Jan-17-20 Ravinsky vs Ufimtsev, 1951
| |
| Delboy: Almost a study-like final move which prevents 30. ... g5. Now 30. ... g6 (forced) only staves off mate in three moves later at most |
|
|
|
Jan-14-20 L Seres vs M Goczo, 2001
| |
| Delboy: Nice early-week puzzle position after 21. ... Rae8. The back row mate theme comes into play on both sides of the board here |
|
|
|
Jan-13-20 L Lenic vs E Gajsin, 2006
| |
| Delboy: A new dimension in kamikaze chess, or is this perhaps all book? |
|
|
|
Jan-12-20 Georgs Silins vs Igors Gravitis, 1948
| |
| Delboy: If 19. ... Rh2 is sound then this is a Sunday puzzle. More likely white missed the best defence, but where? |
|
|
|
Jan-04-20 A Gibaud vs A J Mackenzie, 1919
| |
| Delboy: Correction! 24. Rh6 is not mate, but leads to mate after 24. ... Kg5 25. Qd2+ Be3 26. Qxe3+ Kxg4 27. Bd1#. So make it a Wednesday puzzke |
|
|
|
Dec-30-19 Gurgenidze vs E Mnatsakanian, 1977
| |
| Delboy: What a weird game! If you did not see the names, you'd think it's two beginners at play. Not that the moves are that bad, but where else would you see white rooks on a3 and h3 on move 12, black countering with Ra8-a5-a8 and both kings shuffling to f1/f8. Black resigns on move 19, ... |
|
|
|
Dec-29-19 D Keith vs G Niemand, 1988
| |
| Delboy: Even in a correspondence game, 13. ... Ng4!! must have been a real jaw-dropper. If white takes the queen on offer then black sacs a rook on top of it with 14. ... Rh1+! followed by 15. Kxh1 Nxf2+ 16. Kg2 Nxd1 or 15. Kg2 Rxd1 and black retains a big material advantage in all lines ... |
|
|
|
Dec-27-19 Lutikov vs A Kakageldyev, 1970
| |
| Delboy: You know you have botched the opening when your opponent plays cheeky winners like 14. ... Ng3 that early in the game (15. Kxg3 Qh4# or 15. Rg1 Rxh2 with Qh4 to follow) |
|
|
|
Dec-26-19 A Zaitsev vs B Shashin, 1965
| |
| Delboy: Talk of a bolt from the blue in what seemed like a drawish position. 20. Bxh7+! and if 20. ... Kxh7 then 21. Qxf7 Qb5 22. Rd4 (or 21. ... Rg8 22. Rd3), and the deadly rook check on the h-file cannot be prevented |
|
|
|
Dec-25-19 K Schiffer vs G Treppner, 1982
| |
| Delboy: This game has more than its fair share of twists, involving passed pawns and unacceptable piece offers. For example, 20. gxh4 loses instantly to 20. ... Qxh4+ 21. Kf1 (21. Kd1 Qg4+ 22. Nf3 Qxf3+ 23. Kd2 Qe2+ 24. Kc3 d2) Bh3+ 24. Kg1 Qg4+ 25. Kf2 Qg2+ 26. Ke1 Qe2# |
|
|
|
|
Kibitzing