Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle is a beauty!


Black's must have been happy with his last move: 24...a4. However, White's next move shattered any illusions he may have had. White to play and win.

Solution to the last puzzle:
Bogoljubow- Ed. Lasker
New York 1924
1.Bxg5 Kxg5 2.d5 Kf6 3.d7 Bxd7 4.exd7 Ke7 5.Kc5 a6 6.Kb6 1-0

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


Opposite coloured bishop endings have a frustrating tendency to end in a draw. White could play 1.Kc5, but is there a way to bring about a speedier conclusion?

Solution to last puzzle:
Roneat - Reicher
Germany 1950
1.Qe6+ Black is obliged to capture the queen by 1...Nxe6 or 1...Bxe6. Either way it makes no difference; White plays 2.Nh6#. Note that e6 was the only good square on which to give up the queen; anywhere else would have broken the mating net around the black king.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:

White, to move, has already sacrificed two pieces. What move would he like to play and how does he get to play it?

Solution to last puzzle:
Paul McVeigh - Simon Wilson
Marlwood Trophy, Bristol 1987
20.Qxe7!! Kg8 If 20...Kxe7 21.Bc5 Kf6 22.g5# or in this line 21...Qd6 22.Bxd6+ Kd7 23.Be5+ wins.
21.Bxa7 Rxa7 22.Qxa7 Qc8 23.e5 1-0

Sorry Sean but you know the saying: "never let the truth get in the way of a good story!"

Nothing at all to do with chess

Saw this on Kevin Spraggett's site and thought it was brilliant. It's almost art.

 

Well what do you lot think? Isn't it mad!!

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


Not too difficult but a nice position and a nice move by one of our own. Can you find it?


Solution to last puzzle:
JJ. Walsh - G.J. Boyd
Irish Ch, 1952
J.J. Walsh wrote: I was quite pleased with this coup until several years later I found that after 1.Bh3?? Qxh3 2.Qxd5 black can turn the game in his favour by 2...Rxf2!! Now white is faced with mate on the move and 3.Rxf2 allows 3...cxd5 and 3.Kxf2 is answered by 3...Rf8+: followed by cxd5.

What do you have to do the trick some people? I thought I had done a fine job of giving the barest information in the last puzzle. So imagine my surprise when I got an email from Sean Coffey giving me the solution and also telling me that it was by J.J Walsh - I was gobsmacked. It's bad enough he solves all the problems but he also knows all the sources! I definitely wouldn't fancy facing him across the chessboard.

Game by Peter Cafolla

Peter Cafolla sent a game from the recent EU chess Championship in Italy. Ireland was represented in the event by FM John Delaney, Anthony Fox and Peter Cafolla. The first two had the satisfaction of finishing above their seeding. Peter had the satisfaction of playing the following game:

Nice game Peter and thank you for your contribution.

Ireland play Russia in the Chess Olympiad

Sorry for the misleading headline - but the recent match brought back memories, of reading about, another match when Ireland played Russia in a chess Olympiad.

On the 6th October 1958 Ireland were paired against the Soviet Union at the Munich chess Olympiad. This was in the day's when teams had to qualify for the finals. Ireland ended up in qualifying group one. As to be expected we came last in this group with 4 points. However, we at least had the satisfaction of winning one match - beating Italy. Getting back to Ireland v Russia. This must have been a truly memorable experience as the Russian team was star studded. A little research found the following by J.J Walsh who played board one for the Irish team:

"October 6th 1958 was a memorable day for Irish chess. On this day we played the USSR in the Munich Olympiad and although losing by the expected 0-4 margin, we were far from being disgraced. The Soviet team on that occasion was M. Botvinnik (world champion); 2.P. Kere; 3, D. Bronstein: 4.M Tal (future world champion). My game with the world champion produced a stirring struggle in which I was not totally without chances."

The other members of the Irish team on that great day were Brian Reilly, Desmond De Loughrey and A. Russell.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle is a beauty, it's source is very close to home.


White had an extra pawn in this position but the well-placed black knight was a nuisance. In the game White solved this difficulty by 1.Bh3! Qxh3 2.Qxd5 Qe6 3.Qxe6 Rxe6 4.d5 and black soon resigned. Years later White discovered a flaw in this sequence which would have turned the game in Black's favour. Can you spot it?


Solution to the last puzzle:
Ivkov - Duric
Yugoslavia 1983
1.Ng5! 1-0 for if 1...hxg5 2.Rh3. 1...g6 2.Qg6.

Chess Puzzle

Well yesterday was a good day - I learned something new! David McAlister solved the problem of the problems.(Sorry about that!) Check the comments under the last post to see for yourself. It seems Fritz isn't the best choice for solving chess problems! I find this strange as you'd think mate is the goal of any game. How could Fritz after 5 minutes of analysis not find a mate in two? I downloaded MateMaster (Freeware), a chess problem solving program,  instead and it found the solution in less than 5 seconds. I also ran the problems through Rybka 2.2 and it also failed to find the solution. It got me thinking so I played the first move of the solution into Fritz and instantly it announced mate in one. I'm just curious but I thought the strength of chess engines was the ability to calculate long variations. If they can not find mate in two and three, it questions our reliance - or more specifically our faith in them.

Well that's my thought for today out of the way.

Here's a puzzle to keep you distracted:


A simple one for the weekend. White to play and win.

Solution to the last puzzle:

Lentze - Thornton
Hastings Challengers 1994

1.Bxh7+ Kxh7 2.Qh5+ Kg8 3.Rh3 f6 4.Qh8+ Kf7 5.Ncd6+ Bxd6 6.Nxd6+, or 1...Kf8 2.Rh3 e5 3.Bf5 Resigns as in the game.

Chess Puzzle

Isn't it great to see the Irish team representing us in Russia. Sam Collins had a great result yesterday, and thankfully everyone performed today to get a 4-0 score against Papua New Guinea. If we can just win against the weaker teams and get the odd unexpected point against the stronger teams: I for one will be very happy.

Today's puzzle:

I decided to stick to the K.I.S.S. formula this time. Just a simple White to play and win.

The last puzzle I presented again caused problems for me. I took the article directly from the BCM of 1866 where the problems were presented without solutions. On running the positions through fritz I discovered that the first and last problem were faulty. The positions must have been given incorrectly. 

Solutions:
Problem 1:
1.Na3+ Kd4 2.Bg7+ f6 3.Bxf6#
1.Bg8 Nd3 2.Bf7+ Kc3 3.Bg7#

Problem 2:
1.Ne4 Rxe4 2.Qc5#

Problem 3:
1.Rc7 h6 2.Nxe6 Kxd5 3.Qf5#

Problem 4:
1.Qc1+ Kb5 2.Ba3 d4 3.Qc5+ Ka4 4.Rxa6#
1.Rc7+ Kb5 2.Qd5+ Ka4 3.Qb3+ Ka5 4.Bc3#

David McAlister may be able to shed some light on the issue!

Irish Problem Composing Competition

Today I will post something slightly different - some puzzles with a historical bent. I came across the following from the British Chess Magazine of 1886.

IRISH CHESS ASSOCIATION PROBLEM TOURNEY

The award in this competition has been announced. In the two-move section there were eleven entries, and two prizes (£2 and £1) have been awarded to Mr. C. Planck and Mrs. T.B. Rowland respectively. In the three-move section there were nine entries, and the prizes (also £2 and £1) fall to Messrs. C. Planck and W.H. Walsh respectively. Through the courtesy of Mr. T.B. Rowland, of Dublin, we are enabled to publish the prize-winners, which are as follow:

By C. Planck, M.A., London


White to play and mate in two moves.

By Mrs. T.B. Rowland, Dublin.


White to play and mate in two moves.

By C. Planck, M.A., London


White to play and mate in three moves.

By W.H. Walsh, Dublin


White to play and mate in three moves.


Solution to last puzzle:
Ibragimov - Rohde,
Las Vegas 2007
The hunted Black King is nearing safety, but White strike first with 1.Qe8+ Nxe8 2.g4+ 1-0, for he is mated after 2...fxg4 3.hxg4+ Kh4 4.Bf2#.

I took this solution directly from the source, but don't you feel that the writer is deceiving us when he states: the "Black King is nearing safety" It's a bit of a worry, doesn't he see that Black is about to be mated in four moves - how is he nearing safety?  Well I hope you enjoy the four problems presented today and reflect on whether things have really improved chess wise in Ireland?

Amazing Positions!

I came across the following recently, I thought it was interesting. And had never seen it before.

A defense perimeter is a drawing technique in which the side behind in material or otherwise at a disadvantage sets up a perimeter, largely or wholly composed of a pawn chain, that the opponent cannot penetrate. Unlike other forms of fortress, a defense perimeter can often be set up in the middle-game with several pieces remaining on the board.

I begin presenting a composed study with the theme:


W.E. Rudolph (La Strategie 1912)
White to move and force a draw.

White's has a material disadvantage, but forces a draw by giving up his remaining pieces to establish an impenetrable pawn chain. White draws with 1.Ba4+! Kxa4 (1...Kc4 2.Bb3+! Kb5 3.Ba4+ repeats the position) 2.b3+ Kb5 3.c4+ Kc6 4.d5+ Kd7 5.e6+! Kxd8 6.f5!


Now Black cannot break through White's pawn chain. His only winning chance is to place his rooks on b5, c6, etc. and hope that White captures them. White draws by ignoring all such offers.

Nice idea but couldn't happen in practice right? Wrong, the following actually happened in an OTB game:


A. Petrosian - L. Hazai
Schilde 1970

In this position, Hazai has a difficult endgame, since White can attack and win his a-pawn by force, and he has no counter-play. Black tried the extraordinary 45...Qb6!?, to which White replied with the obvious 46.Nxb6+? A mistake, Black should have carried out his plan of winning the a-pawn. 46...cxb6 Now Black threatens 47...h4, locking down the entire board with his pawns, so White tries to break the position open. 47.h4 gxh4 48.Qd2 h3! 49.gxh3 Otherwise 49...h2 draws. 49...h4! Black has established his fortress. White's can only breach the fortress by a queen sacrifice at some point (for example Qxa5 or Qxe5), but none of these give White winning chances as long as Black keeps his king near the centre. A draw was agreed within a few moves.

Here is the complete game:

Well I hope you enjoyed that, isn't chess amazing!

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


Just a simple White to move and win!

Solution to last puzzle:
Howell - Levitt
Staunton Memorial, London, 2005
Black begins a spectacular King hunt with 1...Rxa3+ 2.Kxa3 Qa1+ 3.Kb4 Qa4+ 4.Kc5 Bd4+ 5.Kd6 Qb4+ 6.Kc6 Qc5+ 7.Kd7 Qa7+ 8.Kd6 (or 8.Kc6 Be5 9.Qxf7+ Qxf7 10.Rxf7+ Kxf7 11.Kb6 Bxb2 12.Kxa6 b4 13.Kb5 Bc3 14.h4 Kg6, or 8.Kc8 Bc5) 8...Qe7+ 9.Kc6 Ke8 0-1

City of Dublin Chess Championship 2010

The above tournament was run last weekend at the Academy Hotel, Dublin. The eventual winner was GM Nick Pert with 5/6. Our own Colm Daly came clear second with 4.5/6 ahead of IM Sam Collins.

I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel as the event is very well covered on the City of Dublin site. I just wanted to highlight Colm Daly's play in this event. I begin by presenting his game against Sam Osbourne:

He just demolished Sam's King's Indian Defence. Next is his nice draw against GM Nick Pert:

Fine games - displaying clear logical play throughout. I can't wait to see the Irish games in the Olympiad.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


Black appears to be in a bit of bother, what should he do?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Polugayevsky - Parma
USSR - Yugoslavia 1965
Black missed that after 4.h6 Kg6! is a defence. It is curious that a strong grandmaster like Parma resigned in a drawn position.

Well done to Pat Twomey for spotting the solution. If only all our own games had white to play and win at the correct moment!

Chess Puzzle

Today's exercise:


Here Black resigned! He explained that after 1...Ra4! comes 2.Ra8+ Kf7 3.a7 Ra1 4.h6! gxh6 5.Rh8 winning. However, Black missed something in this sequence, can you do better?

Solution to last puzzle:
Hegde - Palatnik
Calicut 1988
Incredibly, the position contains the saving resource 1...Bg7!! 2.Rh4 (2.Rxg7 stalemate!) Bd4! threatening 3...Bxa7 and the game is drawn. In fact the defence was found by endgame composer I. Vancura in 1924.

Chess Puzzle

Just to say sorry for the gap in posts, I have been busy on other matters.

Today's puzzle:


In this position Black resigned. But incredibly, the position contains a saving resource. Can you see it?

Solution given to last puzzle:
D. Morschel - A.N. Rubinsztein
Cape Town Championship 1965
Rubinsztein played 1...Nf7! and White resigned. He cannot capture the knight because of 2.Kxf7 h5 and the pawn queens, while if 2.Kf5 Black first sets about capturing White's a-pawn then returns with his king to help his own pawn to promotion.

Well to be honest Sean Coffey (who else?) busted the above puzzle. Showing that many routes lead to a win. Not just one way as stated in the puzzle. Actually 1...Ne8! is the quickest win (that's what Nalimov endgame tables says!). Here's my excuse: I was in a hurry selecting the puzzle, and didn't check it. That's pretty feeble, but I think anyone spotting the flaw got more out of the puzzle than they would have usually gotten.

Dun Laoghaire Chess Festival

I was able to call into the Dun Laoghaire Chess Festival today and I was really impressed. What a remarkable achievement - to organize a GM and a IM event side by side. Eamon Keogh and Michael Crowe really deserve all our praise and acknowledgement. The event is being controlled by Gerry Graham and he is being assisted by Herbert Scarry and others. The above names should be familiar to every Irish chess player - their contribution to chess could not be calculated.

I don't think people realize or appreciate what some people do for Irish chess. Some people are criticizing these people from a position of ignorance. I hope that these people fail to realize the effect their words have upon other people. But I can say now that their words are deeply hurting people who have done immeasurable things for Irish chess.

I just wanted to get that off my chest. Back to the Dun Laoghaire Chess Festival, today was round five and it was really fantastic to be able to watch such tremendous chess players in action. I felt I was taking part in a little piece of chess history. I decided to make the day special for myself and requested the autograph of all participates. I was really impressed by how genuine and nice all these players were. I got all but one autograph, hopefully I'll get that tomorrow.

Some of the participates have agreed to contribute material for the soon to be relaunched ICJ. I won't comment on the results etc, as I think the ICU site is doing a fantastic job of reporting on the event.

Chess Puzzle

Here is today's puzzle:


Can Black still win? Yes: Black found the one move which secures the full point for him. Can you?

Solution to last puzzle:
A.A. Ponelis - B. Kerr
Inter-Union Congress, Randburg 1978
White played 1.Rh3+! and Black resigned because of 1...Kxh3 2.Qf3+ Kh4 3.Qg3 mates.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


White found a neat way to exploit the insecure situation of Black's king in this position, bringing the game to a quick end. How did he do so?


Solution to the last puzzle:
R.F. Griffiths - J. Wolpert
SA Championship, Pretoria 1963
Griffiths came out with 2.Rc3! Now if 2...a2 there follows 3.Qxe5+ Ka7 4.Qc5+ Kb8 5.Qf8+ Ka7 6.Ra3+ Kb6 7.Qd6+ Kb5 8.Qa6+ followed by 9.Rxa2 and wins. So Black played 2...Qb1+ 3.Kh2 Qf5 4.Rxa3 Rb2 5.Qa7+ Kc8 6.Rf3! and resigned. A fine piece of adjournment analysis by Griffiths. Going back to the diagram, any move by White's queen allows 2...Qxc1+ 3.Qxc1 a2 and the pawn queens, while any other move, other than 2.Rc3, allows 2...a2. Hence White's optimism!

Chess Puzzle

Today task:


In the above ending Black sealed the forced 1...Kb8 and confidently declared he would win. But White was equally confident of victory! On resumption he produced a problem-like move which validated his optimism. What was it?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Ivanov - Vitolinsh
URS-FL Frunze 1979
At first sight it seem that Black can hold on, but the strike 83.Rg5+!! clarifies the situation: 83...Kxg5 84.h7 Re1 (84...Rf6+ 85.Ke7 Kg6 86.h8Q Rxf7+ 87.Ke6) 85.Kd7 Rd1+ 86.Ke8 Re1+ 87.Kf8 Rh1 88.Kg7 1-0

Sean Coffey came up trumps again and provided the composer and solution to the query in the last post. Readers should look at the comments to see Sean's brilliant explanation of the strategy required for White to win. It makes the whole problem!

Chess Puzzle

Today's chess exercise:


At first sight is seems that Black can hold on, but White finds a surprising resource. Can you find it?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Szabo - Hort
Wijk aan Zee 1972
Black played the correct 1...Ke5, and White, after thinking for 55 minutes, resigned. He considered these possibilities: 2.Ke2 Rd3! 3.Re7+ (or 3.Ra3 Kd5 followed by Kc4) 3...Kf5 (not 3...Kd5? because of 4.Rd7+ Kc4 5.Rxd3 exd3+ 6.Kd2! with a draw) 4.Rf7+ Ke6 and Black wins the pawn and the game. After 2.Kc2 Black can quite simply push the passed e-pawn-try it yourself! The poor position of White's Rook on the 7th rank makes Black's win easy because the Rook, as in the first variation, has little scope. If the Rook stood on its best square, a8, Black could not have made progress. It's not for nothing that Rook endgames are considered among the most difficult ones!

That puzzle's solution required quite a lot of quotation from the source so I think it's only fair that I should name my references! It was taken from "the Best Move" by Vlastimil Hort and Vlastimil Jansa, 1980. Quite an interesting book, very difficult as the positions aren't really puzzles in the usual meaning of the word.

Stephen Short presented a very interesting position in the Cork Chess Club last night. He wouldn't tell us the solution - he has an evil side!! I have seen it before, but can't find it at the moment.



I'm sure Sean Coffey will give me the composer and solution!

Chess Puzzle

Well today I'm introducing a slightly different concept. The position below requires more work from the solver. The win isn't a tactical twist or combination but an appraisal of the position and the formulation of a plan.


What is the best way for Black to realize his advantage?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Fischer - Unzicker
World Team Championship, 1970
Fischer did play 1.Nf6 and after 1...Kg7 2.Kf2! Bd1 (if 2...Kxf6 3.Kxf3 is an easy win) 3.Nd7! c4 (if 3...Bxg4 4.f6+ and wins after 4...Kg8 5.f7+! or 4...Kg6 5.f7 Kxf7 6.Ne5+ and 7.Nxg4) 4.Kg3 Unzicker resigned. White wins with his supported passed pawn.

Chess Puzzle

Today's test:



(White to move) is a pawn up, but Black threatens to regain it at once by Bxg4, while if White plays 1.Nf6 then Kg7. What did White play in the diagram, and how did the game end?

Solution to last puzzle:
Hartston - Whiteley
Cambridgeshire v Middlesex match 1973
1.Qg6+! and wins. If 1...Qxg6 2.Rexe7+ Kd8 3.Rbd7 mate.

Sam Collins has done it!

Sam Collins has achieved his second grandmaster norm. In the last post I mistakenly claimed he needed one point from his last two games. Thankfully I was wrong - Kevin O'Connell on the Leinster Chess Blog cleared it all up and showed that only half a point was required against the right opponents.

Well he did it, now to complete the grandmaster requirements Sam requires a third norm and a rating of 2500. No pressure, but he has a chance in the Dun Laoire Tournament at the end of the month and also at the Olympiad.

Here is the game which helped Sam achieve the second grandmaster norm.

Hopefully it won't be too long before we can say he has achieved his third and final norm.

Sam Collins getting closer to the Grandmaster goal!

IM Sam Collins is having a fantastic performance at the 2010 Artic Chess Challenge, held in Norway!

After seven rounds his score stands at an undefeated 5.5/7. This after playing one Woman International Master and five Grandmasters!! The talk is that if he achieves one point out of his last two games he could get his second grandmaster norm.

I don't think I will ever have to worry about these formula so I will just cross my fingers for Sam and hope he achieves whatever is required. 

Against the five Grandmasters Sam scored three draws and two wins. I provide below his fine win against GM Ivan Ivanisevic (2611)

I for one will be following Sams performance for the rest of the tournament. You can to at the following link provided by Alex Lopez.

These feel like magical times for Irish Chess - between the fine performances at the British Championship, the closed tournaments in Dublin at the end of the month, the plans John Delaney and others have for junior chess, and now maybe a home grown Irish Grandmaster. I hope this leads to an Irish chess explosion.

The Irish at the British

Well the British championship concluded tonight and I must say that the Irish players did very well.

Firstly, in the under 13 championship, Ronan Magee took clear second with a score of 5.5/7 - and a performance rating of 175 BCF (2125).

Pete Morris had a great performance in the Senior championship and finished on 4.5/7. He final score does not reflect how close he was to winning.  He was in with a shout till the very last round - he played on board two in this round. He had some good wins against J. Dodgson (2125) in round two and Jim Vickery (2135) in round six. (Many thanks to Pat Twomey for bringing this to my attention.)

In the championship proper Ryan R Griffiths was unlucky in the last round: in trying to avoid a draw by repetition he walked into a mating net. I think Ryan will be glad to see the back of this championship as he didn't appear to be firing on all cylinders. His performance at the last Hastings tournament shows he is capable of so much more than this. Definitely better things to come.

You can view their individual results at the following link. Well done to all those who took part - you did us proud!

Chess Puzzle

Today's mental exercise:


It took White some time to spot a win in this position. White has sacrificed a knight for the attack; how should he continue?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Partos - Planin
Balkaniade, 1974
Plannic got the draw on his grandmaster reputation. After 1...Rxd4 White has a forced win by 2.Kxd4 a1(Q) 3.Rxa1 Nc2+ 4.Kc3 Nxa1 5.Kb2 Kg6 6.h4 Kh5 7.Kxa1 d4 8.Kb1 when White's king can catch the black pawn and then help his own pawns to queen.

Griffiths takes Grandmaster Scalp!

Today in the British Championship in Canterbury, Ryan Griffiths played a fine game and beat GM Summerscale (2428). This is a great result and must be some consolation for Ryan who appeared to be playing well below par so far in the championship.

 

Well done Ryan, and best of luck in the rest of the championship.

Chess Puzzle

Here is another puzzle to flex your chess muscles:


(Black, to move) played 1...Rxd4. His opponent, pondered, then offered a draw, which Black accepted.
Was White justified in offering a draw, and did Black act wisely in taking it?

Solution to the last puzzle:
If Black, whose opponent was the great player Samisch, expected Bxd6+ and exchanges, and a draw (since both Kings control both opposing Pawns) he was disappointed.
What happened was:
1.Rxd6 Rxd6 and now there is no hurry about recapture. Immediate recapture is automatism.
2.f6+! Ke6 3.Bxd6 Kxd6 4.c5+! and now one of White's Pawns will be uncontrollable.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


White to play. What result?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Schone - Nunchert
Potsdam, 1982
The solution given actually loses to the brilliant 2...Nb3+!!. Now there are only 3 possibilities: (a) 3.axb3 Rd1+ 4.Kc2 Rc7 mate. (b) 3.Kc2 Rc7+ 4.Kb3 Be6+ 5.Ka3 Ra4 mate. (c) 3.Kb1 Rd1+ 4.Kc2 Na1+ 5.Kc3 Rc7+ 6.Kb4 Rd4+ 7.Ka3 (7.Kb5 Rc5 mate) Ra4 mate.

Sorry about the slow posting of late. Destroyed my laptop during the week and trying to get myself organized again.

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


This position was first published in "Chess Mate" magazine in April 1983 with the stipulation that white was to play and win. The solution given is 1.Nb5! cb5 2.R6f8! wins. However, a talented reader wrote in demonstrating an error in the analysis. Can you find it?

Solution to the last puzzle:
Svancina - Muller
Vienna 1941
1...g4!! 2.Kc5 f4!!
But not 2...h4?? 3.gxh4 f4 4.g3! and White wins.
3...h4! 4.gxh4 g3
The third and final pawn sacrifice, forcing the decisive breakthrough.
5.fxg3 e3
And the rest was silence ...

Chess Puzzle

Today's puzzle:


By all rights White's king on c6 should mean a win, but Black has a way to force a pawn breakthrough. Can you find it?

Solution to the last puzzle as given?!

J. Metger – L.Paulsen
Nuremberg, 1883
Subsequently analysis, however, revealed a very deep manoeuvre leading to a win.
1.Kd4!
After 1.Kc5 a draw would result by 1...b6+. After 1.Kc4 Black would draw by 1...b5+.
1...Kc6
If 1...b6 then 2.a6 and White wins. If 1...Kd7 then 2.Kc5 Kc7 3.Kb5 Kd7 (if, instead Kc8 then Kb6 etc.) 4.Bg1 followed by Bh2 and White wins.
2.Bb6! Kd6
If 2...Kb5 then 3.Kd5 and Black loses his pawn.
3.Kc4 Kc6 4.Kb4 Kd6 5.Kb5 Kd7! 5.Kc5 Kc8
After other moves of the King 7.Bc7 followed by Kb6 would be the continuation.
7.Ba7 Kc7 8.Kb5 Kd7! 9.Bb8 Kc8 10.Bh2 K moves 11.Kb6 and White wins.

Further research shows there is more to this position than meets the eye. 

Cleared Up. This note by A.J. Roycroft in E.G., No. 11, January 1968, is translated from Deutsche Schachzeitung, viii/ix, 1967.

From, for example, p. 169 of A Manual of Chess, by Emanuel Lasker, 1932


Metger – L. Paulsen

“White, Metger, to play and win.”
1.Kd4. The black pawn must not be allowed to advance checking, since the reply to that advance is to be a6. 1...Kc6 2.Bb6 Kd6 Of course, if 2...Kb5 3.Kd5 and conquers b7; 3. Kc4 Kc6 4.Kb4 Kd6 5.Kb5 Kd7 6.Bg1 Kc7 7.Bh2+ K- 8.Kb6 wins.
(Moves, notes and stipulation as in Em. Lasker’s book.)

“An investigation by Egbert Meissenburg reveals the truth about the very well-known accompanying diagram. Most end-game treatises give the diagram as here with White to move, and the winning procedure. But what happened in the actual game? None of the authorities give a clear answer. Herr Meissenburg has consulted the original sources for the period, and comes to the following conclusion. The game was between J. Metger and L. Paulsen (that is, Metger was White) in the double-round tournament at Nurnberg in 1888, won by von Gottschall ahead of Harmonist. The actual position that arose was as in the second diagram, and the play proceeded: 1...Kc4 2.b3+ ab 3.Kb2 and the draw was agreed.

Position from the game
J. Metger – L. Paulsen,
Nurnberg, 1888


Paulsen play 1...Kc4? 2.b3+ ab 3.Kb2 and a draw was agreed.

“The sources consulted were Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1888, p. 285, and Bruderschaft for 1888, p. 283. It appears that only Euwe (1959) gives the correct game continuation, though reversing the colours. Herr Meissenburg informs that the first person to point out the actual continuation was Dr. Ernst Bachl in his column (no date given) in the Worms Allgemeiner Zeitung. It is, to us, quite astonishing how frequently the famous classical positions are subject to distortion, mis-quotation, and confused history.
“(It is rather extraordinary that the first diagram also appeared without particular comment in T.R. Dawson’s endings column in the British Chess Magazine in February, 1946, as an original composition by the well-known player, later twice British Champion, R.J. Broadbent.)”

(BCM, April, 1968)

All I can say is it is a very instructional position!

Chess Puzzle

Found this lovely instructional position:



In this position the players agreed a draw, and this decision certainly appears justified, since the Bishop does command the queening square (a8). How would you assess the position?

Solution to the last puzzle.
Aherne, J - O'Cinneide, M
Telecom Eireann Irish Open, 1992
Black found 1...Rd1+! 31.Nxd1 e2 32.Nc3 e1Q+ 0-1

Chess Puzzle

Best of luck with this one.


Black found the quickest win in this position, Can you?

Solution to yesterday's puzzle.
D. Friedgood - F. Korostenski
Jan Smuts Holiday Inn Open 1977
In the diagrammed position White can actually play 1.Kxe3! If now 1...b1=Q 2.Rc8+ and Black must play his King to the b-file: 2...Kb3 3.Rb8+ Kc2 4.Rxb1 Kxb1 and White wins easily.

Forgotten games!

I hope to present games played by Irish Chess player's which I feel deserve to be remembered. Where possible the game will be annotated by the Irish player involved. The game can be from any period but it must be annotated by the player himself. We'll see how I get on with that idea! 

If I find a particular good game I will try contacting the player involved and asking for his notes.

To kick off the series here is a game from Kevin O'Connell. He stated on the ICU site that: "One of his proudest moments was seeing my game against Grabinger, Bagneux 1970, published in many French newspapers and magazines". This got me thinking and on doing a web search I found the game with notes by Kevin on the Exeter Chess Club site.

Good game - hope you enjoyed it!

Chess Puzzle

Good luck with today's puzzle.


Both players were in time trouble in the above position, so White felt obliged to take the draw by repetition of position: 1.Rc8+ Kd4 2.Rd8+ Kc4 (and not Kc5 because of 3.Rb8 and Black cannot interpose his rook on b3 - after Kc4 he can). What did both players miss?

Solution to yesterday's puzzle:
A A Ponelis - P van Dyk
OFS Open, Kroonstad 1967
1.e6! and with the attack on his queen, his knight and f7 Black is powerless. He tried 1...Qxf4 but after 2.exf7+ capitulated. If 2...Qxf7 3.Rxe8 mate.

Well done to Sean Coffey again! Remind me not to play you OTB - you see too much altogether.

Chess Puzzle

Enjoy today's puzzle:

There is an absolutely unanswerable move in this position. White found it, Can you?

Here is the solution to yesterday's puzzle:
Study by O. Duras
(Ceskoslovensky Sach, 1927)
First let us look at some wrong ways of playing (a) 1.Kb7 Kd2 2.Kc7 Kxe2 3.Kd7 Kf3 4.Kxe7 Kf4 5.Kxf6 and White wins easily. Here both players have played badly; so let us improve Black's play, since he lost. (b) 1.Kb7 Kd2 2.Kc7 Ke3! 3.Kd7 Kf4 4.Kxe7 Kxf5 drawn. So. (c) 1.Kb6! Kd2 2.Kc5 Ke3! 3.Kd5 Kf4 4.Ke6 Ke4 (4...Kg5 5.e4) 5.e3! and wins - Black must move with fatal results. But maybe Black can do better? Yes. (d) 1.Kb6! Kc3! 2.Kc5 Kd2 3.Kd5 Ke3 4.Ke6 Kf4 5.e3+ Ke4 Now it is White's move - not Black's as in (c) - and he must play 6.Kxe7 Kxf5 Drawn. So Black's subtle manoeuvre Kc3-d2 gained him a tempo. So it is drawn? No - White too can gain a tempo and we get the correct play (e) 1.Kb6! Kc3! 2.Kc5 Kd2 3.Kc6! Ke3 4.Kd5 Kf4 5.Ke6 Ke4 6.e3! and wins. In the final situation here, when the Kings are opposite each other with one square between them and Black has to move away, White is said to have "gained the opposition", gaining the opposition is a central element in King and Pawn endings and manoeuvres in this study to gain (or lose) tempi are characteristic of there endings.

Sorry for the long-winded solution I will be more selective in future. It is worth going through though for it's instructional value.

Dr. Osip Bernstein's favourite player (Part II)

Reference: Chess Review, December, 1956 page 408.

But he loved the game of chess, too, and Bernstein set up the pieces in the postion which he won by a beautiful combination against that much feared attacking player, David Janoswki.

Mason - Janoswki
Monte Carlo, 1902

It is White to move, and Black is a Pawn down and has a "bad" Bishop. And Janowski was a fighter and is in position to seek counter-chances with his pressure on the Queen Knight file on which White's Knight is pinned. What more natural then that Mason should now exchange Queens and plod along working for more exchanges of the pieces to liquidate into the ending.


But no. With great insight, Mason has planned to sacrifice his Queen, to reach a won ending quickly.
48.Qh8+ Kd7 49.Nd4!
It is the depth of this last move which arouses Bernstein's admiration.
49...Rxb2
As a nice point, if the Knight is accepted (49...Rxd4), then mate follows 50.Rb7+. Of course, if 49...Rxh8 Black is helpless after 50.Rxb4.
50.Qxb8
Beautiful, simple and convincing. The Black Queen cannot escape, while White threatens to do so with check.
50...Rxb8 51.Rxb8 Kc7 52.Nxe6+ Kxb8


The positional point of all the fire-works is now revealed. White has quickly liquidated into the remote, won ending, which seemed so difficult to achieve a few moves ago.
White's Knight, too, fits onto the situation like a glove! Now Mason demonstrates the win.
53.Nd4 Kc7 54.g4 h4 55.c3 Kd7 56.Kg1 Kc7 57.Kf2 Kd7 58.f5 gxf5 59.gxf5 Kc7 60.Ke3 Bg2 61.Nf3 Bxh3 62.Nxh4 Bg4 63.Kf4 Be2 64.Nf3 Bxf3 65.Kxf3 Resigns.

Here is the complete game for your approval:

Wow, two fantastic combination's that deserve to be better known.

Chess Puzzle

Good luck with today's puzzle:


This beautiful study illustrates a point of the greatest significance in the end-game, especially in King and Pawn endings - the importance of exact timing. White to play and win.

Here is the solution to yesterday's puzzle:
Tonoli - Vandenbroeck
Brussels, 1967
If Black were to play at once 1...Rg2+ Kh5 Rad2 intending Rd8-h8, White would play 3.Rd7 defeating the whole scheme, But Black can most ingeniously gain a tempo as follows: 1...Rd8! (threatening 2...Rg2+ 3.Kh5 Rh8+ 4.Bh7 Rxh7 mate), 2.Kg3 Against 2.h4 Black plays 2...gxh4 3.Rc7 Rg2+ 4.Kh3 Rg3+ 5.Kh2 (5.Kh3 Rg1 6.Rxc6+ Kg7 and White is helpless), 5...Rd2+ 6.Kh1 Rxf3 and wins without difficulty. 2...Rd1 (threatening Rg1 mate), 3.Kg4 Rg2+ 4.Kh5 Rd8 forcing mate, e.g. 5.Kh6 Rh8+ 6.Bh7 Rh2.
Not at all easy.

Not at all easy to type in either - must have taken half an hour to check all the variations.

Dr. Osip Bernstein's favourite player

Came across the following article in "Chess Review" 1956. From  "Chess Heroes from the Golden Past" by Bruce Hayden.

I was looking out on the sea front of Hastings St. Leonards, Sussex, England and listening to the reminiscenes of Grandmaster Ossip Bernstein, now the last to survive to play chess from the age of Lasker, Tarrasch, Pillsbury - and even the youthful Capablanca, Alekhine and Rubinstein, before the First World War.
Bernstein was one of the great players from this golden age of chess. He knew and played against them all - even notching wins against the mighty Lasker. From the great St. Petersburg Tournament of 1909 down to the present day is a long trek; yet, when the veteran returned to the international arena at Montevideo, in 1954, at the age of 71, he won the First Brilliancy Prize by hoisting Nadjorf on the wrong end of a brilliancy in a demonstration of how he and his old comrades in arms used to do their stuff back in the old days.
But imagine my surprise when I asked the great old warrior who was his favourite among the players of the past. "James Mason," he replied, "Not because he was the strongest but because he played my two favourite combinations."
Then he showed me them on the chess-board beside us.

Mason - Winawer
Vienna, 1882
From his favourite Giuoco Piano, Mason now continued with the following.
40.Rxg5 hxg5 41.Qh7+ Nd7
On 41...Kd8 White's eye embraces the board to win back the Queen Rook! 42.Qh8+ Ke7 43.Rxb8. With the text, he wins a Knight.
42.Bxd7 Qg8
If 42...Qxd7 then simply 43.Qxd7+ recovering the Rook - or, as Tartakover gives, 43.Rc4+ Kd8 44.Qh8+. The text meets with an immortal reply.
43.Rb7+!!


Here is the wonderful point of the combination which makes this Bernstein's favourite. It is one of the finest conceptions in the literature of the game, says Tartakover, who adds that the themes of Deflection by 43...Rxb7 44.Qxg8, of Disorganisation by 43...Kd8 44.Rxb8+ (44.Qxg8+ will also do) and Disjunction by 43...Kxb7 44.Bc8++! form part and parcel of the whole conception. A wonderful double offer of the Rooks.
43...Kxb7 44.Bc8++ Ka8
Black avoids 44...Kxc8 45.Qxg8+ Kc7 46.Qg7+ and a prompt resignation.
45.Qxg8 Rxf5 46.Qd8 Rxd5 47.Qd7 Rb1+ 48.Kh2 Rd2 49.Qc6+ Kb8 50.Qxe4 Rbb2 51.Be6 Kc7 52.Qc4+ Kb6 53.Bd5 g4 54.hxg4 Rf2 55.Qc6+ Ka7 56.Qc7+ Resigns.
There was an elegance about Mason's play at its best, and an elegance about his Victorian prose in his chess writings. But, 'tis said, he looked upon the bottle long and lovingly-

For those interested in the complete game:

I will give the second position tomorrow...

Chess Video

Came across this video a few weeks ago, thought you might enjoy it.

Peter Cafolla (Annotated Game) II

Good news another annotated game from this year's Irish Championship.

Thanks to Peter Cafolla for sharing his work with us.

Chess Puzzle

Good luck with today's puzzle:


In this position, Black (to play) agreed a draw - no doubt fearing the effect of White's Rb6 followed by Rxc6+. He could, however, have won by a subtle and elegant manoeuvre. Can you find it?

Here is the solution to yesterday's puzzle:
Mlimaric - Predag
Sisak, 1970
(i) After 1...b1=Q? the game continued 2.e7+ Kf7 3.Rg7+ Kxf6 4.e8=N+ Kf5 5.Rg5 mate.
(ii) Black had to play 1...Ra5+! 2.Kd6 b1=Q and White can resign as the mating net no longer exists.
Black is severely penalized for an oversight which was very easy to make; White's mate is entirely fortuitous - an extraordinary stroke of luck.

Well done to Sean Coffey for solving yesterday's puzzle.

Chess Puzzle

Best of luck of with today's puzzle:


In this critical position, Black played 1...b1=Q. (i) What happened now? (ii) Was there a better first move for Black?

Here is the solution to yesterday's puzzle:
Taimanov - Smyslov
USSR Championship, 1967
White won by 1.Bf3! b5+! (and not 1...Bxf3? 2.h7 - still less 1...Bh7 2.Bc6 mate), 2.Kc3 (2.Kxb5? Nd4+ 3.Kxc5 Nxf3), 2...Ng5! 3.h7! (3.Bxe4? Nxe4+ 4.K moves Ng5), Resigns. 3...Bxh7 4.Bc6 mate or 3...Nxh7 4.Bxe4 Nf8 5.Bc6+ Nd7 6.Bxb5 c4 and White mates in four by 7.Kd4 (7.Kxc4?? stalemate), 7...c3 8.Kd5 c2 9.Kd6 c1=Q 10.Bxd7 mate.
A beautiful piece of play by both sides. This position is a reminder that even if Taimanov did lose 6-0 to Fischer he is a very strong Grandmaster.

Chess Puzzle

Here is the solution to yesterday's puzzle. Today's puzzle is a beauty!

Best of luck with this one, you'll need it.

Peter Cafolla (Annotated Game)

Wow, another great bit of luck Peter Cafolla has contributed one of his games with notes for your instruction. 

Thanks Peter looking forward to studying both games in depth. This is such a fantastic treat for the Irish chess playing community.

John Delaney (Annotated Game)

I really think Irish Chess is eventually getting places. The ICU site has made a huge leap forward in its coverage of Irish Chess news. The Leinster Chess Blog provides a welcome forum for discussion and  here I hope to fill the gap. 

Today on the Leinster Chess Blog we discussed ways and means of improving our chess. I said that Botvinnik stated the way to improve was to analysis your games and publish the results. With this in mind I offered to post anybodies games on this site. 

Well great news John Delaney has started the ball rolling with a game. I like John's notes as they provide more a window on his thought process than concrete analysis.

Hopefully this is the beginning of a new direction with this site. I would love to see this site grow with multiple contributors. If anyone is interested please contact me.

Chess Puzzle

Well how did you get on with yesterdays puzzle? Hope it wasn't too difficult, try today's it's a little easier!

Chess Puzzle

Today I'm going to start something new. I'm going to present a tricky chess position from play but I will not present the solution till tomorrow. It would be nice to see people post possible solutions in the comments field if they wish.

Beware, these are really diabolical positions!!

How to annoy people with your own chess site!

In the comments "tpe" (nice to hear from you) asked me about the game replay on this site - how's it done? Well firstly, a word of warning, I'm fairly new to all this. But this is what I've found so far - you have to use different methods depending on what you want to post.

I'll list the different sites I use:
chessflash (self explanatory really.)
chessviewer (have a look around the site it's slightly more difficult than the others but not too hard.)
chess (instructions on how to use are posted here.)

Chessflash

I've stopped using chessflash for presenting multiple games because it's been giving me trouble when I try to edit posts. Also it doesn't allow the download of the pgn. For single game posts it's good - the annotations can be clearly seen.

Chess

For multiple game posts I use chess.com. It also allows the download of the pgn and also allows the editing of posts without any problems. This is a big factor as I usually make a couple of mistakes during writing.

Chessviewer deluxe

Finally chessviewer deluxe: this is quite good for posting multiple games. It takes a small bit of tweaking to your blog settings but it's good for what it does.

Overall I think chess is the best. The ability to download the pgn file is a big factor for me when I visit other sites. I've provided a link to each - they're quite easy to use. Just read the instructions!

For chess diagrams I don't think you can beat chessup! It's main advantage over similar sites is the ability to add comments under the diagram.

As I said above - I'm quite new to this and if anyone has suggestions (about chess!) I'd love to hear from them.

A little humour!

I came across something similar on another site and I said why not!

I  thought they were very funny!

The lazy person's guide to the lazy person's guide to the endgame.

As you probably can gather at this stage I’m quite interested in endgame play. I’m always on the lookout for instructional articles on this sphere of the game. While looking through the net I came across reference to GM Ian Rogers articles “The lazy person’s guide to the Endgame” (1) (2). Well that sounded just right for me, I'm a fan of GM Rogers actually!

The articles are quite interesting however GM Rogers title had more than a little pun in it! I’m afraid on reading the comments attached to the articles the author had been a little lazy himself. I will present just a couple of examples the first is only a small slip.

In the following position:

GM Rogers has this to say: "Diagram 2 shows the only type of trap into which White can fall—Black has perpetual check because of the stalemate trick 1. Kh6 Rh7+! 2. Kg6 Rg7+ 3. Kf6 Rg6+!." 

Simpler is 1. Kh6 Rh7+! 2. Kg6 Rh6+!!

The next example:

"With rooks instead of queens, White would probably not be able to win but with queens on the board White’s life could not be much easier—White pushes the a- pawn and then moves the queen out of the way and creates a new queen. Black can try to whip up counterplay but against White’s perfect kingside pawn structure he has no hope, e.g. 1. a4 f6 2. a5 g5 3. hxg5 fxg5 4. a6 h4 5. Qb7+ Kg6 6. a7 h3+ 7. Kxh3 Qxf2 8. a8=Q and Black has no more than some checks."

The following position is reached:

There is a mate: 8... g4+! 9.Kxg4 Qf5+ (same after 9.Kh4 Qf6+ 10.Kxg4 Qf5+) 10. Kh4 Qh5++. This doesn't change the assessment of the endgame as totally won for White, and easily preventable by playing 8.Qe4+ first, and only then 9.a8=Q. The Rules 1 and 2 are still correct, but it can be added (Axiom A?), that even in easy endgames a chess player still shall be careful...

The title of the article could stand if your opponent is also a lazy  person of course! Joking aside the corrections have proved very instructional. I have updated my own copy of the articles and they could provide good study material in the future.

Hope you enjoyed!

Klatovy Open A 2010

Well our boy in the Czech Republic did good: finishing in sixth place overall with a score of 6/9. A performance rating of 2381 and lost only one game.

The performance is really excellent when the standard of play is considered, Rory played dynamic chess throughout and was always willing to enter into complications. His play was well below his usual standard in his one loss. Rory played no short draws and in a number of the drawn games I felt that he had the advantage.

Here is Rory's eight round game!

The following is Rory's ninth round game, he definitely had the better of it. I wonder if Rory's exchange sacrifice on move twenty-six was really necessary?

Well done again Rory, no criticism intended I couldn't have done it! That's a great performance I hope it gives you confidence to go forward.

Klatovy 2010 Open A

Just a brief post to let you know what's happening with our boy in the Czech Republic. As you know in the sixth round Rory had black against Kubecka (2291). Well thinks didn't go his way and he got slaughtered to tell the truth. Won't really know what happened till we hear from Rory. All I can say is that he played well below par. In today's round Rory had a win against Tomas Duran (2236). It was on board eight so can't comment on the game. The top six boards are broadcast live.

This win brings Rory up to fifth place and has him playing Joel Jancarik (2179) on board three tomorrow. So we can follow the action online! Rory is still in with a chance of a prize as he is only half a point behind the leaders with two rounds to go. Fingers crossed that he can keep his cool and get a result.

It's great to see an Irish player performing at this standard! No matter what happens he has done us proud!

Rory Quinn leads Klatovy 2010 Open A

Rory has drawn his fifth round game against the number three seed Jan Sodoma (2364) of the Czech Republic. It was a good game, with Rory looking to be in trouble for a while, however he had it all worked out and White could make no headway.

The top game was also drawn so that places Rory in first place technically. I know its early days yet but here's hoping Rory can keep it up.

After four round Rory's performance rating was 2610!! However, conceding a draw to Sodoma has brought this down to 2532. Rory will be very disappointed (ha!).

As the above table shows next round Rory faces Kubecka - well best of luck Rory.

I'll keep you informed!

Chess Puzzle

Came across the following study while doing a thrall of the net a couple of years ago. As usual in chess, as in life, it provides an opportunity to learn something if you are willing to give it serious attention. You will, I feel, as Andrew Martin states about analysis of chess studies: "notice a distinct improvement in your perception of the game if you do."

Give it a shot, but watch out for Black's stalemate attempts!
1.Rb7!!
I hope you didn't fall for 1.Rxg1? Rf8+ 2.Qxf8+ Kg6+ 3.Kg8 Rh8+ 4.Kxh8 stalemate!
1...Rf8+
Looks like all roads lead to the same conclusion, but Sileav demonstrates a beautiful concept.
2.Qxf8+ Kg6+ 3.Kg8 Rh8+ 4.Kxh8 Qh1+
Black is aiming for the stalemate manoeuvre.
5.Qh6+!!


What a move.
5...Qxh6+ 6.Kg8 1-0


The final position - Black has no moves. The threat of Rb6 mate is crushing.

Well what did you think? Is that not a brilliant concept presented with the minimum of material.

And now just to be honest here is the link to the original article by IM Andrew Martin.

Klatovy 2010 Open A

Breaking news, Rory Quinn of Ennis has been having a great run in the Klatovy 2010 Open A tournament. At the moment he is in second place!

The tournament is a nine round swiss open tournament, with a time control of 2 h + 30 s of compensation per move until the end of the game. Rory is seeded 43 of the 83 competitors. This did not appear to bother Rory as in the first round he was paired, on board two, against the second seed IM Hausner (2451). Rory proceeded to win this game to the great surprise of the locals. In the second round Rory faced Turner (2191) on board 13 and drew this game. The following round saw Rory again on Board 13 with white against Cernik (2205). Rory also won this game bringing him into fifth place overall in the tournament. In todays round Rory had white again against Vorisek (2250). Rory again won bringing his score to 3.5/4. Fantastic performance, and this after Rory stating on his excellent blog: "I most likely won't be taking the chess aspect too seriously in any case!"

Well I think that idea is under some pressure at the moment. However Rory is at the disadvantage of not having his laptop with him, thus preventing him from proper preparation for his future opponents.

I present below two of Rory's games for your enjoyment, beginning with his first round win:

Now the latest game, which was nerve racking to watch, no mind play, as black was in severe time trouble even from the point I joined the game at move fifteen. The 30 second time compensation making it worse.

I will keeping you informed of Rory's results. Here's hoping he can maintain this excellent performance.

You can keep track of the tournament on this site and you can watch the six top boards on this site.

Was William H.K. Pollock Irish Chess Champion?

I see many biographies of Mr. Pollock state that he won the Irish Championship in Dublin in 1885. It is a possibility as a brief biography on this Canadian chess history site states he was "born in England of Irish descent." Wikipedia give Gino Di Felice, "Chess Results, 1747-1900", McFarland & Company, 2004, p. 97 as one source for his having won the Irish Championship.

However, to cloud the waters the most contemporary work I can find: "Pollock Memories: A collection of Chess Games, Problems Etc." by Frideswide F. Rowland, Dublin, 1899. Gives the following obscure statement:

"In 1885 he also played in the Master Tournament of the Irish Chess Association, coming out first, with 9 points, thereby winning the Irish championship. Mr. Porterfield Rynd (of Dublin) was second, with 8½. In the Handicap, however, Mr. Pollock only tied for second and third places, Mr. Rynd being first."

That is as clear as mud, to me anyway. I have no problems in accepted Mr. Pollock as an Irish Champion - he was most definitely of master strength. I just present the intriguing question.

Well if anyone doubts his credentails just have a look at the following game:

Notes by Wilhelm Steinitz from the tournament book.

I know David McAlister will put me right, but I couldn't resist posting the game.

Steinitz's Dublin blindfold display

As part of the 1865 Dublin Chess Congress a number of different events, separate from the three tournaments, were organized. These included simultaneous displays, telegraph matches, and Blindfold chess. Here is a contemporary report of the blindfold display by Steinitz.

"That excellent player, Herr Steinitz, twice exhibited his skill in blindfold Chess, playing on the first occasion three games at once against some of the strongest Dublin amateurs, and winning them all. At the second sitting he won four games out of five, and drew the fifth, to the great satisfaction of a numerous and brilliant assembly. The Lord Chancellor of Ireland was present, and expressed himself much interested in the performance. Should Herr Steinitz continue to practice this difficult branch of Chess, he would bid fair to rival the achievements of Paulsen or Morphy."

The Chess Player's Magazine, 1865 p. 342.

Below I present two of the games from the second display, culled from the pages of "Neue Berliner Schachzeitung" of 1866.

In the following game Steinitz takes on G.F. Barry.

Tim Harding gives an account of G.F. Barry's career here.

Great news!

If people can recall my post on Robert Pye - Ireland's greatest composer! They will be aware that I think Robert isn't receiving the attention (acknowledgment) he deserves. In an attempt to remedy this I have made contact with Robert. I have asked him for some more information on his work. It's with great pleasure that I can report that Robert has made contact and has promised to supply me with studies and games! With this information I hope to write an article for the ICU site and also create a page on this blog highlighting Robert's work. Looking forward to this task, you will be kept informed.

Belfast Northern Whig

I came across the following article in the Chess Player's Chronicle of 1861. I thought it might raise a smile.

MARRIAGE VERSUS CHESS

Let it be understood that I call marriage an evil only as regards Chess; for your new-made wife is a sad drag on your ardent chess-player, and we have even known ladies, married for years, who still cry out loudly, as their lord's weekly Club-night comes round; for that night they make every possible kind of engagement - that night is the only one of the week on which they can entertain their friends, and for that night, of all others, they most gladly accept an invitation.

Then the great female failing is antagonistic to the silent game, and players are obliged to dispense with ladies' society at their meetings. This leads to bachelor parties, another great cause of conjugal offence. I entertain all possible love and reverence for the sex; but still, with this my experience, I cannot refrain from advising the bachelor chessplayer, contemplating matrimony, to pause before he take the fatal leap. He must choose for himself; but let him do it deliberately between his board and his wife - between his chess-box and her band-box. Except through many a matrimonial row, there is no middle way.

- Belfast Northern Whig.

"The Chess Player's Chronicle" lifted the piece from the "Belfast Northern Whig". This is but one of many pieces from this paper mentioned - so the chess scene in Belfast must have been extensive during this period.

Dublin Chess Congress 1865

I came across the following on page 286 of "The Chess Player's Magazine" of 1865. It makes fascinating reading. Highlighting an important stage in the development of International tournament chess. "The Chess Player's Magazine" of January 1866 reviewing 1865 stated that the "Dublin Congress was the principal event of the year". It was among the first international chess tournaments and shows the standardization of international rules of play. It replicated London 1862 in having a time-limit and also a means of controlling the same. The London tournament had a time limit of twenty-four moves in two hours, and also used hour-glasses. Also, the question of ownership of the actual game score is raised. This question is still being debated today.

So read, digest and enjoy!

DUBLIN CHESS CONGRESS – 1865
REGULATIONS TO BE OBSERVED BY PERSONS PLAYING IN THE TOURNAMENT

1. The Games shall be played according to the rules to be decided on by the players present during the opening meeting to be held on 25th September, eight o’clock, p.m.
2. The maximum time to be allowed each player for making his moves shall be two hours for twenty moves, to be measured by sand glasses, one for each player. Antagonists being at liberty to restrict the time still further, should they agree to do so. When it is a player’s turn to move, his sand glass shall be set running and shall continue so until he shall have completed his move, when it shall be stopped, and his opponent’s glass set running in the same manner; and so on to the end of the game.
3. The Games shall be divided into periods of twenty moves, commencing with the first move on each side. Should a player not have made twenty moves within two hours, and forty moves within four hours, and sixty moves within six hours, and so on, he shall forfeit the game.
4. The Games shall be played out at a sitting, and no player shall leave the room during such sitting without the consent of his opponent, except for a reasonable time, - maximum fifteen minutes, once in each sitting.
Any player analyzing an interrupted game, by moving the pieces either by himself or with others, or conferring with others upon the game, shall forfeit the game.
5. Combatants paired off for any particular day shall agree upon the hour at which their game on that day shall commence (such agreements to be entered in a book kept for that purpose); failing which it shall be left to the Managing Committee, to decide what penalty shall be inflicted. Should a player not appear within one hour of said appointed time, he shall pay a fine of five shillings; and should he not appear within two hours of the appointed time he shall forfeit the game. In Tournaments Nos. I and II., it is suggested, that in the event of a large number of entries, no hour later than eleven a.m. (half-past ten o’clock if possible) be fixed, in order that time be so divided as to allow of an average of nearly two games a day or ten games per week, but more if possible, being played.
It is hoped that players in Tournaments, I. and II., in case there should be a large number of entries, will exert themselves to play as many games as possible beyond the number of ten per week, in order not to detain visitors who have entered their names to play. Evening play, however, not compulsory in Tournaments Nos. I. and II., and day play not compulsory in Tournament No. III.
6. In Tournament No. III., each player shall be bound to play five games in the week (failing which, the Managing Committee shall decide what penalty shall be inflicted). It is hoped, however, that the some exertions to play as many games as possible in the week will be made by the players in this Tournament, as in Nos. I. and II. Players, however, in Tournament No. III. Who have entered their names in Tournaments I. and II. Shall give preference of play to the latter, and shall not be subject to any penalties until Tournaments I. and II. Shall be decided.
7. If any Tournament shall remain unfinished by the 25th October, it shall be left to the Managing Committee to fix time and place of completion.
8. If any game shall remain unfinished at half-past ten o’clock p.m., on any day, it shall be left to the option of the Managing Committee to decide such game as won or drawn, or that it shall be played out the next day. In case of a quorum of the Committee be not present, such unfinished game to be played out the next day.
9. The second player in each game shall furnish, in an envelope addressed to the Managing Committee, a copy of same, on the day of completion of said game, legibly written, and giving full particulars, such as names of players, date of play, duration of game, number of Tournament, &c., on the printed forms to be supplied for the purpose, under penalty of five shillings for each game so omitted. The first player in each game to have choice of colour.
10. Each person, before commencing to play in any Tournament, must have previously paid to the Hon. Treasurer the entrance fee to that Tournament.
11. All games to be played in the rooms, and during the period, appointed for the Congress.
12. The Games to become the property of the Managing Committee. None shall be published, or given for publication, without the consent of that Committee, under penalty of £1 for each game so published. This regulation to remain in force until the 31st of December, 1865.
13. All fines shall be paid to the funds of the Congress.
14. Each player in any of the Tournaments shall be bound to the conditions attached to such Tournament, and shall have, prior to his commencing to play, to sign his name, consenting to abide by these rules, in a book to be opened for that purpose; but each player shall have power to appeal to the Managing Committee, whose decision, however, shall be binding and final.
15. The Managing Committee reserve to themselves the power of altering adding to, or modifying the foregoing Regulations.

PETER JONES, Jun., Hon.
THOMAS LONG, Secretaries.

Dublin, August, 1865.

Don't Resign Too Early!

This is the snappy title to an excellent article run in the original "Ficheall" in 1958. I present, verbatim, a fascinating position from the May issue. Again you may call it laziness - but I say why fix it if it isn't broken.

"Most players are inclined to resign too late rather than too early, but the opposite case is not unknown. In this page of missed last-minute escapes we refrain from giving such well-known chessnuts as von Popiel-Marco; all our examples are relatively recent and, we hope, new to our readers."



White looked at 1.Rh7 Ka5 2.Rxb7 Ka3 3.Rb8 Ka7 and resigned. He could have saved the game in two different ways!


Solution - don't peek till you've tried!
This is one of the strangest happenings in the history of tournament chess. After Mieses had resigned, his colleagues pointed out to him that 1.Rh7 Ka5 2. Rh8 (instead of Rxb7!) would probably have won, because with the king on the a-file the threat of Ra8+ could not be parried.

Could it not? In 1950 – 36 years after the event – grandmaster Szabo pointed out that 1...Ka5? Is a serious error for Black, instead of which he must play (1...a1=Q if then 2.Rxb7+ Ka5 3.Ra7+ Kb4! 4.Rxa1 – and Black is stalemated.

But this is not the end. Another seven years later. S. Driman, of Johannesburg (South Africa) found that Mieses’ first idea, 1.Rh7 Ka5 2.Rxb7 Ka6 and now 3.Bf3! was also good enough to draw. For if now 3... a1=Q 4.Bd5! the Black queen is helpless to budge the position of the White Rook, Bishop and pawn, with the easiest of easy “positional“ draws!

A remarkable position - again showing why chess is such an attractive game. However, on research I have encountered a number of problems with this position. Firstly, the game was not played in the Mannheim tournament of 1914. Secondly, on a web search of games databases I can not find the game either. It may have been played during the internment of the players in Mannheim but you would expect the score to be available. Anyone who can clarify these questions please contact me.

Dun Laoghaire Master Tournaments

It's absolutely great news that the Dun Laoghaire Chess Club with the ICU and Rathdown County Council are organizing two closed all play all tournaments in Aug. Details of which can be seen on the ICU site. These tournaments will hopefully provide Irish players with GM and IM norms.

Now, for the real reason for this post! In today's world the profile of these tournaments (and Irish chess) can be highlighted easily, and for free, with the use of the internet. A blog could be created giving the results of each day’s games and the game scores. This event provides the ideal opportunity because of the small number of competitors involved. A simple hit counter would provide the necessary feedback on the interest generated.

Finally, it would be great if these tournaments became an annual event. For this reason I think the rough costs of organizing the event should be made public. The figure would provide a useful reference for other potential organizers.

Ireland's greatest politican?

Came across the following image on Edward Winter's "chess notes" site. It was too good to let go. Whatever your politics it has to make you think!