Dec-03-09 E Torre vs So, 2009 
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Big Easy: I heard of a suggested rule change not long ago concerning draws. It was something like, if player A offers a draw to player B, player B can choose to continue play, but the draw offer stands for the rest of the game. So, player B might not accept the draw offer (initially), and ... |
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Nov-04-09 Charousek vs J Wollner, 1893 
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Big Easy: Nice. This is one of those games where a move is played to prevent a particular move by the opponent, only to have them play it anyway. After white plays 16. Rae1, the obvious threat is 17. Qe8+. Black plays 16. ...Nc6, thinking that the threat was parried by clearing the back rank |
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Sep-30-09 Kasparov vs Deep Blue, 1996 
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Big Easy: Kaspy plays with such precision in the endgame. He avoids the queen exchange and then wins a pawn, then a second, and then forces a queen exchange. Very nice. |
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Aug-14-09 B Gamback vs R Nevanlinna, 2001 
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Big Easy: Wow. White gets into a real pinch here. I love games like this. Black takes the initiative and keeps the pressure on for the last half of the game. White's choices are very limited. For White, is 19.0-0-0 a better choice than the move played? I didn't analyze it deeply but it does ... |
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Aug-06-09 Mamedyarov vs Bacrot, 2008 
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Big Easy: Never mind on my last post. 38.Qxd6
Duh! |
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Jul-30-09 Mac Hack VI vs Fischer, 1977 
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Big Easy: It would seem that lasting 39 moves is an accomplishment (and it probably was for a chess-playing computer in 1977). However, all three of these games vs. Fischer were lost well before checkmate. |
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Jul-14-09 Menchik vs Graf-Stevenson, 1937 
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Big Easy: If the game continues:
21 ... Qxd7 22 Qxh5
At first glance I thought black could save the game with: 22 ... Nf6
But this doesn't work, as white simply plays:
23 Bxf6
and it's mate in one to follow, either with the queen or the bishop on h7. |
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Jul-02-09 J E O'Dell vs Keene, 1966 
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Big Easy: I always enjoy the analysis by Mr. Keene. I find it very insightful to understand why a GM plays the moves that he does and the reasoning behind them. |
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Jul-02-09 Ragozin vs Bondarevsky, 1946 
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Big Easy: I am either getting better or the puzzle today is not up to Thursday standards. I immediately thought about 28. Qxa7+, and it didn't take long to verify that it wins. |
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Jun-24-09 Ivanchuk vs Carlsen, 2009 
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Big Easy: Crap. I initially thought that 38...Ra5 was the correct move because the white rook on a2 can't leave that rank, but I gave up on it because I didn't see the continuation. Once again, after seeing it I can't believe I didn't get it. It's also always interesting to see these puzzles |
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