January 22, 2004

Miniatures


Both chess books I had as a child contained a full introductory chapter with miniatures. I never appreciated the educative value of short games (if anybody has an idea, please, let me know) but recently I found an important historical reference. As Garry Kasparov mentions in the very first page of the first chapter of his book "My great predecessors"(Everyman Chess 2003): ?A manuscript of the legendary representative of the ?Italian School? Gioacchino Greco (1600-1634) is full of miniatures resembling those that occur with all novices.?


Statistics

Searching the HCL database with 2003 games I found that there are 10 games with checkmate in only 5 moves. However, a private game holds the absolute record as it ended with checkmate in only three moves:

1.g4 e6 2.b4 Bxb4 3.f4 Qh4+ 1-0

I am not going to mention any name here except for footyhead who has a unique record: He played the same game against two different opponents scoring the point:


1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 d6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Nc6 5.Qxf7+ 1-0

It is amazing that he did it twice! Here is a second pair of footyhead's games against two different opponents:


1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Bg7 5.Qxf7+ 1-0

Both (pairs of) games are almost identical. The lesson we learn, is always to study our opponents? games when enrolling in a new tournament. footyhead must follow this instruction too, because he also holds the negative record: He has played 3 games against cantilever and lost all of them in 9 moves with an identical move order!!

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 f6 4.dxe5 Nxe5 5.Nxe5 fxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke7 7.Qxe5+ Kf7 8.Bc4+ Kg6 9.Qf5+ 1-0


Games between GMs

Very short games happen even between GMs as the following examples show. One player resigns after realizing a decisive blunder in an early phase of the game.

Lautier,J (2596) - Bologan,V (2608) [B10]
Chess Masters 3rd, Enghien les Bains, March 11th, 1999

1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 a6 7.d4 Nb6 8.Ne5 Nbxd5 ?? 9.Qa4+ Bd7 10.Nxd7 1-0

black Rook on a8 b8 c8 black Queen on d8 black King on e8 black Bishop on f8 g8 black Rook on h88
a7 black Pawn on b7 c7 white Knight on d7 black Pawn on e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
black Pawn on a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 black Knight on f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 black Knight on d5 white Knight moving from e5 f5 g5 h55
white Queen on a4 b4 c4 white Pawn on d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 white Knight on c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 c2 d2 e2 white Pawn on f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 white Bishop on c1 d1 white King on e1 white Bishop on f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  

Here is another game. This time White resigns.

Lutz,C (2590) - Dautov,R (2595) [B12]
Bad Homburg, July 31st, 1997

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.dxc5 e6 5.Be3 Nh6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.c3 Nf5 8.Bf4 Bxc5 9.Bd3 Nh4 10.Nbd2?? Nxg2+ 0-1

black Rook on a8 b8 black Bishop on c8 black Queen on d8 black King on e8 f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 c7 d7 e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
a6 b6 black Knight on c6 d6 black Pawn on e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 black Bishop on c5 black Pawn on d5 white Pawn on e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 white Bishop on f4 g4 black Knight moving from h44
a3 b3 white Pawn on c3 white Bishop on d3 e3 white Knight on f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 c2 white Knight on d2 e2 white Pawn on f2 black Knight on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 c1 white Queen on d1 white King on e1 f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  


Games from PlayChess database

One may say that a miniature game is a very compact example of a big chess battle including all phases of a game (opening, middle game, endgame). This is not so. A miniature is actually a game that never escapes the opening phase. One side either blunders or underdevelops, offering the chance to the opponent to attack with all of his forces. The following example shows exactly that. White is under pressure and commits a blunder.


HCL-E859-10   (0-1)
fretamoza - kleineme
1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 The Scandinavian variation of Alekhine's defense (ECO B02). The name explains adequately White's next move. A different option 3.e5 Ne4 is most commonly played. 3.exd5 Nxd5 4.Nge2 Nc6 There are only Knights developed, and Black has the centre. White decides to fiancetto his light coloured Bishop and soon finds himself under attack. 5.g3 Bg4 6.Bg2 Nd4

black Rook on a8 b8 c8 black Queen on d8 black King on e8 black Bishop on f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 black Pawn on c7 d7 black Pawn on e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
a6 b6 black Knight moving from c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 black Knight on d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 black Knight on d4 e4 f4 black Bishop on g4 h44
a3 b3 white Knight on c3 d3 e3 f3 white Pawn on g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 white Pawn on d2 white Knight on e2 white Pawn on f2 white Bishop on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 white Bishop on c1 white Queen on d1 white King on e1 f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  

Three minor pieces attack White's Kingside; the position is crucial. White decides to take the d5 Knight, the safest option since Black cannot take the Bishop (or can he?) 7.h3 or 7.f3 would be much better moves, though White must play very carefully to balance the game. 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nxd5 A beautiful Queen sacrifice and mate in 2 follows: 8... Nf3+ 9.Kf1 Bh3+ 0-1
black Rook on a8 b8 c8 d8 black King on e8 black Bishop on f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 black Pawn on c7 d7 black Pawn on e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 white Knight on d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 black Bishop moving from g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 black Knight on f3 white Pawn on g3 black Bishop on h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 white Pawn on d2 white Knight on e2 white Pawn on f2 g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 b1 white Bishop on c1 white Queen on d1 e1 white King on f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  

Most miniatures have something in common. The checkmate is achieved by the Queen (f7 square for White, f2 for Black) with the support of a Bishop (c4 or d5 for White, c5 or d4 for Black) or a Knight(e5/e4). Here is a typical example.


HCL-M321-6   (1-0)
Bill - Vinci
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 f5 4.exf5 Greco has also published a miniature that arrives in this position. However all games in database continue with 4...Bxg2 5.Qh5+ g6 6.fxg6. This game continued with 4... Nf6 5.Nf3 d5 6.Ne5 Nbd7 7.Bb5 a6

black Rook on a8 b8 c8 black Queen on d8 black King on e8 black Bishop on f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn moving from a7 black Bishop on b7 black Pawn on c7 black Knight on d7 black Pawn on e7 f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
black Pawn on a6 black Pawn on b6 c6 d6 e6 black Knight on f6 g6 h66
a5 white Bishop on b5 c5 black Pawn on d5 white Knight on e5 white Pawn on f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 white Pawn on d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 d2 e2 white Pawn on f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 white Knight on b1 white Bishop on c1 white Queen on d1 white King on e1 f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  

Last move was a mistake. A move like 7...c6 or 7...h5 or even 7...Rg8 would be much better in order to improve Black's defense. As you can see White's attack is tremendous: 8.Bxd7+ Nxd7 9.Qh5+ g6 10.fxg6 Bg7 Development? What for? The end is near. A move like 10...Nf6 can only delay the end. White mates in 2: 11.gxh7+ Kf8 12.Qf7+ 1-0
black Rook on a8 b8 c8 black Queen on d8 e8 black King on f8 g8 black Rook on h88
a7 black Bishop on b7 black Pawn on c7 black Knight on d7 black Pawn on e7 white Queen on f7 black Bishop on g7 white Pawn on h77
black Pawn on a6 black Pawn on b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 white Queen moving over g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 black Pawn on d5 white Knight on e5 f5 g5 white Queen moving from h55
a4 b4 c4 white Pawn on d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 d2 e2 white Pawn on f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 white Knight on b1 white Bishop on c1 d1 white King on e1 f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  

Finally there are games that the blunder comes surprisingly. One side, White in the following example, gives the opportunity to his opponent to achieve a quick mate. One must always double check next move especially when hostile pieces have crossed the border.

HCL-E734-4   (0-1)
Berndt - martijn
1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.Nf3 dxe5 4.Nxe5 Bd6 5.Nf3 Nf6 6.e3 Ng4

black Rook on a8 black Knight on b8 black Bishop on c8 black Queen on d8 black King on e8 f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 black Pawn on c7 d7 e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
a6 b6 c6 black Bishop on d6 e6 black Knight moving from f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 black Knight on g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 white Pawn on e3 white Knight on f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 white Pawn on d2 e2 f2 white Pawn on g2 white Pawn on h22
white Rook on a1 white Knight on b1 white Bishop on c1 white Queen on d1 white King on e1 white Bishop on f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  
All games from database arrive in this position a move earlier. The move order is 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.e3 Ng4 At this point the game is about equal. White must protect himself against threatening Black pieces. The g4 Knight, the d6 Bishop and the Queen can prove dangerous. 7.Qe2 should be played here. Following the sequence of moves actually played (but replacing 7.Be2 with 7.Qe2) the White King may escape the Queen check with Kd1 or find protection behind his Queen in f2. However this was not the decisive mistake. 7.Be2 Bxh2 8.Nxh2 This is the blunder. White need not take the Bishop at all. 8.Kf1 is the right move, 8.Rxf2 is inferior. The move played is mate in 3. After 8... Qh4+ White resigns because of 9.Kf1 Qf2# or 9.g3 Qxg3 10.Kf1 Qf2#.
black Rook on a8 black Knight on b8 black Bishop on c8 black Queen moving from d8 black King on e8 f8 g8 black Rook on h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 black Pawn on c7 d7 black Queen moving over e7 black Pawn on f7 black Pawn on g7 black Pawn on h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 black Queen moving over f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 black Queen moving over g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 black Knight on g4 black Queen on h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 white Pawn on e3 f3 g3 h33
white Pawn on a2 white Pawn on b2 white Pawn on c2 white Pawn on d2 white Bishop on e2 f2 white Pawn on g2 white Knight on h22
white Rook on a1 white Knight on b1 white Bishop on c1 white Queen on d1 white King on e1 f1 g1 white Rook on h11
a b c d e f g h  


Posted by Michalis Kaloumenos at 07:49 PM | Comments (3)

December 19, 2003

Stalemate

Hello Playchess pals.

I have created a big database with all HCL games played in this site, and I intend to report regularly on many chess related topics, based on the completed games from this site. In order to experiment with this absolutely new for me task, I decided to start with the quite entertaining conclusion of a game of chess: The stalemate.

During 2003 in Human Chess League 16 games ended with stalemate. I am going to present you 4 cases.

Most endgame studies with a few pieces on the board advice to double check carefully our next move in order to avoid a stalemate. The defending King is usually near the border and an attacking Rook or Queen guards all escaping squares. Most stalemates just happen in such a position after a careless move. The first example is characteristic.


HCL-C2063-9   epenz - Maz   (1/2-1/2)
Position after 53... Kb1

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 white Pawn on h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 white Pawn on f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 white King on g3 h33
a2 b2 c2 white Queen on d2 e2 f2 g2 h22
a1 black King on b1 black King moving from c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Can you find a mate in 2?


White has all the available material to mate his opponent. However, his desire to obtain the maximum forces to finish the game guides him to promote the pawn to a Queen. 54.h8Q Stalemate!

What a pity, because after 54.h8R Black has only one available move: 54.Ka1 and 55.Rh1#.


The second example is very educative, since White follows exactly all the instructions one can find in a book with basic pawn endgames.



HCL-B1586-7   (1/2-1/2)
Pietros - sarx
Position after 46.hxg4

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 black King on f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 black Pawn on f5 black Pawn on g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 white Pawn on g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 white King on f3 g3 white Pawn moving from h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h22
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Black blunders his 46th move. He should have played 46.f4. After 47.Ke4 Ke6 48.Kd4 Kd6 39.Ke4 Kc5 has managed to advance his King to the 5th rank leaving White with a doubt which is the best way to delay checkmate.

Yet, he played 46... fxg4+. After 47.Kxg4 the game is drawn. However, White presents an excellent technique to achieve this target. After 47... Kg6 his retreats without leaving g-file 48.Kg3 and after 48... Kf5 he takes the opposition with 49.Kf3.

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 black King on f5 black Pawn on g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 white King on f3 white King moving from g3 h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h22
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Any other move is bad for White. Black advances the pawn 49... g4+ and an identical cycle of moves repeat: 50.Kg3 Kg5 51.Kg2 Kf4 52.Kf2.

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 black King on f4 black Pawn on g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 white King on f2 white King moving from g2 h22
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

The cycle repeats once again: 52... g3+ 53.Kg2 Kg4 54.Kg1 Kf3 55.Kf1. Black advances the pawn 55... g2+ 56.Kg1.

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h66
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 black King on f3 g3 h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 black Pawn on g2 h22
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 white King moving from f1 white King on g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Black has two choices. He either abandons pawn protection or plays 56... Kg3 stalemate, offering me the chance to remind you of basic pawn endgame positions.


The most entertaining stalemates happen with many pieces left on the board, while one player is almost in zugzwang and the other enjoys material advantage. Have you ever managed to stalemate your opponent while your position is objectively inferior? How many times did it happen to you to turn a triumph into a disaster by neglecting a stalemate? The following game shows exactly that.



HCL-C1538-17   (1/2-1/2)
Maz - Cristian13
Position after 36... Ka7

black King moving from a8 b8 c8 white Rook on d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
black King on a7 black Pawn on b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h77
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 white Queen on g6 h66
a5 white Pawn on b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
black Pawn on a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 white Pawn on g4 white Pawn on h44
white Pawn on a3 b3 white Pawn on c3 d3 white Pawn on e3 f3 g3 h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h22
a1 b1 c1 white Rook on d1 e1 f1 white King on g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Black has just one move available: b7-b6. In any other case 37.R1d7 would be considered as an exemplary pin, reducing the mobility of the opponent. But the position requires a different way of thinking. Considering the zugzwang, White should search for a move that mates the opponent after he plays b7-b6. If no such move can be found, he must allow Black's next move by removing the Queen or the Rook from the 6th and 8th rank respectively. Yet, the mating move exists: Qg6-h7. So, a waiting move is necessary: 37.e4 or 37.g5 or 37.h5 have the same result 37...b6 38.Qh7#.


The final game involves a master technique one must always have in mind especially when the position is lost or extremely difficult to fight. Setting a trap may not be the best move in many cases, as it possibly shortens the game, but sometimes is crowned with success.



HCL-A1414-6   (1/2-1/2)
pizzachess - Freitag
Position after 51... Ka5

a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h88
black Pawn on a7 black Pawn on b7 c7 black Bishop on d7 e7 black Pawn on f7 g7 black Pawn on h77
black King moving from a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 black Pawn on g6 h66
black King on a5 b5 c5 black Rook on d5 e5 f5 g5 h55
white Pawn on a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 black Pawn on f4 g4 white King on h44
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 white Pawn on h33
a2 b2 c2 d2 white Queen on e2 f2 g2 white Pawn on h22
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 black Rook on f1 g1 h11
a b c d e f g h  

Black has a huge material advantage. Notice that White can move only one piece: his Queen. He sets a beautiful trap by playing 52.Qe5. Black decides to take the Queen for free and dominate the board after 52... Rxe5. Alas! The game is over: Stalemate.

Posted by Michalis Kaloumenos at 08:47 PM | Comments (9)


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