To win ‘The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal’ all you need do is...
...guess how many pocket chess set pieces are in the shot glass.
There are three sets involved so no more than 48.
Just a piece nonsense fun for me to pass on a doubler. If you want to give me
a headache then you can choose a number already taken because if two or more
are correct then I’ll have to think up a tie-breaker and that will be a right pain.
The closing date is 31st Jan Use the link at the bottom to enter a number. Good Luck!
(I have told Russ the number so it’s fair and the number does have a Tal connection.)
Staying with Tal here is an unheard melody Tal mentions in the book.
M. Tall - V. Smyslov, Candidates, 1959
[FEN "r1b2rk1/p2nbppp/2pN1n2/qp4B1/2BQ4/5N2/PPP2PPP/2KR3R w - - 0 12"]
12. Bd2 Qa6 13. Nf5 {Smyslov played 13....Bd8 we now see what Tal was looking at.} 13... Bc5 {Looks natural enough.} 14. Qh4 bxc4 15. Bc3 Qxa2 16. Rxd7 {The Tal thought process in action. Keeping saccing and looking to see where it goes.} 16... Bxd7 17. Nh6+ {If gxh6 then Qxf6.} 17... Kh8 18. Qxf6 {Brilliant. If...} 18... gxf6 19. Bxf6 {Checkmate.}
And predictable as ever, a Red Hot Pawn example of the same matting pattern
speste - eek a mouse RHP 2014
[FEN "r4rk1/p1p2ppp/b1pp1q2/2b5/2P5/3PN1Q1/PP4PP/1RBKR3 w - - 0 19"]
19. Rf1 Qe6 20. Nf5 g6 21. Nh6+ Kh8 22. Qh4 {White has spotted the chance of a Queen or Bishop check on f6.} 22... Rae8 23. Bg5 {White is going for it. Bd2 was safer. Bg6 is a gamble.} 23... Qe2+ 24. Kc1 Qxf1+ 25. Kc2 {Now 7...Qe2+ 8.Kc3 Qe5+ and 9...f6 will be 0-1.} 25... Re2+ 26. Kb3 {Black gets carried away Here Bxc4+ has perpetual chances.} 26... Qxb1 27. Bf6 {Checkmate.}
Next the same pattern from the Black side where we see a blatant trap that was sprung.
woody65 - moregan RHP 2011
[FEN "rnbqk2r/pp3pbp/3p2p1/4p3/2B2n2/5N2/PPPN1PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 1"]
1. g3 {Instead of this weakening move 1.Ne4 was better.} 1... Nh3+ 2. Kh1 Bg4 {Black would have seen the idea but a Knight and Queen are holding f3.} 3. Ne4 {The d2 Knight has moved now can Black tempt the Queen away from protecting f3.} 3... h6 {Setting a trap. Can White resist taking that juicy pawn on d6 with a check.} 4. Nxd6+ {Apparently not.} 4... Qxd6 5. Qxd6 Bxf3 {Checkmate.}
I have won one online Bullet Game (one minute each for the whole game.) Match this
with my 20 losses and I gave up on it. The games are often ugly with ridiculous moves
being played as both players trying to flag each other. This game is a wonderful exception.
Carlsen's Bishops tie up Caruana's pieces in what is being called ‘Carlsen’s Minute Waltz.'
F. Caruana - M. Carlsen, Speed Chess Championship 2022
1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4 {The London System set up though White usually plays 2.Nf3.} 3... c5 {Standard thrust in Q.P. openings when a Knight is on c3 (or c6)} 4. e3 {4.dxc5 then 4....d5} 4... cxd4 {5.Nb5 Qa5+ can lead to some double edged positions. Don’t go into this line unprepared.} 5. exd4 a6 {To prevent Nb5.} 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Nce2 {To get in c3 and Bc2.} 7... Nb4 {Carlsen does give him the chance.} 8. c3 Nxd3+ 9. Qxd3 Bg4 10. Ng3 Nh5 11. Be5 Nxg3 12. hxg3 Qd7 13. f3 Bf5 14. Qd2 f6 15. Bf4 g5 16. Be3 e6 17. g4 Bg6 18. Ne2 Bd6 19. Bf2 O-O-O 20. Bg3 {Trying to rid Black of at least one of those rampant Bishops.} 20... e5 {Carlsen is willing to sac a pawn to keep the two Bishops.} 21. dxe5 fxe5 22. Qxd5 {Looks a tad risky but had to be played and it's better than 22...Qxg5.} 22... Rhe8 {Now 23.Rd1 and White is hanging on.} 23. O-O-O {Castling into a Two Bishop Storm.} 23... Qa4 24. Qb3 Qxb3 {Black does not minding chopping Queens. The two Bishops can take over the attack.} 25. axb3 Bc5 {Threat Be3+ and if 26.Be1 Rxd1+ 27.Kxd1 Rd8+} 26. Rd2 Be3 27. Rd1 Rd5 {Getting ready to pile one the pinned piece with Red8 but there is another threat.} 28. Be1 {All hands to pump. If allowed I assume it was going to be N-g3 and f1.} 28... Ra5 {29....Ra1 mate is the next move. Caruana resigned.}
The thread accompanying this blog is
Thread 195905 use this link
to enter your guess. It's a great book, you have nothing to lose.
