Masterful Endgame ehem!

An endgame magic comes about of a superior pieces' placement in the opening.

Flank Attack in Chess

Flank Attack. Image | hs8-4rogers2011.wikispaces.com

This game is instructive of an opposite flank attack, which must frequently occur on an intermediate players' chess game.. The basic idea of a flank attack is, 1) to close the central files to avoid surprises, and 2) to ram down with pawns to open some files down the opponent's King. That way, Rooks would have a field day behind the battering rams of pawns.

briskwarlock (1714) vs. deardd (1691)
Let's Play! | Chess.com | 17 May 2014 | 1-0

1. e4 d6 2. d4 e6 3. f4 c6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bd3 b6 6. O-O Bb7 7. Nc3 Nd7 8. Ne2 Qc7 9. Be3 f6 10. c4 White assumes the broad center.

10... O-O-O 11. a4 heralds the flank attack.

11... h6 12. a5 g5 Black is also doing its own flank attack. In these kinds of game, it's just a matter which side comes to stab first on the position.

13. axb6 Qxb6 14. Qd2 defends the b2 pawn and the e3-bishop.

14... gxf4 15. Nxf4 e5 16. Ne6 Re8 17. d5 Further closing up the center and ensuring a well-supported central White Knight limiting the White's King range of motion.

17... c5 closing some flanks, too. But White has still the option to scutter the b2 pawn to open the b-file, too!

18. Rfb1 (18. b4 might be good, too. Forcefully opening the Queenside. If 18... Qxb4, then 19. Qc2 where the Black's King and Queen will be put under heavy fire! )

18... Nf8 trying to dislodge the Knight. The Maxim is: When under attack, exchange some pieces to relieve the pressure.

19. Ng7 of course, White avoids it, and attacks the Rook, too.

19... Rd8 20. b4 There you go! Another flank file will be open.

20... Qc7 21. bxc5 dxc5 22. Rxa7 It appears, White has arrived first into the heart of the enemy's fortress. The White Rooks are doing wonderful jobs.

22... Rd6 23. Raxb7 Qxb7 Black was forced to give up the Queen to survive the first wave of assault.

24. Rxb7 Kxb7 25. Bxc5 Rd7 26. Bxe7 Nxe7 27. Nh5 Nfg6 28. Nxf6 Rc7 29. d6 a pawn fork.

29... Rcc8 30. Qb4 +Kc6 31. dxe7 (31. Nd4+ is more flashy. 31... exd4 32. e5 The d3-bishop will be put to good use. Once it can check, the Black King has no where to run. )

31... Nf4 32. Nxe5 +Kc7 33. Qc5+ Kb8 34. Ned7+ Kb7 35. Qb6+ Ka8 36. Qa6#. 1-0

Count the Pieces, the Key to Success

A very short but interesting game of chess. It features the idea of chess mobility and development. When you have many pieces developed than your opponent, it may be wise to look for ways to end the game quickly.

Winning a game hinges on one idea: Counting the Pieces, that is, when your attacking pieces is greater than the defending pieces of your opponent, you have a greater chance of crushing your opponent's defenses, and win.

See this game at Chess.com, or scroll down below for an embedded board.

briskwarlock (1900) vs. medelev (1548)
Let's Play! | Chess.com | 26 May 2013 | ECO: D20 | 1-0

1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 The Opening is the Queen's Gambit Accepted. A pawn is sacrificed so that White can build a strong center. The pawn may be captured later, or not. But sometimes, the initiative, even without taking back the pawn, could be quite strong.

3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 e6 5. e4 There it is - the big pawn center. But my chess buddy said that 4. e3 could have been stronger. White center thrust has actually given the initiative to Black, which could have played 5... Bb4 now.

5... c6 6. Nf3 Bb4 7. Bxc4 Nxe4 Black has won a pawn. But take note, there are many mobilised White pieces than Black's. Mobilisation, that is bringing your pieces out for attack and defend, is very important in the opening phase of a chess game.

8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. bxc3 Ba5 The Bishop is out of play here. 9... Bd6 is slightly better, neutralizing the sting from the f4 White bishop.

10. O-O O-O 11. Rfe1 b5 12. Ng5 g6 13. Bb3 Bb7 The losing move. It weakens the e6 point. 13... b4 is OK, trying to attack the base of White's center pawns, thereby creating an isolated pawn at White's d4. An isolated pawn is a pawn that can not be supported by another pawn.

14. Rxe6 Best, I guess. That's because of the new threat at the g6 point, which as you will see, Black fails to see.

14... Bc8 The big blunder. Not only that it acknowledges that 13... Bb7 is a mistake, it also moves the same piece twice, i big no-no in the opening. But Black may have been surprise at the e6 Rook sac!

(While 14... fxe6 15. Bxe6+ Kg7 16. Be5 +Kh6 17. h4 is a position that is very hard to defend as the queen is coming to c1 or d2 for a deadly discovered check. )

15. Rxg6+ Great shot! The queen will mate at h7, no matter how Black plays, so Black resigns. The secret of this position is that silent Bishop at b3 pinning down the f-pawn to the Black King. Another secret: there are many White pieces attacking than Black's defending. That's one assurance of victory.

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briskwarlock
Rating: 1707

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Positional Squeeze in the French Defence

When all your chess pieces are poised, while your opponents are not, look for the way to break through. Opposite castling almost always suggests pawn storms against each other's King. 

In this game, White is denied his own pawn storms, while black proceeds undeterred.

Egyptian_Assassin (1794) vs. briskwarlock (1703)
Let's Play! | Chess.com | 17 May 2014 | 0-1

1. e4 e6 Again, my favorite: French! This opening had never been part of my repertoire until recently when I read some books on the French defence. It's ability to strike surreptitiously at the unsuspecting attacker is quite good.

2. d4 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Be7 6. Be3 O-O 7. Nbd2 Bg4 8. c3 Nbd7 9. Qc2 c5 This c5-pawn counterstrike in the center is the secret of the French. That should be made the earliest possible time, or else, the position become a torture for black. The other breaking out move is f6, if the e5 White pawn were there. In this game, there is none. 

10. h3 Bh5 11. g4 Bg6 12. Bxg6 fxg6 I like this move. It frees my f8-Rook.

13. O-O-O c4 I also like this one. It limits White choices, while Black is getting ready for the pawn storm.

14. Ne5 Qc7 15. f4 b5 Here we go!

16. g5? The move is bad. It allows the Knight to gain the defensive h5-square for free. Once the Knight is there, White's chances for attack is greatly reduced. 

16... Nh5 17. Ndf3 a5 (17... Nxf4 was tempting, but as I said, I would not be tempted. My position is robust with the Knight at h5. )

18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Ne5 Qb7 In this square, the Queen also protects the d5-pawn.

20. Qd2 b4 20... Ng3 must be good, too. But I don't like removing my defensive knight at its h5 cozy perch! Instead, the pawn storm must proceed undeterred. It is not advisable to switch plan once it is already been decided, unless you have an obvious reason to do so.

21. Ng4 bxc3 22. Qxc3 Bb4 23. Qc2 c3 24. b3 a4 25. bxa4?? Clearly an error! But everything else also loses. Do not ask me why! The White position is just clearly bad. It's taxing to look into all of the variations, just follow your instinct. A naked King is always Weak.

 
25... Ba3+ The reward of Black energetic play. White is mated in the next move. So White resigns.

Play through the game here: 

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briskwarlock
Rating: 1703

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Toying with the King! Are you Brave Enough?

This game illustrates the point that sometimes, pieces can be shed one after another when there is chances that the King will fight out alone in the open without any artillery support.

In chess, a naked king will surely meet his doom soon. You won't need to calculate great numbers of variations. Just go at it, but be sure of course that you have a preponderance of pieces near your enemy King. Otherwise, please go home packing and crying.

brendankiwi (1578) vs. briskwarlock (1690)
Let's Play! | Chess.com | 17 May 2014 | 0-1

You may want To Jump to the Game Board on Chess.com, or you may scroll down below for the embedded game board.


1. e4 e6 I frequently employed this e6 move now because of the books that I have read about this charming defense. It is called French Defense. It will give you a Kiss of Death, not French Kiss. 

2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 exd5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nf3 Be76. Bf4 O-O 7. Bd3 Bg4 8. h3 Bh5 A sad necessity if White does not want to destroy its Kingside pawns early in the game. Though, it would not have mattered since His King is still in the center. It can transfer to the Queenside by castling there, and then, slugfest! 

9. Be2 c6 10. O-O Nbd7 11. Nh2 Bxe212. Nxe2 Re8 13. Ng3 Nf8 14. Qd3 Bd6 15. Bg5 h616. Bh4 Could be an error. Though, the resulting position if I would have to corral the Bishop would be so bleak for my King. But I am fierceless, anyway! :) 

16... g5 Let's go!

17. Nf5 Bxh2+ First, let us remove possible attacking pieces! 

18. Kxh2 gxh4 Chop! 

19. Nxh6+ Kg7 20. Nf5+Kh8 21. Nxh4 Ng4+ Why not? The h4-knight is en prise, unless, the King will prance into the Open and met his death. :D Confidence! 

22. Kg3 Oh! My dear friend is very brave. Braver done me. :D 

22... Qd6+ The start of the move that should divorce the White King from his family. I think, that's lovely, even though, it might not be the best move. The mere thought of being able to force the King forward is full of hopeful winning chances. 

23. Kxg4 Re4+ 24. Kh5 Of course not 24. Kf3 as 24... Qf4# is mate!

24... Rxh4+ Another lovely idea. Chess Players are always happy to find such idea. Even though, it could be wrong! But the removal of another good defender of the King can give dividend later. No need to calculate variations! We are just having fun here! :) 

25. Kxh4 Ng6+ You see, that's the trick. The White Queen must kill herself or Her King will be killed first. Take your pick. 

26. Qxg6 Other moves like 26. Kh5 is met by Nf4+ , and a Royal fork!  While 26. Kg5 Qf4+ 27. Kh5 or similar would be killed by 27... Qh4# , an epaulette mate. Or whatever, as long as it is a mate! 

26... Qxg6 27. f4 Qxc2 28. Rg1Rg8 That keeps the King imprison in the corner side of the Board. 

29. g4 Qf2+ 30. Rg3 Qxf4 That's it. The King can not escape mate in a couple number of moves. Well, I hope. White Resigns. 0-1 

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briskwarlock
Rating: 1694

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How do you like the game? Well, I like it so much.

A Funny 12-move Chess Game

briskwarlock - jaxe472

Chess.com
1400-1800 3d - Board 4
May 14 2014

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 h6 Is it good to move the h-pawn early in the game?

4. d4 Of course! Opening up the position is a nice option!

4... Nf6 5. O-O The love for the initiative. Spending some few pawns for fast development!

5... exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Re1 Nc5 8. Nxd4 Ne7 Why must it go backwards?

9. Nc3 d6 10. exd6 cxd6 11. Ndb5 Bd7 The fatal error!

12. Nxd6# Dead! It is always cool to be the attacking person in this type of games, but in the receiving end? We should not have felt any better. It always happens to us anyway. Some blunders, then the game has ended. 1-0


Replay the game here:

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briskwarlock
Rating: 1690

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Today, I tried to ask something to my sister-in-law. Naglambing ba. I am turned down. I have repeated my request many times, but to no avail. :D

That's OK, there is always another day!

First Win Never Dies

Image Credit: ascedtu.com

N. Sabturani - E. Wave
Sulu Chess Club
June 23, 2007

This game is important to me because this is the very first win I ever get against a very strong player in Jolo, Sulu. Before this, Nash Sabturani always gave me hard beatings at the board.


To prove that Nash is indeed strong until today, he'd just won the Rapid Tournament in Taguig, Metro Manila just recently.

You can play through the game below on an embedded game board.

1.e4            c5
2.Nf3          d6 
3.d4            cxd4 
4.Nxd4       Nf6 
5.Nc3         e6 
6.Be3         a6 
7.Qe2         Be7 
8.O-O-O    O-O 
9.g4            b5 
10.g5          Nfd7 
11.f4           b4 
12.Nb1        

So far so good, opposite side castling in a game is always very thrilling. Both sides attack the King with everything one gets. The adrenaline rush starts in full force.

12...             Bb7 
13.Bg2        Qa5 
14.Qc4?!

That was suspicious. The a2 pawn now is now lost.

14...             Rc8 
15.Qe2       Qxa2 
16.h4           Nc5 
17.e5            d5 
18.h5            Nc6 
19.Nxc6       Nb3+

Opening up the King at the expense of a piece before taking the c6 Knight. It won't go anywhere anyway. The control of the seventh rank is of paramount significance.

20.cxb3       Rxc6+ 
21.Kd2        Qxb2+ 
22.Ke1        Rc2 
23.Nd2        a5 
24.g6 

Black king is now in danger.

24...             Ba6

If  24...a4 then 25.bxa4 Bc6

25.gxf7+       Kxf7

Here I had foreseen that some of my pieces would become shaky. But I decided to make a bait out of them. Desperate situations called for desperate measure.

26.Qg4          Rac8 
27.Bh3

27.Bf3 should be considered here, and it looks like a very strong defensive move, but Nash is hell-bent for an attack on my exposed King.

27...                d4 

I threw all my cards on this pawn push. I had foreseen this gamble few moves ago which must win, if Nash were not careful, and became materialistic.

28.Qxe6+        Kf8 
29.Qxa6          dxe3 
30.Bxc8?? 

That's a big blunder. The Rook is not for free. 30.Bf5 is the only rescuing move, followed up with 30...exd2+ 31.Ke2, when the Black attack should lay dead on its track.

30...                 Rxd2

To Nash surprise, I was threatening mate on the move which compelled the following sequence:

31.Qd3            Rxd3 
32.Rxd3          Qf2+ 

32...Bh4+! was the shorter go at it, for example: 33.Rxh4 Qf2+ 34.Kd1 e2+ 35.Kc1 e1=Q+ 36.Rd1 Qfd2+ 37.Kb1 Qexd1#.

33.Kd1 Qf3+
34. Resigns  

0-1

But he resigns anyway. Imagine how happy I was that time. I managed to win against him twice in two years. In 2009, we seem to be of equal footing already. Either I become stronger, or he got weaker.

Play through this game here:

A Burglar Steals Our Chess Club's Chess Sets Last Night

United Sulu Chess Club founded in 2008.

Last night, while we were promenading at the Jolo Wharf with my family, the United Sulu Chess Club  martials happened to see us, and walked over towards us.

After a short introduction with the family, they told me that almost all of the chess sets at the Club were stolen last night.

It was very sad, but as we were training ourselves to practice a positive outlook in life, we immediately discussed with them what we would do after the event.

So we decided to purchase new chess sets. We also talked about making the Chess Club burglar-proof. We also decided to have an emergency meeting this Saturday to tackle the matter with the Officers of the Club.

I know I have not been too involved with the Club lately unlike before, but that does not mean I already forget the Club. Your hubby is still your hubby, and you are willing to spend a lot just to remain happy with your chosen hubby.

Chess has been my game since the day my father taught me the rules of the game. Though later, I managed to beat him, and so he encouraged me to look for other opponents to challenge my new-found strength in chess. We always played with father, time and again, when we found a few moments to spare together. Now I missed him, since he already left us last 2011. He passed away.

An example of my internet game here. You may also replay the game in the game board below:

My father's passing had become the turning-point in my life, though. Life had been easy with him by our side. But without him, it had been like sailing on a stormy sea. Luckily, I found a job later that year in November 2011 that helped my family to at least have a positive outlook in life. We had continued to live, and we will do that for a lifetime, while also influencing a lot of people to live with happiness and integrity also.

All members of the family, together with a thousand friends and love ones, had joined the March 14 Anti-Kidnapping rally because we had enough of the misery brought by the spate of kidnapping.

The Sticker that was distributed during the rally.

That rally had been also a turning point for a more peaceful and prosperous life in Jolo. The Jolo Chief of Police had been replaced with a more active officials in the person of PCI Junpikar Sitin. Almost everyday, he is doing his duty and mandate as a police officer. Kidnapping activities have been lessen, in fact, to almost zero.

The Chief Junpikar Sitin used this image as his Computer's Screen Saver.

And so, you will wonder, why had the Sulu Chess Club been ransacked last night? Oh, well, the policemen can't have their eyes in all places at the same time, though Jolo is a small town. We are still hopeful.

Somebody had seen the happening, that robbery. According to the witness, he tried to run after the suspect, but the suspect was fast.

According to the witness, the suspect run to the vicinity of Tulay. He told us that he could recognize the person when he could see him again. Ah, the drug addicts!!!

The new chief of police should run over the Drug Addicts. But according to him, they are preparing for a more bigger catch:

The Chief had been telling on the video that they will not settle on capturing the smaller fish (Pilluk) but they are for the capture of the bigger fish (Mangsa'). We truly hope that they would, as our suspect for the United Sulu Chess Club robbery was a drug addict.