Modern chess strategy (Part 999)
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
NEW IDEAS IN CHESS : IGNORE THE INEVITABLE!
In my days it was considered right and proper to extend one’s hand as a sign of resignation. Perhaps even a few kind words such as ”Well played!”, regardless of whether the opponent really deserved it…Today , apparently, such a noble practice is seen less and less, especially at the top . Witness 2 different approaches to throwing in the towel, both from the Reggio Emilia tournament taking place right now.
APPROACH NUMBER 1
”I am from the Alamo: we fight to the bitter end!”
POSITION AFTER 49 MOVES
MOROZEVICH
IVANCHUK
It had been a really tough game , alteast up to the time that Black seemed to have simply collapsed. Here Morozevich’s King finds himself surrounded by more enemy pieces than defenders, always a bad omen…
Ivanchuk played the decisive move expected by onlookers:
50.Qc4-ch
The Black King can not move and that only leaves interposing the Rook. Or perhaps Black should simply resign…
50…Re6 51. Rc7-ch KxN (Remember the Alamo!) 52.Bg7-mate!
Allowing your opponent to mate you on the board helps avoid embarrassing resignations
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APPROACH NUMBER 2
”Why resign? My opponent is an idiot: he will surely fall for my last desperate trick!”
POSITION AFTER 57 MOVES
NAKAMURA
GIRI
Giri has been lost for quite some time but fought on stubbornly trying to prevent the advance of the Black pawns. But to no avail…slowly Nakamura advanced. With his last move (57…Ne2) Black will Queen his pawn. There is nothing that White can do to prevent this as 58.Rxg2 allows 58…Nf4-ch! when the last remaining Black pawn will soon Queen anyway!
If this is not the right position to extend one’s hand in resignation, then I must be getting too old! Giri found some brilliant inspiration to play on:
58.Rg6-ch !?
What is this?? Did Nakamura miss this in his calcuations?
58…KxR 59.h5-ch! The whole point!
If Nakamura now takes the pawn then the White King is stalemated!!
BUT WAIT: aren’t these guys rated more than 2700? Who is fooling who?
59…Kg5! 0-1 Serves Giri right: there is way to stop Nakamura from under-promoting his g-pawn to a Knight , delivering mate!!
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS