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Jammo’s Chess Puzzle #51
Here at Chess Kids we are constantly looking for ways to improve our coaching services to help get our message across to the chess students. In a few day’s time we are having a coach training session where the focus will be upon trying to present an interesting story or anecdote as part of each lesson. I had one of our coaches pop in last week whilst I was typing “Knight Times” and he commented how much he had enjoyed my presentation at the National Schools Finals Prize-giving where I had told the story of the “Trojan Horse” and related that to the position I was demonstrating.
So, to put this policy it practice, let me tell you an interesting anecdote I came across the other day about former World Champion Mikhail Tal (that’s his pic in the banner giving his opponent the “evil eye”).
Tal was watching a game between two strong grandmasters (Firmian v Smejkal) at the Tallin Tournament in 1971. White is losing and can choose between 1.Ne4+ or 1.Nb3. Today’s puzzle is which would you choose and how should the game finish? If you don’t get it right I’m sure that Tal will be happy to help you!
8/8/8/2b4p/8/p5k1/3N4/7K w KQkq – 0 1Should White play 1.Ne4+ or 1.Nb3?
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Use your chess clock for Time Management
Have you ever thought of using a chess clock for time management?
I certainly haven’t but I know somone who has.
Nabil, a Business Coach, thinks they are great.
He recommended a clock to Mark, an insurance broker.
Nabil went on to the internet, found Chess World and suggested Mark go and purchase one.
Mark told me
“I hope it will help me waste less time.”
I hope it does too and I am keen to hear from him with an outcome.
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Jammo’s Chess Puzzle #50
I don’t have a picture but Bob Bergmanis is a giant of a man, a former A Grade player (of Latvian extraction) who would now be in his 70′s.
Karl Zelesco (known as the “Z-Kid”) is a diminutive little boy aged 10 years. Think David and Goliath and you will get the picture. The two met in the “2010 Tuesday Autumn Swiss” at the Canterbury Chess Club and reached the diagrammed position with Black to play.
Perhaps you would like to take over the role of “David” and see if you can slay the chess “Goliath.”
1k2rr2/ppp3pp/3b1q2/8/2Q4N/3PB1P1/PP3P1P/2R3K1 b KQkq – 0 1Bergmanis v Zelesco - Black to play.
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Joshua’s grand dad loves to make chess tables
Joshua and his grand dad, John, came into the Chess World shop to purchase some chess boards and pieces to go with chess tables John was building.
John, in his mid 70s, told me: “I love making coffee tables. But the great thing about my coffee tables is that they can also be utilised as chess tables.”
John doesn’t know how to play chess but does love woodwork.
Joshua, on the other hand, is a very keen chess player and told me: “I really believe that my ability to play chess has helped me to now become a prominent lawyer.”
When I asked John how he sells his tables he replied: “By word of mouth. I have no business card and no website. People just see my tables and say ‘wow!’ where can I get one of those?”
Joshua and John were delightful.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of John’s tables but the picture with this article is a table that can be bought from Chess World. This is a Pintoy Table.
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Jammo’s Chess Puzzle #49
Last week’s puzzle created quite a bit of interest with Chess Kids coach Tim Broome finding a mate in 6, only to be trumped by someone else have found a very beautiful mate in 5. Have a look in the comments to Puzzle #48 if you missed it.
This week’s puzzle is from Magnus Carlsen, the world’s highest rated player, who finds a nice tactic in a Rook and Knight endgame. See how quickly you can spot it.
8/5npk/pp6/3N1P2/P5R1/6K1/1nr5/5R2 w – - 0 1White to play and win
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All I want to do is win a medal
I met Kiyan at a recent tournament.
He told me: “All I want to do is win a medal.
Just one more win and I would have won one.
Oh well, perhaps at the next tournament I will manage it. ”
At home Kiyan plays chess against his dad but he told me: “Dad mostly wins.
I do like attending chess club at school cos it is fun and makes you think.
But really my main intention is to win that medal.
I will keep entering as many tournaments as I can until I win that medal.”
Good Luck Kiyan! I hope you win a medal really soon.
It is important to keep trying and enjoy every moment of playing chess.
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Jammo’s Chess Puzzle #48
Each week I go to great lengths to try to find you a new position, hopefully something a little bit different, so I hope that you haven’t seen this position before. (See Diagram). It looks vaguely familiar to me.
I used this position in one of my classes today. The students’ task was to find a way for Black to mate in 6 moves by promoting a pawn to a R. One rotter managed to do it in 5 moves so I had to come up with something a little harder. I went back to an old 19th century game where White had lost in 7 moves with the checkmating move being a pawn promoting to a N. Could they replicate this mate? Fortunately this one was too hard for them, but, perhaps dear reader, not for you? Have a go and see.
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Learning becomes easier cos we know chess
Whilst mum Janine took the dog to the vet next door for its regular groom, Cristian and Harrison decided they would much rather pop into Chess World and see the great selection of chess sets.
The boys told me: “We enjoy playing chess, and we play mainly at school.”
Harrison said: “Chess makes you think.”
“I don’t play at home cos mum doesn’t know to play and dad only plays a little.”
Where Cristian said: “I like to play with my dad cos he is really really good and mum knows a little.”
They both then said: “Learning becomes easier cos we know chess.”
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Jammo’s Chess Puzzle #47
Everyone makes mistakes. I remember back in 1974 when I was the newly crown Australian Chess Champion and was about to play in the first round of the A Grade Interclub competition. Eddy Malitis stood up and made a short speech congratulating me on my win; everyone clapped; then we sat down to play our games. I was paired against John Hanks and I had decided to try an new opening with 1…b6. Five minutes and 12 moves later I had blundered and resigned the game. Such is life. It even happens to World Champions!
Take a quick 5 second look at the position below. What would you play as White?
This position is from the game between Larry Christiansen, the USA Grandmaster, and Anatoli Karpov, the former World Chess Champion and one of the most solid players of all time. A win against Karpov was something rare and to be treasured. Karpov has just played 11…Bd6 so as to be able to answer 12.Be2 with 12…Nf4. Christiansen did not play 12.Be2. Can you spot the move he played which resulted in Karpov’s immediate resignation?
r2qk2r/p2p1ppp/1pbbp3/7n/2P1P3/P1N1B3/1PQ2PPP/R3KB1R w KQkq – 4 12
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Your next move
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