In which the Pirate is "promoted" to queen

Queening isn't just for pawns anymore: the Chess Pirate has been promoted to queen !  Her Majesty's schedule is such that we probably won't be seeing her until the autumn.

Future CHESS CLUB meetings will be held on an impromptu basis rather than every Friday at 2:00.

As for on-line play, the Free Internet Chess Server is our official venue.  The Gabridoodle is there as gabridoodle and the Pink Queen is letusplaypong.  Madame de la Marmotte, among others, will be badgered about signing up.

Our first (rogue) on-line game !

This wasn't an official Salem CHESS CLUB game, but rogue game though it was, it nevertheless merits mention here.

Pink Queen - Gabridoodle, 0-1
Time control: Fischer; 10 minutes plus 30 seconds per move

The Pink Queen and the Gabridoodle played their first game at the Free Internet Chess Server using the BabasChess interface.  It was wild and wooly -- no real surprise there.  The Pink Queen fought the good fight, but in the end, the Gabridoodle demonstrated that while a queen is worth 9, two rooks working together are worth (at least) 10.  The graphic depicts the game's polygamous end state.  The Gabridoodle had a mouse issue (having to do with holding the button while dragging) that resulted in what would have been a fatal blunder had the Pink Queen not been magnanimous and allowed a takeback.  Thus, he will grant her a free and unconditional takeback in an on-line or live game.  He's also tweaked his BabasChess settings so this won't happen in the future.

13 Jul 2012: at Salem Willows, black is definitely okay !

First a bit of club business.  We've updated our membership roster.  The Pink Queen has been promoted to full member and the Chess Genius has been made a full member by decree.

Because our summer clubhouse in Swampscott was unexpectedly unavailable, CHESS CLUB met at Salem Willows.  The Chess Pirate and the Gabridoodle warmed up at the arcade.  The real shocker was that he beat the Pirate 7 to 4 at air hockey.  She had been expecting an easy win but hadn't appreciated that being spastic and having long arms would give him a decisive advantage.

We were delighted to have the Pink Queen and her entourage join us. Indeed, the Pirate was beaming.

Game 1: Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, 0-1
Time control: Fischer; 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move

This game got off to the usual start, the Gabridoodle parrying the Pirate's characteristically aggressive thrusts.  The Pink Queen and her entourage were introduced to the usual smack talk that adds so much spice to these games.  Somewhat to his own surprise, the Gabridoodle was on the ball and methodically ground the Pirate down, eventually pushing two criminally-minded passed pawns, one of which was inevitably headed to promotion.  Say what you will, the Gabridoodle also demonstrated that his play has become reasonably brisk.

Game 2: Pink Queen - Gabridoodle, 0-1
Time control: Fischer; 25 minutes plus 10 seconds per move

In fairness to the Pink Queen, we should note that she's very much out of practice, so her defeat today should not be taken as an indication that she's a mere woodpusher.  The Gabridoodle, so eager was he to fork, blundered away a knight at move 11.  However, this little stumble focused his mind and on the next move was able to steal a rook !  The Pink Queen's morale was clearly damaged and her game gradually deteriorated.  The end came in the form of a brutal checkmate, as depicted in the Fritz-generated graphic at right.  With a queen and two rooks against a king, the Gabridoodle was definitely swinging the sledgehammer, if not quite firing Alekhine's gun !