chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Tolgay Pekin vs Cesar Augusto Blanco Gramajo
"White Pekin" (game of the day Jul-04-2025)
WZ-ch fin01 email (2018) (correspondence), ICCF email, Dec-31
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation. Gligoric-Taimanov System (E92)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 91 more games of C A Blanco Gramajo
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: To access more information about the players (more games, favorite openings, statistics, sometimes a biography and photograph), click their highlighted names at the top of this page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: Black should have ducked.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  HeMateMe: Peking Duck? I don't understand the pun.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: The typical ducks you see are White Pekins. Or American Pekins.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: I had no idea.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: This game apparently began in 2018. These days White, after 74.Nxf4, would claim a win based on the seven-piece tablebase. https://syzygy-tables.info/?fen=8/8... According to Wikipedia, the seven-piece tablebase was developed for non-trivial positions in 2012, and completed for all positions in 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endga... (Positions with six pieces against a lone king, for example, would be deemed trivial. Unless the player on move is stalemated, almost all such positions (exception: black king on a8 against king and five a-pawns) would be elementary wins for the superior side.) But ICCF did not allow use of the seven-piece tablebase to claim a win (or draw) until 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endga... I assume that it was not available for free to the general public until then.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Incidentally, the tablebases will tell you that this position, with Black to move, is a win for White, but that with perfect play it will take 517 moves! No doubt you can all see that . . .


click for larger view

https://syzygy-tables.info/?fen=QN4...

In OTB chess, the 50-move rule would kick in long before that. But in ICCF play, a tablebase win is a tablebase win, irrespective of how long it takes.

Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: This is a startling result. Whoever is on move loses!!


click for larger view

This is explained at https://www.chess.com/blog/Rocky64/... It is not as crazy as it seems at first blush. In the diagram position, both sides' pieces are beautifully placed for defensive purposes, preventing any effective check by the opponent. Any move by either player compromises that player's position.

This sort of thing is called full-point mutual zugzwang, and is usually seen in much simpler settings. The classic example is the trébuchet:


click for larger view

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zugzw...

Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <HeMateMe: Peking Duck>..

I also think <Peking Duck> would have been better, or used for a game where Pekin scored a duck.

Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  Stonehenge: Blanco means white so it does make some sense :)
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: One of the finest email games on record.
Jul-04-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <FSR: Incidentally, the tablebases will tell you that this position, with Black to move, is a win for White, but that with perfect play it will take 517 moves! No doubt you can all see that . . .>

Even this <life 1200 player> can suss that out in a nannysecond.

Jul-05-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: <perfidious: <FSR: Incidentally, the tablebases will tell you that this position, with Black to move, is a win for White, but that with perfect play it will take 517 moves! No doubt you can all see that . . .>

Even this <life 1200 player> can suss that out in a nannysecond.>

I hesitated to mention something so obvious, but thought perhaps the sub-800 players on the site could learn something from the position.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CORRESPONDENCE. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC