by greenpawn34 on Jul 05 2012 13:27 | 5278 views | 3 edits | Last edit on Mar 06 2021 13:07
The hardest bit about doing this blog is the beginning.
The chess stuff is pretty easy, pluck any RHP game at random or be inspired
by a thread. Either usually gives me something I can make use of.
But I don’t want to just dive in with a game. There is no fun in that.
So this week it’s fridges.
(Fridges?...........Russ)
Yes Fridges.
We all have fridges, we all adorn them with fridge magnets. This is mine.
So I want some of you to send me in a picture of your fridge.
Not only will it give me intro's for a few weeks, I’m sure loads of players
will get a great deal of pleasure from looking at each other’s fridges.
(This has to be the saddest line ever in a chess blog….Russ.)
(He’s gone of his rocker this time……The Duck)
(A Great Idea……………………Endgame Ernie)
Thank You in advance.
Enrico started a thread on the Marshall Gambit. Thread 147209 which reminded me of an instructive couple of games played 3 years
after Capablanca - Marshall, New York 1918 where the opening made
it’s bow in the master chess arena.
Fast forward 3 years to 1921 and we visit Holland and Russia.
First stop Russia.
This position, White to play.
Appeared in the Capablanca - Marshall 1918 game.
Capa played 16.Re2, in his book ‘My Chess Career.’ he pointed out after 16.Qxf2
the trap an unwary Black could fall into and the line an alert Black should play.
Sery - Vecsey Russia 1921
White played 16.Qxf2 and Black stumbled into the trap Capa mentioned.
FEN
r1b2rk1/2p2ppp/p2b4/1p6/3P3q/1BP2Q1P/PP3nP1/RNB1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[FEN "r1b2rk1/2p2ppp/p2b4/1p6/3P3q/1BP2Q1P/PP3nP1/RNB1R1K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. Qxf2 Bh2+ {Check all Checks. (even those that are waiting to be played....). If 2.KxB then Black plays 2...QxQ so White plays....} 2. Kf1 Bg3 {So what is so different about this move from the last example. White played....} 3. Qxf7+ Rxf7+ {CHECK! That is the big difference. White has to get out of check, (4,Bxf7+) and there is no mate. White resigned.}
We now fast forward 84 years and land at Red Hot Pawn.
Natural Science - bakunin RHP 2004
Where we see the whole line including the trap in action.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 {The key move of the Marshall Gambit. Black gives up a pawn which generates some of the most complex and heavily analysed attacking positions seen on a chessboard.} 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 Nf6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Ng4 14. h3 Qh4 15. Qf3 Nxf2 {Here we are at the critical position. Now will White stumble and take the Knight.} 16. Qxf2 {Now will Black stumble and play Bg3 without first playing Bh2+.} 16... Bh2+ 17. Kf1 Bg3 {Now will White play the same blunder the lad did in Russia 84 years ago.} 18. Qxf7+ {Yes!} 18... Rxf7+ {That is some check to overlook. I wonder if White tried to send 19.Re8 mate and then realised he was in check and the system would not let him play it.} 19. Bxf7+ Kxf7 20. Re2 {Now all that is left is the Black wrap up.} 20... Bf5 {Threatening Bd3} 21. Kg1 Bd3 22. Re3 {Now 22...Bf2+ is OK. Black brings his last piece into play.} 22... Re8 23. Rf3+ Kg8 24. Bd2 Be2 25. Rf5 Bg4 {White has had enough and resigned. After 26. Re1 Re2 and it's finished.}
Enter Endgame Ernie.
Hi
A King and two pawns can show a whole host of instructive ideas.
Take for instance this position.
White to moves wins but only if the position is on the a, b, g or h-files.
The script looks like this.
[FEN "8/8/1K6/1P6/1p6/1k6/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Kc5 {Attacking the pawn forcing Black to defend it, 1.Kc5 is only way for White to win. We shall see why it's the only way soon enough.} 1... Kc3 {Facing up Kings (taking the opposition) is the drawing method which works on the a, c,d,e,f, and h-files. Here is why it does not draw on the b or g-file.} 2. b6 b3 3. b7 b2 4. b8=Q {Now Black has to cover b1. White wins here by forcing the King in front of the b-pawn allowing the White King to approach.} 4... Kc2 5. Qh2+ Kc1 6. Qf4+ Kc2 7. Qc4+ Kd1 8. Qb3+ Kc1 9. Qc3+ Kb1 {This is what you want, the King now steps closer.} 10. Kb4 Ka2 11. Qa3+ Kb1 12. Kc3 Kc1 13. Qxb2+ Kd1 14. Qd2 {Easy. Practise this against your favourite engine from random positions but beware it does not always work (as we shall see.)}
1. Ka5 Ka3 {This draws. Watch.} 2. b6 b3 3. b7 b2 4. b8=Q {Now not 4....Ka7 which would lose to the routine given above starting with 5.Qg8+} 4... b1=Q {Yup. Well done if you spotted this coming.} 5. Qxb1 {Stalemate. Note if White played the clever-clogs move. 4.b8=Rook then 4....Ka2 draws easily. White would have to give his Rook up for the b-pawn.}
OK Ernie if this is a win.
Then how come this…
…is not a win. or any of these ….
…. is not a win.
Surely White can use the Black King blocking idea you gave in the
first example and there is no stalemate trick.
Remember I said in the first example: “…but beware it does not always work.”
Well look and learn.
1. Ke5 {It matters not. 1.Kc5 would also draw if Black plays it correctly.} 1... Ke3 {This is the key move. Defending the pawn on the same file as the White King. It appears to make no difference but watch. If 1.Kc5 then 1...Kc3.} 2. d6 d3 3. d7 d2 4. d8=Q Ke2 {See the problem. White has no way of stopping Black from playing 5...d1=Q. White has no checks that is why it was important to play the Black King to the same file as the White King. Black uses the White King as a blocker. Black can draw with the same position on the c, d, e and f-files. Try it.}
It only remains for us to see the winning method for the a and h-files.
1. Ke5 {As we have seen 1..Ke3 would draw but the special properties of the c and f-pawn come into effect.} 1... Kg3 {This also draws,} 2. f6 f3 3. f7 f2 4. f8=Q Kg2 {White cannot force the Black King in front of the f-pawn and the White King is too far away to help.} 5. Qa8+ Kg1 6. Qa7 Kh1 {The stalemate trick again. Black has no need to hold the f-pawn.} 7. Qb7+ Kg1 8. Qb6 Kh1 9. Qc6+ Kg1 10. Qc5 Kh1 11. Qd5+ Kg1 12. Qd4 {Usually this step ladder technique the White Queen is using works but White is making no progress.} 12... Kh1 13. Qe4+ Kg1 14. Qe3 Kh1 15. Qh3+ Kg1 16. Qg3+ Kh1 17. Qf3+ Kg1 18. Qe3 Kh1 19. Qf3+ Kg1 20. Qg3+ Kh1 {Let's us give up else we will be here all night.}
I asked the Duck to get some examples of you lot messing endings up.
Hi.
Ernie can go and boil himself I aint doing endgames.
I am going to show you:
GhostofMarmorstein - Fnugbatter RHP 2010
(I’m doing that game Duck, you wrap up Ernie’s bit….greenpawn)
You wrap up sad sack Ernie’s bit, I’m doing….
GhostofMarmorstein - Fnugbatter RHP 2010
It is my sudden and great pleasure to be invited by Ernie to look at some endings.
First up is Valeri - PAUL333 RHP 2010 where both players play in an inaccurate
but instructive and understandable manner.
Valeri - PAUL333 RHP 2010
White has just promoted on g8 and here….
White played 1.Qg3+ which draws. He should have played 1.Qc4
Nothing can prevent White from playing 2.Qf1 and Black is lost.
Let us see how the game went.
1. Qg3+ Ke2 2. Qg2 Ke1 3. Qe4+ Kd2 4. Qd4+ Ke1 5. Qe3+ Kf1 {White has managed to force Black to f1 and gained a tempo to bring his closer.} 6. Kh5 Kg2 7. Qe2 {Now a big mistake would be 7...Kh1 (I've seen it happen) 7...Kh1 8.Qf1+ and Qxf2+} 7... Kg1 8. Qg4+ {Now Black should play 8... .Kh2 or 8...Kh1 both draw. instead.} 8... Kf1 {This always the White King to get close to make a big difference.} 9. Kh4 Ke1 10. Qe4+ Kd2 11. Qf3 Ke1 12. Qe3+ Kf1 13. Kg3 {Black resigned.}
Next John McRow - jamjamjoe RHP 2009
Where White fell into the ‘first looks deceive’ trap.
White took one look at this position with him to play.
And decided the White King could not stop the a-pawn so resigned
1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. e4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. Nc2 Bg7 8. Be2 O-O 9. O-O {We have a position that has been seen 300+ times in OTB play with White winning 163 games to Black's 42.} 9... Nd7 10. Be3 Bxc3 {But only a handful have gone this way. It's a brave decision to give up the dark square Bishop whilst White still has his. All for the sake of doubled pawns.} 11. bxc3 Qa5 {Black wastes no time in poking at the weakened pawns.} 12. Nd4 {And White ignores the threat to start hitting with a tempo the weak dark squares around the Black King.} 12... Qxc3 13. Nxc6 bxc6 14. Bd4 Qa5 15. f4 Nc5 16. Bf3 Ba6 17. f5 {White throws in another pawn. He will not be distracted from the Black Kingside.} 17... Bxc4 18. Qc1 {And now the exchange is tossed into the pot.} 18... Bxf1 {OK Black you have had a feast, now it's White's turn.} 19. Qh6 {Threatening mate on g7.} 19... e5 20. f6 {Threatening mate on g7.} 20... Ne6 {This protects g7.} 21. Bg4 {Threatening Bxe6 and again mate on g7.} 21... Qc7 {So if 22. Bxe6 fxe6 and the Queen holds g7. Note all White has focussed on since 10..Bxc3 is the weak square g7. This more than anything should bring home to student the importance of the Bishop in a King castled fianchetto.} 22. Rxf1 {Finally White takes the Bishop....But what about that Bishop on d4?} 22... Kh8 {Black declines it! He is not interested. We will have a look at why in the next game. Both RHP players were following a GM OTB game, Lange - Gliksman 1969! Black's 28...Kh8 is the first fresh move and it's the first move of a suicide mate.} 23. Rf3 Rg8 {Natural enough. Black wants to hold g7 with a Rook this will free the Black Queen to get into White 's Queenside. The only trouble is......} 24. Qxh7+ {BANG! Black was so intent of covering the dark squares he forgot about the light squares.} 24... Kxh7 25. Rh3 {Checkmate.}
Good fun that one but let us look at why Black refused the Bishop back on move 22.
GM Lundin annotating the game in the 1969 Informator simply gives us one small note.
[22…. 23 Rf5!!]
That is a WOW! if 23…gxf5 25.Bxf5 and mate on h7 cannot be stopped.
And White is threatening 24.Rh4 gxh4 25.Bf5 again mate on h7.
Let us have a wee poke about with this.
FEN
r4rk1/p1q2p1p/2ppnPpQ/4p3/3BP1B1/8/P5PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[FEN "r4rk1/p1q2p1p/2ppnPpQ/4p3/3BP1B1/8/P5PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]
1... exd4 2. Rf5 Qb6 {As we have seen Black cannot take the Rook but this threatens d3+ and/or Qb1+} 3. Rh5 gxh5 4. Bf5 {OK Black stop the mate on h7.} 4... d3+ 5. Kf1 Qb1+ 6. Kf2 Qb2+ {Checking on the dark squares forces White to play 7.Kg1 and that’s a perpetual. (not 7.Kf1 Qe2+ mate next move.) If the White King tries running to g3.} 7. Kg3 Qe5+ {Now 7.Kf3 , 7.Kf2 or 7.Kh4 meet 7....Qf4+ and the Queens are off 0-1.} 8. Kh3 Nf4+ {I'll show the simple Black win here.} 9. Kh4 Ng6+ {That is the mate on h7 stopped.} 10. Kh3 Qxf6 {And now no mate on g7. White can resign,}
That was pretty standard to work out, it’s all checks.
So…
2.Rf5 leads only to a draw, White has to play 7.Kg1?
And this is where years of poking about with such positions comes in handy.
Add that to years of looking at GM notes. They rarely point out the obvious
wee tactics but they rarely drop !! on moves in error.
We back track. Look at this one.
FEN
r4rk1/p1q2p1p/2ppnPpQ/4p3/3BP1B1/8/P5PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[FEN "r4rk1/p1q2p1p/2ppnPpQ/4p3/3BP1B1/8/P5PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1"]
1... exd4 2. Rf5 Qb6 {Not 3.Rh5 as above but....} 3. Rb5 {The Queen is off the 7th rank. This move buys a tempo and puts back on the board the Bxe6 and Queen mate on g7 idea.} 3... Qxb5 4. Bxe6 {OK Black stop mate on g7.} 4... Qb1+ 5. Kf2 {Now checking on b2 is no good with the Black pawn on d5 and Black has to keep checking.} 5... Qc2+ 6. Kg3 {Going back to g1 is still a perpetual. White runs up the board seeking the win.} 6... Qd3+ 7. Kh4 Qxe4+ 8. g4 Qe1+ {White cannot now play 9.Kg5 because 9...Qd2+ wins the White Queen.} 9. Kh3 Qf1+ 10. Kh4 Qxf6+ {The mate on g7 is stopped with a check. White can resign. Again White has to take perpetual with 6.Kg1. How annoying is that.}
And no matter how often I threw the bits about I kept reaching the above result.
No White wins just a perpetual.
(and my analysis is by no means the last word. Black has other tries 2...d6 also
throws up interesting lines, but space, time and I don't want to bore you.)
So Lundin’s !! leads to a draw. OK. Maybe that is what his !! meant.
But that had me thinking.
How come Black never took the Bishop and why did White offer it in the first
place if all you are getting is a draw? (GhostofMarmorstein had no way of knowing
Fnugbatter would set himself up for a mate).
Did these two know they were following a GM game and is there a book somewhere
(apart from the 1969 Informator) that has this game in it with the (unchecked) Lundin note?
It does appear Fungbatter refused the Bishop because he either trusted his opponent,
missed the perpetuals or following theory.
It certainly betrays a common event at the lower levels.
One player follows move for move what is in a book, the moment he is
on his own he is mated (as here) a few moves later.
Geoff, thanks for constantly making me laugh, here and elsewhere. By the way will you be doing anything from the Scottish? There seems to be very little on it anywhere. A 12/13 year old beat Keti the other day, and it has been greeted with silence.
Hey Ernie, if you want shot of that duck I can recommend this recipe:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pappardelle_with_braised_90913
It's very nice indeed, and white peaches are in season right now. The cream is probably in that fridge with the notepad on it already.
Nearly missed you, you should reply in the thread.
I rarely visit back here I'm just just checking on a previous blog.
(I don't want to repeat the same jokes.....although I often do) 🙂
The Scottish stuff I'll be doing for my column in the Scottish Mag.
You can get all the info and games from the Scottish here:
http://www.chessscotland.com/scottishchampionship2012/
Then if 2...d3+ 3. Kg3 black has no more checks and
2... Qb2+ 3. Kg3 Qc3+ 4. Rf3 and the ol' take the knight then mate on g7 thing is alive again.
And I wasn't joking. It really is a very nice recipe. Do try - or get Mrs. Ernie to make it for you.
Richard
Anyway Ernie is a vegetarian, all endgame players are veggies.
Send me a picture of your fridge.
I cannot do another Blog till I get a picture of a fridge.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pappardelle_with_braised_90913
It's very nice indeed, and white peaches are in season right now. The cream is probably in that fridge with the notepad on it already.
Richard