In a Red Hot Pawn correspondence game, I won Black's f-pawn and looked forward to a winning ending here. I could follow all kinds of traditional advice, develop pieces, push passed pawns, rooks to open files, etc., etc.
I must admit the best move did not occur to me at all before the position had been reached, and not even then until at least 10 minutes of mentally trying out various possibilities. So no points for searing advanced tactical vision, but full points for finding it in the end.
I find two good moves and after both whites position looks totally won. d5 is my favourite introducing double threat of dxc6 (and if bishop runs away white has beautiful pawn chain and passed pawn) after which Kf2 introducing threat of Rh1# and winning knight which is only piece to avoid the mate. Kf2 is another good move introducing the mate threat once and for all.
I like 1.Kf2 when the knight must go to f6 or f8 to prevent checkmate. 1...g6?? 2.d5+ followed by mate.
I'd be interested in feedback about how long it took to see Kf2! by the commenters. I looked at d5 for quite awhile and it does maintain a winning position, but one little king move and it's over.
Of course I may have given a few too many clues and directed you too much, but the reason this position was interesting to me was that leading up to it I was in "endgame mode" to a certain extent, and it took quite awhile to focus on Black's king and realize how short of squares it is.
I think this happens to everyone occasionally, you're in "the opening" so you develop a piece instead of playing a winning combination, you're "attacking" so you miss transitions to a winning endgame. I'll try to find some more examples.
I saw it fast, but you buttered us up with phrases like "killer" move which means it has to have a big payoff.
chessyman: I am considering linking, and I appreciate the link on your site, but the problem is that a) your blog is so full of ads, buttons and "stuff" that it seems more commercial than blog, and b) it takes FOREVER to fully load.
I am redoing my links soon, and I will be separating the categories differently--do you mind being in "commercial?"
Just got the alert of your follow up comment & you know i was optimizing my blog to my potential(removing widgets,compressing css etc) just before...I will really appreciate a link from you though...check it out in a day or two..if you think it's linkable then lucky me ...gotto run now for optimization ...lot of work needs to be done...I am shifting my linklist from sidebar coz the list is big & so the sidebar looks cluttered...if you can't find your link look for the link tab in the top menu bar...will be glad to discuss some chess stuff with you later..have a nice day & cya
I saw 1. Kf2, thought, "Hmmm, what about 1 ...Nf6?" then realized that 2. d5 busts that. Then, "Hmmm, what about 1 ...Nf8?" If 2. Rh1+, Nh7, 3. Bg6 wins the Knight. But there doesn't appear to be an immediate mate.
Kf2, about the first move I looked at, so perhaps 1 second after having begun looking for moves (before that I counted the pieces and pawns -- the first thing I do when looking at a new position). Probably a bit of luck though, just sort of jumped out on me.
Do you know dofus kamas? I like it. My brother often go to the internet bar to buy kamas and play it. After school, He likes playing games using these cheap kamas with his friend. I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many dofus gold and play the game with me. I came to the bar following him and found buy dofus kamas was so cheap.
Do you know dofus kamas? I like it. My brother often goes to the internet bar to buy kamas and play it. After school, He likes playing games using these cheap kamas with his friend. I do not like to play it. Because I think that it not only costs much money but also spend much time. One day, he give me many dofus gold and play the game with me. I came to the bar following him and found buy dofus kamas was so cheap.
White needs to go Kb2 to keep the distant opposition. Even though Kc1 stays on the same color square as Black's king, it loses the opposition--note that the "corner" colors are different.
Besides this nugget, the best thing about the first chapters was getting back into really looking deeply into a few positions, getting back into the groove of taking apart a chess position in great detail.
It struck that Silman's book might have been titled My System after Nimzovich's, except that Silman assumes a certain level of familiarity with positional concepts like space, and doesn't go through what Nimzovich called "The Elements" first. Reassess Your Chess is not for the true beginner, and I think it is telling that in the introduction Silman gives the example of an adult player who has made it to Expert (2000 Elo), but is stuck there, as who the book is aimed at.
Speaking of My System, Temposchlucker has posted his take, My System Redux. His understanding and admiration have grown.
My friend and fierce opponent Vernon Young, who I managed to edge out for 2008 Reno Class B Champion, has started an intriguing, stimulating and eclectic blog about chess and other things at Vernon R Young's Blog. You will note that since my two victories against him in that tournament he has shot ahead about 180 rating points. And he makes chess videos! Very cool, Vernon.
Blunderprone has yet another outstanding tournament series, Lone Pine 1975. Look, Jeremy Silman! Also, Part II is must read!
Thanks to these outstanding bloggers, and all the rest who post entertaining and valuable material as a labor of love.
Excellent point, Mr. M. Also, he always makes black the inferior side in the endgames--I smell multiple forms of discrimination here!
I wonder when Silman will live up to his promise and finnally delivers the 4th edition of his Reassess your chess book.
If you want to learn more about endgames as a sidekick to your Reassess your chess book and workbook i can recommend Silman's complete endgame course book.
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