The Old Man and the Chess Column.
By on 24 Mar 26 20:19
27 views | 1 edit | Last edit on 24 Mar 26 23:33
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.
This was hastily written on a free Metro. It is copied from Luke McShane’s
column in ‘The New Statesman’ Here it. White to play and mate in two.
The cover price of the magazine is £5.95 I was not going to pay that so
I wrote down the position, another curse of getting old. There was a time
I would have carried that position in my head till I solved it and recall the
position months later. These days I cannot trust myself so I carry a pencil.
Solution.
If Luke mentions who composed it then I missed it (or saw it and forgot it.)
Of course instead of getting chased by angry newsagents for browsing without
paying I could amble along to the library to read a custom copy at my leisure.
But where is the fun in that. I am now banned from two newsagents and a Tesco.
I could supply all the information I needed if I lifted a puzzle from one....
....of my 100’s of chess books.
But is the information always correct? On page 259 of the above book we come
across a discussion, with examples, on the Zwischenzug (the in between move)
V. Chekhover - I. Kan, USSR Championship 1933 (White to play and win)
This is what the author, George Huczek has to say in the introduction.
George has changed the move order in this one alright. He has added a move
that was not played. In the actual game the above position never appeared.
Kan saw 2. Qd5+ in reply to 1....f6 so played 1...Qd2. and eventually lost.
BTW After White played 2.Qxb5 being a piece up did not guarantee an easy win.
If White got sloppy chopping wood he could find himself with the wrong Bishop
for the h-pawn. Hopefully all of you saw that or at least took it into consideration.
Eazy T 10 - big col RHP 2025 (White to play)
The last puzzle and like the RHP game above this one is also from 2025.
A. Grischuk - A. Hong, World Rapid, Doha, Qatar, 2025. (White to play)
Two lines too find.
The first solution
The second solution
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 205142
