Sudden death for the Gabridoodle at Derby Joe (30 Jul 2016)

At Derby Joe in Salem, the Chess Pirate won The Shiny with a quick checkmate -- a classic bishop-queen battery that even a patzer like the Gabridoodle should have seen.  Here's the Pirate's poetical account of the event:

The beautiful Chess Pirate wore a sweetly flowered light blue print shirt, to compliment her blue eyes. Her golden locks were long and flowing. She sat down and smiled, angelically. The Gabridoodle also sat and the timer was set. Who knows what for ? The game only lasted 46 short seconds, with a brilliant checkmate stunningly played by a cool and collected Pirate.

Horsing around with the grandmaster

As always, we extend hearty thank-yous to grandmaster Larry Christiansen and the Boylston Chess Club for organizing the monthly simultaneous exhibition at South Station.

In both of today's games, but particularly the first one, the grandmaster did have to pause for a few seconds of thought on several occasions.  This at least gives the Gabridoodle one small achievement to boast of.

Game 1

In the first game, GM Christiansen gave the Gabridoodle a jolt by opening with d4 rather than the usual e4. This wasn't the first time he'd opened with d4, but it's the sort of thing that ruffles the Gabridoodle.

By move 25, a pair of horses was off the board.  Prior to this phase of the game, however, there had been quite a few knight moves by both players.  Here, Christiansen is offering a free horse, but the Gabridoodle smelled a rat and moved his king instead.

Next, the grandmaster offers a free bishop.  With a tone, but not the actual act, of resignation, the Gabridoodle took it, not that he had any choice.

The game ended with a funny mate.  Christiansen's e5 reveals a check, which isn't mate, but blocking with his bishop was the Gabridoodle's only legal move.  The recapture was all she wrote.

Game 2

The first game went a respectable 30 moves.  The second was over after 21, qualifying it as either an outright miniature or a near-miniature, depending on how we define it.  At least the grandmaster opened with e4, allowing the Gabridoodle to respond with the very Sicilian c5, his "best" strategy against him.

Horses again !  By move 18, GM Christiansen's ponies have infested the Gabridoodle's position.

The grandmaster could have taken the vulnerable d-pawn at his leisure, but he had higher priorities. Here he offers the Gabridoodle an entire queen.  The Chess Pirate would have instacaptured, but the Gabridoodle didn't: he saw that if he did, the rook would be headed to h3 with disastrous consequences.  Christiansen asked, "You didn't like my generous offer ?"  The Gabridoodle replied, "No, it just wouldn't be fair to take it."

The Gabridoodle was promptly forced to wave the glorious white flag, as there's really no defense.