The 21st century can truly be regarded as the golden era for all the connoisseurs of the chess game.

I have already written about huge positive impact Internet has had on our ancient game.  This impact is especially significant in the domain of the blitz chess.

Considering that the tempo of life is faster than ever before, most people don’t have time to play long chess games on a regular basis. Therefore, shorter time controls are slowly starting to dominate and not only on an amateur level; there are more blitz tournaments on a professional level than ever before.

The Internet is very important in that regard. Nowadays, it takes less time and effort to play a blitz game than ever before. With a decent personal computer and internet connection, it takes only a couple of clicks and you can play against anyone in the world.

Unfortunately, nothing comes without the price. The Internet has managed to bring the worst out of people. This should be familiar to anyone who has ever played a multiplayer computer game, visited an online forum or spent hours of his life in the youtube comment section.

However, the troll mentality is apparent in blitz chess arena as well. And it is not only the consequence of anonymity (although it certainly plays a role). Merely the fact that you don’t see your opponent lowers the bar of acceptable behaviour. Previously, if you wanted to insult someone, you had to do it face to face. Today, three strokes on the keyboard are enough and you rarely have to fear the outcome.

Therefore, I have decided to write the following post, in honour of different types of blitz chess online players I have faced during my playing career. The list might seem too pessimistic to some; I have tried to amend myself with the last point which will hopefully serve as a light at the end of a tunnel.

Hope you will enjoy it. Let us start with the most obvious type of the player – the “I will only play one game” prick.

1. The “No Rematch” guy

We all know that feeling. You sit down, start a new game, get the Black pieces, screw something up in the opening, resign after 1 minute of play and 15 moves and then ask for a rematch.

After all, you are a slow starter, you haven’t even played a normal game, your opponent hasn’t lost that much time and there is no way he has to go already since the game has barely started before it was over.

Then, suddenly, after sending a rematch request, a crude reality in form of “xy has declined your rematch proposal” sobers you up. It may be just me, but I find it quite irritating; are we here to play some chess or to collect virtual rating points?

In my experience, this behaviour is typical for someone much stronger than yourself. As if they are saying: “You are not worthy of my time”.  Like they have never screwed anything during the opening phase of the game.

I think that not giving the opportunity to play with colours reversed is slightly rude, especially if the winning side has the White pieces in the first game.

Vladimir Kramnik knows a thing or two about not giving a rematch :evil laughter:

2. The “OMG You Are So Lucky” guy

There is nothing more frustrating than claiming a big advantage early in the blitz game and then ending the game in one of the two following ways:

• Not being to able to finish your opponent as quickly as possible and losing on time
• Getting swindled by your opponent and ruining a winning position

Quite often, instead of blaming ourselves for stupid mistakes we made, our first impulse is to blame the opponent. The “OMG You Are So Lucky” comment is often inevitable.

I think that anyone who plays blitz chess online on a regular basis has taken the role of “OMG You Are So Lucky” guy at least once.

I know I certainly have. Not that I am terribly proud of it, though. Because everyone who has played DOTA at least once in his life knows that luck is no excuse.

In any case, swindles and time losses are a natural part of the game. I often find it ridiculous when after mutual time trouble people lament that they have lost on time. Time management in blitz is almost as important as the position you have in front of you.

Therefore, don’t hate the player. Hate the game.

3. The “Woody Wood Pusher” guy

I find myself mildly annoyed when playing against someone who plays 15 minutes in 3 seconds. Usually, such players are only fast and concern themselves primarily with quantity, and not by the quality of their moves.

When you are playing the “Woody Wood Pusher” guy, it is hard to avoid taking the “OMG You Are So Lucky ” guy role. These guys are often tactically very tricky and alert and often punish your sub-optimal moves. Thus, they either swindle you, or you lose on time against them, which triggers your rage button.

The main difficulty in facing the “Woody Wood Pusher” is a psychological one. You have to be calm enough and be patient in converting your advantage; while moving quickly enough in order not to jeopardize your clock situation. As you lose games against them, this task gets progressively harder; your emotions start to take over.

You might say that I am lamenting with justification. After all, I have just stated above that time is one of the assets in blitz chess online. Doesn’t complaining against it suddenly make me a huge hypocrite?

Well, there might be some truth to it. But ignoring the position when your opponent has 10 seconds on the clock is one thing; playing purely for the time from the start is another thing. I mean, we are talking about blitz chess online, I am of opinion that movement of the pieces should be the most important thing up to a certain point of the game.

4. The “You are cheating” guy

Apart from “OMG You Are So Lucky” guy, another common way of dealing with the losses is accusing your opponent that he is cheating.

It has happened to me many times. Here and there I manage to play a decent game and see some nice tactics and unfortunately, I hear “you cheating prick” much more often than “congratulations”. It is not particularly pleasant.

Naturally, I am also guilty as charged for belonging to this category. But one has to be very careful with similar accusations. It has happened to me that I have accused someone of cheating immediately after the game, only to find out during post-mortem analysis that his play wasn’t as strong as I initially thought.

That the reason for my loss was me playing like crap.

In any case, the point of such allegations is non-existent. Even if someone is using computer assistance, writing it in chat accomplishes nothing.

I have never met someone who answered my “You are cheating” accusations with the humbling: “You are right, my bad.”

5. The “Engine” guy

All right, there are instances where you accuse someone when even you are not completely convinced that he is using computer assistance; you act out of inertia and such a behaviour is not justified.

However, sometimes engine users are way too obvious to be ignored. The most obvious signs that something is ‘fishy’ with the account are the following:

• Anonymous account
• Registration in a far away country (Brunei, Antigua and Barbuda or something like that; it is a reality; there are zero racist intentions here)
• Low rating in bullet/tactical exercise
• Strange openings employed

And three most important ones:

• You have zero chance. I have played Grandmasters and strong players; over the course of 10 games I manage to draw or win at least one; they are human and they make mistakes. Engine user crushes you mercilessly without giving you any chances whatsoever.
• 3-second delay on moves. The most obvious sign. Most engine users have this delay. They have to play the moves on the computer board and then replicate them online, which takes time. They even do that for most obvious recaptures or moves when they king is in check; therefore this is the most reliable method of detecting that you are not playing against a human.
• Play terrible when low on time. Consequence of the previous note. If you manage to survive long enough, you might succeed in flagging them. Most often they don’t know chess basics, like executing a queen checkmate.

In any case, I don’t advise adhering to the “If you can’t beat them, join them” rule.

“If you can’t beat them, then avoid them” is to be prefered here.

Borislav Ivanov knows a thing or two about cheating

6. The “Too Weak Too Slow” guy

Over the years, I have tried different ways of dealing with the frustrations caused by blitz online chess and can proudly say that I have finally discovered a winning formula.

Being the  “Too Weak Too Slow” guy.

There is nothing more satisfying then provoking a pissed opponent even further with a timely “Too Weak Too Slow” comment.

It is especially powerful when you face a player who simply refuses to resign, but waits for the time to run out. In turn, I love to reach the position where I am mating next move. In such a situation, waiting for the moment when you have only 1 second remaining on the clock, and delivering checkmate followed by a “Too Weak Too Slow” comment does wonders.

If you wish to employ the comment, but don’t yet know how you can learn the method by observing its inventor in action.

The World Champion Magnus Carlsen.

7. The “Nice” guy

Finally, let us conclude this article on a more optimistic note. More often than not, you have the chance to play against someone and enjoy it from the very start until the very end.

There aren’t any dirty moves, bitter comments, badmouthing or anything of a sort. You two meet as two chess enthusiasts, enjoy the battle and congratulate yourselves on the fighting spirit and good moves displayed.

And if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you even analyse a game or two together and become internet friends.

And it is the way it should be, really!

Be a Nice Guy.

The post 7 types of blitz chess online players appeared first on Chessentials.

Since I have started answering chess related questions on Quora, I have tried covering a broad variety of chess topics.

So far, my most upvoted answers have included some chess anecdotes from my own tournament experience.

That’s how I got the idea to write this post. During the last couple of years, I have heard and read a lot of chess stories that put a big laugh on my face.

I’ve decided that putting the most remarkable ones in one place might make a lot of sense.

I know you are probably wondering how can anyone use the words funny and chess in the same sentence.

But people have wondered the same about my own jokes and I am sure you all find them hilarious.

Aren’t you guys?

..

Guys?

Have you heard it before?

I would like to start with a chess story I can easily relate to. It will become much more clear why after you read it.

“German grandmaster Wolfgang Unzicker loved to tell jokes, even at the most inappropriate occasions. He would often start telling one immediately after a chess game, while he and his opponent were still signing the scoresheet.

Once he tried doing that after a game against Vasja Pirc. He started with the customary: ‘Excuse me, grandmaster, but did I ever tell you this joke..’

‘Is it good?’ – asked Pirc.

‘ Oh, excellent.’- replied Unzicker.

‘Then it means you haven’t told it to me.’ “

Source: Šah : Igra Miliona, Dragoslav Andrić (Chess: The Game of the Millions)

A chess master

Wolfgang Unzicker wasn’t the only grandmaster with a developed sense of humour.

The fourth World Champion Alexander Alekhine also made some brilliant jokes throughout his life.

Once he found himself on the same banquet together with his big rival Efim Bogoljubow. Bogoljubow started trash talking Alekhine; the latter replied with the following joke:

“I have dreamt that I have died and arrived at the gates of heaven. Saint Peter approached me and asked me what have I done during my days on Earth.

‘I was a chess master and the Champion of the World.’

‘Chess master? I am sorry, we don’t accept chess masters in heaven.’

‘What do you mean. Here, there is Bogoljubow lying on this cloud.’

‘Bogoljubow? Oh, he is not a chess master. He only thinks he is one.’

Source: Šah : Igra Miliona, Dragoslav Andrić (Chess: The Game of the Millions)

Time is relative

“Long before the days of Fischer, main contenders for the USA crown were Samuel Reshevsky, and less famous player, James T. Sherwin.

During the USA Championship Sherwin was in excellent form and won all his games up to a certain point. Reshevsky was in a serious danger of falling behind since he settled for two draws in the early rounds.

At that moment, he addressed Sherwin with the following words:

‘I see you are playing well. If you continue to do so, I will have to beat you.’

‘Oh, and what if I beat you?’

‘That can happen in a thousand years’

Naturally, in the last round, Sherwin beat Reshevsky in their individual encounter.

When they were signing the scoresheets, he merely remarked:

‘ You know, grandmaster, time flies really fast..’ ”

Source: Šah : Igra Miliona, Dragoslav Andrić (Chess: The Game of the Millions)

Happy anniversary

The next one is probably my favourite one, as it describes  typical shortcomings of a chess player

“I remember once I was in Switzerland and my wife told me, ‘I put some  of your stuff in the safe – the code is very easy to remember, it’s  2706, so you can take whatever you need.’

And I told her, ‘Well, 2706 is not really a good Elo rating. Normally it’s rounded off to the nearest 5  or 10’. So I told her I couldn’t see how I could remember that. She looked a bit shocked and then she explained to me that the 27th of June is our anniversary. “

Source: Viswanathan Anand Chessgames.com page

The threat is stronger than the execution

Emmanuel Lasker and Aron Nimzowitsch were playing a game and Lasker had agreed not to smoke his cigars during the game because the latter was allergic to smoke.

About six or seven moves into the game, Lasker pulls out his cigar, bites off the end and puts it in his mouth. Nimzo  immediately jumps up and tells the arbiter “Look, he is smoking!”

The arbiter  says,”No, it is not lit,” to which Nimzo replies,”Ah, but he is threatening  to smoke and everybody knows that the threat is stronger than the execution.”

(“The threat is stronger than the execution” is a famous quote from Nimzowitsch’s very famous book, My System.).

Source: Exeter Chess Club

You don’t know me

After Alekhine had taken the championship title from Capablanca, Capa spent quite a bit of his spare time hanging out in a specific cafe in Paris.

Friends, acquaintances, and others would often drop by, participating in games and libations with the former, charismatic, champion. One day, while Capa was having coffee and reading a newspaper, a stranger stopped at his table, motioned at the chess set and indicated he would like to play if Capa was interested. Capa’s face lit up, he folded the newspaper away, reached for the board and proceeded to pocket his own queen. The opponent (who apparently had no idea who Capablanca was) reacted with slight anger. “Hey! You don’t know me! I might beat you!”, he said.

Capa’s face lit up, he folded the newspaper away, reached for the board and proceeded to pocket his own queen. The opponent (who apparently had no idea who Capablanca was) reacted with slight anger. “Hey! You don’t know me! I might beat you!”, he said.

Capablanca, smiling gently, said quietly, “Sir if you could beat me, I would know you.”

Source: Exeter Chess Club

An interesting book

The next one should probably not be described as “funny” since it is controversial to an extent.

However, considering that Robert James Fischer has always behaved like a big baby, we can’t really be mad at him, can we?

” During the Interzonal tournament on Mallorca, Fischer, with  burning eyes, informed Reshevsky, that he was reading a ‘very interesting book’.

‘What is it?’ – Sammy asked innocently.

‘Mein Kampf!’ Bobby replied…

(Samuel Reshevsky was born in the Polish village of Ozorkov into an orthodox Jewish family.)

Source: Garry Kasparov, My Great Predecessors, Part IV

Who do you think you are?

The next one is taken from a chessbase interview with Vishy Anand.

 “What’s the most interesting conversation you’ve had during a tournament or while travelling?”

“The best would have to be one involving a co-passenger on a train in 1991. He asked me where I was working. I replied I played chess. He said, ‘that is ok, but what do you do?’ I again said I played chess. He got testy and asked, “Do you think you are Viswanathan Anand to play chess?”

To conclude this article on a self-advertising note, I would like to copy paste the Quora answers mentioned in the introduction, that served as an inspiration for this post.

Hope you will enjoy them

Nemec vs Zečević

In Croatia, there is a player who has become kind of a legend in Croatian chess circles.

His name is Dean Zečević and he can be seen on the right side of the picture below.

Mr. Zečević is actually a very strong player. Some 10–15 years ago, his peak rating revolved somewhere around 2450 Elo rating points.

The first peculiar fact is his chess title. He has never gained any official FIDE titles and he still only has a Croatian Candidate Master title.

Word of the mouth says that he has never wanted a FIDE title in the first place because he wanted to be the strongest Candidate Master in the world.

I guess he probably really was at the time

Nowadays, however, both his playing strength and his rating have declined. Partly this is due to age, but I think that the fact that he has started drinking before the games has even greater impact.

This is where I finally arrive at the answer to the question above. Last time I have played with Mr. Zečević, he arrived pretty drunk to the game.

So drunk, that during the later stages of the game, when he had some 20 minutes left on the clock, he actually fell asleep on the chair.

To be honest, I hadn’t noticed it until he started snoring.

I was quite shocked and didn’t know how to behave. Fortunately, there were some colleagues who maintained their presence of mind and they went on to wake him up, with the very tactful words:

“Zec, for the love of god, wake up. Your time is running out!”

Needless to say, I lost that game.

Nemec vs Atif

Considering that many chess players have peculiar personalities, it is not uncommon to hear harsher word exchanges, even trash talk and insults.

For instance, I vividly remember my game against International Master Dumpor Atif.

It was a blitz game in the last round of the team championship of the Croatian Chess Cup 2014.

The game was very significant; it was the last game of the match, the score was standing at 1.5–1.5 and the winner of the game would win the match, the third place in the championship and the monetary prize.

I managed to capture an exchange early in the opening and was completely winning. However, I screwed something up and landed in a lost position. However, I refused to resign and continued to resist out of pure inertia.

My opponent seemed rather annoyed with my stubbornness. However, he didn’t make any mistakes and continued to convert his advantage.

When the win was near, he made one particular move in a very determined fashion, looked me in the eye, and shouted:

“Oh, come on… you are still fighting?”

There was quite a number of spectators, and they all burst into laughter.

A couple of moves later, I resigned.

The post Funny chess stories appeared first on Chessentials.

One of the greatest young chess talents in the World, 12-year-old International Master Nihal Sarin recently visited the quarters of the Chessbase in Hamburg, Germany.

In the article report following that visit, there was a number of funny chess problems whose solutions really made me smirk more than once.

And I immediately reminisced the similar delightful problems I’ve stumbled upon in the ancient chess book by Yugoslav Master Dragoslav Andrić : Šah – Igra Miliona (eng. Chess – The game of the millions).

I know that people don’t usually associate the word “funny” with the word “chess problem”.

However, I hope that this article will change your opinion. And that at least one of the problems will make you laugh.

 In contrast to the most of the jokes on this blog.

The definition of the promotion rule

I would like to start with the summary of the set of problems given by the Nihal Sarin from the aforementioned article.

The problems revolved around the correct definition of the promotion rule. 

The most common definition, also used by the author of these lines (cf. Basic chess rules) typically goes along the following lines:

“When the pawn reaches the last rank, a player can promote it to a piece of his choice.”

Nihal effectively refuted this definition with the following puzzle:

   [FEN "8/3P4/3k4/8/3K4/8/8/3R4 w - - 0 1"]   

It is White to play and mate in three.

The only move that satisfies this condition is the surprising underpromotion… to a king:

1 d8K!!

The Black King is caught in a web of Kings. Wherever he goes, he gets caught by the rook

1… Ke6 2 Rf1 Kd6 

White completes the checkmate with 3 Rf6. It is obvious that running to the c-file on the first move makes no difference (1… Kc6 2 Rb1!).

This little puzzle has pointed out a massive oversight in the initial definition. We can correct it here:

“When the pawn reaches the last rank, a player can promote it to a piece of his choice, except for a king.”

This definition is complete enough and shouldn’t lead to any confusion right?

Time for another problem:

   [FEN "7K/5P2/6pp/6pk/6pr/6pb/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

Once again it is White to play and mate in three.

At first sight, the solution seems kinda obvious. White plays 1 f8Q with the idea of 2 Kh7 and 3 Qxh6 with checkmate.

However, 1 f8Q g2 2 Kh7 g3 and White probably even loses.

   [FEN "5Q2/7K/6pp/6pk/7r/6pb/6p1/8 w - - 0 1"]   

The move 1f8N!? is the next move that comes to mind. The idea is 2 Nh7 and 3 Nf6.

However, a cold shower once again awaits White, because 1f8N Bf1 2 Nh7 Rh2 and the king escapes.

   [FEN "7K/7N/6pp/6pk/6p1/6p1/7r/5b2 w - - 0 1"]   

However, White has the ingenious:

1 f8?

White leaves the pawn unpromoted for the moment. He is intending to promote the pawn on the next move after Black has made his move.

Thus on 1… Bf1 he chooses the queen and plays 2 Kh7

   [FEN "5Q2/7K/6pp/6pk/6pr/6p1/8/5b2 w - - 0 1"]   

And on 1… g2 he chooses the knight and plays 2 Nh7

   [FEN "7K/7N/6pp/6pk/6pr/7b/6p1/8 w - - 0 1"]   

The reader might argue that this was cheating, but if we consider the formulation of the promotion rule, it technically wasn’t.

Therefore:

“When the pawn reaches the last rank, a player can promote it  on the same move to a piece of his choice, except for a king”

If you think this settles everything, you’re in for another surprise.

Let’s take a look at the final diagram of this section:

   [FEN "k6r/P7/2KQ4/8/8/8/8/R7 w - - 0 1"]   

White to play and mate in two moves.

After realising that tries such as  1 Qd5 or 2 Kd5 fail in the task, you hopefully went for the

1 Qb8+! Rxb8 2 axb8R (Black)

   [FEN "kr6/8/2K5/8/8/8/8/R7 w - - 0 1"]   

Pretty cheeky right

Finally, after these three steps, we’ve arrived at the correct definition of the promotion rule. The formulation here is taken from the FIDE handbook (it seems that FIDE officials sometimes know what they are doing):

“3.7 e: When a player, having the move, plays a pawn to the rank furthest from its starting position, he must exchange that pawn as part of the same move for a new queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour on the intended square of arrival.”

To conclude this section, there is another funny little problem:

   [FEN "8/5RPk/6N1/6K1/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

White to play and mate in one.

I will not post the solution to this one, but I hope that finding it won’t present a real difficulty when Nihal’s problems are still fresh in your head.

If you wish, you can post your solution in the comment section below

Charles the XII against the Turks

Way back in 1671, king Charles the XII was playing chess against his general Grothauzern while waiting for the news about the battle his army fought against the Turks on the nearby battlefield.

In the game, the following position has been reached:

   [FEN "8/6R1/7p/5K1k/8/6p1/5bPP/4N3 w - - 0 1"]   

Here, White can announce mate in three moves.

1 Rxg3! Bxg3 2 Nf3 Bplays 3 g4 

   [FEN "1b6/8/7p/5K1k/6P1/5N2/7P/8 w - - 0 1"]   

However, before Charles played his move, the Turks shot a cannonball which flies over the board and takes the White Knight with it.

(I guess it must have been a really small cannonball… or a rather big chessboard).

Therefore, now the position is following:

   [FEN "8/6R1/7p/5K1k/8/6p1/5bPP/8 w - - 0 1"]   

After some thought, Charles announces mate in four moves:

1 hxg3 Be3 2 Rg4 Bg5 3 Rh4+! Bxh4 4g4

   [FEN "8/8/7p/5K1k/6Pb/8/6P1/8 w - - 0 1"]   

However, even before he could take the h-pawn and execute the combination, another cannonball arrives and takes the very h-pawn off the board as well.

   [FEN "8/6R1/7p/5K1k/8/6p1/5bP1/8 w - - 0 1"]   

Charles, not losing his composure, finds a mate in five moves and even manages to perform it:

1 Rb7 Bg1 (preparing an answer against Rh1) 2 Rb1 Bh2 3 Re1 Kh4 4 Kg6 Bg1 5 Re4 

   [FEN "8/8/6Kp/8/4R2k/6p1/6P1/6b1 w - - 0 1"]   

However, this is not the end of the story. According to the legend, the general, pretty angry at the moment, said that Charles was lucky because the first Turkish cannonball hit the Knight and not the rook.

   [FEN "8/8/7p/5K1k/8/6p1/5bPP/4N3 w - - 0 1"]   

“In that case, I would have mated you in six moves”, said Charles calmly.

 1 Nf3 Be1 (on any other reply Black gets mated faster) 2 Nxe1 Kh4 3 h3 Kh5 4 Kf6 Kh4 5 Kg6 h5 6 Nf3 mate

   [FEN "8/8/6K1/7p/7k/5NpP/6P1/8 w - - 0 1"]   

The problem in four acts

Now, let’s take a look at another very entertaining problem, consisting of four acts.

ACT ONE

   [FEN "8/8/8/7R/R1PP1k2/8/5K2/3b4 w - - 0 1"]   

The problem is as follows: White has to return his last move and then play another move that delivers the checkmate instead.

In the diagram position, the task is not that hard. White’s last move was c4. He returns the pawn to c2, and plays 1 d5 with checkmate

   [FEN "8/8/8/3P3R/R4k2/8/2P2K2/3b4 w - - 0 1"]   

ACT TWO

If we move the previous position one rank up the board, we get the following position:

   [FEN "8/8/7R/R1PP1k2/8/5K2/3b4/8 w - - 0 1"]   

The task remains the same; White returns a move and than delivers checkmate with another move.

At first sight, this seems slightly problematic, since the c-pawn is unable to go back two squares and the Black bishop is attacking our rook.

However, there is no reason not to assume that White has captured the Black pawn on c5 on the last move:

   [FEN "8/8/7R/R1pP1k2/1P6/5K2/3b4/8 w - - 0 1"]   

Here, White mates in one by taking the c-pawn en passant (if you are not sure what en passant is, we refer you once again to this article).

1 dxc6 mate

ACT THREE

The third act of the drama continues with another translation of the position up the board:

   [FEN "8/7R/R1PP1k2/8/5K2/3b4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

With the pawn on c6 there is no checkmate now, since there is no en passant.

However, we can assume that White took en passant on c5 with his b-pawn on the last move:

   [FEN "8/7R/R2P1k2/1Pp5/5K2/3b4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

Naturally, White changes his mind this time and plays 1 d7 with mate instead.

ACT FOUR

The final act of this beautiful problem arises after another translation up the board:

   [FEN "7R/R1PP1k2/8/5K2/3b4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

Here, the solution is more simple, since there is no en passant involved at all.

White simply returns the pawn on c6, and mates with underpromotion:

   [FEN "7R/R2P1k2/2P5/5K2/3b4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]   

1 c8N mate.

Mate in zero

This is an easy one. Find a mate in zero moves.

   [FEN "B6B/8/1K6/P2P4/2k5/8/1PP1PPPP/2N5 w - - 0 1"]   

Yes, you read that right. Zero moves.

Mate in one

Another easy one. Find a mate in one.

   [FEN "8/1b6/p1N5/P1r5/P3KPr1/QBk1NRP1/P2R1P2/4B3 w - - 0 1"]   

Solution at the end of the article.

Mate in none

   [FEN "B1n1n1KR/1r5B/6R1/2b1p1p1/2P1k1P1/1p2P2p/1P2P2P/3N1N2 w - - 0 1"]   

Another funny one. White to play and not give a mate.

Try finding the solution as fast as possible.

Solution at the end of the article.

A rook odds?

I would like to conclude this article with a problem that made me laugh so hard that my coworkers thought I am completely mad.

Like they have never seen someone examining strange chess problems during their shift.

   [FEN "k7/8/8/7P/8/p7/8/4K3 w - - 0 1"]   

White to play and win.

To solve this one, a certain dose of creativity is required. The only way for White to win the game is to pretend that he has given a rook odds at the beginning.

That means he still has the right to castle long; he plays 1 0-0-0 and wins.

   [FEN "k7/8/8/7P/8/p7/8/2K5 w - - 0 1"]   

I don’t know who invented this, but I imagine he had tons of free time at work (oh the irony).

Because “An idle mind is the devil’s playground”.

Solutions:

Mate in zero

White’s bishop couldn’t have reached the a8 square with the pawns on e2 and g2. Therefore it is “obvious” that the board is reversed, and that Black king finds itself on the square f5, and is mated by the e4 pawn:

   [FEN "6N1/PPPP2PP/8/5k2/4P2P/6K1/8/B6B w - - 0 1"]   

Mate in one

All 29 legal moves by White checkmate

Mate in none

 1 Rg6-Rc6 of course, blocking the bishop on a8 and allowing the rook capture of the bishop on h7

The post Funny chess problems appeared first on Chessentials.

Gems such as this represent a priceless part of the rich chess heritage. Numerous chess players, World Champions and famous persons have talked and written about chess and uttered some immortal phrases in the process.

Therefore, I’ve decided to make a list of most interesting and entertaining chess quotes. And to ruin as many of them as possible with my own thoughts and commentary in the process.

I hope you will enjoy it.

Quotes about chess

1. ” One of the greatest advantages of chess over other sports is that you can always resign.” –  Joe Gallagher

     And also one of the greatest disadvantages, since often you refuse to resign and continue to suffer only to realize that it was all in vain in the end.

2. ” I prefer to lose a really good game than to win a bad one.” –  David Levy

    I personally prefer to win a really good game than to lose a bad one, but what do I know..

3. ” You cannot play at Chess if you are kind-hearted.” – French proverb

4. ” One who has never seen a game of chess is, in my opinion, an unhappy person.” –  Anatoly Karpov

5. “ Chess, like love, like music, has the power to make people happy ”- Siegbert Tarrasch

         Unless we are talking about Nicki Minaj’s musical escapades, which make me as happy as encountering the London System with the Black pieces.

Quotes about chess players

1. “ Mistrust is the most necessary characteristic of the Chess player ” – Siegbert Tarrasch

2. “No Chess Grandmaster is normal; they only differ in the extent of their madness” – Viktor Korchnoi

3. ” There should be as many world champions as there are players, because every chess player lives in his own world.” –  Elliott Winslow

              The following Masterclass from the Planet Chucky is tightly connected with the previous two quotes. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

4. ” It is not enough to be a good player.. you must also play well” – Siegbert Tarrasch

5. “A good player is always lucky” – Jose Raul Capablanca

         The famous clash between Hikaru Nakamura and Magnus Carlsen is the best evidence (you might remember it from our greatest chess blunders post).

[Event "Zurich Chess Challenge"]  [Site "Zurich SUI"]  [Date "2014.02.01"]  [EventDate "2014.01.29"]  [Round "3"]  [Result "0-1"]  [White "Hikaru Nakamura"]  [Black "Magnus Carlsen"]  [ECO "E20"]  [WhiteElo "?"]  [BlackElo "?"]  [PlyCount "122"]   1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.f3 d5 5.a3 Be7 6.e4 dxe4 7.fxe4  e5 8.d5 Bc5 9.Bg5 O-O 10.Nf3 Bg4 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nbd7  13.O-O-O Bd4 14.Ne2 c5 15.g4 a5 16.Kb1 Ra6 17.Ng3 g6 18.h4 a4  19.Rh2 Qa5 20.Bd2 Qc7 21.g5 Ne8 22.h5 Rb6 23.Bc1 Rb3 24.Qg4  Nb6 25.Be2 Nd6 26.Rdh1 Bxb2 27.Bxb2 Nbxc4 28.Bxc4 Nxc4 29.hxg6  Qb6 30.g7 Rd8 31.Qh4 Rxb2+ 32.Ka1 Rxh2 33.Rxh2 Qg6 34.Nf5 Re8  35.Qg4 Qb6 36.Qh3 Qg6 37.d6 Nxd6 38.Nxd6 Rd8 39.Nc4 Qxe4  40.Qh5 Rd3 41.Rh4 Qf5 42.Qe2 b5 43.Nd2 Qxg5 44.Qxd3 Qxh4  45.Ne4 Kxg7 46.Qf3 Qf4 47.Qg2+ Kf8 48.Kb2 h5 49.Nd2 h4 50.Kc2  b4 51.axb4 cxb4 52.Qa8+ Kg7 53.Qxa4 h3 54.Qb3 h2 55.Qd5 e4  56.Qh5 e3 57.Nf3 e2 58.Kb3 f6 59.Ne1 Qg3+ 60.Ka4 Qg1 61.Qxe2  Qa7+ 0-1

Quotes about chess strategy and thinking process

1. ” In order to avoid playing the opening theory, you need to study A LOT of opening theory. ” –  Peter Svidler

       This very insightful remark was a response to the question regarding Magnus Carlsen’s avoidance of main theoretical lines.

2. “The most powerful weapon in chess is to have the next move.” – David Bronstein

3. “When you see a good move, look for a better one.” – Emanuel Lasker

     This quote is rather famous, but also slightly double edged. Whereas it containts the fundamental principle of not hurrying, sometimes looking for a more brilliant win can backfire.

4. ” The winner of the game is the player who makes the next-to-last mistake ” – Savielly Tartakower

5. ” Play the opening like a book, the middle game like a magician, and the endgame like a machine.” – Rudolf Spielmann

6. ” A player surprised is half beaten.” – Proverb

7. “The hardest game to win is a won game” – Emanuel Lasker

    The number of blunders commited by very strong players in winning positions is simply astounding.

8. “One doesn’t have to play well. It’s enough to play better than your opponent. ” – Siegbert Tarrasch

9. “In blitz, the Knight is stronger than the Bishop” – Vlastimil Hort

10. ” No one ever won a game by resigning.” – Saviely Tartakower

    Another entertaining quote regarding resignation in chess. It often occurs either too early, or too late. But as Tartakower wittily observed, you can gain much more if you chose the latter.

Motivational and “deep” chess quotes

1. ” My greatest talent is hard work.” –  Garry Kasparov

2. “If you want to succeed, you must brave the risk of failure.” – Garry Kasparov

3. ” The single most important thing in life is to believe in yourself regardless of what everyone else says.” – Hikaru Nakamura

4. ” Fickle fortune rules in chess, though is this true only of chess.” –  Alexander Kotov

5. “ Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the Chess player, not the Chess piece ” – Ralph Charell

   I think this is getting even more important today when we are getting bombarded by information from all sides.

   Incidentally, sixth World Champion Botvinnik said something similar: ” I don’t give a damn about the opinion of majority. I’m used to thinking with my own head.” 

6. ” Many have become Chess Masters, no one has become the Master of Chess.” – Siegbert Tarrasch

7. ” Those who say they understand Chess, understand nothing ” – Robert Hubner

        In chess, as in life, there is something new to be learnt every day.

8. ” Chess is my life, but my life is not chess.” – Anatoly Karpov

    Very elegant. I am surprised this one hasn’t gained much more recognition.

Funny and amusing chess quotes

1. “Chess is a foolish expedient for making idle people believe they are doing something very clever, when they are only wasting their time.” – George Bernard Shaw

        Touche. No argument there.

2. “Marriage is like a game of chess except the board is flowing water, the pieces are made of smoke and no move you make will have any effect on the outcome. ” – Jerry Seinfeld

3. “Marriage is like taking a pawn on b2 in the Sicilian Najdorf. ” –  Vassily Ivanchuk

Another brilliancy by the good old Chucky.

4. ” I prefer to be called an ex World Champion. It’s the only title they can’t take away.” – Tigran Petrosian

5. ” If you play the Caro-Kann when you’re young, what are you going to play when you’re older.” – Bent Larsen

My guess would be the English opening or the afore mentioned London System.

6. ” Some sacrifices are sound; the rest are mine” – Mikhail Tal

7. “A Chess game is divided into three stages: the first, when you hope you have the advantage, the second when you believe you have an advantage, and the third… when you know you’re going to lose!” – Savielly Tartakower

8. ” I have never beaten a healthy opponent.” – Henry Edward Bird 

        Applicable in different areas of human engagement. I don’t remember the last time I didn’t have a reliable excuse after losing.

9. “ Winning isn’t everything… but losing is nothing ” –  Edmar Mednis

10. “ The tactician must know what to do whenever something needs doing; the strategist must know what to do when nothing needs doing ” – Savielly Tartakower

12. “ A man that will take back a move at Chess will pick a pocket ” – Richard Fenton

          A friend of mine recently used slightly different analogy with the same point. He said that : “People who don’t help you during the exam in high school are the very same people who don’t warn you about the police by flashing their lights when they are driving in the different direction.” 

The post Best chess quotes appeared first on Chessentials.

February 19th, 2017 will go down in history of chess as a date when chess became an integral part of the mainstream popular culture.
Because on February 19th, 2017, the 15th episode of the 28th season (already?!) of the Simpsons, labeled “The Cad and the Hat“, officialy aired.

An episode in which apart from standard brother-sister love between Bart and Lisa Simpson, also introduces Homer Simpson as a “chess savant” and features the Chess World Champion Magnus Carlsen as a guest.

The reaction of the chess community worldwide was predictable. Since chess is often underestimated and rarely publicized in the media, everybody was delighted that chess came under the spotlight for once.

Even though there are some people who think that Simpsons should have been canceled some 10 years ago. But haters gonna hate..

The following reddit thread is the best evidence of both claims presented above.

However, although by far the most prominent, the leading role played by chess in the Simpsons is not the only instance of appearance of chess in popular culture.

Throughout the last century there has been a significant amount of chess references in books, movies, musical videos and insanely politicaly correct internet comics.

Therefore, I’ve decided to make an overview of the most important instances of chess appearing in popular culture.

Hope you will enjoy getting acquainted with science fiction, con artists, Serbian folk music and beautiful woman.

[Spoiler alert] 

I have mentioned important plot details of the various movies/books/comics in this post. So be warned!

[/Spoiler alert]

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

If you are a 90s kid, prepare yourself for a huge burst of a nostalgia for starters.

Because I reckon there is a very high probability that the book series about The-boy-who-lived brought alot of joy and delight into your childhood.

Unless you spent your childhood going around burning the books together with the work of Stephen King and AC/DC albums.

In that case I doubt there was joy and delight in your life at all.

Anyway, one of the most prominent public exposures of chess made its appearance already in the first book of the series, The Sorcerer’s Stone.

Because when they aren’t saving the world, learning the spells or having a confusing mixes of feelings typical for teenagers, the heroes of the story like to play the wizard chess in their free time.

The wizard chess has the same rules as the conventional chess. The only slight difference is the fact that the pieces communicate with the players and that they capture one another in quite brutal and violent fashion.

The wizard chess is very important throughout the first book. Apart from making Ronald Wesley good at something, winning in wizard chess on a giant chessboard is one of the key tasks in the labyrinth that leads to the Sorcerer’s stone. 

The three youngsters take  places of the three pieces on the chessboard and Ronald Wesley conducts the game heroically, sacrificing himself in the key moment to ensure the checkmate of the opposing king.

And also another one of Rupert’s Grint silly faces in the movie adaptation of the book.

The pure chess part of the movie is actually quite interesting. The producers actually hired the International Master Jeremy Silman to invent an interesting position for the purpose of the movie:

[Event "?"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "?"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Prof. Mcgonagall"]  [Black "Ronald Wesley & Co."]  [Result "0-1"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "5r1k/1pN1R1pp/1Pb5/n1r1P1n1/7N/b2Q4/7P/1R4K1 b - - 0 1"]  [PlyCount "7"]   {[pgndiagram] This is the position Silman invented. In the given position,  Harry is the bishop on a3, Hermione rook on f8 and Ron the knight on g5.} 1...  Rc3 {A fully correct sacrifice that frees the c5 square for Harry the bishop.}  2. Qxc3 {There is nothing better. Now comes the famous knight sacrifice that...  turns out to be only the second best move in the position} Nh3+ {[pgndiagram]  Ron sacrifices itself in order to allow Harry to mate and deserve all the  glory. Nothing new under the sun.} (2... Bc5+ {Would actually mate one move  faster, but if this move was made, Voldemort would probably never die. Because  Harry, NOT BEING ON A GIANT knight, wouldn't have survived the onslaught of the  White queen, like Ron did.} 3. Qxc5 Nh3# {Is checkmate}) 3. Qxh3 Bc5+ 4. Qe3  Bxe3# 0-1

While analyzing the position, I realized the horrible blunder made by Rowling and repeated by the movie director.

It was a terrible blunder not to have Harry playing as the h-pawn.

The Seventh Seal

For another famous and celebrated chess scene, we have to dive back in the year 1957.

Because this is the year when famous Swedish director Ingmar Bergmann made his virtually most famous movie, The Seventh Seal.

Bergman tells the tale about Antonius Block, a knight returning from the Crusades. Upon returning home, he sees his homeland ravaged by famine and plague.

What is even worse, Death himself, depicted as a tall black man, has come to take him to the other world as well.

In such a depressing situation, Block makes the only logical and reasonable move. He challenged the Grim Reaper to a game of chess, with his life depending on the outcome.

Because apparently being good at chess increases your chances of living a long and prosperous life.

The chess aspect of the game is somewhat shrouded with mystery. I will quote the words of chess arbiter Stewart Reuben here (taken from this article):

“It’s very common for filmmakers to get things wrong. Although the film is set in the 14th century, it’s almost certain that they are playing to the rules established in the 15th century. Death makes a move, followed by white checking the King, followed by Black putting his King out of the way, but then the game dissolves away.”

“The thing is, the game doesn’t flow,” observes Reubens. “What you’d expect is, as the game goes on, there to be fewer and fewer pieces on the board. What you would never expect to happen is that there are more and more pieces on the board, even though they are being exchanged off as it goes.”

Nevertheless, perhaps it is better not to cavil and simply to enjoy this great movie.

Dylan Dog: Partita Con la Morte

Chess game against the Death also makes its appearance in one of the episodes about Dylan Dog, the famous nightmare hunter.

Dylan Dog is a part of the Italian popular culture that is reasonably popular throughout the Europe. Most of the issues were translated into Croatian as well.

However, it seems like it hasn’t been as influental in the Anglo Saxon culture.

Anyway, the issue number 66, under the title Partita con la morte (a rough translation from Italian meaning: A game against the Death) features the variation of the same theme.

It all starts when the main protagonist Harvey Burton dies. Before he definitely… “continues forward”.. He challenges the Grim Reaper to a game of chess (we have heard this one before, haven’t we).

However, the stakes are much higher. Because whenever Death captures one of Burton’s pieces, he has to chose one person he knows, that Death then “captures” in real world as well.

Burton however is an old bastard full of hate. He tries to cheat Death by choosing people that are apparently close to him, but that he actually wishes were dead.

But naturally, it is not so easy to trick Death. Therefore, upon finding out, she (or he) sends Burton back to life.

Unfortunately for him, Dylan Dog finds out what’s happening, because one of the chosen victims is a girl he sleeps with.

Long story short, due to his actions, Burton finds himself somewhere between life and death.

Quite morbid, right?

Who would imagine that inventors of something as beautiful as Pizza and Spaghetti are also capable of inventing something as disturbing as Dylan Dog series?

2001: A Space Odyssey

Another very famous chess scene from the Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is also the first chess game of a human against the machine in the history.

For the sake of the accuracy of the sentence above, we will not regard the famous chess automaton The Turk as a machine.

In the movie, one of the astronauts, Dr. Frank Poole, plays a recreational game with the supercomputer Hal 9000.

It is interesting to observe that no particular mention of the chess game in Arthur Clarke’s novel is made. It is merely mentioned that the astronauts play chess and other games occasionally against the computer and that Hal is programmed to win “only” 50 % of the games.

The actual game is quite interesting, as it features the position from the very attractive game between  lesser known masters Roesch and Schlage from the beginning of the 20th century.

[Event "2001: A Space Odyssey"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2017.04.03"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Frank Poole"]  [Black "Hal 9000"]  [Result "0-1"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "Q4rk1/2p1bppp/p7/1p2n3/5n2/2Pq3b/PP1P1PPP/RNBB1RK1 w - - 0 0"]  [PlyCount "10"]   {[pgndiagram]} 1. Qxa6 Bxg2 2. Re1 Qf3 {[pgndiagram] Here HAL9000 announces  mate in two, when actually Frank could have stalled the mate for one move with  a queen sacrifice} 3. Qc8 Rxc8 4. h3 Nxh3+ 5. Kh2 Ng4# 0-1

Star Trek

Recently, I have asked a close personal female… acquitance.. whether she watches Game of Thrones.

Her response went something along the lines:

“Isn’t that show only followed by those… wierd people?”

I didn’t even try to proceed with Star Trek references after that. But since we have already started going in the SF direction with the previous part of the post, there is no way out now.

True fans of Star Trek have benefited heavily from following their favourite show throughout the years:

• Star Trek has improved their linguistic capabilities by being forced to learn the Klingon Language (I have just found out that The Klingon Language Institute actually exists)
• Star Trek has allowed the kids to be cool by allowing them to play the advanced version of the Rock – Paper – Scissors game 
• Star Trek has introduced one of the most popular chess variants out there or the so called 3d chess

If you want to rule the rules of 3d chess, it is not that simple. The history of the rules of the 3d chess is very complicated and I haven’t managed to find a 100% reliable source for learning the game.

The most of the literature is more occupied with the pure process of manufacturing the board. The Star Trek history bible, the Starfleet Technical Reference Manual gives detailed instructions about making your own board, but there is zero information about the rules of the game.

Therefore, I am sorry to inform you, but you probably won’t get the role in the new season of the Big Bang Theory and the opportunity to beat the master of 3d chess, dr. Sheldon Cooper.

James Bond: From Russia with Love

Although I have watched almost every James Bond sequel out there, I was still rather surprised when I found out that there is a chess scene featured as early as movie number two.

Somehow I have forgotten that the main villain of the infamous SPECTRE organization featured in From Russia With Love,  is also a chess grandmaster.

In the opening scene of the movie, the head of the SPECTRE, Kronsteen, also known as “number 5”, uses a brilliant combination to beat the Canadian grandmaster, McAdams.

Naturally, the combination comes in the crucial moment of a match the duo plays in Venice, Italy. The game is played with the result standing at 11.5 – 11.5, and with the nice tactical sequence Kronsteen wins the match.

[Event "From Russia with Love"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2017.04.03"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Kronsteen"]  [Black "McAdams"]  [Result "1-0"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "r3rnk1/ppp1qNp1/7p/4b3/5Q2/1B6/PP4PP/5RK1 w - - 0 1"]  [PlyCount "11"]   {[pgndiagram]} 1. Nxe5+ Kh7 (1... Ne6 {Would be more prudent}) 2. Qe4+ Kh8 (  2... g6 3. Rf7+) 3. Rxf8+ $1 {[pgndiagram]} Qxf8 (3... Rxf8 4. Ng6+ Kh7 5.  Nxf8+ Kh8 6. Qh7#) 4. Ng6+ Kh7 5. Nxf8+ Kh8 6. Qh7# 1-0

The whole scene is available on youtube:

This fictional game was  inspired by a real life encounter. Moreover, the directors of James Bond have copied quite a famous chess game. The King’s Gambit game between Boris Spassky and David Bronstein from the 1960 USSR Championship.

Bronstein’s comment is well worth noting:

“I don’t know what kind of Devil possesed me to reply with e5. I have forgotten that Spassky, very much as Spielmann in the past, enjoys playing the King’s Gambit.”

[Event "USSR Championship"]  [Site "Leningrad URS"]  [Date "1960.02.20"]  [Round "16"]  [White "Boris Spassky"]  [Black "David Bronstein"]  [Result "1-0"]  [ECO "C36"]  [PlyCount "45"]  [EventDate "1960.??.??"]   1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Bd6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 Nd7 8.  O-O h6 9. Ne4 Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3 11. Bxe3 fxe3 12. c5 Be7 13. Bc2 Re8 14. Qd3 e2  15. Nd6 {One of the deepest sacrifices this side of The Evergreen Game --  Soltis} Nf8 16. Nxf7 exf1=Q+ 17. Rxf1 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Qd7 19. Qf4 Bf6 20. N3e5 Qe7  21. Bb3 Bxe5 22. Nxe5+ Kh7 23. Qe4+ 1-0

Pawn Sacrifice

Moving away from the world of fiction, the next three chess appearances will be more biography/drama orientated.

Let’s start with the movie that probably caused even more stirr in the chess world than the aforementioned Simpsons’ episode.

I am talking about the movie that allowed Tobey McGuire’s one and only I-am-on-the-verge-of-crying face gain some credibility.

The biographical movie about Robert James Fischer. The Pawn Sacrifice.

The movie follows the life and games of Bobby Fischer, culminating in the  so-called “Match of the Century”, a World Championship match against the Soviet Grandmaster Boris Spassky.

Naturally, since the match happened during the Cold War, movie depicts the match as the clash of ideologies.

For instance, I found the scene in which Nixon follows the chess game on the TV-set very dramatic.

The movie crew has really made a thorough and detailed preparation.

In preparing to write the movie’s script, screenwriter Steven Knight read many of the books that have been written about Bobby Fischer and the “Match of the Century”, as well as speaking with people who knew him.

“The most useful material was archival footage of him being interviewed,” said screenwriter Knight. “Bobby spoke and moved oddly, and to see that was helpful. If you noticed him walking down the street, you’d think, ‘there is a curious person’. He might have ended up just another homeless person, but he was just so good at chess that he was saved by it. And, of course, cursed by it as well.”

And whereas the magnitude and importance of the “Match of the century” are well known to any chess player, the movie really did alot for chess promotion outside the chess community.

Searching for Bobby Fischer

Another famous chess appearance in the popular culture is once again inevitably linked with the name of Bobby Fischer.

And once again we have an instance of a movie adaptation based on an autobiographical novel by Fred Waitzkin.

In  Searching for Bobby Fischer we follow a young chess prodigy, Josh Waitzkin on his path toward becoming a chess champion.

The movie is very touching as we see a seven year old being torn between playing chess for fun and playing chess professionally, as the following scene testifies (source: IMDB) :

Bruce Pandolfini: His chess ideas are like pieces of his body he’s reluctant to give up. For instance, he simply can’t cope with being told not to bring his queen out too early in the game. Why shouldn’t he? He’s won many a game in Washington Square doing exactly that, why is this suddenly wrong?

Fred: Try getting him to brush his teeth sometime.

Bruce Pandolfini: What I’m trying to teach him and what he’s learning there are two very different things. Park hustlers play tactics, not position. They rely on wild, unpredictable moves meant to intimidate their opponent. Great in a two-minute speed game for drug money, but it’ll cost Josh dearly in real games.

Fred: Well, he’s learning some new words!

Bruce Pandolfini: I was wondering if you could keep him from playing there so much.

Fred: Sure.

Bonnie: No. It’d kill him not to play in the park. He loves it. 

Apart from boy struggling, we also follow the struggles of his father Fred, who is torn between pushing his son to maximize his potential and allowing him to have a normal childhood.

The tournament in the film was meant to resemble Waitzkin’s 1986 U.S. Primary Championships, in which he drew a tough opponent named Jeff Sarwer (who Jonathan Poe is meant to characterize), to share the championship title. The final game is given below.

[Event "US Primary Championship"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "1986.??.??"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Jeff Sarwer"]  [Black "Joshua Waitzkin"]  [Result "1/2-1/2"]  [ECO "E76"]  [BlackElo "2464"]  [PlyCount "126"]  [EventDate "1986.??.??"]   1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 Nbd7 7. e5 Ne8 8. Bd3  c5 9. dxc5 Nxc5 10. Bc2 a5 11. O-O b6 12. Be3 Bb7 13. Qd4 dxe5 14. Nxe5 Qxd4  15. Bxd4 Rd8 16. Bxc5 bxc5 17. Na4 Bxe5 18. fxe5 Rd2 19. Rf2 Rxf2 20. Kxf2 f6  21. e6 Nd6 22. Nxc5 Rc8 23. Nxb7 Nxb7 24. b3 Nc5 25. Re1 Rc6 26. Be4 Ra6 27.  Bc2 Rxe6 28. Rxe6 Nxe6 29. Ke3 Kf8 30. Ke4 Ke8 31. g3 Kd7 32. Kd5 f5 33. a3 h6  34. b4 axb4 35. axb4 Nc7+ 36. Kc5 e5 37. Ba4+ Kc8 38. Bc6 e4 39. b5 e3 40. Bf3  Ne6+ 41. Kd5 Ng5 42. Be2 Kc7 43. Ke5 Ne4 44. Kd4 Kd6 45. Kxe3 Kc5 46. g4 Nd6  47. Kf4 g5+ 48. Ke5 fxg4 49. Kf6 g3 50. hxg3 Ne4+ 51. Kg6 Nxg3 52. Bd3 Nh1 53.  Kxh6 g4 54. Kg5 g3 55. Be4 Nf2 56. Bd5 Nd1 57. Kf4 Nc3 58. Bc6 Ne2+ 59. Kf3  Nd4+ 60. Kxg3 Nxc6 61. bxc6 Kxc6 62. Kf3 Kc5 63. Ke3 Kxc4 1/2-1/2

It is interesting to note that Joshua Waitzkin won the US. Junior Championships in 1993 and 1994. Nowadays he is probably the best known International Master in the world.

Also, it is interesting to say that Bobby Fischer denounced the movie, claiming that it was part of a “Jewish conspiracy” to sully his name and make money off him at the same time.

This claim tells you alot about Fischer’s character and his extremistic views.

The (Luzhin) Defense

Apart from being a pervert and writing about sexual desires toward little girls in Lolita or brother-sister love in Ada, Vladimir Nabokov was also a very big fan of the game of chess (please don’t get the impression that these two are connected).

His third novel Defense (also known as the Luzhin’s Defense after the movie release) and its movie adaptation The Luzhin’s Defense follow the mentally distressed chess grandmaster Luzhin participating in a World Class tournament in Italy.

Prior to a tournament, he meets a young lady Natalia Katkov, and immediately falls in love with her.

You might anticipate a Disney – like plot in which he wins the tournament, marries the lady and kills the beast-like looking Russian.

However, the plot is much more disturbing (it is Nabokov after all). The ongoing mental issues trouble Luzhin as the tournament progresses (which should be familiar to all chess players out there) and culminate in the final round where he faces his most fierce competitor, Italian grandmaster, Salvatore Turati.

After the game is adjourned, he finishes in the hospital, proposes Natalia, gets out of the hospital only to commit suicide on his wedding day.

In the aftermath, his never-to-be bride completes the game against Turati using Luzhin’s notes. The final combination is actually a chess masterpiece and well worth looking at:

[Event "?"]  [Site "?"]  [Date "2017.04.03"]  [Round "?"]  [White "Luzhin"]  [Black "Turati"]  [Result "1-0"]  [SetUp "1"]  [FEN "5k2/5p1p/p5p1/2b5/P4P2/1PN1rK2/4B1PP/2R5 w - - 0 1"]  [PlyCount "10"]   {[pgndiagram] Black is a piece down, but is winning nevertheless.} 1. Kg4 (1.  Kf2 Rxc3+ 2. Kf1 Rxc1+ {Picks up a whole rook}) 1... f5+ 2. Kg5 Kg7 3. Nd5 {  [pgndiagram] On any other move, there comes Be7 mate} (3. Kh4 Be7#) 3... Rh3 $3  {Quite a brilliant move. Preventing Kh4 and also g3 in response to Bf2} 4. gxh3  h6+ 5. Kh4 Bf2# {[pgndiagram] Thus, Luzhin ensures his immortality with a  brilliant rook sacrifice.} 1-0

God, I started crying now.

The Twelve Chairs

If you got depressed by all the Nabokov stuff, it is tome to chair you up (these things really bring a bright smile on my face).

Because the satiric genius of the Russian writers Ilya Ilf and Yevgeni Petrov is bound to bring a smile to everybody’s face.

Ilf and Petrov are creators one of the most famous characters of the Russian modernism – a famous con artist Ostap Bender.

In the two epochal novels, The Twelve Chairs and The Golden Calf, Bender travels throughout the Russia, obsessing about travelling to Rio de Janeiro while inventing new ways of operating outside of the law and robbing people of their money.

For the needs of the article, we will focus on the former. In The Twelve Chairs, Ostap Bender joins forces with Ippolit Matveyevich “Kisa” Vorobyaninov.

Vorobyaninov’s mother-in-law admits on her deathbed that she has hid her family jewels in one of the twelve chairs from the family’s dining room set.

Naturally, the chairs were confiscated by the Communists after the Revolution.

In an epic series of adventures the Bender – Vorobyaninov duo hunts the chairs over the whole Russia.

In one of their stops, they get stuck in the small Russian city. Bender devises a “cunning plan” to earn some money.

He finds a local chess club and introduces himself as a grandmaster. He takes advantage over the naive locals by promising them organization of an international chess tournament with participation of Lasker, Capablanca and all other world class players he claims to know personally.

Having gained their trust, he organizes a chess lecture  with simultaneous exhibition included. Naturally, everyone pays the fee too see the great player in action.

It goes without saying that everything ends with Bender losing all the games, trying to cheat in every possible way (even stealing pieces) and running away with all the money.

It is ironic that he was often referred to as an enterpreneur in the post – Soviet era.

Dzenan Loncarevic

To conclude, I would like to present mr. Dzenan Loncarevic, a Serbian folk singer, and his brilliant heartbreaking hit, Laufer.

Apart from giant chess board in the music video, this video presents an unique insight into the mind of a typical Balkan boy.

Or a girl.

A rough translation of the chorus is as follows:

“Life isn’t fair.. 

It makes you think that everything is possible.

And it isn’t.

Beauty and the beast.

Mission impossible just like the two of us.

Black queen and White bishop.”

Very deep.

Great, now I am crying again.

The end?

Hey hey, what about all the beautiful women you promised? You only gave us a teenage Emma Watson.

Okay okay here is a photo from the set of the movie Friends with benefits.

This photo was not a part of the movie and has no relation to chess popular culture whatsoever.

It is also probably the best part of the article.

Those eyes…That smile…

Asthon Kutcher, you lucky bastard.

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