A thread for posting random games and positions from online chess, or anything else they want. Good games, bad games, or just anything that catches your fancy.

Here's one I played yesterday. It's not an especially good game (at least my opponent played badly, and I didn't have the chance to do anything good). What made it interesting is that it's one of those very rare times that you see checkmate delivered with 15 enemy pieces on the board (outside one of the known mates, like Fool's Mate, Scholars Mate, or some such).

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Be7 5. c3 h6?? 6. Qb3 Kf8? 7. Bxf7 Nf6 8. Bg6 d6?? 9. Qf7#

Here's one from today. Not a particularly difficult drawing combination to find, and White's not in serious danger even without it. But it's something that's always worth keeping in mind in these kind of endings:


(Did we ever figure out a way to post diagrams here, like we could on the old board? Oh well, I'll use FEN)

8/1R1n4/p4k1p/1b1P4/4PP1/4K3/8/8


1. Rxd7 Bxd7 2. g5+ hxg5 3. fxg5+ Kxg5

and we reach the classic position where Black's Bishop and Pawn extra are worthless.

Somehow this game reminded me of an anecdote from Kotov-Najdorf 1953 where Black tried a similar unnecessary sacrifice to burn the game out to a draw.

6r1/6P1/4k3/5N1N/1r3PK1/8/8/8

1...Rxf4+ 2. Kxf4 Rxg7 Nhxg7+

Supposedly Najdorf said "Draw", and Kotov bluffed him with a line about "Draw? Oh yes, it used to be, but a Candidate Master from Kishinev recently discovered how to mate with Two Knights vs. King." It only fooled him for a couple of seconds, but that's enough for the laugh.

I'd seen that ending before, but never bothered to look at the entire game. This is one rock 'em, sock 'em slugfest.

[Event "Candidates Tournament"]
[Site "Zuerich"]
[Date "1953.10.18"]
[Round "27"]
[White "Kotov, Alexander"]
[Black "Najdorf, Miguel"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E87"]
[PlyCount "99"]
[EventRounds "30"]
[EventCountry "SUI"]


1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 e5 7. d5 c5 8. g4 Ne8 9. h4 f5 10. exf5 gxf5 11. g5 e4 12. f4 b5 13. cxb5 a6 14. Qd2 axb5 15. Bxb5 Ba6 16. Bxa6 Nxa6 17. Nge2 Nb4 18. O-O Nc7 19. Nc1 Qe8 20. a3 Qh5 21. Rf2 Qf7 22. axb4 Rxa1 23. bxc5 dxc5 24. Bxc5 Rd8 25. d6 Ne8 26. Kg2 Bf8 27. N1e2 Nxd6 28. Qd5 Nb7 29. Qxf7+ Kxf7 30. Bxf8 Rxf8 31. Ng3 Nd6 32. Rd2 Ke6 33. Rd5 Rb8 34. Rxd6+ Kxd6 35. Nxf5+ Kc6 36. Nxe4 Rxb2+ 37. Kf3 Rb4 38. Nfg3 Raa4 39. h5 Ra3+ 40. Kg4 Kd7 41. g6 hxg6 42. hxg6 Ke7 43. Nf5+ Ke6 44. Ng7+ Ke7 45. Nf5+ Ke6 46. g7 Ra8 47. Neg3 Rg8 48. Nh5 Rxf4+ 49. Kxf4 Rxg7 50. Nhxg7+ 1/2-1/2

I am collecting my "Great Moments of a Patzer" on a Blog:

http://computerschach.twoday.net/

Self-praise stinks