Thanks so much <Woody> for your wonderful encouragement, which always sticks to the facts.

Same to you <Tim>- you are perfecting the <crotchety, but loving pair of old guys in the balcony at the Muppet Show> to perfection.

Remember that even one word by you about my chess play is <exceedingly valuable>, because I never forget your advice.

I did forget that you put rooks BEHIND passed pawns, but that's another story.

OK then!

<Carmen> I have to catch up on your back mail- your annotation and Korean follies-

<Puzzle solvers> Ok I've replayed the games you posted, and played through your lines. There's some repetition, so I'm going to need a bit more time to <fairly> distribute the Burritos.

The answers were so good that I'm splitting up the 500 burrito prize so that everyone gets at least a few burritos.

There *will*, however, still be a champion who gets the lion's share of the burritos.

Jeez do I really sound that old?

Maybe if I put my teeth in...

There, is that less <crotchety>?

http://media.photobucket.com/image/...

http://media.photobucket.com/image/...

For some reason that had me in stitches.

haha

I accidentally learned that one of the High School boys is called the "Dormitory Chess Champion"!

So I found out who he was, and I confronted him between classes.

I drew a chessboard on the blackboard and made the first move as White.

In less than a minute, he rattled this off without blinking:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
5. O-O Bc5
6. c3 Rb1

click for larger view

You can't imagine how happy I was to see this. We have arranged to play on Saturday afternoon, but he can't play till May 16th because they are all cramming for midterms and have zero time.

I can't wait though!!

Sounds imposing!

hehe

So how old is this kid/ young adult?

I used to play a couple of teachers at school, I always enjoyed the games immensely.

My history teacher used to be quite good, he would play four-boards at once some times.

Although he had a nasty habit of resigning early before I could really begin enjoying myself.

He beat me up quite a bit 1 v 1 though.

Would you say it is unusual for one of the students to play the Western chess in Korea <JFQ>?

And to play it well?

(If he knows the first few moves of the Ruy he can't be THAT bad)

Better watch out in fact.

It would certainly be good if you finally found somebody in that chess wilderness to play a decent game with!

<Tyler> can you post that position here?

"In eternity there is no time, only an instant long enough for a joke." — Hermann Hesse (Steppenwolf)

<Hesse> was a German-Swiss poet, novelist and painter, born in 1877.

Inspiring man.

Just a few more:

"Words do not express thoughts very well. They always become a little different immediately after they are expressed, a little distorted, a little foolish."

"I have ceased to question stars and books; I have begun to listen to the teaching my blood whispers to me."

-------

click for larger view

Does Black (to play) have an elegant tactical shot here?

<...Rxc3?>

If <bxe3> White hangs his Queen.

If <Qxe3> then <...Qa1+> is forced mate in three after two suicide interpositions by White Queen and Rook.

I read <Steppenwolf>, <Damien>, and <Siddartha>=

I especially liked <Siddartha>.

You might be surprised by how many British Columbia "buddhists" give me a blank stare when I mention <Siddartha Gautama>.

Sometimes they get squirrely when I ask them-

Do you know what <Siddartha> said to his friends when they asked him if there was an "afterlife"?

<BC Buddhist> (warily) er....

<Me> He said "No."

Then I always ask them, do you know what <Siddartha> said to his friends when they asked him if God(s) exist?

<BC Buddhist> (more warily) uh...

<Me> He said "No."

OK I love doing that. Doesn't say much for my character I guess but I still like doing that.

You see, the BC Bhuddist crowd are almost all staunch believers in <reincarnation>. They are also all staunchly "undereducated," although you'd be hard pressed to get one to admit it, since they all have university degrees and make lots of money.

I secretly believe that <Siddartha> did not say these things from a "scientific viewpoint", meaning that he had some kind of affirmative "proof" or anything to support such atheism. I think it was a rhetorical teaching ploy to get his followers to learn his main lesson- to "be in the moment fully".

That's what he meant when he taught them that "Eternity is now-- right now-- you should have a look."

On the plus side, I get two work holidays this week in celebration of <Buddha's birthday>!

Yay!

My salute to your finding the "duck family" today-

QUACK!

Sounds like you and <Lars> were really "in the moment."

A good wiener dog, of course, can save your life in the field.

Cripe <Doctor Euwe> this "riposte" is not easy to find- but the "Shot by Black" is easy to find...

Too easy.... I would have played it already if it was a game...

Hmmmm...

Sorry I"m late with the final <burrito> distribution but I have to justify the results- which means actually making a move tree here to check which answers are on which trees.

I actually had to "work" at work today so I'm shattered right now.

Luckily I get two days off next week for chess study.

This beautiful poem-

<In Eternity there is no Time

Only an Instant, long enough
for a Joke
a Hug
and a Dance>

Expresses much better what <Siddartha> was trying to teach than what I posted.

<Bf4!!!!>

HA!

This move makes White's Queen immune-

After <...Rxc3?> <Bf4! Rxc2?> <Rc8+ Bf8> <Bh6!!>

Pins the Black Bishop on the <f8> square AND makes <luft> for the White King!!!!!

Absolutely brilliant.

If Black goes

1...Rxc3?
2.Bf4!!!

Now if

2...Rxc2, then White has

3.Rd8+ Bf8
4.Bh6!

Threatening Mate in one-

And White's checks on the back rank are now harmless.

Ok but does Black have a defence?

White's Queen is immune after Black tries <Rxc3?>

because of

<Bf4!>...

So if

1.<...Rxc3>
2.<Bf4!>

is there a way for Black to proceed without getting mated?

My brain was thinking "back rank mate" against Black after <...Rxc3?>

But I was "thinking"-- OK after Black defends on <f8> with the Bishop, White doesn't have enough time to pin it there and win before Black can mate white on the back rank.

My mind had this "fixed" as a feature of the position.

BUT THE VERY MOVE THAT PUTS WHITE'S BISHOP IN POSITION TO PIN BLACK'S BISHOP ON THE <f8> SQUARE IS THE <VERY SAME MOVE> that prevents White form delivering A BACK RANK MATE because of the "Luft square."

That is, <Bf4!> does TWO things at once that totally change the "features of the position."

I found this very, very difficult to spot.

Over 20 minutes it took me to see this- I had to "unlearn" what I had "learned" about the features of the position to solve this--

And if this had been a game- and I didn't KNOW ahead of time there was a RIPOSTE- I would surely have resigned White after Black played <Rxc3>....

Amazing...

Imagine if you were good enough to spot this with White OTB?

<...Rxc3??>

There is no way to prevent getting mated after White plays

<Bf4!>

Except by suicide chess.

Black would have to first check the White King to the Luft square

<...Rxc3?
Bf4! Qa1+
Kh2>

And now the only move that prevents <forced mate> is for Black's Rook to commit suicide-

<...Rxh2+>

Because this gives Black a tempo with which to creat luft for his own king.

But he is hoplessly lost after this.

heh...

After Black plays

<...Rxc3?
Bf4!>

Black can never gain the tempo necessary to give his King luft without losing material- namely, his Rook.

Because of course, after Black plays <...Rxc3>, his Rook is en prise.

So if

<...Rxc3
Bf4 h5?>

Then just