Donkey chess, or a funny mate at South Station

As always, we thank Grandmaster Larry Christiansen, the Boylston Chess Club, and their other partners for hosting the monthly simulaneous exhibition at South Station.  Today's event was a make-up for the not-quite-a-blizzard blizzard earlier in the month.

In pre-game chitchat, the GM recommended the Old West history book A Tenderfoot in Tombstone, which, he noted, includes an account of a donkey being cut in half by a lightning strike !  In one game, the Gabridoodle said, "Lightning... Donkey" when capturing the GM's horse, prompting a grandmasterly chuckle.

Game 2 featured a funny checkmate, shown it its full glory below, with Christiansen's move indicated by the red arrows and the Gabridoodle's by the green.

Tense standoff at Derby Joe ends peacefully

While the promised tournament didn't materialize, chess was still played at Salem's inimitable Derby Joe café.  CHESS CLUB would like to congratulate the proprietor on the birth of his brand spanking new daughter.

It must be confessed that in the Chess Pirate's absence, the players took the opportunity to play without clocks !

Meanwhile, a very energetic puppy gave the Gabridoodle's panther-smelling pants a thorough sniffing.

In a long, scholarly, positional game between the Gabridoodle and the Boa Constrictor, a tense endgame ended peacefully in a draw-by-insufficient-material.

St. Valentine's Day massacre

Perhaps due to recent snow events, there was only a small crowd at Boston's South Station for this month's simultaneous exhibition given by grandmaster and three-time US champion Larry Christiansen.  The result, of course, was very brisk play.  A dead-ender like the Gabridoodle was able to get five games in.  Christiansen started doing his trademark leg pump fairly early, and indeed, he was out to destroy us all, Valentine's Day or no Valentine's Day.  At one point, the Gabridoodle joked to a neighbor, "There's a 20 move quota today."

Game 1

A 20 move miniature with the Gabridoodle resigning when mate became unstoppable.

Game 2

Another quickie -- this time a mere 19 moves.  The Gabridoodle resigned before Christiansen's material lead became even more yawning.

Game 3

This game was actually somewhat reasonable.  The Gabridoodle made Christiansen work for it, even winning The Exchange at one point.  It ended with Christiansen inflicting a pretty mate at move 30.  Ever the gentlemanly grandmaster, Christiansen did allow, "You had a good game going."

Game 4

With Christiansen sporting a two-piece advantage after 24 moves, the Gabridoodle decided to visit Resignsville and move on to another game.

Game 5

This one began with the Gabridoodle conceding, "You refuted the French, so we'll do the Sicilian."  As in game 3, the Gabridoodle kept Christiansen on his toes and the game even reached an honest-to-goodness endgame.  The Grandmaster's two-pawn edge was sure to grind out the victory (and the king at g4 obviously meant business), so the Gabridoodle resigned with a touch of bravado: "Luckily for you, I have a train to catch."

Christiansen beats the Gabridoodle... But it takes 65 moves !

Many of you may already be hip to this, but Grandmaster Larry Christiansen, a former US champion, gives a monthly simul at Boston's South Station. Today's game between the Gabridoodle and the GM was a 65 move epic.  The GM won, as usual, but this time he really had to earn it (we should allow that the Gabridoodle was careful to follow Father Lopez's advice and sit such that the sun was in his opponent's eyes).

The highlight of the game, at least from the Gabridoodle's standpoint was move 25, where he skewered Christiansen's knight and rook. As GM Christiansen himself lamented, "I stepped into that one."  Thus the Gabridoodle wins an exchange but still has some pawn issues.

At move 31, the Gabridoodle, determined to do some pawn hunting, decided it was time to give back the material, allowing him to snaffle up the white b-pawn.

The Gabridoodle subsequently managed to get a grip on the pawn situation, although Christiansen stubbornly clung to a one pawn lead.  The remaining rooks and eventually all but one pawn came off the board.  That last pawn was a runaway locomotive.  However, at move 62, Gabridoodle did have a stalemate trick: if white advances the pawn and promotes to queen, it's a draw !

But the grandmaster didn't fall for it.  Mate ensued several moves later.

The whole game...

Christiansen - Gabridoodle, 1-0

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 d6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Nde2 Nf6 7. Ng3 Be7 8. Bc4 O-O 9. Bg5 Nd4 10. O-O a6 11. a4 Bd7 12. a5 Rb8 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Nd5 Bc6 15. c3 Ne6 16. Nf5 Nc7 17. Qd3 Nxd5 18. Bxd5 Be7 19. Rfd1 g6 20. Ne3 Bg5 21. Nc4 Qe7 22. Bxc6 bxc6 23. Qxd6 Qxd6 24. Rxd6 Rbc8 25. Nxe5 Bf4 26. Nc4 Bxd6 27. Nxd6 Rb8 28. Nc4 Rb7 29. f3 Rd7 30. Kf2 Rfd8 31. Ra4 Rd2+ 32. Nxd2 Rxd2+ 33. Kg3 Rxb2 34. Rc4 Rb5 35. Rxc6 Rxa5 36. Kf4 Ra4 37. h4 h5 38. c4 a5 39. Rc7 Rb4 40. Kg5 Kg7 41. e5 Rb6 42. c5 Re6 43. f4 a4 44. Ra7 Rc6 45. g4 hxg4 46. Kxg4 Rxc5 47. Rxa4 Rc8 48. Ra7 Re8 49. h5 gxh5+ 50. Kxh5 Rh8+ 51. Kg5 Re8 52. Ra5 Rd8 53. f5 Re8 54. f6+ Kh7 55. Kf5 Rf8 56. Ra1 Rh8 57. Rh1+ Kg8 58. Rxh8+ Kxh8 59. e6 fxe6+ 60. Kxe6 Kg8 61. Ke7 Kh8 62. f7 Kh7 63. Kf6 Kh8 64. f8=Q+ Kh7 65. Qg7# 1-0 

Mates on the board at Derby Joe

The onset of a horrendous snowstorm didn't stop us from descending on Derby Joe -- a snug, cozy café on Derby Street in Salem -- for some battles over the chessboard.

Gabridoodle beats the Chess Pirate

The Chess Pirate, a notorious action junkie, wanted a three minute game and that's what she got.  At one point, the Gabridoodle informed the Pirate that she could have captured en passant.  This elicited the quote-of-the-game: "I don't play French !"  Hilariously, the Gabridoodle later left his queen en prise but the Pirate didn't notice ! In the end, with less than 20 seconds left on the clock, the Gabridoodle delivered mate on the board.

The Armenian Eagle beats the Gabridoodle... with bishops !

In a game with the Armenian Eagle, the Gabridoodle fell victim to a rapacious bird of prey.  The Eagle was made to earn his victory (in no small measure thanks to the Pirate's "Marines never give up" kibitzing).  The Eagle eventually delivered an artful mate with his bishops.

Surviving a frightening position

After a hiatus of several months, the Gabridoodle was finally back at Boston's South Station for the monthly simultaneous exhibition given by Grandmaster Larry Christiansen. There was a full house, so the Gabridoodle only got in two games.  He lost both but each went more than 30 moves, a small achievement.

In the second game, he managed to survive this frightening position.  Oh, sure it looks tame enough, but in fact, all hell is threatening to break loose.

Derby Joe menagerie

Just two days before Halloween, things were crazy in downtown Salem.  Derby Joe, a chess-friendly café on Derby Street, was jam-packed with tourists, in particular Pennsylvanians.

After losing a game on time, the Gabridoodle proceeded to demolish the Chess Pirate in three brisk but non-clocked games.  As a result, he won three new friends, George the baboon, Garry the gibbon, and Bruce the lavender log cabin elephant.

The Gabridoodle poses with his dear new friend George

The whole gang.

A couple of amusing mates:

An odd variation at Derby Joe

Derby Joe, a funky little café near the House of Seven Gables in Salem hosts a chess gathering every Saturday at 11:00.   Today's shindig featured a battle for The Shiny.  In that blazing-fast 5 minute game, the Chess Pirate stripped her own king naked and soon paid the price: the Gabridoodle was able to thump his chest like a gorilla and keep possession of The Shiny.

After this excitement, which was followed by the usual indulgence of piratical vanity, the Pirate insisted on doing something "interesting."  "Interesting" turned out to mean a game with this crazy starting position:

A coin was flipped to determine who went first.  The Pirate won the toss but lost the game, the Gabridoodle being able to adjust to the variant's theoretical implications quickly enough.

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.

Larry Christiansen: the modesty of a grandmaster

While there wasn't much truly remarkable about today's simul at South Station, Grandmaster Larry Christiansen did begin by joking that his autograph was worth 39¢ on eBay.  The Gabridoodle isn't selling !

There was a full house and the Gabridoodle only got in two games. Both were relatively long, 36 and 41 moves.  Against a grandmaster, the Gabridoodle considers anything more than 30 moves a small triumph.

A gawker posted a video in which the Gabridoodle appears briefly.

Game 1

The Gabridoodle was stunned when the GM opened with c4 -- he almost always starts with e4.  Perhaps, as GM Ben Finegold likes to joke, it was because c4 is an explosive move.  After collecting himself, the Gabridoodle went for a symmetrical English.  However, he later blundered a piece and never really recovered.

Game 2

The second game featured some relatively interesting action. GM Christian had the white pieces again.

Here, the Gabridoodle actually managed to be a dirty rat and pull a fast one on the GM. After moving his queen to f6, Christian chased it away with his knight.  Maybe he didn't notice the pawn on f2 was hanging or, perhaps more likely, he didn't care.

Christiansen's rook to f1 chases away the Gabridoodle's queen but with queen to d4, he threatens mate and forces a queen trade.  The GM seemed unhappy about this.

Later on, the GM finagled an exchange and is about to turn his queenside pawns into a fleet of runaway locomotives.  Here, finally at move 41, the Gabridoodle resigned rather than suffer while Christiansen ground out the win.

There's usually more than one way to get out of check

This is a little lesson for the beginners...

We won't name any names, but the Gabridoodle had an amusing 16-move miniature in a game with a member of Salem CHESS CLUB played at Chess.com. 

What happened

The game had a very sharp opening.  The unnamed player panicked a little and swapped a piece for a pesky pawn.  However, the Gabridoodle was then given a few scares by his opponent's rampaging queen.  After some fancy footwork, he found a way to bail out, forcing a queen trade.  Or so he thought...

For once in his life, the Gabridoodle was gallant and messaged his opponent a hint: don't panic and consider there may be more than one way to get out of check.  Despite this helpful advice, his opponent responded to the check with a fatal mistake: Kd1.

At first, the Gabridoodle was all excited about the prospect of taking his opponent's queen for free.  But then he saw that he could deliver instamate instead.

As they say: when you see a good move, look for a better one.

They also joke that if you have a choice between taking your opponent's queen for free and checkmate, take the queen.  There is small grain of truth to this: the mate you see might turn out not to be mate, while if you take the queen, you'll probably end up winning.

What should have happened...

When you're in check and it isn't mate, you'll have one, two, or three ways of getting out of check:

* Moving the king.

* Interposing a piece between the king and the attacking piece.

* Capturing the attacking piece.

Had the unnamed opponent simply captured the Gabridoodle's queen, he'd have recaptured with the bishop and the game would have continued.

Simul at South Station: a passerby demands the notation

Once a month, Grandmaster Larry Christiansen gives a simultaneous exhibition at Boston's South Station.  Salem CHESS CLUB thanks the GM, the organizers, and the sponsors for making the event happen.

Here, in the first game, the Gabridoodle got a bit cocky and tried his new move -- he learned it from videos on teh interwebs, of course.  When placing a knight on a good outpost, screw it in like a lightbulb !  Needless to say, Christiansen had seen this before.

The Gabridoodle lost the first two games, the second a very brisk miniature.  He also lost the third, but in that one he mounted a spirited defense.  In fact, a passerby asked to photograph the notation !  This left the Gabridoodle chuffed but he managed to stop himself from puffing.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Ne5 10. Bb3 a6 11. h4 b5 12. h5 Nc4 13. Bxc4 bxc4 14. Bh6 Bd7 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. hxg6 fxg6 17. Qh6 Kf7 18. O-O-O Rh8 19. Nd5 Qf8 20. Qe3 Nxd5 21. exd5 Qg7 22. Rh4 Raf8 23. Ne6 Bxe6 24. Qxe6 Ke8 25. Rxc4

ended with:

Here are some more snaps from the event...

Meanwhile, on the Twitter, someone posted video of the GM in action.

In which RN and Henry call Fischer

From an Icelandic book...

Paul Keres to appear on a coin

Joining the Eurozone was moronic, but at least Estonia is putting Paul Keres on its €2 coin next year.

16 December 2015: the winter of the Pirate's discontent

For the first time in a year and two days, the Gabridoodle and the Chess Pirate did battle over the board.  The action took place at Derby Joe (see Twitter and Facebook), a new café in Salem (it's on Derby Street a couple blocks east of Derby Wharf) that hosts an informal blitz tournament every Wednesday at 5:30.

The Gabridoodle enjoyed two wins and suffered two losses in his games with the non-CHESS-CLUB players.  Based on what he overheard, the Pirate also had a mixed performance, though with the players struggling to adapt to her maniacally aggressive opening play.  She had at least one en passant problem.

After several days of tense negotiations, the Pirate and the Gabridoodle agreed on a 10 minute game for The Shiny (officially, the Incumbent Champion's Medal).  Despite lots of big talk and pre-game summoning of "energy," the Pirate was systematically dismantled by the Gabridoodle.  He also helpfully instructed her on how to castle queenside.  Anyway, the Gabridoodle thus retains the Shiny -- and for at least three months since the Pirate is going to be wintering in a tropical hell-hole again.  They then played a 5 minute game just for fun; in this one, a thoroughly chuffed Gabridoodle shredded the hapless Pirate.  The psychological impact of these defeats was severe enough that she had trouble finding her car afterward (it was parked on the same block).

An amusing, brutal, pin-it-to-win-it mate

This is from an on-line game with a CHESS CLUB member I shan't name.

First some bait: I move my a-rook to b8.  My opponent snaffles it up with the bishop and I recapture with my other rook.

Next up: I give check with rook to b1. The poor devil's only legal move is to block with the queen !

A grandmaster recently joked that if you have to choose between capturing your opponent's queen or giving mate, capture the queen.  However, I stick with orthodox chess theory.  My brutal intermezzo queen to e4 gives check and forces the king to f1 (note that blocking with the queen isn't an option because of the pin).  Pin-it-to-win-it, indeed !  Now I can take the queen with my rook, simultaneously delivering mate.