going through an old notebook of mine and I found this:
And that is all I have. So I set it up on the board and we get this:
Black is threatening Bxc7 mate. There is only one way to stop it 1.Bh2.
After that White has to keep finding all the moves to stop the mate on c7.
It soon becomes apparent that this must be done in the correct move order because
White has to free the b5 square for the a3 Knight to reach b5 and hold c7 Knight.
But there is a wee twist in the tail. Does anybody the know composer of this gem.
(someone has came through. It was composed by Boris Sidorov in 1981.)
White to play and draw!
If you want try it then switch off now.
[FEN "BK1k4/PPNP4/2Pb4/1R1P1P2/8/N7/2Q2RP1/6B1 w - - 0 1"]
1. Bh2 {From now on White has to play, in the right order, the only moves to stop Bxc7 mate.} 1... Bxh2 {White has to free b5 for the a3 Knight to protect the c7 Knight.} 2. g3 {It can only be done this way.} 2... Bxg3 3. Rf4 Bxf4 4. d6 Bxd6 5. Qh2 Bxh2 6. Re5 {That is the mate on c7 stopped and b5 free for the a4 Knight.} 6... Bxe5 7. Nb5 {Black has to stay on the h2-b8 diagonal..} 7... Bf4 {7...Bg3 or 7..Bh2 lead to the same idea. 7...Bd6 8.Nxd6 and White wins.} 8. f6 {Anything else would have allowed Bxc7 mate. 8.Nd6 Bxd6 9.f6 Bxc7 mate.} 8... Bxc7+ {Black is forced to play to this else White wins.} 9. Nxc7 {Stalemate.}
The thread accompanying this blog is
Thread 189690
I have decided to leave the comments off as I have no way other than keep coming
back here to see if any have been made. Any corrections etc just use the above link.
