28 Dec 2012: cheese and crackers

Celebrating the conclusion of Salem CHESS CLUB's first year, the Chess Pirate, always the gracious hostess, served fancy cheeses, crackers, and Italian orangeade.  The Gabridoodle's malaria was much better though he wasn't 100% recovered: the main game was a draw and then the Pirate won the blitz game, successfully defending The Shiny for the first time in living memory.

While there was no official discussion of CLUB business, there was lamentation of the on-going recruiting difficulties, the Gabridoodle admitting, "We'll take just about anyone."

Game 1: Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, ½-½

The Pirate's many slashing attacks led to fairly brisk simplification.  Indeed, in less than 24 moves, it looked very much like a draw was brewing (see diagram).  And indeed, that's what happened.  The queenside pawn formation was blown to bits and the Gabridoodle was then unable to promote a pawn despite having a 3-to-2 advantage.  The quote-of-the game came, as it so often does, from the Pirate: "I'm a girl with a big swinging Shiny."

Game 2: Gabridoodle - Chess Pirate, 0-1
Time control: 10 minutes each

Despite falling behind a horse, the Gabridoodle was at least making the Chess Pirate dance.  As usual in a blitz game, however, the Pirate's impulsiveness was rewarded: the Gabridoodle lost on time.

21 Dec 2012: beer and muffins

Whatever the Gabridoodle has, it isn't Chess fever !  He was in a woozy state even before slogging through heavy rain to get to the Clubhouse.  After being plied with beer and muffins, there was no hope for him.  The Chess Pirate will get to have The Shiny for Christmas.

Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, 1-0

The game began with an all-too-typical exercise in "chase the Gabridoodle's knight." Things then proceeded in a normal enough fashion until, through trickery, the Pirate robbed the Gabridoodle of his castling rights.  Not long after, the Pirate made what turned out to be the game's winning move (see diagram).  She gained a bishop and the rest was just a grim grinding down of the Gabridoodle.

In which the Gabridoodle stuns Fritz

At first blush, things are looking grim for the Gabridoodle (black pieces).  Fritz is ahead by a horse and a couple of pawns.  Surely, Fritz will torment the Gabridoodle with his extra piece and march those pawns to victory...

...unfortunately for the "Silicon upstart," the Gabridoodle sees a little combination that will save the day.  First, he moves his rook to a7 (it's protected by his bishop at d4)...

...naturally, Fritz moves his queen out of the way.  Of course, Fritz could have allowed the capture of the queen; that would have staved off immediate defeat but it would have been a whole new game...

...The Gabridoodle's castle then plows on through, delivering mate.

Aethestically striking formation

Fritz won this game, but at least we made a striking double "no man's land."

Brutal, epic, vicious triple-forking for Fritz

The Gabridoodle can report Fritz 12's rated games are much more interesting than the "friend mode" games.  Fritz has been winning most of the rated games, but now and then the Gabridoodle zaps him.  In this example, the Gabridoodle moved his knight to the square marked with the X and gave Fritz a brutal triple-forking.  Fritz's queen fell and resignation followed several moves later.

13 Dec 2012: a near-miniature transfers The Shiny (again)

[Note: today's write-up was penned by the Chess Pirate]

The Chess Pirate was beautifully adorned in a red silk sweater to match The Shiny, which she wore as a crown atop her regal head.

The Gabridoodle was spot on today [actually, he blundered away a bishop] and the Chess Pirate was distracted like a butterfly as usual.  In a sleek 32 minutes and in only 23 moves, the Pirate managed to throw both her rooks away with a fiddle-dee-dee flounce.  Once again, the Gabridoodle is the proud posessor of The Shiny, well fought and well earned.

Quote of the day [from the Pirate]: "I'm not even in check, ya moron !"

Fritz: humiliated !

The Gabridoodle has started playing rated games against Fritz.  He's losing more but learning more.  This game was an exception:  Fritz was defeated in only six, count 'em, six moves !

Gabridoodle - Fritz, 1-0

1.e4 g6 2.Nc3 e5 3.Nf3 d6 4.Nd5 Be6 5.d3 Ne7 6.Nf6#

Blundering to a win against SOS 5.1

The Gabridoodle blundered away a rook but suddenly discovered a win, a good old-fashioned back-ranker.  Arena is a free program, incidentally.