Sat. Nite Chess Thread 4-14-2012 [OregonMuse]

Good evening, all ye chess nerds. Welcome once again to the Saturday Nite AoSHQ Chess Thread

This week's famous chess game, sent to me by a moron whose name I forget and I'm too lazy to look up, is Edward Lasker vs. George Alan Thomas, London, 1912

Here is the game score:

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4 fxe4 7. Nxe4 b6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+ Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3 16. Be2+ Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1 18. Kd2# 1-0

Non-chess players usually think that what makes chess grandmasters so superior to the rest of us is that they can see some ridiculous number of moves ahead (like 15-20), while we lesser mortals simply can't. But I don't think this is the case. When the position is real complicated, I don't think grandmasters can see that far ahead (of course what they see, compared to lesser players, is the more important question). But the difference is more apparent when the moves are forced and there are few, if any, variations to worry about. That's when the long distance vision kicks in. Like this game here. After Black's 10th move, it's pretty much a forced mate in 8, and I'd guess Lasker worked out the whole thing in advance. Which is truly impressive.

Thanks to those of you who have sent me tips for this thread. They may be sent to me at

OregonMuse
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Oh, and one more thing, a question to ponder this evening, who do you think is the greatest chess player never to be world champion? Who wuz robbed? How about

3. Harry Nelson Pilsbury
2. Reuben Fine
1. Paul Keres

These are my candidates. Who are yours?

posted by Open Blogger at 06:47 PM

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