Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Puzzle Extraordinairé

What's the most extraordinary move you've ever played? That you've seen played? That's ever been played? Unfortunately, my answer to the first question is my 35. ... Re3 from a recent London League match for Streatham & Brixton Chess Club first team - overlooking the none too subtle reply 36. Rf3xe3. A whole rook down I went - and no, I wasn't in time trouble either.



This position is from Gomes - Neto, Rio de Janeiro 1942. Black played an extraordinary move too, but extraordinary for all the right reasons. Can you spot it? It's number 108 in Tim Krabbé's 110 Most Fantastic Moves Ever Played - but one of my favourites.

Bytheway, you can find a link to Tim's site in the sidebar. On which note - let me know if you think I've left any interesting chess links out from there, and I'll add them too.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Tom,

thanks for setting up the blog and the links to other sites.

I would have a look at the Topalov page but I fear I am banned from there because I spent too long in the loo earlier today.

Tom Chivers said...

Try Kramnik's site instead - it pisses all over it!

Anonymous said...

Damn,

I thought the next comment was going to give me a clue to the next move.

I can't see it.

I'm guessing it's got something to do with something landing on f4 (or possibly h4) but I can't see a follow up yet.

Tom Chivers said...

You're on the right track - the move prepares a killer attack on the king . . . Anyhow, you can just click the link in the post to find the answer.

Have you tried the other puzzles I've set?!

Anonymous said...

Well I was trying to avoid looking but eventually I gave up and went there. I don't think I'd ever have got the first move.

I solved the other two puzzles though. The rook and pawn quite quickly - must be too easy if I can do it.

The Scenic Railway puzzle took me a little while to get but I got there in the the end. Tne second move took me longer to find than the first.

Tom Chivers said...

Amazing, isn't it?!

I think the rook and pawn one is one of those that's fairly easy to do in a puzzle - because you know there's a solution. But OTB you'd probably get as far as 2.. Rb4 3. Kxb4 c5+, and conclude that that was a draw too, just like everything else. Or at least I would.

Scenic Railway is just lovely and hilarious. A piece of fun, really.

Btw - there was another puzzle, that's now in the archives. I think maybe you missed it. But if you click 'November 2006' and scroll to near the bottom of the page you'll find it there.

Anonymous said...

doesn't Nh4+ at the beginning of the sequence work too with the idea of gxh4, Qf4 then the whole Rg8 idea

Does the extra move for white save him??

Tom Chivers said...

I think so - I'm not even sure you need Qf4 though. I think it just transposes. Probably there are less desperado's for white though after 1. ... Rg8 - he's not yet a piece down, so can't organise a sacrifice back of the f3 knight.

But 1. ... Rg8!! is the most stylish anyhow!