SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Sexism in Chess?

2012-02-14T08:46:00.002-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

SEXISM IN CHESS? DOES IT EXIST?

Tournament poster with lipstick in a rook and the word ''women's'' written in lipstick

YES!

We live in a world that is more often ruled by our hormones than by good sense...

''So why do so many women wear lipstick? What is the obsession with painting our lips red, when our lips are naturally pink already? During sex blood rushes throughout the body causing our lips to redden. By painting our lips red or wearing lipstick, women can be more sexually appealing to the opposite sex. Additionally feeling sexy gives women power, and boosts her self-confidence. Therefore women are a sex symbol within society.

Lipstick and makeup still remains a symbol of adult sexuality. Wearing lipstick is a symbol of a woman’s maturity. However the age of womanhood has been blurred over the years and there is still an objection from parents to hold off the age when girls should start wearing makeup and lipstick. Although, if you check out any high school in America there is an overwhelming abundance of teenagers wearing makeup. Additionally cosmetic companies are advertising to the younger market. This just proves that women throughout the world cannot live without their makeup and most carry it with them daily. Thus women feel naked without their lipstick.''

Why women wear lipstick

BUT I AM NOT COMPLAINING! I CAN NOT IMAGINE THIS BLOG WITHOUT SEXISM...

VIVE LA DIFFERENCE|

WHO SAYS THAT LIFE IS FAIR?

Female World Champion Hou Yifan proved , and Judit Polgar before her, that you don't need to have special women's prizes. But witness this: while in this year's Gibraltar tournament there was no separate women's tournament, special prizes in excess of 25,000 pounds were awarded to the top-placing women players! PRIZES AWARDED BECAUSE SOME PLAYERS HAVE VAGINAS, NOT PENISES Prizes awarded to women that are independent of their official classification in the open tournament!

___________________________________________________________

BUT MAYBE THAT IS JUST HOW THE BALL BOUNCES...

SEXISM IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS!

link

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Monday's chess puzzle

2012-02-13T05:08:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Good morning, Monday! I love the start of another week. As a special treat, here is a wonderful stalemate problem for you. At first sight, it might seem as though White would have more, but there is no mate (and Black has a lot of threats himself, not to mention an extra piece!). Once you convince yourself that White can not win, you start to get worried about trying to draw! But fret not: there is a draw. Find it! Good luck!

Leonid Kubbel

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Potpourri

2012-02-13T03:46:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

A Picture is worth a 1,000 words...

Moscow last week

Oops! What would Houdini do here....?!

The latest generation (I mean computers, ofcourse!)

''But it's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.''
--Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

one step forward (award winning 48 hour film project) from ben crowell on Vimeo.

BEWARE THE DEVIL!

I find the finish to the following game (played today in Moscow at the Aeroflot super-open) to be absolutely delightful! Black provoked some Queenside complications involving his c-pawn, no doubt hoping to trade it for White's c-pawn. What happened next is one surprise shot after the other...ENJOY!

Sjugirov

Zhigalko

19. Nxc4! Nxc4 20. Bxc4 Qc7 21. Qd3 Rfc8

Black must have thought that he was doing well. If now 22.Ba6 then simply ...Qxc3.

22. Bb5 !

Hitting the Knight with a gain of tempo. Black is still not too worried--even if he did infact overlook White's last move-- he sees some compensation if White will be forced to defend his backward pawn.

22... Nb6! 23. c4 !!

What is this? What is holding up this pawn?

23... Nxc4?! 24. Rec1 !

This move must have come as a cold shower to Black! If now 24... d5 then Black loses because of a weak back rank: 25. ed Rxb5 26. Rxc4! Qxc4 27. Qxc4 Rxc4 28. Ra8 Bf8 29. Bh6 etc.

24... Rxb5 25. Rxc4!

It looks as though Black must now resign! If the Queen retreats then White exchanges Rooks on c8 and picks up the Rook on b5

25... Rc5 !!

This really cool move almost saves the game! BUT White has seen more deeply...

26. dc !!

Only now does Black realize that he can not take the Rook on a1! 26... Bxa1 27. cd! Qxc4 28. Qxc4 Rxc4 29. d7!

Ouch! The pawn will score a touchdown!! Magic...

26... d5

27. Rcc1 !

White will be a full piece up and keep his c-pawn to boot!

[1:0]

_______________________________________________________________________

THE NASTY SURPRISE

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 16th MOVE (16.f4)

gm TIMOFEEV

gm LASTIN

An interesting position. Black should play 16...0-0 and if White takes on e5 then take the e-pawn with the Knight. BUT, Black plays the natural move...

16... d6? 17. Nxd6!

A nasty surprise! If there has ever been a move that said ''Fuck you!!'', then this must be it. Black goes from a very playable game into a difficult , if not outright lost, game. Chess can be a very cruel game. One must never let one's attention stray for even a second...

17... Qxd6 18. Bb5 Ke7 19. Qxd6 Kxd6 20. Rad1!

The point! White's Rooks come into game with decisive effect. Here Black's resistance snapped and he should play 20... Kc7 21. fe Nxe4 though after 22. Rd7 Kb8 23. Rfxf7 Bc8 24. Rde7 Black's position is a disaster.

___________________________________________________________________________

Today's happy and sexually satisfied look

2012-02-12T20:08:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Well, maybe not so happy, but definitely well fucked!

"Fuck for fuck's sake"

Henry Miller (Sexus)

The first novel of Miller's frank, autobiographical trilogy uses dream, fantasy, and burlesque to portray the life of a struggling writer in preWorld War I New York

Henry Miller exiled himself into Paris to become a writer. He discovered his talent at erotic literature. He wrote scandalously. Without shame. ''Henry and June'' later became a Hollywood success. The brunette in the clip below is a Portuguese goddess...Maria de Medeiros Not so unsurprisingly, this scene was censored and banned in the original film. It is so HOT !

THANKYOU, HENRY!!

Schwartz's smoked meat sold?

2012-02-12T05:20:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

A real Montreal institution, ''Schwartz's Smoke Meat'', has been sold to a group that includes celebrated singer Celine Dion and her husband (link) When ever I am back in Montreal I try to have a meal or two there...there is truly no place quite like it in the world. Ofcourse, as long as they don't change the menu, it does not matter who owns the place!

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Thought for the day

2012-02-12T05:04:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

'' I'd rather be a musician than a rock star''-George Harrison

''People think they know you. They know the things about you that you have forgotten.''-Mick Jagger

''The Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has just published the story of her life. I confess that it is not on my reading table.''-Mick Jagger

“I don’t think I have to introduce myself, unless you don’t recognize me with my clothes on.” —Madonna

Today's winning smile!

2012-02-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"It is not enough to conquer; one must also know how to seduce."

VOLTAIRE

Today's 5-second chess tactic!

2012-02-11T15:05:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Imagine you are playing at the Aeroflot tournament in Moscow. You are White and your opponent today is the very strong grandmaster Khairullin. He has just retreated his Rook to b8 and appears to have every thing under control. Do you need more than 5 seconds to see what Black overlooked?

GOOD LUCK! WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

Child's play! Remember: just 5 seconds!

POSITION AFTER 34 MOVES:

Khairullin

Caruana

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

(35.Nc7! wins several pawns or gives mate)

Online book auction at GM-square

2012-02-11T03:43:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Popular chess site GM-square has an auction going on at present of some very rare first-edition books! You should check it out. Alex Baburin writes:

''Dear reader,

I’d like to let you know that online chess auction is in progress at the GM Square website. So far 88 lots have been posted – you can view them at Among the posted lots there are some rare books, including the first edition (and the first issue!) of the Philidor – you can see it here there is already a bid of €1,400 on it.

I plan to post about 30 additional lots tonight and tomorrow morning – mostly game collections and tournament books, including a rare book on the 2nd American Chess Congress.

Bidding is slow at the moment, but that should change tomorrow, close to the time when bidding will conclude (tomorrow evening, Dublin time). If you are interested in chess literature, have a loot at our auction! Please note that in order to bid one needs to register and receive the login info. If you decide to register, please send me an e-mail as well.''

______________________________________________________________

Today's winning incognito!

2012-02-10T13:28:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''It is completely unimportant. That is why it is so interesting!”

Agatha Christie

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Bruce Lee night in San Francisco!

2012-02-10T13:22:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

My San Francisco readers will be pleased to know that , in honor our this Year of the Dragon, Bruce Lee will have his very own night at the Giants stadium!!

1940-1973

San Francisco Giants Heart Bruce Lee

Link to story

By Erin Sherbertpublished: Thu., Feb. 9 2012

On Sept. 4, you might notice lots of inappropriate chicken-like kung-fu noises in the vicinity of AT&T Park. In honor of the Year of the Dragon, the San Francisco Giants are hosting Bruce Lee night, which includes, among many other treats, your free Bruce bobblehead.

Hosting a Bruce Lee night was kind of a no-brainer for the Giants. Aside from the fact that Lee was a kick-ass martial arts guru, he's also a San Francisco native.

"We spread the idea, and people really liked it," said Faham Zakariaei, director of special ticket events. "So we reached our to Bruce Lee Enterprises, and they were all for it."

Lee's wife and daughter will make an appearance that night, which will also include some pregame martial arts demonstrations on the field. "Based off the Chinese American population in San Francisco, and the marital arts students, we expect 4,000 to 5,000 specific clients to come out for that day," Zakariaei said.

Now for the question you are all wondering: What position would Lee play if he had been on the Giants?

"Probably the closer, because he tends to come in and save the day," Zakariaei said.

Friday's game-changing tactic!

2012-02-10T12:06:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

There is little consolation in reciting ''To err is human'' after one has played a real lemon, but atleast we would be in good company! What great player has not had his embarrassing moments? The following position arose in the 19th Soviet Championship of 1951 and serves as an excellent example of this theme.

BLACK TO PLAY HIS 30th MOVE

Geller

Smyslov

Geller has a clear advantage and his Knight must be a hundred times better than Smyslov's Bishop. On top of this, his pawns are more compact. But Black should not be in a rush and instead should have aimed his paly at reaching adjournment and then letting his seconds go to work and find the fastest path to victory.

Here 30...Qf7 is indicated. INSTEAD, Geller played the most 'logical' move....

30...Ra2 ??

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

_________________________________________________________

''It is in our faults and failings, not in our virtues, that we touch each other, and find sympathy. It is in our follies that we are one.''

Jerome K. Jerome
1859-1927

Yuri Averbakh turns 90!

2012-02-09T03:12:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

CHESS LEGEND YURI AVERBAKH TURNS 90 THIS WEEK!

Yesterday, infact. Yuri Lvovich Averbakh was born on the 8th of February 1922 in Kaluga, Russia . Awarded the IM title in 1950 and the GM title in 1952 he was a World Title Candidate in 1953. He won the USSR Championship in 1954 and was Moscow Champion in 1949 (jointly) and 1962 (jointly). Averbakh won at Rio de Janeiro 1965

However, Yuri is best known for authoring a major (3 volumes) endgame work in the late 1950's; he also edited the magazine Shakhmatny, became an International Arbiter (in 1969) and an International Judge of Chess Compositions. He also became President of the Soviet Chess Federation (1972-77) and took an active role on a number of important FIDE committees.

A more detailed bio of this legend can be found at ChessVibes

I find humorous the way most bio's put it: he is ''currently'' the oldest living grandmaster. As though Yuri will soon likely voluntarily retire from said distinction! But chess players must be forgiven for their lack of tact and social skills...I met Averbakh once, at the 1996 Olympiad in Yerevan. I tried to convince him to let Jonathan Berry to play for Canada (we were short a player--I don't remember why--and Berry was present as an Arbiter). But Yuri was a stickler for regulations: he felt that putting Berry on the Canadian team at the last moment would put Russia et all at a disadvantage! So be it, and Berry has not forgiven me since!

SOME COMBOS FROM AVERBAKH'S GAMES

(Solutions here ) The dot indicates which side is Averbakh and find out how he wins!

______________________________________________________

Averbakh was never a fancy tactical player, preferring to grind out his opponents in endgames. Maybe that is why he was put in charge of the endgame project! However, he ocassionally showed some tactical flare, as the game below proves.

POSITION AFTER 19 MOVES

Fridstein

Averbakh

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN WITH A QUEEN SACRIFICE!!

_____________________________________________________________

Today's winning zen!

2012-02-08T19:33:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

IT IS WRITTEN....

THE FIVE W's OF LIFE

WHO you are is what makes you special. Do not change for anyone.

WHAT lies ahead will always be a mystery. Do not be afraid to explore.

WHEN life pushes you over, you push back harder.

WHERE there are choices to make, make the one you won't regret.

WHY things happen will never be certain. Take it in stride and move forward.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Potpourri

2012-02-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

THE TRUTH OF 'Before and After' PHOTO SHOOTS!

REVEALED FOR THE FIRST TIME

__________________________________________________________

TRACKING DOWN INTERNET TROLLS (bbc)

___________________________________________________________

TODAY'S CULTURAL CONTENT:

BEST MUSIC AND DANCE CATEGORY

WOMP! (SUMMER 2011) from JON ZOMBIE on Vimeo.

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Seat Girls HD from Sn Films on Vimeo.

FIRST PRIZE IN ''CUTE'' CATEGORY

Skinny Jeans from Roger Hagadone on Vimeo.

Where is the horse?

Today's winning nakedness

2012-02-07T22:38:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“Behind my carefully buttoned collar is my nakedness, the struggle to find clean clothes, food, meaning, and money. Behind sex is rage, behind anger is love, behind this moment is silence, years of silence.” ― Dorothy Allison (born 1949, Lesbian activist)

The positional Queen sacrifice

2012-02-07T19:50:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Yesterday's games on the Poison Pawn involved Queen sacrifices where it was evident that the compensation was a very strong attack on the King. Today's game is an example of a more subtle variation on the theme: White sacrifices his Queen for purely positional considerations. This is a more elegant sacrifice and occurs , understandably, much less often.

The game was played this past weekend in Barcelona in the 2nd round of this season's Catalunya Team Championship.

Round 2 of the Catalunya Team Championship this past weekend. It was a very cold weekend! I am in the centre (blue sweater). Viktor Moskalenko is playing next to me (his opponent is the Columbian gm Jaime Cuartas) Our team defeated Montcada 6.5-3.5 This photo shows Moskalenko pondering over the move 19.Bxg7!!

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 17th MOVE (17.Qd4!)

GM J.Cuartas

GM V.Moskalenko

White has an evident advantage in the form of 2 Bishops and several nasty pins. The doubled pawn on g4 is of little consquence; the more so because the f-file brings even stronger pressure onto the Black position.

Here White expected the tough 17... Qb6 when after18. Qxb6! ab White can simplify to an advantageous Rook ending with 19. Bxf6 Rxf6 20. Bxd5 Rxf1 21. Kxf1 cd 22. a3!?. Black may not be lost, but he would certainly have a difficult defence ahead of him...

INSTEAD, BLACK THOUGHT HE SAW A LESS PAINFUL SOLUTION:

17... Qe8?!

Had Cuartas seen Moskalenko's 19th move he would have no doubt gone into the Rook ending. But we can not blame him for overlooking this...

18. Bxf6! Re4!?

Black's idea. He no doubt expected the Queen to retreat , leaving White with just a slight initiative. Note that instead 18... Rxf6 would simply leave White a pawn up:19. Bxd5 Rxf1 20. Rxf1 cd 21. Qxd5 Qe3 22. Kh1

19. Bxg7 !!

The second '!' is for elegance of concept! White gets Rook, Pawn and Bishop in return for the Queen, but more importantly, the Black Kingside will have been weakened due to the disappearance of the g-pawn. Moskalenko needed to see deeply into the position that he could indeed make this factor a decisive influence on the outcome.

19...Rxd4 20. Bxd4

It turns out that White's coming Rf5 (!) can not be stopped for very long. Should Black now play 20...b6 then 21.Rf5 would have been the response.

Cuartas tries to glue together his positon:

20...Qd7!? 21. Rf5 !

The threat is Rg5-ch and Bc5-ch winning

21... h6 What else? 22. Bxd5! cd 23. Rf6!

With very subtle finesses, Moskalenko has found the right path for the Rook to infiltrate the Black Kingside. There is now no defence and the game soon ended.

You can download the game in pgn with Moskalenko's original annotations here

Viktor Moskalenko is a very strong Grandmaster who lives in Barcelona and plays for the same strong team as I in the championship of Catalunya. Viktor has an aggressive style of play and has played many great and memorable games. He is also a well known chess author. I have all of his books!

Chessbase writes : ''Born in 1960, is a grandmaster from Odessa (Ukraine) but who now lives in Spain. He was champion of Ukraine in 1987 and of Catalonia in 2001, 2005 and 2007. In his surveys he introduces us to his interesting repertoire, which is partially composed of sidelines which offer lots of possibilities for success. Moskalenko lives in Barcelona where he works as a trainer. He is also a successful author of chess books like The Fabulous Budapest Gambit, The Flexible French, Revolutionize Your Chess and The Wonderful Winawer.''

Live long and prosper day!

2012-02-07T17:47:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

I have decided to give up eating chicken wings after seeing this video below

___________________________________________________________________

A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

2012-02-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Their own thousand words....from a chess tournament in Sambia Chessbase report

Your move, Hippo!
-------------------------------------------------------------

Gonulden Seda Alev and Seray Tulay are happy with their tournament results

Young women at the Turkish Chess Championship
link

______________________________________________

WANT TO BE EATEN ALIVE BY CANNIBALS?

January 28th, 2012 Glitterazzi brought out the wild side in club goers where skin,sparkle, and ink were not in short supply. Photography by Calibree

link

_______________________________________________________

Recycling people

Link

Flying elephants...

______________________________________________________

WHAT I WOULD DO WITH WINGS...BE MY WINGS!

-----------------------------------------------

You never know what you are capable of until your back is up against the wall...

Naughty wall!
_________________________________________________

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Happy 86th birthday Mark Taimanov!

2012-02-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Legendary Russian gm and concert pianist Mark Taimanov turns a spriteful 86 years today! Congrats!! That is his young family in the photo above (ie. Taimanov is the husband and father of this young family--not the grandfather!) You dirty old man!

The Poison Pawn Variation

2012-02-07T07:09:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

You are what you eat, so be very careful of those poison pawns!

The Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defence is not for players with weak stomachs. Often the White side must be willing to part with material to try to hold on the initiative. Just as often, the Black side must be willing to riskily gobble it all down just to stay alive...

This is especially true in the sub-variation known as the Poison Pawn Variation.

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 Qb6!?

Most players know that Bobby Fischer did a lot to popularize this line. He believed in it, and used it in his 1972 match with Boris Spassky. It served his purposes well.

BUT what most players don't realize is that much of the theory of this line was worked out before Bobby even got his hands on it! In the 1950's top Soviet grandmasters took a close look at Euwe's theoretical writings and extended our knowledge of the line. What Fischer did is make very slight improvements in a small part of the theory.

Theoreticians love this line, and today the Poison Pawn is considered Black's most pragmatic chance in the Najdorf. While extremely risky for the Black pieces, even ultra-positional players have little qualms of playing this way, relying on their excellent memories. Chances are the White side is just doing the same thing!

HOWEVER, sometimes a new idea appears and when it does having an excellent memory does not help! You need to work things out over the board, and in complex positions such as arise in this opening that is often the whole problem: not every Sicilian player is suited to such problem solving!

Witness two Black disasters in a topical line of the Poison Pawn just days apart: the game Berg vs Vachier LaGrave (Gibraltar) and Bobras vs Maksimenko (Bundasliga)

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cd 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Bg5 e6 7. f4 h6!? 8. Bh4 Qb6

Black throwing in ...h6 before ...Qb6 is one of those little twists that is popular at the moment. I don't trust it, personally, but lacking an outright refutation, who can argue against fashion? Readers will recall Hou Yifan's victory over Alexi Shirov from Gibraltar: in that game this twist was seen, and Shirov went down in flames after 9.Qd2 (play over game here)

9.Qd3!?

This very logical move (eyeing the weakened g6 square) was played in both the Berg game and the Bobras game. It is remarkable how quickly information gets around these days and even more so how chessplayers take advantage of this to try to win a point , hoping that the opponent is a little less studious.

9... Qxb2 10. Rb1 Qa3 11. f5! Be7 12. fe fe

As stated, there is very little theory on this position. The only 2 games I can find in my database both saw the immediate 13.e5, which failed to impress .

13.Be2!?

A very logical move! As in many lines of the Poison Pawn, White's best successes come from calmly completing development and tucking the King into the corner before looking to crash thru the Black defences

12...fe 13. Be2 O-O 14. O-O Kh8 15. Kh1

Ok, the first phase has been completed. Curiously, Black finds it difficult to find a reasonable continuation, his weakened g6 square costing him dearly in numerous lines. For example: if 15... Nc6 then 16. Nxc6 bc 17. e5 de 18. Qg6! leaves Black defenceless; Or 15... Qa5 16. e5! Qxe5 17. Bf3!; or 15... b5 16. e5 de 17. Qg6! once more.

Black tried his best practical shot

15... Nbd7!?

Trying to get to e5 without being exchanged...however, there is a problem:

16. Nxe6! Ne5

No doubt Black is hoping for the tame 17. Qh3 when 17... Bxe6 18. Qxe6 Qxc3 19. Qxe7 Qxc2 simplifies Black's task.

17. Nxf8!!

Calling Black's bluff and putting the entire line commencing with 7...h6 into doubt! For the Queen White will get a Rook, a minor piece and a hugely favourable attacking position because of the co-ordination of White's pieces!

17... Nxd3 18. Ng6 Kh7 19. Bxd3

THIS POSITION WAS REACHED IN BOTH THE BERG AND BORBAS GAMES

Curiously, both of White's Knights are en prise ! However, the constant threat of e5 is a serious problem for Black...

The Berg vs Vachier-LaGrave game continued:

19... Kxg6!? 20. e5! Kh5 [ no better is 20... Kf7 21. ef Bxf6 22. Nd5 with a crushing bind]

21. ef Bxf6 22. Bxf6 gf

Every single one of Black's pieces are off-side. The Black King soon becomes easy prey to the White pieces.

23. Rb3!? Qa5 24. Rxf6 Bd7 25. Ne4!

The end is near...

25.... Bg4 26. h3 Rg8 27. hg Rxg4 28. Be2 Qe1 29. Kh2

[1:0]

_________________________________________

The Bobras vs Maksimenko game continued

19...Bd8!?

A noble idea, defending the Bishop, but it solves no real problems. Perhaps Black was counting on 20. e5!? de 21. Ne4 Nxe4 22. Bxe4 Qa4 23. c4 Qxc4 24. Rbe1 Bxh4 25. Nxe5 Qxe4 26. Rxe4 Bf6 27. Nc4 b5 28. Nd6

where Black has some remote drawing chances; but even so, the position is not easy: 28...Bd7? 29. Rxf6 winning a piece.

Bobras has other ideas....

20. Nd5!?

No doubt the best try for Black now is 20... Nxd5 21. ed Bxh4 but after 22. Nxh4 Kg8 23. Ng6! White has a clear advantage and every chance to win the game.

20... b5?! From here on Black's game goes downhill quickly 21. Nge7! Bxe7[21... Nxd5? 22. ed Kh8 23. Rf8#] 22. Nxe7 Bb7

Atleast Black has succeeded in developing, but now the flood gates open

23. Bxf6! gf 24. Rxf6 Qxa2

What else can Black do?

25. Rbf1! Kg7 26. Rg6 Kh8 27. e5

To avoid the immediate mate, Black must give away his pieces.

[1:0]

__________________________________________

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning tattoo!

2012-02-06T12:23:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

That is a LOT of tattoo!

5-second chess tactic!

2012-02-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Imagine you are the English grandmaster Gallagher and your opponent today is the Nigerian amateur Chukwuk Allor. He has just pulled back his Knight to d6, threatening mate in one-move! Will you see it, even though you have only seconds on the clock? And assuming you do see it, will you see the stunning refutation that White has at his disposal?

GOOD LUCK! WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

Remember: just 5 seconds!

POSITION AFTER 27 MOVES

Allor

gm Gallagher

February Issue Budapest Chess News now available!

2012-02-06T06:22:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

BUDAPEST CHESS NEWS!

Budapest is being invaded by Canadians! Better still, Canadian chess players!! National Master and popular author Michael Yip has a new monthly chess magazine that focuses primarily--though not only-- on the inner workings of one of Europe's chess centres. You can download all of Yip's issues here on this blog!

Download this month's issue

click on to enlarge

This month's issue rocks! More than 800 games, 190 of them annotated! Plenty of opening theory and coverage of international events too. Where do you find the time, Michael? This magazine will quickly put the CFC's effort out of business! Great work, Michael!

Weird books (all available at Strategy Games!)

2012-02-05T11:37:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

All the books below can conservatively be classified as weird! VERY weird. Curiously, the author is the same: Carleton Mellick III You can order these books from Strategy Games (Discounts for juniors with ratings more than 999, providing they don't tell their parents !) Order now!

Book Description

Link

It's difficult to love a woman whose vagina is a gateway to the world of the dead...

Steve is madly in love with his eccentric girlfriend, Stacy. Unfortunately, their sex life has been suffering as of late, because Steve is worried about the odd noises that have been coming from Stacy's pubic region. She says that her vagina is haunted. She doesn't think it's that big of a deal. Steve, on the other hand, completely disagrees.

When a living corpse climbs out of her during an awkward night of sex, Stacy learns that her vagina is actually a doorway to another world. She persuades Steve to climb inside of her to explore this strange new place. But once inside, Steve finds it difficult to return... especially once he meets an oddly attractive woman named Fig, who lives within the lonely haunted world between Stacy's legs.

______________________________________________________________________

Carleton Mellick III's work has been described as a combination of trashy schlock sci-fi/horror and postmodern literary art. His novels explore surreal versions of earth in contemporary society and imagined futures, commonly focusing on social absurdities and satire.

_________________________________________________________

PREVIOUS LITERARY WORKS

A tale of motorcycle-riding werewolf women in a strange post-apocalyptic wasteland.

They call themselves the Warriors, their enemies call them the Bitches. They are a gang of man-eating, motorcycle-riding, war-hungry werewolf women, and they are the rulers of the wasteland. Following his 2009 Wonderland Book Award-winning novel, Warrior Wolf Women of the Wasteland, Carlton Mellick III returns with Barbarian Beast Bitches of the Badlands, a collection of three interconnected novels that take place before, during, and after the events of the first book.

____________________________________________

Book Description

Step into a dark and absurd world where human beings are slaves to corporations, people are photocopied instead of born, and the baby jesus is a very popular anal probe.

_________________________________________________

"I wish I could hope to ever attain one-thousandth the perversity of Robert Devereaux's toenail clippings." -Poppy Z. Brite Santa Claus is back. And flying beside him is Wendy, his freshly minted stepdaughter, who can peer into the future of selected children and offer them glimpses of the wonders ahead. But with that power come horrific visions of the turmoil and trouble the less fortunate among them are fated to suffer. Can Wendy and her stepfather prevent the suicide of Jamie Stratton in his teen years, as he grows up gay in a homophobic household and community? God the Father grants them three Thanksgiving visits to Jamie's tormentors, in hopes of bringing about a change of heart in them and eliminating their ingrained prejudices. Beyond the challenge of rescuing one precious child lies the far more daunting task of expunging entirely this brand of bigotry from the human race, as Santa and Wendy strive to remake the world in compassion and generosity. Along the way, they enlist the aid of the Easter Bunny, a highly persuasive fellow indeed. But the Tooth Fairy and her loathsome imps are hell-bent on doing all they can to stop Santa and Wendy-nay, to heighten mortal fear and hatred of anyone whose orientation strays even the slightest from the norm.

____________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Ultra Fuckers is a work of absurd suburban horror in the tradition of Mellick's previous short novel, The Menstruating Mall.

Tony dreads the idea of going to his wife's company dinner party in Eagle Hills; the new upper-middleclass gated community that just popped up outside of Scottsdale, AZ. He hates these Southwest-style planned suburban neighborhoods. All of the streets look the same. All of the houses look the same. All of the people look the same. Because everything in Eagle Hills looks exactly the same, Tony has trouble finding the dinner party. He quickly becomes lost in the sea of red tile roofs. The streets seem to go on forever. The addresses don't seem to make any sense.

After hours of navigating the suburban labyrinth, Tony discovers that there is something terribly wrong with the Eagle Hills gated community. There is something unnatural about the houses around him. There is something inhuman about the people staring at him through the windows. And no matter how far he drives, he can't seem to find his way out.

__________________________________________________________________

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Boobs too big to take sobriety test ?!

2012-02-05T10:55:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Drunk Florida Woman Tells Deputies Her "Big Boobies"

Prevented Her from Performing Sobriety Tests

By Kyle MunzenriederFri., Feb. 3 2012 at 4:43 PM

Link

Maureen Raymond, 49, may admit she was driving under the influence of "big boobies," but that's about it. After being approached by police for driving over the speed limit and swerving over the double yellow line, Raymond refused to perform a field sobriety test because she claimed her big breasts would get in the way.

A Martin County Sheriff's deputy approached Raymond in a Walgreen's parking lot at about 9:20 p.m. last Sunday in Port St. Lucie. The deputy had received a call that her Toyota Camry had been driving recklessly. When he approached, the slightly poetic deputy wrote in the police report he "detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage about," according to WPTV.

The deputy then asked Raymond to perform the field sobriety tests.

"Hell no not with these ... not with [my] big boobies," replied Raymond.

Another deputy asked her to take the tests, and she said the he "needed to understand that she is big chested," and that her large chesticles make balancing difficult. When asked if she had any injuries she just said she had whiplash and big breasts. She then told the deputy she would perform the task if he held her hand.

"I asked her again if she would like to attempt the task and she stated not really because she has big breasts," reads the police report.

Apparently Raymond didn't think that the deputies had quite gotten the message that her boobs were big so she tried to take off her shirt to show the deputies first hand that, indeed, she had big boobs.

Before she could disrobe completely, Raymond ended up getting arrested and was charged with a DUI.

Today's winning amateur cell-phone artiste!

2012-02-05T04:59:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''Everybody got it wrong. I said I was into porn again, not born again.''Billy Idol

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Vodka saved my LIFE!

2012-02-05T04:30:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

There is a truly excellent interview with Boris Spassky at Chess in Translation where the 10th World Champion looks back at his life. ''I've had a good life.'' he admits. I especially like the story of how his mother saved his father's life...

It was during the Siege of Leningrad, when thousands of people were dying of famine (more than half a million died). What little food there was, was rationed. Spassky's father--a soldier-- found himself in the death ward of a hospital, apparently soon to become one more statistic of starvation...

WHEN Spassky's mother found out about her husband, she was desperate! She went out and sold absolutely everything she had and bought...A BOTTLE OF VODKA! She then hurried to the hospital:

''My father was on the verge of death from starvation and even ended up on the death ward. You’ll never guess how my mother saved my dad: she sold all her things and bought a bottle of alcohol.

She arrived in the ward and started to look for him among dozens of people, but he’d lost so much weight that she didn’t even recognise him.

My father was stern despite his weakness and shouted at her: don’t you recognise your own husband? After that he drank the whole bottle and got up. A miracle? No, they say vodka has calories.''

''A life saver!''

Short still a sharp competitor!

2012-02-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Photo by Ray Morris-Hill

Last round game between Sasikiran and Short

The weather is typically British in Gibraltar: rain, and more rain. For the English, a home away from home! Perhaps this can explain why Short manages to always play some of his best chess in Gibraltar. Witness his last round 'must win' game against the very strong Indian star Sasikiran.

POSITION AFTER 28 MOVES:

SHORT

SASIKIRAN

Black stands a bit better: his pieces are more active and White's King is a bit more exposed than his counterpart. In this kind of position the initiative counts for a lot...White can not afford any imprecisions.

INSTEAD of playing the safe 29.Bf1, Sasikiran walks into a trap that Short was not even threatening!

29.Bh1? Ne5!!

A neat twist! The second '!' is for elegance (the first '!' is because it is the strongest move!)

White is dead lost. Nigel was merciless...

Today's winning smile!

2012-02-04T13:18:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Copyright, the internet and you

2012-02-04T04:35:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

An informed talk by a respected Ottawa law professor. I find it a bit scary what is happening right now. It seems that not just one, but several governments are moving in the direction to control the internet and its users. Ofcourse, we all know what copyright is all about, but what if there is more in play than just intellectual property rights? What if it is more than just dollars and cents to already rich artists and companies? The new laws envision scenarios that give bureaucrats arbitrary and sweeping censorship powers that can close down virtually any website in the world.

Saturday's tactics training

2012-02-04T04:19:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

TODAY'S TRAINING SESSION!

''In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity."
Bruce Lee

The triangle indicates which side is to move first. Solutions later this evening. Good luck!

Today's chess quotation

2012-02-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Hungarian superstar Lajos Portisch (born 1937) was one of the dominant European players between 1960 and 1990. Fischer described him as one of the 'best players of the past 50 years.'' Candidate for the world championship countless times, winner of a record number of international events and member of the legendary Hungarian national team that won the gold medal at the 1978 Olympiad. Portisch's achievements have never been matched by any player since, including Judit Polgar.

There is an interesting interview with Portisch this week published on Chessbase. I recommend it to my readers! At one point he talks of the fast modern time controls and the negative impact they have had on the endgame:

'' This time control of forty moves in two hours followed by a half an hour for the rest of the game spoils the entire endgame phase.

I’m afraid the gentleman of FIDE are simply not chess players and do not understand the spirit of the game. They are just officials and I rather doubt there is a strong player in the lot that establishes the rules.

The rules should be changed as the endgame is completely spoiled. Of course with computers today, adjournments are no longer possible, but a solution should be found.

I have studied chess history, and in the early 20th century and even later, the first time control was after thirty moves, not forty. Why not shorten the time of the first time control to one hour for thirty moves? Everyone knows the openings extremely well nowadays, with the internet, ChessBase, New in Chess and so on.

That way there would be more time for the ending. Certainly what is going on now is no good...''

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning football fans!

2012-02-03T14:07:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." Pele

Nosher wins in Gibraltar!

2012-02-02T12:31:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

While it was no fairy-tale ending, at least we can say that the best man won!

English GM Nigel Short won the tie-break rapid games against teen sensation Hou Yifan to take the title of champion of Gibraltar 2012. Congrats! Not an easy achievement--as I am certain Nigel can attest to--especially when every single one of the spectators present in the room and hundreds of thousands of on-line followers wanted the Chinese star to win! But experience does count for something, and rapid games are not the teenager's specialty.

So another edition of the Rock's famous tournament ends...no doubt many will speak of the success of the Chinese star for years to come. This tournament marks the end of the reign of Judit Polgar as the top female in the world. And , especially, it establishes Hou Yifan as a power to reckon with in the chess world.

Assuming FIDE operates with good sense and respects it's own rules concerning the qualification process for the World Championship, then I would not be surprised if Yifan becomes the first woman to hold both the women's and men's world titles| Let us wait and see...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning smile!

2012-02-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning tactic

2012-02-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Liebert

Geller

This is the position after 43 moves of play (1970, Germany). Black is completely tied down to the defence of his f7-square. It is not easy to break Black's defence.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

Hou Yifan half a point ahead going into the final stretch!

2012-02-01T13:15:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

THE NEW BOBBY FISCHER OF CHESS!

Hou Yifan working out before the game (photo by Ray Morris-Hill)

Today the chinese superstar defeated her 3rd 2700-rated player in a row. My friend Alex Shirov went down in flames trying to make something out of nothing in a sharp and popular line of the Poison Pawn (Najdorf Sicilian). Before he realized it, he was already worse and the women's world champion did not show him any mercy.

Tomorrow is the final round of the Gibraltar tournament. My money is on Yifan! Her opponent is Mamedyarov, who often plays quite unsoundly in the opening against 1.e4

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

click on to enlarge
LINK

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Thankyou, readers!

2012-01-31T19:39:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

January was a record-setting month for this blog! I want thank all of my thousands of loyal readers from the more than 50 countries who regularly visit here for their support and encouragement. SINCERELY! It is a pleasure to serve an intelligent and mature chess community!

Kevin Spraggett

Wednesday's winning puzzle

2012-01-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Good morning, Wednesday! Today's chess study has as its setting a deceptively simple Bishop and pawn ending with equal material. Both sides have a passed a-pawn. However, it is White to play and that makes the entire difference: often the one with the move has the advantage simply because....well....it is his move! Make the most of it. White to play and win. Good luck!

Max Karstedt 1916

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

(Solution: 1.a7 Bd5; 2.c4! Ba8; 3.Bf3!! BxB; 4.d5 etc)

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning perspective!

2012-01-31T19:13:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''It has always been my private conviction that any man who puts his intelligence up against a fish and loses had it coming.''

John Steinbeck

Hou Yifan shares lead in Gibraltar with Adams

2012-01-31T18:53:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

photo by Ray Morris-Hill

Women's World Champion Hou Yifan, after yesterday's victory over Judit Polgar, has left no doubt in anyone's mind why she is the top female player in the world today when she won yet again, this time against Viet Nam star Le Quang in a sharp Sicilian defence. This puts her in a 2-way tie with England's Mickey Adams.

Yifan played a bit recklessly in the opening and experts felt that she was on the brink of being definitely worse when she wisely embarked on some wild complications. The game should have been a draw towards the end, but the Viet Nam star stumbled and fell into a mating net.

POSITION AFTER BLACK'S 33rd MOVE (33...h6)

LE QUANG

YIFAN

Retreating the Knight would simply leave Black a pawn to the good. Fortunately for the chinese star, she has a perpetual check with a simple Rook sacrifice:

34. Rxh6! gh 35. Qe6 Kg7 36. Qd7 Kg6 37. Ne6

Now the game should end in a perpetual after 37... Rf7! 38. Nf4 Kg7 39. Nh5 Kg8! 40. Qe8 Rf8 41. Qg6 Kh8 42. Qxh6 etc. INSTEAD, Le Quang blundered:

37...Bc5?? 38. Qg7-ch!

It is forced mate!

''I believe in luck: how else can you explain the success of those you dislike?''
John Cocteau

Today's insight into the meaning of LIFE

2012-01-31T05:23:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''To be what you want to be, you must give up being what you are.''

Cat Stevens

Potpourri

2012-01-31T04:53:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Burger King - CHESS Vfx from ONER Vfx on Vimeo.

Gratuitous good looks

Men as Chess from audiovisualufes on Vimeo.

Door matt?

-----------------------------------------------------------

The party never starts for some...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning tattoo!

2012-01-30T16:38:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''In order to know virtue, we must first acquaint ourselves with vice.''

Marquis de Sade 1740-1814

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Yifan vs J.Polgar: 1-0

2012-01-30T16:03:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Official Tournament Site

Mickey Adams has a lot to smile about. He leads the tournament after 7 rounds!

PASSING THE TORCH FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT

Round 7 of the Gibraltar tournament saw a rare bird: Judit Polgar up against the teenage whiz from China.

Hou Yifan (ELO 2605) is the reigning Women's World Champion and the youngest ever to win the title, as well as the youngest ever female player to qualify for the title of Grandmaster. Judit Polgar is the strongest female chess player to have appeared in the past 50 years. On the January 2012 FIDE list her rating is 2710. Judit refuses to play in women's tournaments on principle, considering them to be demeaning to women.

Apart from the excitement of seeing both players meet over the board, the match up might also give some indication and insight into why and how much the ELO ratings have become inflated over the years. Refusing to play in ''normal'' tournaments for several decades, and thereby ''protecting'' her rating, Judit has managed to maintain a 2700-plus average rating. Many of the ''2700-club'' do the same. Meanwhile, Yifan has not shied away from open competition with lower rated players, always willing to risk her rating.

While we should not read too much into 1 game, it must be admitted that Polgar did not put up much resistance.

Wijk Aan Zee ends with no big surprises

2012-01-30T06:36:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Official Tournament Link

(photos by Fred Lucas)

The 2012 edition of this famous Dutch resort tournament came to an end this past weekend with Armenian superstar Lev Aronian putting in another solid performance to take first place with 9 points in 13 games.

Playing his usual super-solid , well-prepared opening repetoire, Lev never the less lost 2 games. One of them against second place finisher Carlsen of Norway, who is probably the most consistent player on the circuit these days: Carlsen usually either wins the tournament or finishes in second place!

Not to diss the Armenian star's success, I think that none of Aronian's games in Wijk Aan Zee will be included in his best game collection. Rather, his success is more due to his off-form opponents: for example, amongst others, former world champion Topalov was unrecognizable with 4 losses and only 1 win; world champion contender Gelfand fared even worse: 5 losses (!) and just 1 win.

PERHAPS THE MOST MEMORABLE GAME OF THE EVENT TOOK PLACE IN Rd 11

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 20th MOVE (20.Nf5):

Topalov

Carlsen

This game generated a lot of interest in the on-line chess world. In the position before White's 20th move (20.Nf5?!) Topalov even stands a bit better (normally Black is not permitted to play his Knight to c4 with such ease). Everybody was amazed at how the game continued...many thinking that it was just 2 geniuses clashing and therefore quite natural that the goddess of chess--Caissa--would bless us with a masterpiece. The truth is quite different, however.

Hence the rational course of play would have been 20.Rc1, preventing Black's next move.

20...Nxb2!

As natural as a baby's smile! Everyone was wondering what was going on in Carlsen's mind...after all, he is a genius, no? (But then again, so is Topalov!)

''I was over optimistic in the early middle game. I missed his Nxb2 and (then) hallucinated about a mating attack ...''--Carlsen on his blog

It is nice to see a great player admit this kind of thing. White is lost. But not simply, and what follows is Carlsen's attempt to go down fighting. The spectators must admire the Tal-like chaos that the Norwegian is able to drape the board with!

21.Bh4!!

One of the great moves of chess! Too bad it is wasted on a lost position...there followed:

21... Nxd1 22. Bxf6 Nxc3 23. Qg4 Bxe4 24. Nxh6 Kh7!

''I missed his Nxb2 and hallucinated about a mating attack only to find out that he had a safe haven on h7 in the critical variations...''

Being a whole Rook down and with his attack coming to a full stop, Carlsen had only one move if he did not want to resign:

25. Bxf7

Topalov should play 25...Bd3! and White has no threats and no good continuation. INSTEAD, NOW SOMETHING AMAZING HAPPENED: a miracle!

Topalov saw that White threatened nothing concrete, but his confidence left him and he started to see ghosts! He decided to give up his Queen to stop the phantom attack with 25...Qxf7, after which the game becomes equal once more.

''Fortunately for me he missed a critical line of defense and when surrounded by four of my pieces he lost patience and went for a queen sacrifice resulting in an imbalanced ending with my queen and four pawns against his rook, two bishops and two pawns.''

In the end, with both sides trying to win a level position, Topalov rejected a forced draw and instead blundered. A great fight that does merit to both champions!

Today's winning c-lick

2012-01-30T03:33:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.''

Albert Einstein

Boris Spassky turns 75 years young !!

2012-01-30T03:07:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Boris Vasilievich Spassky was born January 30, 1937 in Leningrad Boris was the tenth World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1969 to 1972. Today he celebrates his 75th birthday!

Spassky won the Soviet Chess Championship twice outright (1961, 1973), and twice more lost in playoffs (1956, 1963), after tying for first during the event proper. He was a World Chess Championship candidate on seven occasions (1956, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1977, 1980, and 1985).

The above information is what you would find on WIKI, but what it does not tell you is that Boris Spassky is the most famous chess player alive, the most respected and certainly the best ambassador that chess could ever want. Now long retired from active competition, Boris is a most welcome guest where ever he goes. The millions of friends and fans that he has made in his life all feel honoured to have him in their presence.

It is hard for me to pick which one of his games is my favourite--he has played so many brilliant and unforgettable games--but undoubtedly his victory over David Bronstein in the Soviet Championship in 1960 has a very special place. When Fischer saw this game he was blown away. Left speachless! In his very next interview he said that Spassky was one of the 10 best players in history!

Spassky B. - Bronstein D.

Leningrad 1960.

1. e4 e5 2. f4!

A universal player, Boris was very fond of the romantic King's Gambit, having won many games with it, including against the legendary Bobby Fischer. Spassky has a special feeling for the initiative and was , next to Tal, the greatest attacker of his generation.

2... ef 3. Nf3 d5 4. ed Bd6 5. Nc3 Ne7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 Nd7 8. O-O h6 9. Ne4 Nxd5 10. c4 Ne3 11. Bxe3 fe 12. c5 Be7

Black pieces are momentarily uncoordinated, and Spassky takes full advantage of this by immediately creating threats

13. Bc2! Re8 14. Qd3 e2

15. Nd6!!?!

One of the most remarkable moves in history! Rather than just move the rook (a good move!) Boris strikes immediately, creating head-spinning complications almost impossible to work out over the board! To add to the spectators' amazement, Bronstein does not immediately take the rook, even though it is check(!!).

15... Nf8!!?!

White gets a strong attack no matter how Black defends: 15... Bxd6 16. Qh7 Kf8 17. cd efQ 18. Rxf1 cd 19. Qh8 Ke7 20. Re1 Ne5 21. Qxg7 Rg8 22. Qxh6 Qb6 23. Kh1 Be6 24. de; or if 15... efQ 16. Rxf1 will most likely transpose into the previous note.

16. Nxf7!

Pirate chess!! Now Bronstein can not refuse Spassky's gifts...

16... efQ 17. Rxf1 Bf5 18. Qxf5 Qd7

For the exchange White has a dangerous initiative.

19. Qf4 (Also good is 19. Qd3) 19... Bf6 20. N3e5

White is attacking with his entire army!

20... Qe7 21. Bb3 ouch!

21... Bxe5 There is nothing better

22. Nxe5 Kh7 23. Qe4! ouch!

Bronstein resigns. A likely finish is 23... g6 24. Rxf8! Rxf8 25. Qxg6 Kh8 26. Qxh6 Qh7 27. Ng6#

The chess game between "Kronsteen" and "McAdams" in the early part of the James Bond movie From Russia With Love is based on this same game!! Here we can see ''Kronstein'' taking back the Bishop with his Knight (move 22)

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

Last year I wrote a blog entry (Spassky according to Spassky) , and for the occasion of Boris' 75th birthday I reproduce it here.

''The place of chess in society is closely related to the attitude of young people towards our game. Nowadays young people have great choice of occupations, hobbies, etc, so chess is experiencing difficulties because of the high competition... so our profession does not attract young people.''

''I later told Botvinnik that the best example of the Soviet School of Chess was...Bobby Fischer... He was not amused...''

''... I gave a simultaneous chess display at the Officers' House in Minsk. I was eleven at the time. In game I checkmated one officer. He asked to take back his move. After two moves I was checkmated. I began to cry bitterly and the game was stopped for 15 minutes... since that time I never allow taking back moves. It was a very sad experience.''

1958 Soviet Championship; the decisive game

''The game was adjourned, and I had a good position; but I was very tired from analyzing and went to resume next morning unshaven.

Before I played important games I usually tried to bathe, to put on a good shirt and suit, and to look comme il faut. But on this occasion I had analyzed incessantly and came to the board looking very disheveled and fatigued.

Then I was a like a stubborn mule. I remembered that Tal offered me a draw, but I refused. Then I felt my strength ebb away, and I lost the thread of the game. My position deteriorated, I proposed a draw, but Tal refused.

When I resigned there was a thunder of applause, but I was in a daze and hardly understood what was happening.

I was certain the world went down; I felt that there was something terribly wrong. After this game I went on the street and cried like a child.

I remembered that in 1951 when I lost to Smyslov in his clock simultaneous was the last time I cried, and I promised myself then never to cry again, but after losing to Tal I couldn’t keep my word.”

''When I am in form, my style is a little bit stubborn, almost brutal. Sometimes I feel a great spirit of fight which drives me on''

On Bronstein in the 1956 Candidates Tournament:

''It was a revelation to me how seriously and nervously the other candidates took their tournament work. I remember especially Bronstein one evening wanted to reassure himself about his prospects. He took three dice and threw them three times. Each time three fives came up, and Bronstein decided this was a lucky omen. Next round he had to play against Smyslov and he lost, completely killed. I tried to understand this situation; I was very young and I saw that the other candidates were very nervous and excited. I felt quite calm, and I understood that I was a very weak player in this company but had to fight-attack.''

After Spassky lost a highly publicized game to the American William Lombardy on first board in the 1960 Student Olympiad he was left off the 1961 team and was eventually suspended from foreign travel three times...a typical Sports Committee humiliation... ''My nervous energy was completely destroyed for three years.'' Spassky said of this period.''

Spassky and his first gm trainer, Tolush (on the right)

''It was then that I met Tolush, and it seemed natural that we should work together. He continued as my trainer from 1952 to 1960. It became hard for me, because I didn't find a good personal contact with Tolush. He was a rather brutal man and he liked very much to give advice to me...it was terrible! Eight years is a very long time, you know. I had nobody to turn to at that time except my mother. I didn't have contact with my brother and sister and was alone. That man...I still had respect for him, of course....Also I made the mistake of leaving Tolush at the time of my divorce, when I was in a very nervous state. I should have had a special meeting with him to explain what I was doing, but instead I refused to speak to him.''

Spassky then met GM Bondarevsky in 1961:

''Bondarevsky did a lot not only for my chess knowledge and understanding of positions, but also for my character. I admired him less as a grandmaster than I did Tolush. Bondarevsky used to be a combination player, but then he decided to become like Capablanca and now his chess is rather dull. But when I first got to know him well, I was drawn to him, felt a great respect and saw that this man was a very interesting man.''

''When we played a Candidate's match with Larsen in Malmo in 1968, the total prize fund was something like $250! I protested to the FIDE President Rogard then. But he reasonably replied that it was according to the wishes of the Soviet Chess Federation, to which he had to listen. The Soviet Chess Federation, of course, did not care about the players, for the communists chess was only an instrument.''

On fighting to become World Champion: ''I don't believe that I ever considered the possibility. I used to play from tournament to tournament and from game to game. My outlook only changed much later, in 1964, when I was a main referee of the match Russian Republic vs Budapest. I decided to make a joke and told Bondarevsky ''I shall be world champion.'' Then I saw that my joke was coming rather good, and that I had a strong position. That was the first time I thought seriously about the title.''

''In chess we must fight...''

''Ocasionally I looked at my games which I played at age of 30, 40, 45 and looked my present games when I was 60 or 62 and I said: 'Ohhh, I'm crazy...to play such a bad chess after showing such beautiful quality.'So I think I stopped playing very late.''

''I believe that the Marshall is good enough for a draw, which was of course all I aimed for with Black. After this match (with Tal,1965) Bondarevsky and I thought we should erect a statue to Frank Marshall; a very sympathetic player!''

Spassky on Karpov:

''He [Karpov] was eating me like crocodile eating small animal."

Spassky's heroes :

"My heroes were all tragic!".

''When I play chess probablyI seem rather unruffled,but this is not really so. It is like a clown's face which is put on specially for the occasion; when I appear particularly calm I am really feeling specially nervous.''

''Chigorin was probably the first 'computer-like' Grandmaster. He always gave lots of concrete variations and looked at positions without pre-justice.''

" I don't want ever to be champion again.''

''In my country, at that time, being a champion of chess was like being a King. At that time I was a King - and when you are King you feel a lot of responsibility, but there is nobody there to help you. ''

On Spassky's technique for encouraging players to resign in the simul:

"... his rival is two pawns down in an endgame (king and six pawns v king and four) ... Spassky would approach the board, look at it with a frown for 30 seconds as if it was the hardest position he'd ever seen, then look up at his opponent and say in that lovely, lilting Russian voice: 'But where is your army?'

Worked every time. I think he scored 15 wins and 5 draws in the simul."

''The talent of coach is a special one. You can be an excellent chess player, but at the same time an absolutely untalented coach...I said recently to Garry: 'Garry if you come back to chess, I'm ready to be your coach. Gratis [for free]'"

''Sometimes I play through games with computer. From time to time computer comes up with very interesting moves...But I think that modern players should learn how to control computer, as otherwise it would be bad for the game. ''

''When I played Bobby Fischer, my opponent fought against organizations - the television producers and the match organizers. But he never fought against me personally. I lost to Bobby before the match because he was already stronger than I. He won normally.''

On Spassky's preparation against Petrosian:

''Together with Bondarevsky and Krogius, I came to the conclusion that the World Champion, for all his great positional mastery, was not a player of a strict, classical profile. His style, directed towards limiting the opponent's possibilities, is unique and, particularly in match play, extraordinarily effective.

It is not accidental that Petrosian is a phenomenal match player. All the same, his unsurpassed skill at manoeuvring and tacking is sometimes dictated not only by the requirements of the position but rather by prophylactic tasks.

On the whole, our idea justified itself: in the Tarrasch Defence, for example, Petrosian was not able even once in five attempts to seize the isolated queen's pawn.''

''Nowadays the dynamic element is more important in chess - players more often sacrifice material to obtain dynamic compensation. Of course, such players were in my generation too and they existed before (for example, Alekhine) but then fewer people played like that than now. When I spoke with Alexander Nikitin (former coach of Garry Kasparov - A.B.), he said that players of my generation had very good understanding of chess, but the game was slower then. Nowadays there is more dynamism in chess, modern players like to take the initiative. Usually they are poor defenders though.''

'' I was always fond of the history of chess, and it was very interesting to learn more about the chess world, the first World Champion, the conditions which existed at that time. And what do we have now: if your phone rings you lose the game. I wish I had lived in the 19th century.''

"Now I'm preparing myself to die very peacefully."

“Do you think the spot next to him is available?”

Boris on Korchnoi

I remember fondly one conversation I had a few years back with Boris Spassky. We were discussing Victor Korchnoi ('Victor the Terrible'). Boris and Victor had been bitter adversaries for more than 40 years at the time of this conversation, and they had played more than 60 times in official competitions..(including 2 candidates finals)... only Karpov can boast to have played Victor more times.

Boris, at one point, came up with the incredible statement that Korchnoi had every quality necessary to become world champion BUT lacked ONE very essential quality...and it was precisely this quality that prevented him from attaining chess' highest title. I coaxed Boris on...

He began to list Korchnoi's many qualities:

...Killer Instinct (nobody can even compare with Victor's 'gift')
...Phenomenal capacity to work (both on the board and off the board)
...Iron nerves (even with seconds left on the clock)
...Ability to Calculate (maybe only Fischer was better in this department)
...Tenacity and perseverance in Defense (unmatched by anyone)
...The ability to counterattack (unrivaled in chess history)
...Impeccable Technique (Flawless, even better than Capa's)
...Capacity to concentrate (unreal)
...Impervious to distractions during the game
...Brilliant understanding of strategy
...Superb tactian (only a few in history an compare with Victor)
...Possessing the most profound opening preparation of any GM of his generation
...Subtle Psychologist
...Super-human will to win (matched only by Fischer)
...Deep knowledge of all of his adversaries
...Enormous energy and self-discipline

Then Boris stopped, and just looked at me, begging for me to ask the question that needed to be asked....I asked: 'But, Boris, what does Victor lack to become world champion?' Boris' answer floored me:''He has no chess talent !''

And then Spassky roared with laughter...

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Magic!

2012-01-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

You have to see this to believe it! INCREDIBLE!!

Today's winning devil

2012-01-29T20:18:00.001-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“Somehow our devils are never quite what we expect when we meet them face to face.”

Nelson Demille

Ivan is having a problem with his shirt

2012-01-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

MEET IVAN AND HIS SHIRT

IVAN IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH HIS SHIRT from theAMIGOunit on Vimeo.

__________________________________________________________

I believe in...

___________________________________________________________________

Just a little bit of paranoia is good for you....

____________________________________________________________

ASS TIME!

(Thankyou, Lilly!)

Lilly Sexy Dance from sextoys739 on Vimeo.

______________________________________________________

AND FINALLY SOME CHESS...

Patrick K.-H. "Tommy D" series: Chess from Patrick K.-H. on Vimeo.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Hilarious!

2012-01-27T20:20:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

You will have a lot of fun with this! Thankyou Raja and Marc!

Saturday's 30-second chess tactic

2012-01-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

The annual Gibraltar chess festival got underway this past week. Many of the world's top players have braved the traditionally poor January weather and crowded playing conditions for a chance at winning one of the biggest cash prizes on the European open circuit.

The chess is excellent! Below is the position after 25 moves from the game between GMs Kualots and Laznicka. Black had just started chopping wood along the c-file and his last move was 25...Rc8, which turns out to be a decisive error.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

gm KUALOTS

gm LAZNICKA

Potpourri

2012-01-27T03:19:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

DO CHESS, NOT CRIME!

The January meeting of the Cooperative Chess Coalition ? No! But close...it is Attica Prison 1972. More here (Thx, Mark!) PS: The CCC is Toronto's first organization that tries to bring together amateur chessplayers with mental health issues.

________________________________________

He said, she said...she threatened him, he defended himself...

The youtube video below is beginning to go viral. FUN TO WATCH! Reminds me of some of the Irish pubs I have been in around 3 a.m....

_____________________________________________

click on to enlarge

The gentlemanly rules of engagement

_________________________________

After hours bar....you were not invited? PITY!
________________________________________________________________

link

JUST NICE TO LOOK AT

___________________________________________________________________

This guy needs anger-management classes! You would think that he was married to his bike!
_____________________________________________________________

The only pub open after the Irish Pub closed?! No it is San Francisco's Adult Entertainment Expo.
________________________________________________

EVER SEE ONE OF THESE?

(FUN THINGS YOU CAN SEE AT MUSEUMS...)

A rectum showing the effects of both haemorrhoids and bowel cancer. The patient in this case was Thomas Thurlow (1737-1791), the Bishop of Durham. Thurlow had suffered from some time from a bowel complaint, which he initially thought was the result of piles. He consulted John Hunter after a number of other physicians and surgeons had failed to provide him with a satisfactory diagnosis. Hunter successfully identified the tumour through rectal examination, but recognised that it was incurable. Thurlow died 10 months later. Link to story

Thomas Thurlow, Bishop of Durham was directly associated with the slave trade and as such was one of the Bishops who sat on the Society for the Propagation of The Gospel Abroad, which owned a plantation on Codrington Estate in Barbados. The mortality rate among slaves on this plantation was unusually high. 40% within three years of arrival died and they were branded with the word "society" using a red hot iron. The Church continued to own the plantation until 1833 and several clergymen were compensated when the slave trade was finally abolished.

NOW HIS PRESERVED RECTUM STANDS AS PROOF THAT THERE IS A JUST GOD

Today's winning smile

2012-01-27T03:17:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

“What holds the world together, as I have learned from bitter experience, is sexual intercourse.”

Henry Miller 1891-1980

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Bobby Fischer at 15

2012-01-26T20:31:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

I had not seen this video before. A 15-year old Fischer appeared on TV: ''I've Got a Secret'', a popular program that ran from 1952 to 1967. Bobby comes across as being very, very shy!

Wijk Aan Zee tidbits

2012-01-26T18:26:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

gm Bruzon (by Fred Lucas)

Cuba's Bruzon is having a good tournament. In the 9th round he crushed the European Champion Potkin with the Black pieces when the latter's sense of danger completely betrayed him. Bruzon crashed thru on the Kingside with a brutal Queen move:

POSITION AFTER 23 MOVES:

BRUZON

POTKIN

Black stands a bit better. His Knight is more active (and dangerous!) than the White Bishop. At the same time, the open a-file and c-file will require some attention should Black want to penetrate into the White camp. Not withstanding these observations, White is quite solid and Black has no immediate threats.

Correct now is 24.Qb3!, planning to play 25.f3 should Black play 24...Ng5. INSTEAD, Potkin overestimated the ...Ng5 idea and unnecessarily weakens himself.

24. h4?! Rfc8 25. Qd3?!

Once more, b3 was a better square.

25... Ra2 ofcourse!

Bruzon does not need to be asked twice to put his rook on the 7th rank!

Black now has serious threats, such as ...Rc3 , or doubling on the 7th rank. White is probably not yet lost, though he must not play any more imprecisions. The best chance is 26.f3, and if Black takes the pawn with [26...Rc3 27. Qd4 Nxd2 28. Rxd2 Rxd2 29. Qxd2 Rxe3 then after 30. Kf2! Re5 31. Ra1! White gets annoying counterplay.

INSTEAD, Potkin jumped from the pan into the fire and finds himself immediately lost:

26. Be1??

White must have completely overlooked Bruzon's next move

26... Qg4 !

The threat is to simply take the g-pawn! Now 27.Bd2 Rc-c2! 28.Qxd5 h5! will win the Bishop.

27. Kg1 Rcc2

Black has some pretty impressive firepower in play!

28. Qxd5 what else? 28... Qxg3!

Ouch! White can not take it without getting immediately mated. Now is a good time to resign, but Potkin played on for a few more moves before throwing in the towel...

POSITION AFTER 20 MOVES:

ERNST

VOCATURA

Ofcourse White is completely winning! His attack on the Kingside can not be stopped as the Black pieces are all stuck over on the other side of the board. And Black must never take the Knight on f5 as he will surely get mated in a couple of moves.

BUT what the sadist in me really finds appealing about the finish is how Black is forced , after the next move, to make the last move he would have wanted to make!

21. Bd5!

Threatening to just take the Knight off!

21... Ndb8 !

The only move to avoid losing immediately

SUCH a picturesque position! Now that Black is mangled on the Queenside, White turns his attention to the King:

22. Nh5!

Threatening mate in 2 moves starting with Nf6-ch. Black's next is forced as 22...gf5 goes off to 23.Qf3 with a quick mate.

22... Bxf5 23.exf5

The Knight can still not be taken and taking the Bishop on d5 allows 24.Nf6

23... Qxc3 24. fg hg 25. Qf3!

Now is the time to throw in the towel, but nobody wants to resign in 25 moves!

Black resigned on move 28, two moves shy of mate!

Today's winning red-head

2012-01-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair," said Anne reproachfully. "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is."

Anne of Green Gables

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

A picture is worth a 1,000 words...

2012-01-25T19:31:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

(Fred Lucas photography)

The Wijk Aan Zee chess festival. Spectators. Above and below. The kid in front is voted the most likely to succeed in life (by this blog).

________________________________________

FAMILY PORTRAIT

Yes, I know what you are thinking: ''Fuck! Haven't they heard of birthcontrol?''. But hell, take a good luck at Spot, the family croc! Things really grow BIG in Africa...

____________________________________________________

Sex Machine Adult Entertainment Expo this week in San Francisco attracts hundreds of porn-stars from all over. With a tongue like that...she could have had a great career in the Post Office.

_____________________________________________

Jodie Foster (playing a child prostitute), Robert Deniro and Martin Scorsese in TAXI DRIVER. (1976)

________________________________________________

CHEMISTRY; REAL PASSION!

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. HOT STUFF! On the film and off of it. Believe it or not, they got married to each other TWICE (in real life)!

___________________________________________________________

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT EXPO...

things are beginning to become interesting...

___________________________________

They shoot turkeys, don't they?
___________________________________________

Be careful what you wish for...

Destined for greatness. He went on to become President of the USA. Fat lot of good that did for him, as he was assassinated on November 22, 1963. Jacqueline, was seated beside him at the time and took home a momento of part of his brain. She died of cancer much, much later...

__________________________________________________________

FAMILY VALUES

________________________________________________

How the human race propagates...or the party that you were never invited to!

_________________________________________________________

BEST CREATIVE ARGUMENT THIS YEAR (SO FAR...)

_______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE ADULT-ENTERTAINMENT EXPO....

Bill re-unites with his mother. Both of them!

______________________________________________________________________

Everyone loves New York!

Wow!!

2012-01-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

How often is White ass the best ASS? Check this out!

Today's golden moment!

2012-01-25T00:48:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

''Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.''

Henry Miller

Today's winning tactic!

2012-01-25T00:27:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's teaser (below) is from a game between Canadian IM Raja Panjwani and American expert M.Pinto in the 2009 National Open in Las Vegas. There is no doubt that White must stand better (look at the traffic jam on the Queenside), but what to do? It is a closed position! If White now takes the Rook on b8, then after recapturing Black will follow up with ...Bxf6 with considerable counterplay. Who knows, maybe even Black would be doing better than White!

But wait! Chess is a logical game: advantages don't just vanish into the air on their own. Sometimes, however, one must look DEEP into the position to find the key. ARE YOU UP TO IT TODAY?

Pinto,M

I.M. Panjwani,R

(Solution : 1.RxB-ch! pxR 2.Bf5!! pxB 3.f7 Be7 forced 4.NxB! Rf8 5. Nf5-ch Kd7 6. Re7-ch etc )

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

2012: will the party fizzle out?

2012-01-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's winning smile

2012-01-24T06:10:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

It's good to be just plain happy. It's a little better to know that you're happy; but to understand that you're happy and to know why and how and still be happy-be happy in the being and the knowing---well, that is beyond happiness, that is bliss.

Henry Miller

Wijk Aan Zee Tidbits after 8 rounds...

2012-01-24T05:24:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Link

With 5 rounds remaining, Carlsen and Aronian lead the field with 5.5 points, half a point ahead of Radjabov. Ivanchuk, Caruana and Nakamura follow with 4.5 points. Former world champion Topalov disappoints with 3.5 points. Even worse is world champion challenger Gelfand--he has just 3 points and can even count himself lucky!

Gelfand and Kamsky embarrassed themselves in round 8 with a blunderful draw.

POSITION AFTER WHITE'S 24th MOVE

KAMSKY

GELFAND

After some imprecise play in the early middlegame, Gelfand finds himself with his major pieces misplaced. The Knight sacrifice on f2 has been hovering in the air for the past couple of moves and finally Kamsky gathered the courage to play it

24... Nxf2!

Really there is absolutely no risk invoved as the White pieces must return the material . To boot, the White King is forced out of its shelter and soon finds himself a sitting target.

25. Kxf2 e4 26. h3?!

Condemned by Gelfand himself after the game. Weaker are 26. Ng1? Qxh2; or 26. Ne1? Qxh2; when the White King finds its retreat blocked. The only try to hold things together is 26. Qf6!, but even then White must keep his fingers crossed...

26... ef 27. Bxf3 Bxf3 28. Kxf3 Rae8

A remarkable position! White's King seems to be leading the attack...(!) Even more remarkable is that a grandmaster of Kamsky's experience and strength fails to find any of a number of knock-out blows.

At first Gelfand succeeds in avoiding immediate disaster:

29. Qd4 [29. Kf2? Qf4 30. Kg1 Re1 is forced mate] 29... Re6 30. c5 [30. Kf2? Qh2] 30... h5

The advance of the h-pawn should be decisive. Gelfand's next move does not help

31. Rcd2? bc 32. bc h4! 33. Qxh4

Now Kamsky can force Gelfand's resignation with 33... Re3! 34. Kf2 Qh2! 35. c6 R3e4 36. Qg5 Rf4 etc.

33... Qxc5?!

Needlessly extending Gelfand's suffering...

34. Kg3

Now there is still business to do: 34... Qc7! 35. Kf2 Qh2 when the White King can not retreat.

Kamsky played the nervous 34... Re4?, throwing away most of his advantage, which allowed Gelfand back into the game. I leave it to the reader to find out how things ended (Kamsky still missed a win or two before finally agreeing to a draw on move 44.) I simply don't have the stomach for it!

_________________________________________________________________________

The game between Caruana and Ivanchuk was a good example of attack and defence in a balanced position: some sharp tactics lead to a draw by perpetual check. Neither side could avoid the draw without incurring extreme risks.

POSITION AFTER 17 MOVES:

IVANCHUK

CARUANA

White is more coordinated and, before Ivanchuk can bring in his Rooks, decides to grab an opportunity to see if his opponent will go wrong in the ensuing blitz...

18. Rd7 !
A shock move! Black must not take the bait he would then go under in a fireball:
18... Nxd7? 19. Rxd7 Qc8 20. Bxe6!! fe 21. Qg4 Qxd7 22. Nxd7 Rf5 23. Qc4 Bd5 24. Qc7 and the ending is quite hopeless for Black. Not only are Black's Rooks unable to coordinate, but the White Queen and Knight dominate the game.
18... Qc8!

A cool headed defence! Now if the Rook retreats to d4 then the Black Queen will return to c7, repeating the position.
19. Nxf7!?
Once more the bait can not be eaten: 19...Rxf7? 20.Qxe6 is curtains.
19... Nxd7! 20. Nxh6 !? (Deserving consideration is 20. Nd6!? Qc7 21. Bxe6 Kh8 22. Nxb7 Nc5! 23. Nxc5 Qxc5, though Black is ok.)

Caruana was hoping for 20... Kh8?? 21. Nf7 Kg8 22. Nd6 Qc7 23. Bxe6 when White wins!
20...Kh7!

Precise to the end! Down a Rook, Caruana must give perpetual check

21. Qh5 Nf6

Draw agreed. White has a perpetual starting with Bd3-ch.

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

Today's quiet moment of reflection....

2012-01-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

SPRAGGETT ON CHESS

"It happens to everyone as they grow up. You find out who you are and what you want, and then you realize that people you’ve known forever don’t see things the way you do. So you keep the wonderful memories, but find yourself moving on."

Nicholas Sparks