CHESS CLUB book corner

From Bobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds and John Eidinow...

"In a letter to a chess-playing acquaintance about the 1962 Olympiad, in Bulgaria, he describes a game he played against the great Mikhail Botvinnik. Ultimately the game was drawn when Fischer fell for a Botvinnik trap (after which, according to Fischer, Botvinnik puffed out his chest and strode away from the table like a giant). But Fischer had held the initiative for much of the game, and in the letter he is gleeful about the discomfort Botvinnik appeared to suffer, mocking the Soviet for changing color and looking about to expire."

"In all sports, confidence is important. In chess, a game, which unlike all those others, is entirely in the mind, with no trained limbs to take over when the brain is in crisis, a collapse of confidence is terminal. Above all, across the board the opponent can sense this mental bleeding, as clearly as a boxer can see blood oozing from his adversary's head."

Quoting Vladimir Nabokov: "There is nothing abnormal about a chess player being abnormal. This is normal."

Quoting a character in a novel: "Do you play chess ? A person who doesn't play chess isn't a person."

Exhibition game with Crazy Joe !

Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to "interview" the potential CHESS CLUB recruit. As a very sweet consolation prize, I did get to play a game with Crazy Joe. I got the crazy one to cry uncle after 28 moves. In fairness, it should be noted that he was very much out of practice. Still, given my history of locking horns with him, it was a very satisfying way to prove that "black is okay" !

Crazy Joe - Gabridoodle
Exhibition game, RJ's Clubhouse Danvers, MA, USA, 18.05.2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.b4 Nf6 4.b5 Na5 5.Nxe5 Qe7 6.Nd3 Nxe4 7.f3 Ng5+ 8.Qe2 Ne6 9.Ba3 d6 10.f4 Nc4 11.f5 Nd4 12.Qxe7+ Bxe7 13.Kd1 O-O 14.Nf4 Bxf5 15.Bxc4 Bxc2+ 16.Ke1 Bf6 17.Nc3 Rae8+ 18.Nfe2 Bh4+ 19.g3 Nf3+ 20.Kf2 Nxd2 21.Nd4 Nxc4 22.Nxc2 Bf6 23.Ne3 Nxa3 24.Ng4 Bxc3 25.Rae1 Bxe1+ 26.Rxe1 Nxb5 27.Rxe8 Rxe8 28.a4 Nd4 0-1

11 May 2012: Devastating losses for the Pirate

The Chess Pirate got to enjoy two weeks of possessing the Incumbent Champion's Medal but that came to an abrupt end today.  The first game was the most remarkable, featuring the most shocking conclusion yet seen at CHESS CLUB.

The Chess Visionary joined us while the first game was underway -- badly frightening the Chess Pirate.  The Visionary didn't play today, stating, "I like to watch."

Game 1: Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, 0-1
Time control: Fischer; 5 minutes plus 30 seconds per move

This game was a near-miniature, only 23 moves.  The Chess Pirate's comment-of-the-game was, "Looks pretty fuckin' safe, actually."  The Gabridoodle was in a lot of trouble, especially after idiotically blundering away a queen.  But as usual, he responded to adversity with fancy footwork -- this is why we fight to the finish at CHESS CLUB !  The Pirate got greedy, grabbing a rook while missing a classic back-rank-mate threat.  And indeed the game came to a shocking, sudden conclusion with just that.

Game 2: Gabridoodle- Chess Pirate, 1-0
Time control: Fischer; 5 minutes plus 30 seconds per move

The shocking turn of events in the first game clearly rattled the Pirate.  15 moves in, she growled, "Toad !"  The Gabridoodle took command of this game, and, had the Pirate not resigned on move 56, he could have had three, count 'em, three queens !

How sweet it is !

Multi-state (and territory) madness !

The novelty of multi-state chess still hadn't worn off when the Chess Missus and I returned from our march through Georgia.

Game 1: Gabridoodle - Chess Missus, 1-0

This game began in Virginia, continued in the District of Columbia, and came to its conclusion in Maryland.  The Chess Missus began the game with aggression so savage as to make the Chess Pirate look like a timid weakling.  For a time, I was in real trouble.  However, I found my way to a shattering blow that turned the game around.  The computer re-creation at left shows the board after move 27.  As you can see, I'm about to take both of her rooks. After I took the rook at g6, her only options were to move the king to g8 (which she did), move the king to e7, or block with a knight at either f5 or f6.  Whatever she did, I'd then capture the other rook.

Gabridoodle - Chess Missus
On board Amtrak's "Crescent," VA, DC, MD, USA, 07.05.2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bb4 3.b3 Qg5 4.Nf3 Qg4 5.Be2 Nc6 6.Nxe5 Qxg2 7.Bf3 Qg5 8.d4 Bxc3+ 9.Kf1 Qe7 10.Rb1 Bxd4 11.Nc4 Nf6 12.c3 b5 13.cxd4 bxc4 14.d5 Nb4 15.Ra1 Ba6 16.Ba3 Nbxd5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.Qc2 Rb8 19.bxc4 Ng6 20.Qa4 Rb6 21.Qa3 Nh4 22.Qe3 O-O 23.e5 Bxc4+ 24.Be2 Re8 25.Bxc4 Ng4 26.Qf4 Rg6 27.Bxf7+ Kf8 28.Bxg6+ Kg8 29.Bxe8 c5 30.Qxg4 g5 31.Qxg5+ Kh8 32.Rb1 h6 33.Qxh6+ Kg8 34.Rb8 Ng2 35.Bg6# 1-0

Game 2: Chess Missus - Gabridoodle, 0-1

This one began in Maryland, continued through Delaware, and concluded in Pennsylvania. The previous game was so psychologically devastating for the Chess Missus that I was in command from start to finish.  The highlight of the game was an official adjournment for lunch after move 9 (we didn't bother sealing the next move in an envelope).

Chess Missus - Gabridoodle
On board Amtrak's "Crescent," MD, DE, PA, USA, 07.05.2012

1.e4 Nc6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Be7 5.d3 O-O 6.Bg5 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.a3 d6 9.b4 Qd7 Adjourned for lunch. 10.Re1 Qg4 11.h3 Qd7 12.Rb1 Nd4 13.Qd2 Nxf3+ 14.gxf3 Qxh3 15.Re3 Qd7 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bxg5 18.f4 Bxf4 19.Bb5 Qxb5 20.a4 Qxa4 21.Qc3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Bxd5 23.Qxc7 Rfd8 24.Rf1 Qe8 25.e4 Be6 0-1

The Gabridoodle's first interstate game !

Thanks to the Chess Missus, I've played my first interstate game ! Fought on board Amtrak's Crescent, this battle took place in Delaware and Maryland. Conveniently, our compartment's fold-up table included a chessboard, so there was no need for the roll-up board I brought along. The Chess Missus put up quite a fight and got me into a bit of a jam. But as usual, this was inspirational and thanks to some fancy footwork, I was eventually able to get the polygamous win.

Gabridoodle - Chess Missus, 1-0
On board Amtrak's "Crescent," Delaware & Maryland, USA, 03.05.2012

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 Bd6 4.b3 Ng4 5.Qe2 Qf6 6.g3 Na6 7.Bg2 Nb4 8.Nd5 Nxc2+ 9.Kf1 Qd8 10.Rb1 Bc5 11.d3 Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Qxg4 0-0 14.Ba3 c5 15.h4 Qa5 16.Ne7+ Kh8 17.Qe2 Qxa3 18.Qc2 b6 19.Nxc8 Raxc8 20.Bh3 g6 21.Bxd7 Rc7 22.Bg4 f5 23.exf5 gxf5 24.Bh5 f4 25.g4 a5 26.f3 b5 27.g5 a4 28.g6 axb3 29.axb3 c4 30.Rg1 Rg8 31.Bg4 Bxg1 32.Kxg1 Rxg6 33.dxc4 b4 34.Qd2 Rf7 35.Kf1 Rh6 36.Qd8+ Kg7 37.Qg5+ Rg6 38.Qxe5+ Kh6 39.Bf5 Qa2 40.Qe4 Qxb1+ 41.Qxb1 Rd7 42.Bxg6 hxg6 43.Qe4 Rf7 44.Qd5 Ra7 45.Qd6 Ra1+ 46.Ke2 Ra2+ 47.Kd3 Rb2 48.Qxf4+ Kh5 49.Qe5+ Kxh4 50.Qxb2 Kg3 51.c5 Kxf3 52.c6 g5 53.c7 g4 54.c8Q g3 55.Qf5# 1-0