CHESS May 1986.
Coincidence No.314 happened a few days ago. I had just posted a memory from the
Smyslov - Huebner 1983 candidates match on another site. I was recalling that because
the match was undecided with OTB games they used a roulette wheel to decide who won
Huebner had black, Smyslov had red and FIDE, sparing no expense, hired a full time
croupier to spin the wheel and flick in the ball. This farce was completed when on
the first spin the ball settled on ‘0’ (green). “The house wins and everypne went home!”
Sadly no. Again the croupier spun the wheel and flicked in the ball. The ball settled on
Red three Smyslov won the match and progressed to the next round to face Zoltan Ribli.
After posting I went out shopping and in a junk shop I saw a red shirt with No.3 on it.
I’ll wear it next time I’m having a pint with Robert Huebner in Sandy Bells.
(I also put £3 on dog no. 3 in the third Race at the dog track ....It came in 3rd.)
Speaking of other chess sites I mention this one on the chess forum a few days.
https://www.wtharvey.com/index.html
It is loaded with puzzles for every level give it a visit, it is very good. You should
know me by now. If I thought something was naff then I would say so or just
ignore it. You can trust me on this. This is the place to sharpening up your tactics.
In the same junk shop I bought this. (both the shirt and the book were 50p each)
I suppose it does it's job but very pricey at £15.99 new and a lonely brain cell came up
the idea that the diagrams should be in ghastly colours with shadowed chess pieces.
Why not stick to the traditional...
...it is clearer and the student will see 100’s more like everywhere.
It would also make the book more pocket friendly.£15.99 is a lot to lay out on the off
chance you might like the game. (BTW Black to play - that is also this weeks puzzle.)
Solution
Reveal Hidden Content1...Qxc3+ and mate next move.
I have already given you a puzzle so this is a ‘How Cute Is that’ thing.
I found it in the February 2018 CHESS magazine (sorry no composer)
White, as usual playing up the board, to play and win. (mate in 7.)
Last blog I did a section on Lone Bishop Mates. We can add this cracker from Schlechter
Carl Schlechter - Philipp Meitner, Vienna 1899
We will come back to this quiet King move later.
Play over this game. It is a seven mover which leads onto an instructive game
LarryW - knightmasterbc RHP 2022
The same mating pattern is coming up but from a wonderful setting.
A. Vihmand - H. Haavamae, Puhajarve (Estonia) rapid game 2012
And then along came chess coincidence No.315 only I did not notice it.
Computers are too strong for their own good. Recently, and after spotting the Schlechter
game I was playing one. A dedicated machine, ‘Chess Genius Pro’ where I transfer the
moves from the machine to a full size board This position arose with me (White) to play
I was thinking of 1. Qd6 with the idea of Qf4+ nick h6 pawn and run home my h-pawn.
1.Qd6 R2-b6 2.Qf4+ Ke6 3.Qxh6 was how I expected it go so I played it. I was wrong!
The thing threw a Rook at me, 1.Qd6 Rxf2+ I missed what it had seen. I decided I’ve won
and made it play the move I thought it would play 1...R2-b6. Even then I was wrong.
The thread accompanying this blog is Thread 199269
