21 Nov 2012: pre-Thanksgiving horsing around

While everyone else was getting ready for Turkey Day travel, CHESS CLUB had an impromptu Wednesday afternoon meeting.

For the first time in quite some time, business was discussed.  Due to acrimony stemming from a draw at the previous meeting, some rules about The Shiny were proposed.  Basically, if there's a draw, the players can both agree to another regular game or one player can demand a blitz game.  Tentatively, it's been decided that 10 minutes each will be the time control for a Shiny-awarding blitz game.  Unresolved is the question of what happens if the blitz game is a draw: does the incumbent keep The Shiny or can the challenger demand another blitz game ?  Stay tuned !

Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, 0-1
Time control: 10 minutes plus 30 seconds per move

The game began in the usual fashion, with the Pirate managing to prevent the Gabridoodle from doing his castling chore until move 12.  At move 9, the Pirate waxed almost philosophical, making a hum-drum move and then musing, "But really, what's the fucking point ?"  She then tried to distract the Gabridoodle by means of nose grease !  This may have rattled him in some subtle way, because he blundered a bishop away on move 18.  However, as usual, adversity was inspirational for the Gabridoodle.  At move 20 (see illustration), the Pirate's nose gear may have caused temporary chess blindness.  Instead of saving her queen from his horse, she castled long (perhaps proud of now knowing how to do so properly).  The rest was academic.

After this there was a just-for-fun (not Shiny) blitz game (five minutes each on the clock).  The Gabridoodle, as expected, lost on time but both players agreed that much progress was made.

26 Oct 2012: in which the Pirate collapses in 27 moves

What could be better on a fine Friday afternoon in October than a fight for The Shiny ?  The Chess Pirate and the Gabridoodle met up at the Clubhouse for a game that, while not a miniature, certainly didn't take long.

Chess Pirate - Gabridoodle, 0-1

The Pirate got off to her usual textbook-shredding start.  At move 5, the Gabridoodle proudly announced, "See ?  I used the ponies.  You haven't even touched..."  She interrupted him, snapping, "Be quiet !"  At move 6, she made a truly ghastly blunder, blithely moving her queen to d5 (see illustration).  The Gabridoodle announced he was seriously thinking about resigning -- and the Pirate bought it !  Of course, he didn't resign, instead promptly using his pony to trample the Pirate's queen.  She didn't take this well, saying, "I hate you !  You suck !  This game sucks !  You suck !  Bastard.  Damn."  It's entirely possible that the Pirate's chess blindness was caused by cleaning chemicals; either that or a bad batch of Glazed Pope-ums.

The game continued.  The Gabridoodle thought he'd achieved checkmate at move 19, but he was mistaken.  Thus he inadvertently did The Exchange (rook for pony).  The Pirate remarked, "Dead end !  It's gonna be at least 50 [moves]."

Shortly after the Pirate proclaimed, "Don't give me any false checkmates !," the end indeed came (move 27; see illustration). This produced a particularly choice rant from the Chess Pirate.  Some highlights:

"Are you part of my therapy or something ?  Maybe you're here to help me with my logical skills."

"Fucking Shiny !  I've only had it once."

"Maybe I need a chess tutor or something."

Game at Gulu Gulu with a candidate member

This was a wild, crazy, and messy game held at the Salem Boardgames Meetup at Gulu Gulu.  This was not, repeat, not an exhibition game !  The Gabridoodle blundered away a queen in the early going but as usual, this setback was inspirational and he fought back with vigor.  The candidate member later fell victim to a discovered check that led to a sequence that did severe material and positional damage.  Indeed, the rest was mopping up.  In fairness to our candidate member, it should be noted that she played reasonably well for someone who was very much out of practice.

[candidate member] - Gabridoodle
Gulu Gulu Salem, MA, USA, 18.06.2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bg4 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.f3 Bh5 7.Bb3 Ke8 8.g4 h6 9.Ne6 Qd7 10.Nc3 Bf7 11.Ba4 Nc6 12.Nxf8 Rxf8 13.b3 g5 14.h4 Rh8 15.Ba3 gxh4 16.Qb1 Nd4?? 17.Bxd7+ Kxd7 18.b4 Nxf3+ 19.Ke2 Ng5 20.b5 h3 21.Rf1 Nxg4 22.Rg1 Bh5 23.Nd5 Rhf8 24.c4 Nf2+ 25.Ke1 Nf3+ 26.Ke2 Nxg1+ 27.Ke3 h2 28.Qxg1 hxg1Q 29.Rxg1 Nd1+ 30.Kd3 Nf2+ 31.Kc2 Nxe4 32.d3 Nc5 33.Rg5?? hxg5 34.Bxc5 dxc5 35.a4 g4 36.a5 g3 37.Kc3 g2 38.Kb3 g1Q 39.b6 axb6 40.axb6 Bd1+ 41.Kb2 c6 42.Nc7 Ra6 43.Nxa6 bxa6 44.b7 Rb8 45.Ka3 Rxb7 46.Ka2 Rb3 47.Ka1 Qf2 48.d4 Qb2# 0-1