8/p1p2k2/2Q3p1/3P1b2/8/1P3BK1/P3Pp1r/6b1 b - - 0 1

Regium Chess

Last week I mentioned that a new e-chessboard was coming on the market that looked pretty amazing. It is the product of a company called Regium Chess. I first heard about it from e-mails sent by a some chess orgs I follow, notably Chess.com.

Earlier this week, I received a follow-up email from Chess.com wherein they explained that they were rescinding their previous endorsement of Regium Chess:

During the ongoing process of due diligence that is required when partnering with a third-party product, we have not been able to verify some of the claims made by REGIUM. Some of these claims have been researched in coordination with our colleagues from other chess sites around the world, while others have been researched independently by Chess.com. The claims Chess.com has been unable to to verify are in relation to both the products being marketed by REGIUM as well as representatives of the company.

More details here, including a lively discussion about what, exactly, is going on with this company. There are apparently deceptively edited videos and people who Regium claims are associated with their company that are actually not. And phone calls requesting in-person demos are not being returned.

There is a fine line between a product that turns out not to be ready for market and and out-and-out scams, and I think the consensus on Regium is that it's a scam. Which is unfortunate, because the product looks pretty cool.

The Regium Kickstarter project is still active, so if they're a scam, they're a bold and brazen scam.

Advanced Problem - To Play (478 )

How does White achieve a decisively winning advantage?

4Q3/Pq4pk/5p1p/5P1K/6PP/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes:

Whilst going through the @metmuseum I found this 2014 Valentino gown. It really is a walking piece of art, with the intricate Adam and Eve allegory depicting all of the illustrated wildlife. I particularly like the peacock on the back of the skirt. pic.twitter.com/Pxx5LN5rpZ

— whatgrandmawore (@whatgrandmawore) December 6, 2019

Greetings From Hungary

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Problem Solutions

Beginner Problem - White To Play

r6k/ppp4r/3pqNP1/6Q1/3P4/8/PPP3P1/2K5 w - - 0 1

Answer:

1.g7+ Rxg7
2.Qh6+ Rh7
3.Qxh7#

Intermediate Problem - Black To Play

8/p1p2k2/2Q3p1/3P1b2/8/1P3BK1/P3Pp1r/6b1 b - - 0 1

This is a straight-up forced mate in 6"

1...f1=N+!

Because sometimes a time advantage is more important than a material advantage. 2...f1=Q allows 3.Qxc7+ with a possible draw by perpetual check. The text move keeps the pressure on:

2.Kf4 Rh4+
3.Kg5 Be3+
4.Kxh4 g5+
5.Kh5 Ng3+
6.Kh6 g4# 0-1

Advanced Problem - To Play

4Q3/Pq4pk/5p1p/5P1K/6PP/8/8/8 w - - 0 1

1. a8=B!

You don't want to do 1.a8=Q Qf7+ because 2.Qxf7 is stalemate.

1...Qb3
2.Bc6 Qg8

Black wants to avoid White using that diagonal to get his queen to g8 backed up by his bishop, e.g. 2... Qa2 3.Bd7 Qb3 4.Be6 Qb4 5.Qg8#

3.Qxg8+ Kxg8
4.Kg6 Kf8
5.Bd5 Ke7
6.Kxg7 and the other pawns will soon be eaten.

Hope to see you all next week!

Note: that cryptic line of letters and numbers you see underneath each board diagram is a representation of the position in what is known as "Forsyth-Edwards Notation", or F.E.N. It's actually readable by humans. Most computer applications nowadays can read FEN, so those of you who may want to study the position, you can copy the line of FEN and paste into your chess app and it should automatically recreate the position on its display board. Or, Windows users can just "triple click" on it and the entire line will be highlighted so you can copy and paste it into your chess app.

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So that about wraps it up for this week. Chess thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to my yahoo address: OregonMuse little-a-in-a-circle yahoo dott com.

posted by OregonMuse at 05:20 PM

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