User Profile: phony benoni

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Phony Benoni
Member since Feb-10-06 · Last seen Jun-11-22

Greetings, O Seeker After Knowledge! You have arrived in Dearborn, Michigan (whether you like it or not), and are reading words of wisdom from a player rated 2938--plus or minus 1000 points.
However, I've retired from serious play--not that I ever took playing chess all that seriously. You only have to look at my games to see that. These days I pursue the simple pleasures of finding games that are bizarre or just plain funny. I'd rather enjoy a game than analyze it.
For the record, my name is David Moody. This probably means nothing to you unless you're a longtime player from Michigan, though it's possible that if you attended any US Opens from 1975-1999 we might have crossed paths. Lucky you.
If you know me at all, you'll realize that most of my remarks are meant to be humorous. I do this deliberately, so that if my analysis stinks to High Heaven I can always say that I was just joking.
As you can undoubtedly tell from my sparkling wit, I'm a librarian in my spare time. Even worse, I'm a cataloger, which means I keep log books for cattle. Also, I'm not one of those extroverts who sit at the Reference Desk and help you with research. Instead, I spend all day staring at a computer screen updating and maintaining information in the library's catalog. The general public thinks Reference Librarians are dull. Reference Librarians think Catalogers are dull.
My greatest achievement in chess, other than tricking you into reading this, was probably mating with king, bishop and knight against king in a tournament game. I have to admit that this happened after an adjournment, and that I booked up like crazy before resuming. By the way, the fact I have had adjourned games shows you I've been around too long.
My funniest moment occurred when I finally got a chance to pull off a smothered mate in actual play. You know, 1.Nf7+ Kg8 2.Nh6+ Kh8 3.Qg8+ Rxg8 4.Nf7#. When I played the climactic queen check my opponent looked at the board in shocked disbelief and said, "But that's not mate! I can take the queen!"

Finally, I must confess that I once played a positional move, back around 1982. I'll try not to let that happen again.

>> Click here to see phony benoni's game collections.

   Phony Benoni has kibitzed 18634 times to chessgames [more...]

   Jun-11-22 M Blau vs Keres, 1959

Phony Benoni: Not a good recommendation for the DERLD. Out of 59 moves, White makes only three in Black's half of the board. And two of those conist of 3.Bb5 and 6.Bxc6.

   Jun-11-22 chessgames.com chessforum

Phony Benoni: Er, it's back. Karpov vs Timman, 1988

   Jun-10-22 Orlo Milo Rolo

Phony Benoni: Marco!

   Jun-10-22 Lilienthal vs Bondarevsky, 1947

Phony Benoni: Another one for you King Hunters. Black's monarch travels fron g8 to b8, then takes the Great Circle Route back to h3 before calling it a day.

   Jun-10-22 GrahamClayton chessforum

Phony Benoni: <GrahamClayton> I've posted a question for you at L T Magee vs J Holland, 1948

   Jun-10-22 L T Magee vs E L Holland, 1948

Phony Benoni: <GrahamClayton> The source you cite, <Chess Review, May 1948, p. 24>, gives Black's name as <E Holland> "Chess Life" (June 5, 1948, p. 1) has a table of results giving <E L Holland>. That form also appears in USCF rating supplements for a player fro ...

   Jun-09-22 Biographer Bistro

Phony Benoni: SkinnVer Here Among the Fold?

   Jun-09-22 Flohr vs Bondarevsky, 1947

Phony Benoni: Black's bishop makes me think of Godzilla emerging from the depths of the ocean to wreak havoc. However, in the end it's his Two Little Friends who steal the show. Well, maybe not so litt.

   Jun-06-22 W Ritson-Morry vs G T Crown, 1947

Phony Benoni: it was the last round. Rison-Morry was mired in last place. These things happen.

   Jun-06-22 W Adams vs M Kagan, 1947

Phony Benoni: Some more informztion. The game was published in <Chess Review>, March 1948, p. 23. Black's name is given as "M Kagan", and the location as "Massachusetts". There is no other game data, but I think we can now safely assume Black is <Milton Kagan>. Earlier in the ...

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Living in the Past

< Earlier Kibitzing · PAGE 35 OF 914 · Later Kibitzing>
Sep-05-08		WannaBe: Number 2, nothing like sealing off your own escape.

Sep-07-08		ravel5184: Well, obviously #3.

Sep-07-08		whiteshark: #1-3 are all alike. You can feel the player's Zen-like mindfullness, searching for chessical enlightenment. #2 fits in perfectly well to my ♖♖endgame collection, but #3 gets the special prize and award nomination.

Sep-08-08		Phony Benoni: <Gang> Back then, I preferred the poetic justice of #5, but these days I agree with the consensus for the sheer originality of #3. I think I can safely reveal, without breaking the veil of anonymity, that Black was not a scholastic player. He was an experienced and successful scholastic coach, merely practicing what he preached. I'm not sure what I think of the practice of writing the move down first. I can see the logic, yet I have also seen players use it in a form of legal cheating. A player will write down a move, make sure the opponent sees it, then deliberately play soomething else. This is especially effective when the opponent is in time pressure and reacting automatically. "Legal cheating" makes for an interesting topic. How far can it be pushed without going over the edge?. Of course, none of the fair-minded patrons of this forum indulge in such tactcs, but I have seen otherwise upright citizens stoop to the slimiest schemes to win a game of chess. One of the worst I ever saw occurred in a team match, and was used by--I blush to say--a member of my team. You've probably all seen players who will circle the last move of the time control on their scoresheets. This fellow started by circling move 40, plus drawing bold lines and boxes all around the move. His oponent got into time pressure, and was no longer keeping score. He glanced over at my teammate's scoresheet, realized that 40 moves had been made, and relaxed. The time control was at move 45.

Sep-10-08		Phony Benoni: click for larger view No, this was not played in Michigan; I random gamed here. White played <1.Bh3>. Good, bad, or indifferent?

Sep-10-08		sneaky pete: <PB> I don't know ... it invites 1... Nxd4 2.Qxd4 e5 3.Bxd7 exd4 and now, if only white could continue 4.Bxc6 .., but where is that c6-knight?

Sep-10-08		Phony Benoni: <sneaky pete> Exactly. THe game is question is L Schnitzspan vs K Wornath, 2002, and concluded <13.Bh3 Nxd4 14.Qxd4 e5>, 0-1. I have to admit that when I first looked at the position I thought, "Oh, not another incomplete scoresheet!"

Sep-10-08		Phony Benoni: Meanwhile, back at the ranch: WORST MOVE OF THE YEAR: SET 10, 1994 <#1: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view After 1.Kh1 Black has nothing to look forward to. But after <1.Kxg1?? Re1+ 2.Kf2 (2.Kh2 Rh1+ is no help) Re2+!>, Black drew by Dancing Rook. <#2: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view White wins easily by trading queens or in 29 or so other ways. Unfortunately, he chose this moment to protect that all-important e-pawn: <1.Kd4?? Qg1+>. <#3: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view You can never have too many queens: <1.a8Q?? g4#>. <#4: BLACK TO PLAY, WHITE TO BLUNDER> click for larger view White picked a very bad moment to show off his knowledge of the en passant rule: <1...f5 2.gxf6?? Qg3#>. <#5: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view White saw the threat of 1...e4 forking his pieces, and cleverly prevented it by <1.Qb3??>, walking into a fork with <1...c4>. <#6: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view You know what they say: "Thou shalt always check; it might be mate." White followed this advice, as the game proceeded <1...Nc6?? 2.Qh5+??>. Alas, there was a better check available, and White went on to lose.

Sep-11-08		WannaBe: Wow... Tough choices, I <LOVE> number 2, absolutely love it, however, number 6 with white missing (after 1...Nc6??) 2. Nd6# is unforgiveable/unforgiven. My vote goes to number 3, sheer blindness on par with the great WannaBe, (that would be moi!) get a queen, lose the game.

Sep-11-08		arsen387: #5 is a very nice blunder. Protect against one threat to walk into another:) #6 and #2 are also nice but #5 is my favourite

Sep-11-08		WannaBe: <Phony Benoni> I think, that you started to post these, after I started my 'What Did WannaBe Play' feature on my forum. You copy-cat you! Wait 'til you hear from my lawyers!! =)

Sep-11-08		Phony Benoni: <WannaBe> Are you sure you want the "What Did WannaBe Play" feature dragged into court?

Sep-12-08		Phony Benoni: <Gang> If we've finished the discussion of pale imitations, I can reveal that this was a very tough decision for me as well, as all six candidates are worthy of immorality. At the time I picked #2, simply because White had to put forth so much ingenuity to find a losing move. TOoay, I think #4 is my favorite for proving that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Sep-13-08		ravel5184: #5 for me.

Sep-14-08		Phony Benoni: WORST MOVE OF THE YEAR: SET 11, 1995 <#1: BLACK TO PLAY> click for larger view This might look like a good position for Black, but the odds were 2-1 against him: four knight moves are stalemate, and only two checkmate. <1...Nf3??> was actually chosen. <#2: BLACK TO PLAY> click for larger view For some reason, there were a lot of long, exhausting endgames this year. Here, Black didn't have the energy to play out the simple win by 1...Kh6 2.Ra8 Rh1, and committed <1...Kf4?? 2.Rg4#> instead. <#3: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view Another fatigued player, too tired to push the pawn two squares, fell into <1.g3?? Rh2#>. <#4: BLACK TO PLAY> click for larger view I'll save you the trouble of consulting a tablebase: Black mates in 11 starting by trading queens with 1...Qd3+ 2.Kf4/Kf2 Qd4+. Instead, he chose the mate in one: <1...Kc3?? 2.Qd4#>. <#5: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view White really wanted to chase the knight away so he could grab the pawn on f7. However, <1.g3?? Nh3+> was not what he had in mind. <#6: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view <1.Rxa6+> looked terrific, and in view of the lines 1...Kxa6 2.Qb6# and 1...Qxa6 2.Qb8# Black had no problems with resigning--until the kibitzers pointed out that 1...Qxa6 would have been check.

Sep-14-08		whiteshark: <worst of 1995> #6 for me. The position looks Nimzovichian, though I uncertain for which side of the board it applies.

Sep-14-08		ravel5184: Oh, #6, without a doubt!

Sep-14-08		WannaBe: Wow... Love them all, but #5 gets my vote.

Sep-15-08		YouRang: <1995> I liked #5 and #6 as well, although they looked a bit too much like moves that I would make for me to strike me as truly humorous. So, I'll go with #1. You gotta love the 1-move tension between checkmate and stalemate.

Sep-16-08		Phony Benoni: <Gang> At the time, I picked #6 for the rare event of the kibitzers actually seeing more than the players. <whiteshark: #6 for me. The position looks Nimzovichian, though I uncertain for which side of the board it applies.> Sir, your acumen is uncanny. Here's the full score of the game, and note the opening: (1945) - (1604) [B00] Michigan Amateur Grand Rapids (2), 08.07.1995 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bb5 Qd7 5.Ne2 a6 6.Bxc6 Qxc6 7.c3 Bxb1 8.Rxb1 Qg6 9.Bf4 Qxg2 10.Ng3 Qh3 11.Qb3 0-0-0 12.c4 Qd7 13.Rc1 e6 14.0-0 c6 15.c5 Ne7 16.Bd2 Nf5 17.Nxf5 exf5 18.Ba5 Re8 19.Qb6 Kb8 20.Rc3 Be7 21.Rb3 Ka8 22.Qb4 h5 23.Re1 Rh6 24.Qd2 Rg6+ 25.Kf1 Re6 26.Bb6 g6 27.Ra3 Qc8 28.f4 f6 29.Qd3 fxe5 30.dxe5 g5 31.b4 Kb8 32.Qf3 g4 33.Qd3 Rf8 34.Rb3 Bd8 35.Bxd8 Qxd8 36.a4 Qh4 37.Re2 Qe7 38.Rc2 Qd7 39.b5 Ka7 40.bxa6 bxa6 41.Rb6 Qc8 42.Rcb2 Rf7 43.Qb3 h4 44.Rxa6+ 1-0

Sep-18-08		Phony Benoni: WORST MOVE OF THE YEAR: SET 12, 1996 <#1: BLACK TO PLAY> click for larger view Potentially passed pawns must be pushed! <1...g4?? 2.Ng5#>. <#2: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view Actual passed pawns must be ignored! <1.Nxc1?? d2!>. <#3: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view Two pawns up, White figured that forcing an endgame with <1.Qg4??> was a good idea. Technically, he was right. <1...Qf1#> was the end of the game. <#4: BLACK TO PLAY, WHITE TO BLUDNER> click for larger view Inducing a blunder by using the rhythm method: <1...Qf2+ 2.Kc1 Qf1+ 3.Kd2 Qe2+ 4.Kc1 Qf1+ 5.Kd2 Qxf4+ 6.Kd1 Qg4+ 7.Kd2 Qg5+ 8.Kd1?? Qxa5!>. Reminds me of the opening of Monty Python's Flying Circus where the giant foot appears with a huge SPLAT! <#5: BLACK TO PLAY> click for larger view Black, wanting to force mate in the worst way, found the brilliant rook sacrifice <1...Qe2+??>. As a rook sacrifice this would have been a howling success, since White does indeed get mated quickly after 2.Kxg3 Rd3+. However, as a queen sacridice followig <2.Kxe2>, it was a total dud. <#6: WHITE TO PLAY> click for larger view An unusual case of Wrong Rook. White saw that 1.0-0 would allow 1...Bxh2+, so he avoided it with <1.0-0-0?? Bf4>. However, I must note that White eventually won the game anyway.

Sep-18-08		WannaBe: Number 6, how can you play 0-0-0 and then Bf4 and white still win?!?!?!?! Sounds like one of my game(s)!!

Sep-18-08		WannaBe: Now, #2, Nd2!! would have won for white.

Sep-19-08		whiteshark: This time #1 - a sole ♘ can't checkmate, but there were a few more 'souls' around... <WannaBe: <Sounds like one of my game(s)!!>> Me thinks you had black pieces thereby. :D

Sep-19-08		YouRang: <1995> Hmmm, to me it's a toss up. I liked #1 and the rather minimalist self-mate. But I'm leaning toward #4, with white being lulled to sleep by a series of checks, only to be woken up with a rather rude alarm!

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