Dec-12-24 Ding Liren vs D Gukesh, 2024 
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DrGridlock: <dehanne: Nakamura called 26.a4? the worst move in a world championship ever.> 26 a4 may have held the record until 55 Rf2 was played! |
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Apr-24-24 Caruana vs Nepomniachtchi, 2024 
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DrGridlock: Hikaru Nakamura commented that Fabiano appeared "crushed" at the post-Candidates Tournament dinner. One reason: the position after 63 ... Kb5 is a forced mate for White: Caruana,Fabiano - Nepomniachtchi,Ian Line 14.2, World Championship Candidates 2024
[DIAGRAM] However, the ... |
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Aug-28-23 Portisch vs S Bakos, 1962 
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DrGridlock: From Fritz:
R1xc5 is mate in 11
R6xc5 is mate in 12.
-10 points to any human who went through the calculations in deciding whether the R1 rook move was preferred to the R6 rook move. |
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May-22-23 F Duz-Khotimirsky vs NN, 1910 
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DrGridlock: Fritz 17 has it:
1 (#2) Bxh6
2 (#2) Qxh6
Over the board, I'd probably go with the bishop capture on h6 - so if there was a "ghost in the machine" I wouldn't be out the queen. |
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Oct-24-22 R Vera vs G Garcia, 1992 
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DrGridlock: <The choice for discovered check should be Bc3+, so as to unprotect a potential ... Rd2 interposition.> Some subtleties in the "material" line.
Bxg7 works pretty well also ...
Rd2 doesn't work as well (after 25 ... Rd2; 26 Rc1 the queen is going to have to be sacrificed |
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Sep-26-22 A Powers vs A Dake, 1937 
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DrGridlock: <newzild: Interesting that Stockfish 11 considers Alekhine's Defence bad enough to warrant a question mark.> Fritz 17 - to depth 32 - gives 1 e4 f6 an eval of .4. By contrast, Fritz 17 - to depth nn - gives 1 e4 e5 an eval of .25. So modern engine evals rate the Alekhine ... |
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Jun-06-22 A A Zaremba vs R Antonio, 1995 
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DrGridlock: Queen sac Monday?
23 ... Qg3+; 24 Bxg3 Rh1#
Rook sac Monday?
23 ... Rg3+; 24 Bxg3 Qh1#
Exchange sac Monday?
23 ... Rxh2+; 24 Be4 Rh1+; 25 Bxh1 Qxh1#
Just don't try sacking a minor piece with Nxe3 or with Be4. |
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May-24-22 G Garcia vs B Zuckerman, 1986
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DrGridlock: The "tricky" part of the puzzle is that just about any move wins for White so it's hard to pick just >one<. Black's game continuation is not his best play, so before deciding on 24 Nxf7 you also have to calculate better defenses for black, beginning with the check 24 ... ... |
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Mar-14-22 C Ahues vs Rubinstein, 1930 
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DrGridlock: < There aren't really any alternatives to consider. Now, White threatens Qh8#, and the only reasonable way to prevent this is to move the queen along the 7th (else Qg7#).> It's a bit trickier than most Mondays.
Black's best alternative on move 35 is to block the a1-h8 ... |
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Mar-09-22 NN vs E Canal, 1935 
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DrGridlock: <<Calculon: Is Ne2 the losing move or just one in a series of bad moves? It seems to serve no purpose; it costs a tempo to free the King's bishop.>> 2 Ne2 is generally considered superior to 2 Ke2. The later makes an occasional (!?) appearance in grandmaster games :) ... |
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