This weeks study is by Sam Loyd. That name always ensures you are in for a treat.
White to play and mate in four moves.
My next quest was to find an RHP game that links to this study so I went
searching for a Rook and two Knight positions ending in Mate or Stalemate.
The Mates were pretty standard, however I did come across 100+ stalemates.
This stalemate pattern cropped up time and time again.
If you are a vast amount of material up and chasing down a long King then
get your extra bits out of the way. You only need a King and a Rook to win.
LunchroomFrankey - fresh keez RHP 2012 (Black to play)
White has the trick shot 43. g6+ ready and if Black takes it then stalemate.
So Black prevented this by playing 42...Kg6 which is of course a stalemate.
How about 42...h6 43.g6+ Kg7 44. Kxh4 the only move 44...Rh3 checkmate.
Whilst searching the RHP database of despair and hilarity I found this which is
rather unique. A few players here have played 0-0-0 or 0-0 mate. Have you seen...
Kamondelious (1208) - GraemeK RHP 2011 (Black to play)
Black wants to play 40...Qd2 mate but the f3 Knight hangs so Black castled. Stalemate!
In this position after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6
White has missed the checkmate on f2 in 58 Red Hot Pawn games.
Blanca as Black has checkmated 5 players from this exact position.
This following grandmaster game is not from this position but the leitmotif is there.
It came from the same opening. Normally I'd pass over any blunder in a rapid game
because there is bound to be errors. But not after eight moves in an opening the GM
in question has played both as White and Black on at least six previous occasions.
Surya Ganguly - M. Madaminov World Rapid 2023
Incredible. Yes but a warning (as if we need another one) that the square f7 and f2
are very tender spots in the opening. Staying with statistics I look for this position.
On Red Hot Pawn with the added provision it was checkmate for Black in 8 moves or under.
3115 games (I say were because as I type this other games will be ending in the same way.)
Top of the Red Hot Pawn stats delivering this mate on f2 is Nightrider who has thirteen wins.
Speaking of GM blunders. How about D. Gurevich - G. Kamsky, USA 1989
This shows you how easy it is to slip up. If the good guys can do it, so can anyone.
11.Ng5 was played. Play the response that encouraged White to resign.
Reveal Hidden Content11...Qa5 hitting two pieces, If 12 Qc3 Bb4
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 198757
