5bk1/2R3pp/p4p2/4rP2/1p1qn1Q1/1P5P/P4PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 1

Try The Halloween Gambit:

This is one of those "coffeehouse" gambits where you sac a piece to get an attack that can get wild and crazy. I think it's probably basically unsound, but fun to play in blitz and club games where you can catch an unwary opponent off guard. But if you played it in a serious game against someone who knew what he was doing, you'd most likely get shredded.

Advanced Problem - Black To Play (1151)

Assuming White plays the best defense, how does Black force mate?

1r1q1k1r/Q4p1p/2B2npN/P7/2bp4/1P4P1/2PP1P1P/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For the 'Ettes:

The red #velvet sash that encircles the waist of this #1950s #Balenciaga #cocktaildress is the brightest of accents amongst the silver florals and ivory silk that is a-glitter amongst generous folds of fabric @MuseodelTraje #fashionhistory pic.twitter.com/5Fg4D9LU2T

— Dr Kate Strasdin (@kateStrasdin) October 27, 2020

This one looks kind of steampunky:

So many of you guessed right! The items in my last post all were made of human hair. It was a popular Victorian mourning practice to have a loved one's hair incorporated into jewelry. Perhaps it would have gone with today's #ootd, this 1889 Worth walking suit. #FashionHistory pic.twitter.com/A61tjyDXkZ

— Lauren Deutsch (@LaurenCDeutsch) October 1, 2020

Auf Wiedersehen Vom Oktoberfest!

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Problem Solutions

Beginner Problem - Black To Play

r5k1/1p1b2pp/4p3/p3P3/2nPp1P1/1K5Q/P2qN2P/5B1R b - - 0 1

1... a4+
2.Kxc4 Rc8#

While futzing around with this, I found the alternate line

2...Qb2
2.Kxc4 Qb4#

Seems to work just as well.

Intermediate Problem - White To Play

5bk1/2R3pp/p4p2/4rP2/1p1qn1Q1/1P5P/P4PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 1

1.Rxg7+ Bxg7
2.Rc8+ Kf7
3.Qh5+ Ke7
4.Qe8+ Kd6
5.Qd8#

Qd8# was missed in the actual game (Bronstein-Gligoric, Moscow 1967), which continued:

5.Rc6+ Kd5
6.Qd7+ resigns

It's hopeless after

6...Nd6
7.Rxd6+ Kc5
8.Qc6#

Advanced Problem - Black To Play

1r1q1k1r/Q4p1p/2B2npN/P7/2bp4/1P4P1/2PP1P1P/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 1

1...Qe8+
2.Bxe8

Alternately, 2.Kd1 Be2+ 3.Ke1 Bg4+ 4.Qe7+ Qxe7+ 5.Be4 Qxe4+ 6.Kf1 Bh3+ 7.Kg1 Qg2#)

2...Rxe8+
3.Kd1 Be2+
4.Ke1

And now, which square do you move the bishop to for the discovered check? You have to see that you need to cover the f1-h3 diagonal, and to do that, there's only one square for the bishop:

4...Bg4+

5.Qe7+

if 5.Kf1 then 5...Bh3+ 6.Kg1 Re1#

5... Rxe7+
6.Kf1 Bh3+

And that is why we needed to move the bishop to g4 earlier.

7.Kg1 Re1#

Hope to see you all next week!

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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.

___________

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 05:27 PM

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