Mar-29-10
 | | Nightsurfer: Sure, my blunder 17. ... Nc3?? has been ridiculous, but on the other hand, maybe I would never have been forced to try to reach the constellation of the SMOTHERED CHECKMATE by Knight (that is to say: the menace of 25. ... Nf2# after sacrificing the Queen by 24. ... Qg1#) that has first been demonstrated by Luis Ramirez Lucena (ca. 1465 - ca. 1530). Therefore I am quite happy today with that dirty little match ... |
|
Aug-26-10
| | Nightsurfer: I have first learned of THE GREAT SMOTHERED MATE - as Mr. ADDICTION-TO-CHESS has labeled that constellation in his corresponding game collection - by studying a German-language book on famous matches, a fine compilation that had been composed by Martin Beheim-Schwarzbach. The first match in the collection is a brilliancy by Our God Morphy, please see Morphy vs Schrufer, 1859 , and that was the first time that I have ever seen the constellation of the SOMTHERED MATE. I was deeply impressed, so I tried to learn the moves of that match by heart, and I deeply hoped and prayed for that I would ever get the chance to execute a final blow like that too.
And the miracle took place one year later when I have got the chance, FOR REAL! Well, the circumstances were quite murky, but in the end, there it was coming up, that GREAT SMOTHERED MATE ... :-) ...
And only many years later I have found out that it had not been my beloved Morphy who had first executed that knock-out by combined force of Queen and Horse on the board, but the legendary Greco round about 1625 ... with some extra trick, since back then the demise of poor King did not take place in some ugly corner of the battle ground but in full daylight, under the treacherous shining sun right in the center of the board ... NN vs Greco, 1625 ... :-) ... |
|
Aug-26-10
| | Nightsurfer: Even the girls know how to brutally finish off their opponent's King by THE GREAT SMOTHERED MATE, just have a look at an incidence during the Chess Olympics at Calvia 2004: S Duron vs V Garcia-Castro, 2004 ... and again it is the Black army that strikes that way ... |
|
Aug-30-10
| | Nightsurfer: For those who would like to read the original comments by Great Greco on his GREAT SMOTHERED MATE from 1625 (among other things, of course!), I am herewith referring to NN vs Greco, 1625 : Greco's treatise has been re-edited by the Edition Olms, by publishing an edition by Hirschel on Greco dating from 1784 (German title: "Das Schach des Herrn Gioachino Greco Calabrois und die Schachspiel-Geheimnisse des Arabers Philipp Stamma"), please see the German-language interview with Mr. Manfred Olms, and there is an annex of chess that discusses the GREAT SMOTHERED MATE too, please see http://www.chessbase.de/nachrichten... , Greetz, Nightsurfer |
|
Sep-06-11
| | Nightsurfer: This game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971 > is a neo-classic replay of VERSION NO. 1 of the GREAT SMOTHERED MATE, namely the execution by the task-force of Queen and Knight. One more modern sample game in more recent times: S Duron Godoy vs V Garcia Castro, 2004 . A modern replay of VERSION No. 2 of the GREAT SMOTHERED MATE - the deadly strike by task force of Queen and Knight plus Back-up Bishop - has been demonstrated in T Peine vs V Budde, 1970 - one year before <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971> ! |
|
Sep-07-11
| | Nightsurfer: It should be mentioned that the constellation of this very knock-out here in <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971 > is called "Philidor's Legacy". One more example, 33 years after this game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971 >: K Bischoff vs K Mueller, 2004 2004 seems to have been the YEAR OF PHILIDOR'S LEGACY - just have a look at an incidence at Calvia 2004: S Duron Godoy vs V Garcia Castro, 2004 |
|
Sep-15-11
| | Nightsurfer: With regard to "Philidor's Legacy" that is supposed to be the terminus technicus when we talk of the technique of checkmating in this game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971> one has to know that the MATRIX of THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1 has first been published by LUCENA in 1497, that is to say: more than 200 years before Philidor. Herewith the matrix of that situation - I have found that position in the great book "The Art Of The Checkmate" by Georges Renaud and Victor Kahn ... and I have been too lazy to try to find that very position in the online edition of LUCENA's book. I am talking of the basic position of THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - VERSION NO. 1 Herewith the starting-out position that has been composed by LUCENA in 1497, please check out Luis Ramirez de Lucena: 
click for larger viewThe final moves will be as follows:
1.Qe6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ Kg8 3.Nh6++ Kh8 4.Qg8+!! Rxg8 5.Nf7# 1-0 Now we see: That very GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1 has to be called "LUCENA's Legacy", in case that we are talking of the notorious "legacy" with regard to THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1 ... whereas Old Philidor has done a lot for teaching chess tactics and chess strategies, for sure, but there is no justification to link Philidor's name to THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1 since it has been LUCENA who has first composed that nice teamwork by Queen and Knight in order to hunt down the King on the opposite side of the board. Since 1497, LUCENA's Matrix of THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1 has been put on the board over and over again. In the following two parallel cases - out of a million (or so ...) of parallel cases. First of all - the original after the decisive 1.Qe6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ ... 
click for larger viewNow a famous parallel case that has been put on the board 362 years after LUCENA having composed THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1: That is Morphy vs Schrufer, 1859 after 21.Nd7+ ... 
click for larger view... with the only difference that the sides have been reversed and Black King gets cornered on the right Black wing this time. Last not least this game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Emshorn 1971> , no more and no less than 474 years after LUCENA having composed THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1: In the following the diagram after 22. ... Nf2+ ... 
click for larger view... with the only difference that the colours have been reversed (in comparison to LUCENA's original composition). Therefore it is a good idea to be alert and to watch out for LUCENA's legacy of THE GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE - BASIC VERSION NO. 1! |
|
| Oct-28-11 | | JoergWalter: <nightsurfer:
Herewith the starting-out position that has been composed by LUCENA in 1497, please check out Luis Ramirez de Lucena:
The final moves will be as follows:
1.Qe6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ Kg8 3.Nh6++ Kh8 4.Qg8+!! Rxg8 5.Nf7# 1-0> The final moves could also be as follows:
1.Qe6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ Kg8 3.Nd8+ Kh8 4.Qe8+ Qf8 5.Qxf8# 1-0 |
|
Nov-09-11
| | Nightsurfer: <JoergWalter:
The final moves could also be as follows:
1.Qe6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ Kg8 3.Nd8+ Kh8 4.Qe8+ Qf8 5.Qxf8# 1-0 > Thank you for pointing out to that elegant second way of mating! |
|
Nov-09-11
| | Nightsurfer: In many cases the GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE can not be realized because the defender desperately sacrifices a Rook against that cocky Knight that is needed to realize the GREAT SMOTHERED CHECKMATE. But in this game here < B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971 > that trick would not have worked after 22. ... Nf2+!, please compare once more again the diagram after that deadly swing by Knight.
click for larger viewIf White would have tried to get rid of that evil Knight by resorting to the foolish 23.Rxf2?? ... - a riposte that often works in other cases - , that goof 23.Rxf2?? ... would have been a goof because of the weakness of the base of the camp of White Army: 23. ... Qxa1+ ... 
click for larger view... PLUS: 24.Rf1 Qxf1# 0-1
Therefore Black Knight is taboo for White Rook after 22. ... Nf2+! ...
click for larger view... with the well-known consequences:
23.Kg1 Nh3++ ...
click for larger view... and on we go:
24.Kh1 Qg1+!!
click for larger viewAnd - hypothetically - :
25.Rxg1 Nf2# 0-1
click for larger viewIt is interesting to note that there has been a similar case 10 years before this game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971>, namely C Bloodgood vs B Evans, 1961. After 18.Nf7+ ... in the foregoing game C Bloodgood vs B Evans, 1961 - please compare the diagram as follows ... 
click for larger view... White Knight on f7 was taboo for Black Rook on f8 (because of 18. ... Rxf7?? 19.Qe8+ Rf8 20.Qxf8# 1-0) just the same way as Black Knight after 22. ... Nf2+! - 10 years later in this game here <B Koester vs R Gralla, Elmshorn 1971> - was taboo for White Rook on f1, please check out once more again the diagram as follows:
click for larger view |
|
| Jul-27-12 | | e4 resigns: funny how white missed the seemingly simply 22. h3 which gives him winning chances |
|
Aug-23-12
| | Nightsurfer: Hello <e4 resigns>,
you are right - but there is a psychological explanation for the strange fact that White has overlooked the simple 22.h3 ..., namely: After Black had legally lost the game - because of goofing away that Bishop because of 17. ... Nc3?? 18.Qxb7 ... - Black started to move very fast, at the speed of blitz chess, and White fell into that psychological trap by reacting as fast as Black executed his moves. All those moves that have started with 18. ... Qxd4+ , those follow-up moves have been executed at full speed - thus making White dizzy and thus creating the (wrong!) impression on White's side that he had to "defend" the square f2 against the check 22. ... Nf2+ with 22. Rf1 ... and thus overlooking that 22.Rf1? ... was no defence at all against 22. ... Nf2+!, on the contrary, it was the final goofy goof of that game, but now it was White who has messed up the game! |
|
Feb-14-13
| | Nightsurfer: <e4resigns> ... the bluff that has saved the day for Black in this game here <Bernd Koester vs Rene Gralla (1971)> is a way of outsmarting destiny that has been discussed by <DrDave> in his article <"Swindle your way to success"> - the link: http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/conte... - 38 years later after <Bernd Koester vs Rene Gralla (1971)>. |
|
Jan-07-16
| | Nightsurfer: One more recent example of the threat of the SMOTHERED CHECKMATE that decides a game in 2012 - because that has been a clever threat in disguise, please see V Vasilescu vs N Stanec, 2012 , just check out the opener <35.Rxd3! ...> plus the check of the matrix <36.Qb3+ ...> ! :-) |
|
May-14-17
 | | tpstar: <Nightsurfer> Nice comeback, and a great synopsis of Philidor's Legacy in practice! <Black started to move very fast, at the speed of blitz chess, and White fell into that psychological trap by reacting as fast as Black executed his moves> The gamesmanship of chess. =) |
|
|
|
|
Kibitzing
sac: 17...Nc3
icon.