Even more important: < The name "Platypus" is often prefixed with the adjective "duck-billed" to form Duck-billed Platypus, despite there being only one species of Platypus.>

Also, according to wikipedia, <There is no universally agreed upon plural of "platypus" in the English language. Scientists generally use "platypuses" or simply "platypus". Colloquially, "platypi" is also used for the plural, although this is pseudo-Latin;[3] the Greek plural would be "platypodes". Early British settlers called it by many names, such as watermole, duckbill, and duckmole.[3]>

Or as I like to say, first you have one platypus, and then another, and then there's lots of them.

Kiril Georgiev vs Shirov, 1992

It's time to prepare yourself... :) The ultimate collection of 'Bobby Fischer' photographs! I've never seen one so complete. <grin>

Credit goes to <kamalakanta> who posted on Bobby's page (the pic of Tal & Bobby at the hospital - Curacao 1962) which gave the source and led me to this wonderful link of 'Fabrice Wantiez' page here: http://www.echecs-photos.be/BobbyFi...

One word only: massive! :^)

My Best, - Mal

PS: <Eyal> - yes that was a great combo! From the Blitz game 'Amin-Tkachiev' which would have ended in a blaze of glory with 47...g5+ and 48...Bb7!! and it's all over! :)

Stupid FBI...

After all Bobby did for the USA.

They won the Cold War becasue of him!!

Your enthusiasm for online play is rubbing off on me.

Here is an interesting position from a recent rapid game of mine.

My plan was black square dominance, and it worked hehe

click for larger view

White to play

click for larger view

White to play and win.

heh- you KRUSHED HIM GOOD.

I find your final move here very elegant--

Your threat is to mate on the <g7> square, which you can accomplish by

<Nf3!> Queen check and Black must resign.

He either loses his Queen or gets mated, since he cannot both move his Queen and defend the <g7> square or block the <a1-h8> diagonal.

Brilliant!!

<Ng5!!> wins instantly- and elegantly.

Again, this move does <TWO THINGS AT ONCE>, including <VACATING THE SQUARE> to make room for the Rook to slide over to <h3> and create multiple unstoppable mate threats.

After <Ng5!!!!!!!!>

There is no way that Black can defend both the immediate mate threat on the <h7> square AND ALSO defend the ensuing mate threat on the <h8> square after the White Rook swings over to <h3>.

Viz-- Black <can> defend the <h7> square after <Ng5!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!>, but any such defence cannot hold after White moves again <Rh3!!!!!!!!>.

I got this one in less than a second!!

I sure hope it's the right answer.

heh

... the <bloody Bishop> on the <C8-SQUARE>...

And I will try and write the emu I promised you and <Howard> now, coz the puzzle will take some more effort.

Hi <Mal>!!

OK back to the drawing board <elephanto>....

Just happened to be here... :) In Woody's game exercise there are two moves with the knight that attack the Queen! So, include the other one as well. It's always good to see <everything> :)

<Note also the defending LSB controls the square h3 (as Niels pointed out).>

after pawn takes Rook <forced>, then White recaptures <hxf3> and NOW Black cannot defend both the h7 and h8 mating squares.

Because the h3 square no longer exists!

The White Rook and Queen are now connected on the h-file.

If the c8 Bishop takes Night on h3, then Rxh3 and Black cannot defend both the h7 and h8 square from Mate.

If Black tries a move besides BxKnight on h3, then <Ng5> is again lethal-

So the solution is

<Rg3+>!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.Rg3+ fxg3
2.hxg3

BUT-

Stronger and clearer is the stinking DELAYED RECAPUTURE.

First,

1.Rg3+ fxg3
2.Qg6+! Kh8

AND THEN

3.hxf3

OK that's the clearest win. It's lots better than my first line because the Black Queen can't do anything to defend the King now.

In my revised line Black has no <Qf6> now...

Thanks to my <IN BETWEEN MOVE>

<2.Qg6+> and THEN the recapture

You are beginning to understand some of the important features of this combo. However, now you need to explain what happens in this line after 1. Rg3+ fxg 2, hxg3 Qf6 does White still win elegantly? Or, is it back to the drawing board! <grin>

PS: I suspect the latter! ;)

I've moved your post so the <chronology> of posts fairly represents what actually happened.

I discovered the <Best line> BEFORE your last post there-- But after I posted my revised line I saw your hint. So I moved your post so it comes after the solution which I DID find on my own before your last post there.

And I read it only after I posted my REVISED WINNING LINE.

heh...

3.hxf3>

Now you need to explain how White wins (if there is a win) after 3... Qh4!

I'm a PITA or what! ~lol~

<3...Qh4>

<4.gxh4> wins- but not instantly.

But it wins for sure-Black loses Queen for a Rook in this line and his King is still naked.

So yes there is a win in my line for sure 100 per cent.

It's a "won game" for White--

But the solution to quicker more elegant win seems to be escaping me.

What strikes me as especially elegant here is the way that White gives up the "active" rook on d3, in order to deliver the final blow with the other rook on h1, which is apparently completely out of the action. Btw, when I said that I'm not sure if it's difficult it wasn't just to tease you - it's because the number of forcing moves is very limited, so the moment you realize that Qg6+ leads to no more than perpetual and Ng5 doesn't work (in fact, it loses to Bf5), besides both being too straightforward for a puzzle, there aren't many options left.