May-25-05
 | | Honza Cervenka: White threatens with 30.Qxf7+ Qxf7 31.Rxf7# and if black tries 29...Rd8 (29...Re7 30.Qh8#) freeing e8 for the King, then he gets a mate in four moves after 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Rxf7+ Kd6 32.Qd4+ Kc6 33.Qc5#. Pretty game of Tal. |
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| May-08-16 | | ToTheDeath: f4 and Rf4! were nice |
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| Dec-27-18 | | andrewjsacks: Fine little-known game. |
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| Dec-27-18 | | ughaibu: Reminded me of L Shamkovich vs Kholmov, 1961 though looking at it again, the similarities are few. I wonder if Shamkovich felt haunted by his own ghost. |
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| Dec-06-22 | | Messiah: Fine game, I enjoyed replaying it. |
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| Oct-31-24 | | CopyBlanca: atrocious defense by Black . |
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Nov-01-24
 | | Sally Simpson: Hi CopyBlanca.
Tal had the gift of making a lot of defenses look atrocious. Is seems to have all gone wrong here (Black to play the threat is Nxd6 and Bxh7+) 
click for larger viewI'm not too fond of knocking a GM's move but 14...Be7 seems obvious. I'd have played that, and no doubt v Tal lost in a different way. After 14...Be5 I doubt if the game can be saved. Played Shamkovich in a simul, a Latvian Gambit - a draw. |
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Nov-01-24
 | | perfidious: <Geoff>, Shamkovich was the first GM I faced heads-up; I had held the draw vs your old friend Danny Kopec in a game which went almost nine hours the night before. Stumbled up to the hotel room for a few hours' rest. The game was not without interest; if I had the score, I would submit it straightaway. I was White in a Nimzo with 4.e3 b6 and I wound up with his king marching into my position. |
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Nov-01-24
| | Sally Simpson: Hi Perfidious,
What tournament was it. It might sitting on another D.B. somewhere. I did have the score of some of Danny's games but we are now going back, Gosh!, 40+ years. I've moved house twice since then. When I was doing the Tactics and Combinations section in 'Mastering Chess.' Danny gave me some his games of his to see if I could use any for the puzzle section or maybe as an example. I know where they might be but I doubt if I will still have them. At the Shamkovich simul he was going around quickly playing his second move but when I played 2...f5 he stopped, stood back and looked to the ceiling. The room laughed. I didn't when he played 2.Nc3 a move I had never faced before and thought I'm walking straight into some Russian bust that has not yet made Shakhmaty. I use to get Shakhmaty and pour over the openings ideas and games bit, I got that Knight sac in G Chandler vs G Bucher, 2007 from a 1981 Shakhmaty and waited 36 years for a chance to use it! I still have that Shakhmaty. Somethings you make sure never get lost when you move house twice. |
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Nov-01-24
| | perfidious: <Geoff>, it was the 1982 New England Open at Merrimack, New Hampshuh. (The state just east of Vuhmont) |
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Nov-02-24
| | Sally Simpson: I had a look at the index in December Chess Life 1892. No Kopec game and just one by Shaw who was white in a Blackmar–Dimmer Gambit. Obviously not you, I've looked at your games, every one of your pawns is prisoner, no gambits. And you grab pawns quicker than you do when scooping up the pot at poker. But always a joy going though these mags from a time when I was very active. I've lifted a couple of puzzles and a study for the blog or the kids. White to play and win. B.M. Sidov.
click for larger viewNot the most difficult study to solve, therefore very enjoyable to tackle. The first move is obvious but then some delicate white King footwork is required, with a wee pitfall to avoid. The hard bit, which is not part of the study, (a standard KQ v KR ending is always judged as a KQ win in studies) is actually winning the KQ v KR ending in a game. I've had to do it only once as the Queen player. (I did it!) I must find that game of mine and submit it. Or maybe not. Every time I try to submit a game something else on the site comes apart. Apparently Steve, (the chap who fixes things) is missing. I hope he is alright. My theory is when Steve was in the 4th grade a girl called Sally Simpson broke his heart and whenever he sees 'Sally Simpson' he collapses in a sobbing heap and takes to the bottle. (Thank You) |
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Nov-02-24
| | perfidious: <Geoff>, my tendency was--as you are well aware--to snatch the pawn on offer and go into heroic defence mode, a la Steinitz or Korchnoi, though quite without their tactical skills or panache. In fact, the game with Danny mentioned above saw him offering a pawn as White in a Caro-Kann, which I hung onto for over 90 moves. Never had either side of Q v R; lucky me. Would have been pure torture. By the bye, my favourite number from <Tommy> was <Eyesight to the Blind>: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDo... |
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Nov-02-24
| | Sally Simpson: Hi Perfidious,
'Sally' was possible an error for a Nik. Though I really do like the song. In hindsight 'Happy Jack' should have been considered. But then my 'when Steve was in the 4th grade...' gag would not have worked. '... a boy named Jack broke his heart.' does not quite have the same ring to it. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 25.Rxf4