The story is a fictional take on the conspiracy theories that arose when World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov was defeated by IBM’s chess playing super-computer “Deep Blue” in 1997.
Author Archives: kevinspraggettonchess
Today’s winning TORTURED artist
Millie Mie, by Jermaine Isaac.
‘Men do not accept their prophets and slay them, but they love their martyrs and worship those whom they have tortured to death.´ Fyodor Dostoevsky
Thursday’s winning 5-second tactics
‘Time is an illusion’-A.Einstein
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im Daulyte, D (2400)
gm Timman, J
PokerStars Isle of Man Masters just yesterday. Black has played an unusual opening, but because of the blocked nature of the position he has been able (so far) to get away with not castling. HOWEVER, his last move (capturing on e5 with his Knight instead of the pawn) changes everything…Timman finds a way to opening things up to his advantage!
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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gm Shirov,A
gm Smirin,I
16th Karpov Poikovsky 2015.10.7, also yesterday. Black had just made a small but serious error (19…Bc7, instead of 19…Be7), giving White a tactical possibility that was not in the position before Shirov’s last move.
HOW CAN WHITE WIN ATLEAST A PAWN?
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PokerStars Isle of Man Masters Douglas 2015.10.7 Timman, J-Daulyte, D: 17.Qa4+! Ned7 (ofcourse after 17…Qd7 18.Bxf6 follows) 18.Re3!! The whole point. Black’s position collapses as there is no good way to prevent the decisve opening of the e-file. The ended quickly: 18… Be7 19.e5! 1-0 Trust me, resignation is NOT premature!
16th Karpov Poikovsky 2015.10.7 Smirin, Ilia–Shirov, Alexei: 20.Rxb4!! Shirov had failed to notice that ater 20…Nxb4 21.Bd4 Qe6 22.Qg4 g6 23.Nh6 is mate! ) Rattled by his oversight, Shirov even loses more quickly than normal: 20…Ba8 21.Rc4 Rce8 22.Qg4 Bxa5?! 23.e5 dxe5 ( 23…Qg6 24.Qxg6 hxg6 25.Nxd6 ) 24.Bxc6 1-0
Today’s chess items.
NOT the h-pawn! Play in the centre is better…though with tits like that you can get away with a LOT worse and still win! (Photographer, model and year unknown)
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CHECKMATE!
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CHESS QUEEN
Photo by Sante D’Orazio. Model Monica Bellucci
Today’s winning 5-second tactics
”Time discovers truth.”
Lucias Seneca 5BC-65AD
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im Nakar, Eylon (2463)
gm Short,Nigel
PokerStars Isle of Man Masters Douglas 2015.10.4 Position after 19 moves. Black’s last move (19…a5) intends, after the natural 20.b5, to gang up on the White c-pawn: 20…Ne7 followed by …Nd7 and …Rac8. Such logical positional play is why the French Defence is a popular tournament weapon. HOWEVER, Short will now demonstrate why more players do NOT play the French …
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
”I was very pleased!”
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fm Zisman, Philip (2305)
gm Greenfeld, Alon
PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.3 Position after 20 moves of play. Black has not placed castling on his list of priorities, and is about to pay the price.
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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THE ‘DESPERADO’ THEME
gm Vishnu Prasanna, V
gm Harikrishna, Pentala
Photo of Harikrishn vs Vishnu several moves before the diagram position above. (Photo by organizers on its FACEBOOK)
PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.4 Position after 22 moves. FASCINATING! Black appears to have caught White in a trap. Even though a piece up at the moment, White has several pieces attacked, and especially his Bishop is pinned along the e-file. Several variations to show the pickle that White is in: If 23.Ng3 Qxa5 with advantage; if 23.Nh6+ Kf8!, once more with edge, which is also the case with 23.Nd4 d5!. It appears that White has little better than 24.Bxh7+ Kxh7! (not 24… Kf8? 25.Rxe8+ Kxe8 26.Nab3! winning –Franz Bisping) 25.RxR QxR with a roughly level position.
23.Nc4!
The first of two very surprising moves! Now if 23…d5? White wins with 24.Nh6+! Kf8 25.Ba3+ etc. So Black’s play is forced…
23…QxN
Again, with his Bishop pinned to his Rook, and it very much seems as though White will lose atleast a pawn. The reader can verify for himself that neither 24.Nh6+ nor 24.Ne7+ work, nor does the defensive 24.Ng3!? have a satisfactory reply after the clever 24…Re6!
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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fm Berry, Neil (2355)
gm Jones, Gawain
PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.3 Position after 35 moves. Black has played in a reasonably solid manner against his much higher rated opponent, and now seems to have the draw well in hand, not so much because of the opposite colour Bishops, but because all of White’s entry points into Black’s position are under Black’s control. Or so it seems…
36.g5!
Unexpected, but it seems more bluff than real at first sight. White threatens to open up the Kingside, thus Black’s next move is forced. Note that passive defence loses: 36…Qe8 37.gxh6 gxh6 38.Qf6! Kh7 39.Bf4! Nd8 40.Bxh6! Kxh6 41.Nf8+ and mate must not be far off..
Grandmaster Gwain Jones , age 27, is one of England’s top players, and is a feared attacker.
36…PxP 37.h6!
Now if 37…gxh6 38.Qf6! Qb2+ 39.Kh3 g4+ 40.Kh4 and Black must resign.
37…Qe8!
Now White must be careful! Tempting, but wrong, is 38.PxP Qf7!! when the advantage would change sides!
38.Qf8+!!
The whole point of White’s combination started at move 36. After 38…Qxf8 39.h7+ Kxh7 40.Nxf8+ Black resigned as he loses a piece 1-0. So, going back to the position given above after 35 moves, the game is not equal at all: White has a number of small, but clear advantages: better Bishop, powerfully placed Knight, absolute control of the f-file. Jones’ found the plan that exploited his advantages (which is not so surprising, considering how strong he is) but what is quite remarkable is how HELPLESS Black was to stop it.
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PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.4 Short, Nigel–Nakar, Eylon: 20.Bxh7+! Kxh7 21.Ng5+ Kg8 22.Qd3 Kf8 ( or if 22…g6 23.Qh3 changes verey little ) 23.Qh7 Ne7 ( There is little better: 23…g6 24.Nxe6+ or 23…Ra7 24.Qh8+ Ke7 25.Qxg7 Rf8 26.Nxe6 )24.Qh8+ Ng8 25.f5 Qxe5 26.Rae1 1-0 After the Queen retreats somewhere White opens the f-file and puts a quick end to the Black monarch’s reign.
PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.3 Greenfeld, Alon–Zisman, Philip: 21.Rxc6! bxc6 22.Nd6+! cxd6 23.Bxc6+ 1-0 A bit premature, but perfectly understandable: after 23… Kf8 24.exd6! is crushing and if instead 23…Kd8 24.Qxd6+ Kc8 25.Rc1!
PokerStars IoM Masters Douglas 2015.10.4 Harikrishna, Pentala–Vishnu Prasanna, V: 24.Nxd6!! The ‘desperado’ concept was coined by the great champion Emanuel Lasker. 24… cxd6 ( 24…Rxe4 25.Nxe4 ) 25.Bxh7+! Kf8 26.Rxe8+ Kxe8 27.Qxa8 with a clear advantage which White quickly converted to a whole point: 27… Qb5 28.Bc2 Ke7 29.Qa7+ Kf8 30.Qc7 Nc6 31.Qxd6+ Kg8 32.Qd7 g6 33.Be4 Qe2 34.Qxc6 Qe1+ 35.Kh2 Qxf2 36.Qe8+ Kg7 37.Bd5 Bxc3 38.Bxf7 1-0 BRILLIANT! Both players deserve credit for their creation…in the end it is the fact that Black’s Bishop on a8 and Rook on e8 are not directly defended that allows White to escape Black’s design…
Flash back from my days in Montreal
I came across this photo, taken in June/July 1974, of Jules Therien. The photo is from the 1974 St.Jean Baptiste tournament held at the St.Denis Community Centre. I don’t know how old Jules was in the above photo (probably 80-something; the above link erroneously gives his date as 1920), but what I do remember is that he was PASSIONATE about chess! Jules taught chess to all of his children and grandchildren, and served as president of both the Quebec Chess Federation as well as the Montreal Chess Association.
I played Jules numerous times in local tournaments. He was a real gentleman! Jules came from the generation of chess players where attacking was all there was to chess. He played in some Canadian Championships in the 1930’s and 1940’s, and held some sort of record for most games played blindfold simultaneously.
Someone told me before I had to play him for the first time back in 1972, ”After everyone of his moves, ask yourself what is the threat?”…the funny thing is that this advice was right on! Every single move of Jules’ (after the opening) had a threat! Jules Therien died in June 1977.
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If any of my Montreal readers has any information of what has come of the Therien clan, then I would appreciate it if you pass it on to me!
Today’s winning zebra TAIL!
Photo by Thom.H
“A zebra has stripes, the American flag has stripes, and I have an erection. Coincidence?”
― Jarod Kintz, A Zebra is the Piano of the Animal Kingdom
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THIS WEEKEND’S FAVOURITES!
Zebra theme. The lovely Miranda Kerr for Mango.
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Sort of reminds me of the saying about walking lightly but carrying a BIG stick!
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Jordan Keith photography! Beautiful!
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Girl next door!
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The lovely Barbara Palvin (born Hungary,1993). The thing I like most about this photo is the black leather dress. OUCH!!
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Me, after my next diet!
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I think that VW is going to have to hire her in a hurry if they want to sell any more cars!
VW: the next generation! Photo of Diana Sweet.
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No comment necessary, other than I think redheads are extraterrestrials!
Today’s winning 5-second tactics
“Hate them more than you hate yourself, and you’ll stay free!”
― Marge Piercy, Woman on the Edge of Time
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The following example is taken from the Monte-Carlo Grand Prix taking place right now in Monaco.
gm Kosteniuk,A
gm Stefanova,A
From today’s round. Position after White’s 16th move (16.Nc4). A sharp and complex struggle is taking place between the two former world champions. Black has sacrificed a pawn in the opening and followed it up with Queen-side castling…amongst the interesting options at her disposal is 16…Ne5!?, and after 17.Nxe5 ( 17.Bf4 Nfd7 ) Qxe5 18.Bf4 Qxb2 and it is anybody’s game!
Stefanova (l) and Kosteniuk. Beauty and brains!
INSTEAD, the Russian overestimated her chances and played
16…Nxe4 (?)
A very clever idea that Kosteniuk thought she had calculated thoroughly…but there is a very subtle refutation as we shall soon see. Note that 17.Qxe4?! Bxg5 is just better for Black, and that 17.Bxe7 Nxg3+ 18.Kg1 Ne2+ 19.Kh1 Ng3+ is a perpetual check.
17.Bf4!
This move, too, Kosteniuk had forseen. Note that Black should not now play 17…e5 ?18.Qxe4 Bxh4 19.Nxe5! with a winning position: 19..Rde8 20.Nxc6 Rxe4 21.Nxa7+ Kb8 22.Bxc7+ Kxc7 23.Bxe4Bxg3 24.Nb5+ etc.
17…Nd6
This is what Kosteniuk had been counting on! Truth be told, there is no direct or obvious way for White to exploit the pin of the Knight: Rd1 is impossible because of the Bishop on h5, and Qd2 is refuted by the simple …Nxc4. The next move Black intends the consolidating …Nb6, with a strong position.
18.Nf5!!
The refutation of Black’s little combination started several moves ago! To be fair to the Russian, this move is very easy to overlook…NOW, however, the game is all over. Black must lose lots of material. In the game continuation Black decided to give up her Queen for two pieces with 18…exf5 19.Qxe7 Nxc4 20.Bxc7 Kxc7 21.Rae1 , but White had little difficulty in winning the game. Black resigned on the 37th move.
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Round I. Kirsan in centre. John Galvani (Casino Director) on the far right. Jean-Michele Rapaire (2nd from left) is the Grand Prix organizer. The game is Mariya Muczychuk vs Stefanova.
gm Stefanova, A
wgm Muzychuk, Mariya
Monte Carlo WGP 2015.10.3 Position after 39 moves. White stands better, possessing the Bishop-pair, as well as having the safer King position. In particular, the White pawn on h6 cramps the Black monarch’s freedom of movement. But it is not obvious how much better White stands in the above position, as Black is quite solid. And how to make progress is not evident either: 40.Ba4!? Be5! 41.BxB?! QxB 42.QxQ PxQ followed by Nd6 nor 41.Qg4!? Nb6! would please White. Perhaps 40.a4 might be investigated (with a slight edge)…BUT White came upon a surprising idea:
40.Qg4!
A brilliant solution to the position! If now 40…Qxc2? 41.Qxc8+ Ke7 42.Bg5+! f6 43.Bxf6+! Bxf6! 44.Qe6+ Kd8 45.Qxd6+ Kc8 46.Qxf6 Qxc4 47.Qh8+ White is simply mopping up. Worse still is 40…Ne7?? as 41.Qd7! catches the Black monarch in a mating net.
40…f5!?
There is nothing better. Black is now counting on 41.Qe2 Be5! when things would be under control….
41.Bxf5!!
Black is not given any reprieve! If now 41…gxf5? 42.Qxf5+ Ke7 43.Bg5+ will soon be mate and if instead 41…Ne7 42.Be6! catches the Black King in a cage. Black tries the best chance:
41…Qe1!?
Counterplay! Wrong now would be 42.Bxc8? Qxf2+ 43.Kh3 Qf1+ 44.Kh4 Bf6+ 45.Bg5 Qh1+ 46.Qh3 Qe4+ 47.Qg4 repeating position as 47.Bg4?? Bxg5+ 48.Kxg5 Qe3+ is going to be mate!
42.Bd3!
A classy move that prevents perpetual check and at the same time consolidates White’s advantage. What is more, Black’s position falls apart as his King is too exposed. The game continued 42…Qxf2+ 43.Kh3 Ne7 44.Bxd6 Qe3 45.Qf4+! trading Queens with a won ending. Black resigned on the 74th move.
Thursday coffee,chess, potpourri and nonsense!
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COFFEE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!
Many thanks to Michael Bacon for pointing this out to me! The story line is that Copi discovers an amazing cherry called coffee bean and broadcasts a newsreel of information about the facts of coffee. Propaganda, ofcourse, but I need no pressure to convince me of how great a cup of coffee is…The video won some awards: 92nd ADC Awards + Animation Bronze; 2013 Adobe Design Achievement Awards Semifinalist.
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THE UGLY AMERICAN(S)
The UGLY AMERICAN is a 1958 political novel by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer that became a best selling phenomenon of the time. John F. Kennedy was so impressed with the book that he sent a copy to each of his colleagues in the United States Senate. They even made a film based on the book
The book has became an iconic symbol in the modern world, the term “Ugly American” today used to refer to the “LOUD AND OSTENTATIOUS” type of visitor in another country… CURIOUSLY, in today’s chess world, some high-profile American players work hard to MERIT being compared to the term.
Notice some stuff I came across this past week:
American chess prodigy–and the current champion–Nakamura, while being a GREAT player, has a very POOR reputation even amongst American chess fans. Known to be (when there is no camera around) arrogant, often rude or simply unapproachable, Nakamura reminds me very much of one of the greatest American chess prodigies, Samuel Reshevsky (born 1911, and who also went out of his way to irritate fans):
Actually, they even LOOK ALIKE, don’t you think?!
ANYWAY, while I personally have no negative experiences with Nakamura (he has always been a perfect gentleman with me), at the World Cup in Baku, some were very happy when he lost the first game of his mini-match with Eljanov:
AND when Nakamura could only draw the second game (and hence lose the match) there appeared the following twitter post:
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To be fair, Nakamura was a perfect gentleman when he lost the match and tweeted the following:
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Coming up next: Susan Polgar!
Though I haven’t yet read Jennifer Shahade’s best selling ‘CHESS BITCH’, I have heard from someone who actually read the book that Jennifer probably bases her fictional character on the real-life experiences of none other than Susan Polgar.
However, JOKING ASIDE, Susan Polgar is an incredibly talented individual and since retiring from competitive chess (she won several world titles) she has probably done more to promote chess in the USA than any other person, Sinquefeld and Kasparov included. Dozens of talented players have received university scholarships, financial support and tournament/training invitations thanks to her tireless efforts…
HOWEVER, Susan and her second husband Truong, have ruffled a lot of feathers enroute to these achievements and as a result Susan’s reputation among chess fans has suffered greatly.
Besides being often accused of unashamed, outrageous and even misleading self-promotion, Susan and her husband have found themselves involved in multi-million dollar lawsuits, political scandals and all sorts of high-profile controversies.
In particular, the public feud between Susan and Nigel Short is still going strong…
While legions of loyal Susan Polgar fans are not lacking, there are even larger numbers who wince whenever her name comes up…I received the following email from one of my readers last week:
”This morning I went to youtube to watch a Go video by Michael Redmond, the only westerner to reach the grade of 9-dan—the highest grade.
I was surprised to see, along with other Go videos, a picture of Susan Polgar. It was, “Susan Polgar My Brilliant Brain Part 1.” I clicked on and noticed a complete video of over an hour, along with a plethora of other videos about, or by, Susan.
At the beginning of the video, Part 1, is this: “Susan Polgar lives in New York City. She sees the world in an unusual way. Susan has the brain of a genius.”
Then comes a picture of Susan sitting at a chess board in Washington Square Park opposite a male. Then the woman narrating the film can be heard to say, “Paul Truong, is a strong champion at a super-charged form of chess.”
That was enough for me…I clicked it off and watched Michael annotate a game by the great Go Seigen. After it was over I could not stop wondering exactly at what form of super-charged chess Paul Truong is a champion. If anyone can elucidate me I would appreciate it immensely…”
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REMINDS ME OF CHESS ARBITERS…
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Today’s winning lady in RED!
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CHESS AND STAYING FIT!
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Today’s INSIGHT into the meaning of LIFE!
KASPAROV SAID IT BEST:
(Finally, Gary got it right!)
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BUT THIS IS A CLOSE SECOND!
Spraggett on Chess 
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