Chess thread

[Tal]

Shame this thread is dying down a bit. What's going on Tal? You super busy or summat?

Sorry. Have been really busy at work and am now in Vegas for a couple of weeks.

There's a big tournament going on in Norway at the moment. Here's the standings at the moment:

Click to see full-size image.

Nothing in it. Only one point separates the entire field. Some very odd games and Carlsen drawing so many is just as unusual.

Chessbase is doing its usual excellent coverage.

[The Baron]

Epic game today, shame a blunder took it.

[Tal]

Bumper edition

The summer tends to be a quiet time in chess circles (season starts again in about a month and leagues in September), but I should just round up what happened in Norway:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/norway-final-karjakin-repeat-winner

Carlsen then went on to win the World Rapidplay and World Blitz titles, giving him the triple crown.

http://en.chessbase.com/post/world-rapid-miraculous-carlsen

http://en.chessbase.com/post/world-blitz-triple-crown-achieved

Here's a brief promo of an informative DVD on the King's Gambit opening, by Britain's most flamboyant player (at least on the board), GM Simon K. Williams:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/having-fun-with-the-king-s-gambit

One of our best young talents took time out away from chess to pursue a career in the City. He's back and firing now: Matthew Sadler:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/matthew-sadler-shows-he-is-back-in-the-game

And finally, Saturday was the 22nd anniversary of the death of Mikhail Tal. See what made him so very special:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/kavalek-carlsen-s-trifecta-and-tal-s-magic

[Tal]

[Tal]

A level down from the greats, we find the commonwealth championships, held in Glasgow this year. I'm not sure whether this isa modern creating, as there certainly used to be commonwealth players in the top section of the British Championship (which starts later this month). Nevertheless, it's here now and Birmingham's own Sabrina Chevannes was on hand to give chessbase readers a review:

http://en.chessbase.com/post/india-dominates-the-commonwealth



I love this photo. This is what kibitzing looks like: the board enveloped in players from other boards or just spectators (you often don't get to know who is who), each, as respectful as they can (or as disrespectfully as they dare), trying to get the best view of the board that they can.

Occasionally, one will turn to another as they edge away: "Bishop c6 looks interesting" or "Black looks good". If a novice wants to hedge his bets with a stronger player, he might try "Should win that" and hope he can decipher from the response which side is winning. The champion bet-hedgers will proffer: "Do you reckon he can hold?", a comment where all three results are feasible...provided both players are male.

I show a lot of pictures of the elite guys in fancy surroundings. Real tournaments aren't like that. Even this, containing grandmasters (and some very good ones), is in the familiar surroundings of a sports hall:

[Honeybadger]

Hi guys, I'm gonna bump this thread by showing you my favourite chess study of all time. I'm gonna do it in three parts because the thing that makes it so cool is that there are three lovely finesses to it. I'm also going to use a tiny bit of artistic license in the telling of the story around the position.

Anyway, here is the position. It is White to move and try to win. Black has to try to draw. White's first move has obviously got to be 1 c7, trying to promote. Then Black will play 1... d6+ and is going to attempt to keep checking the White King. Note that if the White King tries to cross over to the c-file with 2 Kc5 to prevent the checks, then Black can obtain a simple draw with 2...Rd1 (intending 3...Rc1 next move, e.g. 3 c8=Q Rc1+ actually wins for Black).

Apparently over a hundred years ago, this position (or something very similar to it) was reached in a real game. After Black's 1...Rd6+ White thought for a while and then offered a draw, which of course Black accepted. White could not see any way to escape the checks without losing his pawn. But a watching master pointed out afterwards that White has a winning maneouver. Can anyone tell me what White's winning plan is? Obviously if you know this position then just keep quiet and let others work it out.

I promise you this study is really fun, but you gotta try to solve it at each step to really appreciate how pretty it is.

[Tal]

Incredible!

I've just gone to post something and, as I press post, it won't let me because Mr Badger has got there first!

Over to you, then!

[Honeybadger]

One person has already PM'd me the correct winning manoeuvre for White. Any others want to try to work it out? I will put the solution out tomorrow, then show you the next part of the study.

[Honeybadger]

Okay, I am going to give the solution to the first part of the study. For those of you who have PM'd me the correct answer... well done!

After 1 c7 Rd6+ White's problem is that he must escape the checks from the Black Rook, whilst not losing his pawn. He can't hide behind the pawn with 2 Kb7 because then Black simply plays 2...Rd7 and takes the pawn next move. The only way for White to escape the checks is to somehow cross over to the c-file. But the problem is that if White does this immediately (i.e. 2 Kc5) then Black simply plays 2...Rd1 followed by 3...Rc1.

It turns out that White can cross to the c-file. But to do so, he needs to go backwards first, which is why this idea is counter-intuitive and difficult to visualise. Play goes as follows:

1 c7 Rd6+
2 Kb5 Rd5+
Note that the Rook must keep checking the King, otherwise the c pawn will simply get to c8 and become a Queen.
3 Kb4 Rd4+
4 Kb3 Rd3+
5 Kc2!

Reaching the position in the diagram below. The Black Rook has run out of space so can no longer retreat back down the d-file. Black has run out of checks, and cannot prevent the c pawn from promoting next move. So White wins. A really nice King manoeuvre, 'going backwards to make progress' so to speak.

This study was published in various magazines/endgame books. The original diagram from my first post was given and it was "White to play and win", and the backwards King walk was demonstrated.

Then around 50 years later someone wrote in to a chess magazine pointing out that Black can actually draw this position from the diagram below (i.e. after 5 Kc2). This caused the evaluation of the position to be changed and now the study was published as "White to play... and Black can draw".

Can anyone spot the very cute way for Black to hold a draw in the diagram below?

[Tal]

This second one is just the sort of thing you can catch a high rated player out with in a time scramble.

[wazz]

I'm not much of a chess player, but honeybadger walked me through the solutions to the second and third parts of the question and I have to say it's quite beautiful!

[MintTrav]

I'm not much of a chess player, but honeybadger walked me through the solutions to the second and third parts of the question and I have to say it's quite beautiful!

Beautiful isn't the word I'd use to describe the bloody thing at the moment.

[Honeybadger]

I'm not much of a chess player, but honeybadger walked me through the solutions to the second and third parts of the question and I have to say it's quite beautiful!

Beautiful isn't the word I'd use to describe the bloody thing at the moment.

Lol. It's worth it when the answer is revealed. And then there is part 3 too, which is even better!

I'll give you some help and tell you Black's first move. It is...

5... Rd4

Now you've got to work out the point behind it. Best of luck lol

[curnow]

is the third part what it about what the c pawn promotes to ?

other think  Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC reports mate in 3 at
#ChessOlympiad R4 correction. To be clear it was Rhoda Masiyazi of ZIM who beat unrated Akua Kosife Esse after 1.e4 g5?! 2.d4 f6??? 3.Qh5#

[MintTrav]

5... Rd4

That makes it obvious.

Neat.