Went to London for a day trip and an excuse to visit the Chess & Bridge Centre.
I bought loads of chess goodies but whilst I was away my chess pieces binged
themselves on Premier League Football. Now every time they capture a piece
the all the run to corner to celebrate. Here a Knight has just take a red pawn.
Somewhere in the following moves an unpunished mistake was made.
A Tarling - M. Quinn, The UK 4NCL Online 2021
[FEN "8/1pp2kpp/p2p4/P7/1P2P3/2P4P/6P1/7K w - - 0 36"]
36. g3 Ke6 37. Kg2 Ke5 38. Kf3 b6 39. Ke3 g5 40. c4 h5 41. h4 gxh4 42. gxh4 bxa5 43. bxa5 {Black went on to win,}
Did you spot it? It is one of those if you have not seen the idea before then it can
easily be missed. Especially amongst non-professional players whose online 2D
vision may not be as sharp as their 3D vision. (or indeed visa versa). As we will
see White missed the winning idea for three moves so things here to be learned.
[FEN "8/1pp3pp/p2p4/P3k3/1P2P3/2P3PP/6K1/8 w - - 0 38"]
38. Kf3 b6 {This is a mistake. Instead of Ke3 which was played White can win with...} 39. b5 {It does not matter how Black reacts a pawn will promote on a8.} 39... axb5 {bxa5 is answered by bxa6.} 40. a6 {And the pawn marches home.}
I’ll now give a couple examples from RHP games of the same idea being missed
jecidi - Colgorm RHP 2012
White played 1.Ke4 the game was draw. As we now know. 1.b5 wins.
Ad Parnassum - Dommersnes RHP 2014
White played 1. Kxc3 and lost. The winning move is 1.g5 with the above mentioned idea.
Try this one . White to play and mate Black.
'Anon' The Scotsman, 9th December, 1933.
There are a few conditions.
You are not allowed to move the White Rook.
You are not allowed to move the White King.
And the White pawn is not allowed to promote.
I did it (eventually) in 21 moves - solution at the bottom.
Surprisingly No! Here are the moves leading to this possible blunder just waiting to happen.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 exd4 {Risky. The good guys are currently playing 5...Nd6} 6. Re1 d5 7. Nxd4 Bd6 {The key move in the the Riga Variation.} 8. Nxc6 Bxh2+ {If 9.Kxh2 Qh5+ and 10...Qxf2 is a perpetual check.} 9. Kh1 {See next game, an RHP game for 9.Kf1} 9... Qh4 {Looks very threatening but White has a tactical way out.} 10. Rxe4+ dxe4 11. Qd8+ {We are heading for a position the theory and evidence (wins v losses) points in White's favour.} 11... Qxd8 12. Nxd8+ Kxd8 {It is going to be an interesting material mix. An exchange and two pawns v an extra piece.} 13. Kxh2 {And IMO the best player will win. As Black do not protect that advanced e-pawn too early.} 13... f5 {This has a typical RHP blunder written all over it but it has never been played.} 14. Bg5 {Checkmate.}
And now as mentioned, an RHP game with 9.Kf1.
Cachisss - pilom RHP 2014
1. e4 {I'll skip through the opening moves till we get to the juicy part.} 1... e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 exd4 6. Re1 d5 7. Nxd4 Bd6 8. Nxc6 Bxh2+ 9. Kf1 {This gives Black a lot of play.} 9... Qh4 {Not 9...Qf6 with the same threat, mate on f2. 10.Qd4 is very good for White.} 10. Qf3 {10.Be3 was better 10...bxc6 11.Bxc6+ Kf8 White must not take the a8 Rook. 12...Ba6+ wins.} 10... O-O {Much better than 10...bxc6. Black gets an attacking tempo as White moves the Knight.} 11. Na5 {Black now takes advantage of the fact we have a Queen stopping a mate in one.} 11... Bg4 12. Rxe4 {Best but White is probably lost here.} 12... dxe4 13. Qxe4 {The mate in one has been removed but...} 13... Bf4 {...it back again, this time with Qh1 mate.} 14. f3 {14.g3 Qh3+ and Bxc1. This is lost. Black wins a ton of material.} 14... Bxc1 {15. Qxg4 Qh1+ and 16...Bxb2. Left alone Black will play c6 and Rae8.} 15. Nd2 Bxd2 {White resigned.}
Mate Black without moving either or the King or Rook and no pawn promotion.
[FEN "4k3/7R/8/8/3N4/8/1P6/7K w - - 0 1"]
1. Nf5 Kf8 2. Nh6 {The Knight has to keep the King away from the Rook.} 2... Ke8 3. Ng8 {Next the Knight has to force the King to the Queenside.} 3... Kf8 4. Ne7 Ke8 5. Ng6 {The Ng1-e2-g3 pattern is the key. It keeps repeating.} 5... Kd8 6. Nf8 Ke8 7. Nd7 Kd8 8. Nf6 Kc8 9. Ne8 Kd8 10. Nc7 Kc8 11. Ne6 {You get the idea now. The same pattern over and over again.} 11... Kb8 12. Nd8 Kc8 13. Nb7 Kb8 14. Nd6 Ka8 15. Nc8 Kb8 16. Na7 Ka8 {Now it's time to bring up the b-pawn.} 17. b4 {Only the double pawn works. You will see this when the pawn gets to the 6th rank.} 17... Kb8 18. b5 Ka8 19. b6 {if 17 b3 was played it would be White to play here and the mate does not work.} 19... Kb8 {Now the Knight gives it’s only check allowing the pawn to mate,} 20. Nc6+ {20...Ka8 21.b7 mate.} 20... Kc8 21. b7 {Checkmate.}
The thread accompanying this blog is
Thread 190738
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