I lose my home in fire

On February 7, 2009, I lost my home and all possessions in the raging fires at Kinglake, in Victoria Australia.

Until I can recover and rebuild I will not be making any posts.

I lost two lovely cats (a Burmese and a Russian Blue). Also gone are all my chess games except a few I had on this blog. All my chess books are gone, all other books (I had over a 1000, many rare editions, and magazines), personal photos, records, CDs, videos and DVDs and most of my writing. But my wife and I will recover. We are lucky we have friends and family. Insurance will also help us rebuild.

Regards until lext posting.

How to lose a won game

Hi Pilgrims,

Sometimes you play chess really well. Your positional feeling and strategy are so profound, you start to think that maybe you're actually a good player instead of an average trooper making up the numbers. Then your play goes off the rails – you lose the intensity, the tactics overwhelm you. Maybe your mental energy flags or you just ain't that good. The won position becomes dubious then is lost. What happened?

Firstly, the game is never over until the fat lady cries 'I resign!' You have to find a way of maintaining your energy level and attentiveness. If time allows, take a short break from thinking – easier in correspondence or server chess. If not, just talk inwardly to yourself. When you find your thoughts wandering, it's a warning signal to your mind, and talking to yourself can help you to stay focused or recover intensity.

Secondly, the bunny rules are critical (see earlier postings), to which you can now add the new bunny rule I enunciate in the notes to the game below. The content of chess is mainly tactics. Sure, it's built upon positional ideas and strategic thinking, but most of the moves in a game are a product of tactical thinking which is required to meet or implement ideas. The bunny rules help you to manage 'the business of chess'.

Thirdly, chaos happens. The best laid plans of mice and men are as nothing in the torrential flows of an erupting entropy. Wow, I like the sound of that. It seems to be saying something profound but I can't quite work out what that is. Anyway, you are not the master of the universe or even a game of chess. There are the guy or gal sitting opposite you, trying their best to stuff your game up. Then there are your human limitations – even chess-players whose name starts with a K have their limitations. So sometimes you will make errors and get belted in a game. Sometimes it will happen to that masterpiece, which in your innocence, you imagine you are creating. Bummer!

Learn the lesson and don't let it happen again.

The game I am presenting to you dear reader (please print it out; copy and paste it or whatever; never mind saving the trees – this is chess!) is the last in the informal match between Tayhk of Singapore and my good self from Melbourne in Oz. It is game 24, and with it, my opponent managed to square the match at 9 wins each with 6 draws. We played fighting chess all the way. We have now begun our second series of 24 games.

Tayhk V The Palooka (that's me folks)

The opening is a 'funny English'.

1. c4 c5 2. d4 (This is a weak attempt to be clever which backfires and he loses a Pawn for dubious compensation) cxd4 3. Nf3 e5! 4. e3 (If 4. Nxe5 Qa5+) dxe3 5. Bxe3 Nc6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Be2 d6 8. h3 (A useful prophylaxis; Black just develops) Be7 9. a3 (But this is too much prohylaxis and wastes time while creating a weakness which will later be exploited) O-O 10. Qc2 d5 (Black decides to simplify and with this small combination he returns the Pawn for a positional plus. The immortal Capablanca used to do this, and the chessically limited and very mortal Eraclides tries the stratagem as well, and for a change, gets it right) 11. cxd5 Nxd5 12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Rd1 Qa5+ 14. Bd2 Qc5 15. Bc3 Nd4 (This was the idea and Black's two Bishops become dominant) 16. Nxd4 exd4 17. Rxd4 Be6 18. Bd3 h6 19. Be4 Rac8! (White's Queen side is weak due to his indiscretion on move 9; Black threatens Bf6) 20. Rd1 (20. Bxb7 Rc7 and Qxd4 or just Qxd4 straight away) Qb5 21. Qd3 (He has to get away from the Rc8 and the hovering threats such as Bb3; if 21. Bd3 Bb3 is safe enough, but better for maintaining pressure would be Qg5 or Qb6. Note that even with 21. Bd3 Bb3 22. BxQ BxQ 23. Rc1 Bb3 Black has the threats of a6 to drive the Bishop away and Bf6 or g5 with Re8+ among other threats; in this line if 23. Rd2 Bb3 24. 0-0 a6 is good for Black with the threat of Bxa3. All of this because of White's time wasting) Bc4 22. Qg3 Qg5! (23. Qxg5 is good for Black: Bxg5 and Bxb7 is refuted by any Re8++. White is desperate to get some King safety and complete his development. Steinitz used to delay his castling because of positional considerations; he was also Steinitz, not Tayhk or Eraclides) 23. Bd3 Qxg3 24. fxg3 Bb3 (Black is winning) 25. Rd2 (25. Rc1 Bg5 or 25. Rb1 Bxa3; either way a Pawn is lost; if 25. Bf5 Rce8 26. Bd7 Rd8 and the exposed check is too dangerous) Bxa3 26. O-O (Better late than never but at what a cost) Bc5+ 27. Kh2 Rcd8 (Black is a well deserved Pawn up and now tries to use the themes of pin and Bishop attack on the Rooks to gain even more. This is based on the principle that when your opponent is drowning, you throw him an anvil. White copes well with all the pressure) 28. Rf3 Be6 29. b4 Bb6 30. Be4 Rxd2 31. Bxd2 Rd8 32. Rd3 Rxd3 33. Bxd3 Bd4 (f5 was worth a try to restrict the White Bishops) 34. Bf4 (Be4 was an option) Bd5 (Centralization, a Bishop swap, and the capture of the b4 Pawn are elements of the plan) 35. b5 (Worth consideration was Bd6) Kf8 36. g4 Ke7 37. h4 Be6 38. Kg3 Bd5 39. h5 Ke6 40. Kh3 Ke7 41. g3 Be6 42. Kh4 Bc8 43. Bd2 Kd6 44. g5 hxg5+ 45. Kxg5 Kc5 46. Kf4 Be6 47. g4 f6 (47...Bc4 was possibly better but I was worried about White being able to win or draw the game after 48. Bxc4 Kxc4 49. Ke4 Bf6 (best) 50. g5 (best) Be7 51. h6 gxh6 52. gxh6 Bf6 53. h7 Kxb5 54. Bg5 B moves 55. Bf4 or Kf5 and White will break the diagonal with his Bishop. Thus I preferred to strengthen my position and minimize counter-play. Alas, dear reader, I go astray, as you shall see) 48. Bc1 (It's a game of diagonal control and White is losing his grip on the position. He hopes to play Ba6+ and Bf8 but he doesn't get a chance. It's hard to find an alternative for him. After f6 Black threatened a series of checks which would improve his position anyway) Be5+ 49. Kf3 Kd4 50. Be2 Bd5+ 51. Kf2 Kc3 52. Ba3 Bd4+ 53. Ke1 Be3 (It's hard to believe that Black could lose from here but he does. A win or draw should have been his reward) 54. Bf8 Bh6 55. Bc5 b6 56. Bd6 Bc4 57. Bb8 Bxe2 58. Kxe2 Kc4 59. Bxa7 Kxb5 60. Kd3 Bf4? (Pointless as Black's strategy in trying to imprison the enemy Bishop is wrong. Better Kc6 and if Black can't get his Queen-side Pawn going he can at least get his King over to attack the White Pawns which can only be defended by the King. For intance, after 61 Bf8 Kd5 62. Bg3 b5 White has run out of ideas and Black will win) 61. Ke4 Be5? (61...Bh6 and reverting to the above idea was correct) 62. g5! (This was the move I missed. I have previously written about the 'bunny rules' which all players should adopt; to them you can add: check all pawn advances!) Bd6 63. gxf6 Bf8 (Perhaps no better was 63...gxf6 64. h6 Bf8 64. h7 Bg8 65. Kf5 wins; the Bishop will be drawn away or lost and the Pawn will Queen e.g. if Kc6 then Bb8 intending Bf4/h6 or any other similar plan depending on what Blak does with his King and b Pawn) 64. f7 Kc6 65. Bb8 Kd7 66. Kf5 Ke7 67. Kg6 b5 68. Be5 b4 69. Bxg7 b3 70. h6 (Not 70. Bxf8 Kxf8 71. h6 b2 73. h7 b1=Q+ and wins. How dangerous are endgames!?) Ke6 71. h7 Bxg7 72. Kxg7 b2 (There's nothing else left but a few petty moves continued by Black due to his shock at losing a 'won game') 73. f8=Q b1=Q 74. Qf7+ Kd6 75. Qg6+ Qxg6+ 76. Kxg6 Kc5 77. h8=Q 1-0

Thus the final score in the first series of 24 games was:
The Palooka 9 : 9 Tayhk (Draws: 6)

The new rule to always consider is: check all Pawn advances.
The battle continues.
See you next time pilgrims.

The Palooka versus tayhk match, continued

Hi Pilgrims,
Time for some more entertainment (remember this is our mantra for chess).

Below is game 9 in the informal (ongoing) match between myself and tayhk via the itsyourturn.com server (http://www.itsyourturn.com/ ).

The Eraclides-tayhk games are complicated because of the respective styles or bad habits (take your pick) of both players: combative with a liking for complexity. They are best enjoyed with a merlot, one glass as you play over the game the first time, then a second glass as you play over the game again to analyse the critical positions. The notes are light but if you delve too deeply into the positions (as we did when playing the game) you may need something stronger than wine by the end (I recomment a cognac).

Currently we are in the middle of our 24th and 25th games. The score of completed games so far is: 23 Games played - The Palooka (GE) 9 : 8 Tayhk (Draws: 6).

In this game the win of a piece leads to some difficult play for White until he can convert his advantage. The final position is attractive, even piquant.

The Palooka (George Eraclides) Versus tayhk (of Singapore)

Ruy Lopez Steinitz Defence

Played in November 2005

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 exd4 (4...Bd7 is better) 5. Qxd4 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Bg5 Be7 9. O-O-O (White gets an easy game with more space in the centre but the Steinitz defence to the Ruy Lopez is solid enough) h6 10. Bf4 (10. Bh4 is gnerally better in these type of positions; Black now gets equality) Nh5 11. Be3 Bf6 12. Qd3 Bxc3 13. bxc3 Qe7 14. Nd2 Nf6 15. f3 O-O (15. O-O-O was safer but he wants to attack on the Q-side) 16. c4 (White also has aggressive instincts; he first stabilises the centre then plans to attack on the K-side) a6 (he plans b5 but White has the better prospects for an attack) 17. g4 Nh7 18. h4 Rae8 (he picks the the wrong Rook to move and his Knight will pay for this error) 19. Rdg1 Qe5 20. Bd4 Qf4 (this comes to no good) 21. g5 h5 (21...hxg5 22Rg4!) 22. Qc3 f6 23. g6 Re7 24. gxh7+ Kxh7 25. Be3 Qe5 26. Qxe5 Rxe5 27. Bd4 Ra5 28. Kb2 Bd7 29. Rg3 (a White coming up, but concentration is needed against tayhk) Ra4 30. Rhg1 Rf7 31. Bc3 b5 (counterplay is his only hope) 32. cxb5 axb5 33. Nb3 Be6 34. Nd4 Bd7 (taking the Pawn at a2 does not help him: 34...Bxa2, 35. Ra1 b4 36. Bd2; or 34...Rxa2+ 35. Kb1 Bc4 36. Nxb5 with Nd4/f5 also as options) 35. Ne2 c5 36. Nf4 b4 37. Bd2 Ra7 38. Nxh5 Be6 39. Bf4 Rxa2+ 40. Kb1 Raa7 (40...Rfa7 41. Rxg7+ will win)41. Bxd6 Kh6 42. Nxg7 Rxg7 43. Bf8 1-0

The final position, with the impertinent White Bishop spearing the Black Rook, is quite piquant, and may be worth a cognac in its own right.

Until next time, may all your games be brilliant wins – except in cases where you ever play me.

Coffee and Strudel

Another Vienna Gambit – enjoy it with coffee and strudel.

This is a genuine coffee-house chess game between two old friends who like nothing better than demolishing each other over the chess-board. Otherwise, what are friends for?

Both players go at it with no regard for the finer defensive, let alone positional, points of chess. Then again, the game was fun to play. And let us recall the famous adage, of the even more famous Icant Remember Who, when he proclaimed that the essence of playing chess is fun. We are here on this earth for such a short time. Why waste it hunched over a board if it ain't fun?

The notes to the game are light, strictly low-calorie, as befits the skill of the players and the mood they were in.

George Eraclides of East Preston Versus Gino Tomisich of West Preston
2001

Vienna Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Qe2 Ng5 (this is a viable alternative to the more normal line Nxc3) 7. d4 c6 (to safeguard the Queen-side from any predatory incursions by the Knight; Ne6 is the alternative) 8. Be3 Bg4 (better is 0-0; Black now comes under sustained pressure) 9. h3 Nxf3+ 10. gxf3 Bf5 11. Rg1 g6 (he intends h5 later with a solid position but he never gets a chance to try it; Bg6 was a reasonable alternative) 12. O-O-O Nd7 13. Qg2 b5 (Qc7 with an 0-0-0 was safer, but he prefers to attack) 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Rxd3 a5 16. f4 a4 17. f5 (to open lines for attack; if gxf5, then Qg7 Rf8, Qxh7 with many threats beginning with Bh6) b4 18. Ne2 b3 19. cxb3 (if axb3 then a3 with some counterplay; White has a devious plan) axb3 20. axb3 Ra1+ 21. Kc2 Rxg1 22. Qxg1 Qa5 (he should look to his defence with Nb6 and Qc7) 23. e6! (White now breaks through in typical coffee-house style) Nf6 (if fxe6 then fxg6 is better for White) 24. exf7+ Kxf7 25. fxg6+ hxg6 26. Nf4 Rg8 27. Bd2 Qb6 28. Rg3 g5 29. Rxg5 Rxg5 30. Qxg5 Ke8 (Ne4, Qg6+ Kf8, Ne6++) 31. Qe5 Qd8 32. Ng6 (simplest) Qd6 (if Ng8 then Bg5) 33. Qxe7+ (best way) Qxe7 34. Nxe7 Kxe7 35. Bg5! (the pin is deadly at any time; a lot of amateur players, like us, think of it as an opening tactic, but you can use it anytime if you remember the bunny rules, and look out for it; see previous posts on the bunny philosophy of chess) Ke6 36. Bxf6 Kxf6 37. Kc3 1-0

At least both players had a go. The Vienna is a much under-appreciated opening, as are most of the e4 19th Century openings.

See you next time pilgrims.

R.I.P. Bobby Fischer.

Forever young.

Forever the best.

The Fortress Defence, or how to give up your Queen and still survive the game

Hi Pilgrims,


Draws can be very interesting, if you extract a 'moral victory of sorts or the game is particularly exciting. Such was my draw in the following game. As the underdog I claim the moral victory, and while I am at it, I might as well claim this is a really exciting game.


It was part of a 'thematic' tournament on the IECG web site (http://www.iecg.org/), and because I play the French Defence, I decided to participate. The IECG is an email based chess club, and I highly recommend it.


However, you must be prepared with the latest knowledge, in order to play at a high level in correspondence or email chess. I went into this using only my wits, which is a mistake in my case.


A BIG MISTAKE.


I was out of my depth in the IECG: I had no up to date computers, databases, or openings books. When players are of a high standard, and also have these latest 'aids', you are at a disadvantage, unless you have similar aids to assist your play or are a genius with a surname starting with 'K'.


I was knocked about a fair bit in this tournament, but I did manage to play one particularly good ending which I would like to share with you.


Guy Deschamp VERSUS George Eraclides


IECG TE-2004-P-01504


French/McCutcheon Defence
June 17, 2004


1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Bb4 5.e5 h6 6.Bd2 Bxc3 7.bxc3 Ne4 8.Qg4 g6 (I prefer this to Kf8; it's also Capablanca's recommendation) 9.Bd3 Nxd2 10.Kxd2 c5 11.Rb1 Nc6 12.Nf3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Qe7 (I like the Queen sitting e7, protecting the black squares and with dynamic potential) 14.Qf4 b6 15.Rhc1 (planning a future attack via c4 if Black risks castling either way) Qa3 (a critical position; a few choices present themselves and I had visions of variations following g5, Bd7, even Kf8/g8; I opted for a risky line. If you don't counter-attack in the French, you will be ground to dust) 16.Bb5 Bd7 17.Ke1 (he gets his King into safety and the game picks-up; I saw a way to take the Pawn and sacrifice my Queen, as you would) Qxa2 18.c4 a6 19.Ra1 (this is it; I thought I would come out of my sacrifice with real chances after winning some more pawns, but...) axb5 20.Rxa2 Rxa2 21.c5 Nb422.Rd1 bxc5 23.dxc5 Nc2+ 24.Kf1 b4 25.Rb1 Bb5+ 26.Kg1 b3 27.h4 (White gets some air for his King; note that Rxb3, Ra1+ wins) b2 28.Qd2 Ba4 (Black is labouring because of his Rook on h8 being out of the action) 29.Qc3 0-0 (I castle too late in order to win, but maybe I can save the game?) 30.Rxb2 Rxb2 31.Qxb2 Rc8 32.Qb7 (an error; he should hang onto the c5 Pawn with Qc3, but he was greedy) Rxc5 33.Qa8+ Kg7 34.Qxa4 Rc4 (I was already thinking about how to build a fortress defence) 35.Qa7 Re4 36.Qc5 Rc4 37.Qe7 Rf4 38.Kh2 Nd4 39.h5 (39. Nxd4 Rxd4 40. Qf6+ Kg8 41. h5 Rf4 was a better try although White still has a battle; now he gets doubled pawns which helps Black) Nxf3+ 40.gxf3 g5 (an absolutely key move in the viability of the fortress defence; as with a real castle, we can consider g5 a 'keystone'; White's doubled Pawns prevent him from breaking through; my position is unshakeable) 41.Kg2 Rf5 42.Qc5 Rf4 (obviously not Rxe5, Qd4 is good for White, but Black is not greedy – an important stratagem) 43.Qa3 Kg8 44.Kf1 Kg7 45.Ke2 Kg8 46.Qe7 Kg7 47.Ke3 Rf5 48.Kd4 Rxf3 49.Kc5 Rxf2 50.Qa7 Rf5 51.Qa4 Rf4 (Rxe5 may have won or lost – I was happy with my fortress and the moral victory) 52.Qd1 Drawn by Agreement. White cannot break through, while Black uses White's own pawns as part of the 'fortress'.


A well played ending after the sacrifice of a Queen failed to yield the victory I expected. I was following the Tal principle: ‘When I sacrifice, I win!’ but, of course, this principle is applicable to the extent that one's ability approaches the great Tal.


Guy said he liked endings and wanted to play on, but he was unable to break through and offered the draw. My secret strategy was not to get caught up with any attempt to win in the last few dozen moves and to keep my Rook on the f-file.


You have to love 40...g5 by Black after White allowed the exchange of Knights.



What a structure, what a fortress.


We build well at Castle Eraclides.


See you later Pilgrims.

The Palooka V tayhk Match: Game 3

Hi fans of The Palooka.

This posting features a long, tough, endgame. I am proud of my play, because, despite errors in the opening, I rallied and played very well - I had to be very careful and played a series of ‘only’ moves to win. These kind of intricate, aggressively played games, have become the standard fare in The Palooka-tayhk match.

The Palooka Versus tayhk
Site: http://www.itsyourturn.com/

Irregular/tayhk-style Opening

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d6 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Bd7 (tayhk certainly goes his own way in the openings) 5. Nc3 c5 6. dxc5 dxc5 7. Ne5 Bf6 8. Bf4 Ne7 9. Qd2 Nbc6 10. Nxd7 Bxc3 11. Qxc3 Qxd7 12. Rd1 (I thought at the time 12. Qxg7 Rg8 13. Qxh7 0-0-0 gave my opponent too much counterplay for the Pawns, but in hindsight maybe I was wrong: 14. Qxf7 Rdf8 15. Bxe6 Rxf7 16. Bxd7+ Kxd7 17. 0-0-0+ Ke8 18. Bg3 and the extra Pawns are worth the win; I now win a Pawn in a different way) Nd4 13. Be5! (we have a highly original position, partly from the 19th Century and partly from the 21st ) Rd8 14. Bxg7 Rg8 15. Bxd4 cxd4 16. Qh3! (he did not foresee this way of protecting the King-side Pawns) Qc6 17. Bd3 Ng6 18. g3 (18. 0-0 was playable; I was still nervous about tactical counter-chances like this: 18. Qxh7 Rh8 19. Qg7 Ke2! 20. e5 Rdg8, so I decided to hang onto my spoils and consolidate) Ne5 (the tactical shot 18...f5 19. exf5 loses for White to Qxh1+ but White only needs to reply19. f3 and retains a winning advantage) 19. Qxh7 Ke7 20. Qh4+ Kd6 21. Qf6 Qb6 22. f4 Ng4 23. e5+ Kc7 24. Qxf7+ Kb8 25. b3 Qc6 26. Kd2 (there is nothing better with Knight forks and Rooks on files attacking my Pawns, so I give up the exchange – a mere hiccup on the road to victory) Nf2 27. Rhg1 Rdf8 28. Qe7 Nxd1 29. Rxd1 Re8 30. Qb4 (White still has a winning advantage and now tries again to consolidate) Rc8 31. Re1 Rgd8 32. Re2 Rd5 33. Ke1 a5 34. Qd2 Qc5 35. a4 Rg8 36. Rg2 b6 37. g4 ('time to get rolling, boys' if The Palooka is to have any chance to win) Rd7 38. h4 Rh8 39. Qf2 Qd5 40. Rh2 Rf8 41. Qg3 (I thought it was possible to defend f4, but I was wrong; maybe I advanced my K-side Pawns too early?) Rdf7 42. Rf2 Rxf4! 43. Rxf4 Qxe5+ 44. Kd1 Rxf4 45. Qg2 Qg7 46. g5! (if Rxh4; Qg3+) e5 47. Qg3 Qc7 48. Bc4 e4 49. Qh3 Rf2 50. Qe6 e3 (an amazing position, typical of games in my match against tayhk; thank goodness I have a white-squared Bishop) 51. Kc1 Ka7 52. g6 Qg7 53. Bd3 e2 (I told you he was cunning) 54. Bxe2 Rf6 55. Qd5 Rxg6 56. Bf3 (and so am I) b5 57. Qa8+ (axb5 Rg1+ and after 58. Kd2 I was worried about Qh6+) Kb6 58. Qb8+ Kc5 59. Qxb5+ Kd6 60. Qc6+ Ke5 61. Qe4+ Kd6 62. Qc6+ Ke5 63. Qe4+ (just trying to force an error) Kd6 64. Qd5+ Ke7 65. Qxa5 Rg1+ 66. Kb2 d3+ 67. c3 Qg6 (still an amazing position, more typical of master games rather than pugilists at our level; maybe sometimes we average players play well) 68. Qc7+ Kf8 69. Qd8+ Kg7 70. Qe7+ Kh8 (he cannot allow The Palooka to swap Queens or allow a Bishop check my moving to the white squares) 71. Qe5+ Kg8 72. Be4 Qg3 73. Qe8+ Kg7 74. Qe7+ (finally!) Kg8 75. Qh7+ Kf8 76. Bxd3 Qe1 77. Qf5+ (White must not allow Black even a hint of a sniff of a whiff of attack or perpetual check) Kg7 78. b4 Qd2+ 79. Bc2 Qc1+ 80. Kb3 Rf1 81. Qg5+ (now it is easier to win, but Black had no real chances anyway) Kf7 82. Qxc1 Rxc1 83. h5 Rh1 84. Bg6+ Ke6 85. Kc4 Kd6 86. Kb5 Rg1 87. c4 Rg5+ 88. Kb6 Kd7 89. c5 Kc8 90. b5 Re5 91. a5 Re6+ 92. c6 Rf6 93. a6 Kb8 94. a7+ Ka8 95. Kc7! (if Kxa7; b6+ and b7 win) Re6 96. Kd7 Re5 97. c7 Rd5+ 98. Kc6 1-0
Completed May 29, 2004

A difficult 'won game' to win. I learned a lot about Queen endings with Bishop versus Rook, the importance of controlling key squares, diagonals, and not hurrying. The White Bishop, his weaker King and my Queen checks, were the critical factors. The strategy involved trying to balance safety, nudging my Pawns forward, and aiming to swap Queens.

The end is ironic: the mighty Bishop still stands proudly (he had God on his side), in control of critical squares; Black has to look on in horror as the White Pawns advance inexorably; the brave Black Rook can do little to help his Lord and Master.

The score in this match was now 2:1 in favour of The Palooka.

More in the future, when it's The Palooka's turn to get belted around.

Match of the Century The Palooka-tayhk Match: Games 1 and 2

What did you expect? Another boring reprise of the Fischer-Spassky match? Endless Karpov-Kasparov matches?

We can do better than that, here at Pawn's Progress.

You will also learn all about a new syndrome afflicting chess players everywhere, which I have finally identified: PSSD. You can see my discussion of it in the first game below. Nominate me for the Nobel Prize and more importantly, the money that comes with it. I needs it.

Playing chess online via the Internet is a lot of fun. I have played in 'real-time', used servers and by email.

I play as 'George Eraclides' on IECG. This 'chess club' is full of very strong players, with all the skills that come from using chess databases and the knowledge to use them effectively. As you can gather, I have been duffed up a few times on IECG, although occasionally I get lucky and play a good game. I will post some in the future.

I use the web site servers brainking.com and itsyourturn.com, where I use the identity 'The Palooka'. I also play occasionally on other servers, using various 'identities'. Drop in and challenge me to a game. Please email me first so I know the challenge is coming, and take it up. If I have a lot of games on, I refuse challenges because of time constrains. Alternatively, put 'Pawn's Progress' in the challenge message, so it rings some bells in my shrinking brain mass.

The chess servers have some real advantages: You nominate a time limit and then play. Most players at the basic, free levels, are relatively unskilled.
Occasionally you find someone who is very good, and with luck, you can get to play a lot of games with them.

For aspiring players, it's a chance to practice openings and just have some fun, while you build up your pattern recognition skills. For the rest of us who only want to play a few good games we can recall and replay in the great twilight to come, it's an easy medium to use; the server gives you a chess board, manages the score and communications, and maintains a record of your games.

I found the opponent tayhk by chance on ‘itsyourturn.com’, and he has turned out to be excellent. ‘tayhk’ is from Singapoer and has a tactical style, but with poor knowledge of openings and positional play. He is very creative and dangerous. Just the sort of player who can test your skills.

The motto when playing him is: ‘Never relax’. We are continuing to play until one of us gets bored. I have assumed he is male and Chinese. He plays a lot of games online and tells me his specialty is Chinese chess, which is very tactical but prone to short moves; it is not common to move a piece across the whole board or make many long moves, as we do with pieces in Western chess. I suspect he is probably a better player than myself tactically, but then chess is more than just tactics, so we end up having very interesting games.

We have played about 21 games so far, all of them very difficult and unusual, with my good self slightly ahead. I am going to treat the first 24 games as a mini-match (similar to world championship matches from the good old days). Hopefully we will keep on playing a number of matches in the future.

I am giving light notes to make them more enjoyable. In the future I will analyze them more closely and 'publish' them as a match-book. When you play over some of them, you will see they deserve closer analysis. If you want a copy of the games palyed so far in pgn format, let me know and I will send them to you.

Game 1

In this game The Palooka lost to a Marshall-like swindle from tayhk. I felt like Fischer must have felt, as his superior position crumbled to a sucker punch from Tal.

I missed the lone pawn move to g6 in my analysis and resigned.

tayhk Versus The Palooka
Site: http://www.itsyourturn.com/

King's Indian

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. d4 d6 5. e4 O-O 6. Bd3 (Be2 or Be3 are better)
c5 (Black has to play something like this in the KI otherwise his game remains very cramped) 7. dxc5 (better is d5) dxc5 8. Be3 b6 9. Qc2 Bb7 10. O-O-O (White plays ultra-aggressively; if 10. e5 Ng4 is good for Black) Ng4 11. h3 Nxe3 12. fxe3 Nc6 (now we have an interesting position; structurally Black has superiority, but White has dynamic chances through the open d and f files. The endgame will favour Black with his two Bishops and better Pawn structure; but as Tarrasch famously said, 'before the endgame God has placed the middle-game') 13. a3 (to stop Nb4) Qb8 (attacking the black squares and getting the Q out of the d file, without losing a tempo to Nb5 – Qc7 Nb5; both sides now maneuvre) 14. Nd5 e6 15. Nf4 Qc7 16. g4 Rad8 (critical was 16...h6 in order to play 17...h5 if g5 was tried, neutralising the attack on the K-side, and with control of e5 Black should be better off; even better may have been 16...Ne5 to clarify matters. The Palooka is getting complacent) 17. g5! (thinking outside the box) Ne5 18. Nxe5 Qxe5 (better was Bxe5; the Q is not placed well here and later has to be reorganised, wasting time) 19. Rhg1 Bc6 (looking at controlling a4; White reacts well) 20. h4 Rd7 21. Rd2 Rfd8 22. Rgg2 Qb8 23. h5 Be5 (You get the impression that for all of Black's strengths, he lacks 'dynamic potential' i.e. opportunity for attacking his opponent; of what use is a strong structure if it is static and you cannot do something with it? At this stage I had forgotten Lasker's maxim for playing these kind of positions: 'Do nothing, but do it very well') 24. hxg6 hxg6 25. Nd5! (a brilliant 'Tal-like' counterstroke. It took me by surprise but in hindsight Black had it coming for his unimaginative play. For a while I knew what it must have felt like to be knocked around by a Tal or Alekhine) exd5 (if I play my King to g7 to avoid the fork, then after 26. Nf6 Bxf6 27. gxf6+ Kxf6 28. Qc3+ Qe5 or even e5 should hold and maybe win; 25...Bg7 is riskier as after 26. Nf6+ Bxf6 27. gxf6 White builds up his forces on the h-file. I was surprised by 25. Nd5 but thought I could take it and win. I was wrong. I call this syndrome POST SACRIFICE STRESS DISORDER – PSSD – you read about it here first; it's the the thinking you do and do'nt do, when you are in a state of shock after a devastating surprise move by your opponent; from here on, I am playing under the influence of PSSD. Enjoy the rest of the game as I get pummeled) 26. exd5 Bb7 27. Bxg6 fxg6 (Kg7?!) 28. Qxg6+ Rg7 29. Qe6+ Kh8 30. Rg1 Bc8 31. Rh1+ Rh7 32. Rxh7+ Kxh7 33. Rh2+ Bxh2 34. Qf7+ Kh8 35. g6 1-0 It's all over red rover: Qb7, g7+ wins everything.
Completed February 2004

A sparkling finish, I think you will agree.

At one point, even close to the end, I could have tried 27...Kg7?! and maybe hold the game or even win; but PSSD and tayhk's brilliant play did me in.

At least I had found a good, strong opponent, on a chess-server; I could play the kind of chess I like to play and see played – aggressive, with interesting strategy and tactics.

My revenge came in the next game.

Game 2

The Palooka Versus tayhk
Site: http://www.itsyourturn.com/

Vienna Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 Nc6 (one of the worst replies to the Vienna Gambit; White swiftly gets a classical centre and quick development) 4. fxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 (the ersatz Alekhine experiment has failed; tayhk now squeezes all that can be got from his poor position) 7. Bc4 d6 8. Qf3 Be6 9. Bxe6 (9. d5 was worth investigating; the logical reply is Bd7) fxe6 10. exd6 c6! (he saves a Pawn and manages to nearly complete his development and balance the position – amazing) 11. Nge2 Bxd6 12. Ne4 Nf6 13. Bg5 Be7 14. Nxf6+ Bxf6 15. Bxf6 gxf6 (I was trying for a better ending, but tayhk avoids it) 16. c4 Rf8
17. O-O-O Qa5 18. Kb1 O-O-O (is Black really so badly off? White has an initiative, the better structure of Pawns, space, and opportunity; but Black has enormous reserves of cunning) 19. Nc3 Nh4 20. Qe2 Qf5+ 21. Ka1 Rfe8 (but this is too much cunning and not enough sense. A few checks and linked Rooks do not an attack make, as my old Grandmother used to say. Better was Ng6 – or even e5 – although White is still better after Rh1f1 and g3; Black is driven back but there is still much play: 21...e5 22. Rh1f1 Qg5 23. g3 Ng6 24. dxe5 fxe5 or 24...Rde8 25. e6; Rook exchanges are also possible. In all these cases White is only slightly better and must take great care to consolidate his advantage; tayhk plays with too much cunning, presuming I will cave in like the previous game) 22. g3 e5 23. dxe5 (gxh4 exd4) Nf3 (23...Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Rxe5 25. Qd2 and Blacks' Knight is still en prise) 24. Rhf1 Rxe5 25. Qxf3 Qxf3 26. Rxd8+! Kxd8 27. Rxf3 Re1+ 28. Nb1 Ke7 29. a3 (White has a piece and will win despite inconveniences brough about by Black's cleverness) Rc1 30. Rf4 Ke6 31. Ka2 Rc2 32. h4 Rg2 33. Nc3 (White is not above a little cunning of his own: if 33...Rxg3 34. Rxf6+ Ke5 – if 34...KxR 35. Nxe4+ - 35 Rh6! and Black cannot do much with King and Rook) f5 34. Rf3 h5 35. Re3+ Kd6 36. Ne2 Kc5 37. Nf4 Rd2 38. Nxh5 Kxc4 39. Nf4 1-0
Completed April 2004

And a jolly good time was had by The Palooka, exacting some revenge.

So it was one all, and the match continues well into 2007. I will show you an incredible stoush next time in game three, and then sprinkle more games into future postings.