I suspect the 'down-thumbers' are those who could not solve it. 🙂
Howell v Gormally contained a very difficult missed win that featured
checks and pawn promotions for the losing side and non-checking
quite pawn moves for the side that could have won.
Toss in time trouble and you have the makings of a missed brilliancy.
David Howell -Daniel Gormally, British Championships 2015
[FEN "1R6/P7/3p4/2pPbNp1/1pP2kP1/1P6/4K2r/8 w - - 0 109"] 109. Kd1 Rh1+ 110. Kc2 Rh2+ 111. Kc1 Rh1+ 112. Kc2 Rh2+ {This is a draw. Howell now makes the mistake of running to the Kingside.} 113. Kd1 Rh1+ 114. Ke2 Rh2+ 115. Kf1 Kf3 116. Kg1 Rg2+ 117. Kf1 {Black now played 117.Rh2 and the game was drawn a few moves later, but....} 117... Rc2 {Incredibibly this move wins.} 118. Nh4+ {Suspect it was this check and the coming Rook check on f8 that stopped Danny from even considering the Rc2 move.} 118... gxh4 119. Rf8+ Ke3 120. a8=Q h3 {The threat of Rc1 mate can only be stopped with Qa1 then off course Bxa1.}
I don't care a row of buttons for thumbs up or thumbs down, chess alone is beattful (*).
Edit: I've just spent half an hour creating a post of the Howell vs Gormally game and then when I entered it I found that Greenpawn had beaten me too it. How I hate him.
Greenpawn - can you give the lovely mate which happens after 10.Ke1 in the line you posted.
(*) Not a spelling mistake. Can anyone name the character who spelt "beautiful" this way in Geoffrey Willans' wonderful "How to Be Topp" book?
Edit: I've just spent half an hour creating a post of the Howell vs Gormally game and then when I entered it I found that Greenpawn had beaten me too it. How I hate him.
Greenpawn - can you give the lovely mate which happens after 10.Ke1 in the line you posted.
A brutal end to this one between Chris Rice (White) and Sabrina Chevannes. An excellent example of the dangers of pinching pawns at the expense of developing your pieces in the opening. White resigned after Black's 16th move. I've added the extra moves to show the mate.
Mark Hebden is playing very well in these Championships, winning four of his first five games and losing the other. His effort today was fun to watch (Hebden White, Marcus Osborne Black):
There are, I think, three women taking part in the Championships. My favourite for the women's title is Akshaya Kalaiyalahan, who stomped on Charlie Storey today. I think she's only about 16 years old. Her 34th move (Akshaya was White) showed a real killer instinct - when your opponent is short of time, lay a cheap trap for him to walk into!
As old Uncurious George so eloquently put it: "Fool me once, shame on ... shame on you. Fool me ... ... you can't get fooled again"
Here in this last round game from the British Championships between Nicholas Evans (White) and Dave Graham, White, who is already in trouble, walks straight into a "removing the defender" tactic when he protects a pinned piece with an easily shifted rook. He then allows exactly the same thing two moves later!
FEN
8/3bk2p/3p2p1/n1pP2P1/p1P1NP2/R6P/1r2B2K/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "8/3bk2p/3p2p1/n1pP2P1/p1P1NP2/R6P/1r2B2K/8 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"]
{-------------- . . . . . . . . . . . b k . . p . . . p . . p . n . p P . . P . p . P . N P . . R . . . . . . P . r . . B . . K . . . . . . . . white to play --------------} 1. Re3 Nxc4 2. Rf3 Rxe2+ 3. Nf2 Nd2 0-1
British Chess Championships
29 Jul '15 15:05
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