I was talking to my friend Sam the other day.  He’s trying to make a come-back to chess after a 10 year break.   He’d just blundered horribly against Rujevic and was bemoaning his new-found tactical ineptitude.   “I just make so many mistakes” he complained.   I know the feeling.   As you get older your brain does not want to analyse variations and tends to lack its former decisiveness.

The worst type of positions we oldies could get is a Q+P v Q endgame.  There are just so many checks to look at and the game drags on for ages.  I remember Botvinnik once winning with Q + knight pawn v Q after about 90 moves going around in circles.

Take the following position I was looking at the other day.  I’m Black and I’ve nearly got my pawn through to queening but how do I avoid those nasty checks?   What I need is someone like you with a young brain who can work it all out for me quickly.   So off you go.  What should I play?

8/8/2Q5/7q/8/4K3/6p1/7k b – - 0 1

ANSWER:

I hope that you told me to play 1…Qc5+!! 2.Qxc5 g1=q+ 0-1 and I can go home to rest my weary brain.    I know that Purdy told me to “look at all checks and captures” but there were just so many of them.   Thanks for your help.