2019-09-15

Checkmate in 4 moves

For those who might be interested, this is a unique mate in 4.  I know that some people will say to not focus on the trivial, but I find it interesting because this produces a pattern that I never would have predicted.

https://chesslevel2.blogspot.com/2019/09/checkmate-in-4-moves.html

2019-09-14

Victory

Play online chess
Click here for 6.Bd2.
Click here for 8... c6.
Click here for 13. O-O.
Click here for 22... e5.
Click here for 24... e5.
Click here for 25. Rxd1.
Click here for 25... e5.
Click here for 29. d6.
Click here for 29... Be8.
Click here for 31. d6.
Click here for 31... Re8+.
Click here for 41... Bb6.
Click here for 45... Rg8.
Click here for 52... Bxa4.
Click here for 55. d6.

2019-09-03

4 Year Old Chess Prodigy Misha vs 95 Year Old GM Yuri Averbakh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slLUZVqRuOY

The game starts pretty good but has some really big mistakes from both players.  I'm not sure how to evaluate the play of the 4-year-old, but it is a good starting point.

Around 2007 or 2008, eight-year-old Kayden Troff had a draw against me in a major Utah tournament. Actually, I was down at least a pawn but figured out how to get to a book drawn ending.  Two years later he won the Utah state speed chess championship beating a life master twice.  Six years after that he earned the Grandmaster title.

Utah produced a few prodigies, so I was used to losing to kids.

Tonight I had a couple of interesting games against ten-year-old Evan, who has an impressive 1500 rating.  The first game I won without too much problem, but the second game was a difficult struggle.  Evan plays with a maturity way beyond his years.  

Best wishes,

John Coffey





2019-09-02

3 Year Old Chess Prodigy Misha vs Anatoly Karpov

Although a couple of moves are inaccurate, this is still an amazing short game by a 3-year-old against a former world champion.  Just the fact that he didn't do anything really bad is an accomplishment.