Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:29 pm
Ta. But as it happens, it's exactly the game Neill gives above! I suspected I was not the only person ever to win like that.
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9 move checkmate
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Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:01 pm
I should think that most examples will be a Qa4/a5+ or Qh4/h5+ picking up material. I once finished 1= in the Major Open at the British by winning a last round game which started 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 h4 c5 4 dxc5 Qa5+ 5 c3 (don't know why i did that, but thankfully I did!) Qxc5 6 e3 d6?? 7 Qa4+ (though the game dragged on).
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:50 pm
Capablanca once lost a piece in the opening of a tournament game but didn't resign until about move 60, I believe.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:11 pm
I believe Miles said that he was aware he could have won a piece in this game, but didn't play it because he had pre-arranged a draw with Christiansen.John McKenna wrote:
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:25 pm
Yup, that's the story. Anand saw the Miles-Christiansen game in Informator, apparently, and didn't bother to check it.Ian Thompson wrote:I believe Miles said that he was aware he could have won a piece in this game, but didn't play it because he had pre-arranged a draw with Christiansen.John McKenna wrote:
Angus French - the same one who posted earlier in this thread - once won a piece in exactly the same way as Zapata in a club match at Crystal Palace.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:30 pm
Here's a few (mostly ultra-short) that I won. Names anonymised to protect the guilty:
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Game 9
1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 were formal longplay graded games, 2, 3 and 5 were less formal or at a shorter time control, 6 I was sans voir.
I also had the old 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nxe4 5. Qa4+ in no less than four ECF graded games, although they all dragged on for at least another desultory ten moves. Shame I don't play 1. e4 any more! Perhaps not, though. After one of the games, my opponent actually asked me if I would like to step outside, an invitation which, under the circumstances, I declined.
I also once had the 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Nxd5 Nxd5 7. Bxd8 Bb4+ chestnut, but that was between two rubbish juniors.
Perhaps the funniest one which I have had twice in graded games is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. e3 Nc6?? (on autopilot) 5. Qxg4...
One of my most embarrassing losses was in a rapidplay to John Hodgson, see the following shambles:
Another absurd game I once lost was the following league game against Ian Snape. I had completely forgotten about it, until I did a search through my personal DB.
And here's how to throw a very decent position away with a stereotypical self-trap of one's queen:
I struggled on for another five moves before launching my king across the room
(joking)
Think I've probably bored everyone enough, so I'll stop there!
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4
Game 5
Game 6
Game 7
Game 8
Game 9
1, 4, 7, 8 and 9 were formal longplay graded games, 2, 3 and 5 were less formal or at a shorter time control, 6 I was sans voir.
I also had the old 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nxe4 5. Qa4+ in no less than four ECF graded games, although they all dragged on for at least another desultory ten moves. Shame I don't play 1. e4 any more! Perhaps not, though. After one of the games, my opponent actually asked me if I would like to step outside, an invitation which, under the circumstances, I declined.
I also once had the 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Nxd5 Nxd5 7. Bxd8 Bb4+ chestnut, but that was between two rubbish juniors.
Perhaps the funniest one which I have had twice in graded games is 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Ng4 4. e3 Nc6?? (on autopilot) 5. Qxg4...
One of my most embarrassing losses was in a rapidplay to John Hodgson, see the following shambles:
Another absurd game I once lost was the following league game against Ian Snape. I had completely forgotten about it, until I did a search through my personal DB.
And here's how to throw a very decent position away with a stereotypical self-trap of one's queen:
I struggled on for another five moves before launching my king across the room
(joking)Think I've probably bored everyone enough, so I'll stop there!
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 7:10 pm
The Capablanca game was against Samisch. On the black side of a Nimzo, he played Ba6, allowing Qa4 forking both that and his Nc6 (and, on Bb7, d5 by White winning material) The typically "too good to be true" urban legend that was popularised by the usual chess writer subjects was that he had been startled after seeing both his wife and mistress enter the playing hall almost simultaneously 
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:21 pm
Harry, that makes me feel marginally better about the following rubbish I played against you in a Manchester League match back in 1981 (I was White). A bit of a come down after feeling quite smug about managing a draw against you the previous year! -harrylamb wrote:I once mated my opponent in six moves on Board 1 of a Bolton League match.
I've also found an even earlier debacle from 1978 which is more to the point of the thread as it actually involves a mate, or the threat of it -
Quite enjoyed looking through my old score books to dig these out. Unfortunately I can't find any games that I won in a similar fashion. But as they say, it's a marathon not a sprint!
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2012 10:55 pm
Jonathan Bryant >... Angus French... once won a piece in exactly the same way as Zapata in a club match against Crystal Palace.<
Don't know if any of my clubmates will admit to that one but I'll own up to something since Matt Mackenzie's post about Capa has reminded me that I once lost thus -
1.d5 f5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 d5 5.Bd3 c6 6.b3?! (O-O) Bd6 7.Ba3?? Ba3 8.Na3 Qa5+ 9.Qd2 Qa3-+...
I believe it was to Nicholas Fordham (who may have some link to S&B).
I also enjoyed Paul McK's crop of little horrors above.
Don't know if any of my clubmates will admit to that one but I'll own up to something since Matt Mackenzie's post about Capa has reminded me that I once lost thus -
1.d5 f5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 d5 5.Bd3 c6 6.b3?! (O-O) Bd6 7.Ba3?? Ba3 8.Na3 Qa5+ 9.Qd2 Qa3-+...
I believe it was to Nicholas Fordham (who may have some link to S&B).
I also enjoyed Paul McK's crop of little horrors above.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:58 am
It would be possible to broaden this to games where you lose material for nothing inside the first 10 moves, but decline to resign out of disrespect or inertia, only to win inside 20.
Here's a couple of mine.
Here's a couple of mine.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:17 pm
Chess is a funny old game... 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Ne5 d6 4. Nf3 Ne4 5. Nc3 Bf5?? 6. Ne4?? 6.Qe2 1-0 Zapata-Anand 1988 Biel & 1-0
I asked Vishy about this in Blackpool at the British in 1988. He had never seen the stem Miles-Christiansen which ended in a draw as that had been pre-arranged. Thus the fifth move blunder was all his own.
There was a game at Ilford which went something like 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qg4 dxe4 5 Qxg7 1-0. Tim Harding went up to the player of the black pieces and told him he should have played 4...g6. He was than chased around the tournament hall by Black.Fortunately he didn't catch Tim.
I asked Vishy about this in Blackpool at the British in 1988. He had never seen the stem Miles-Christiansen which ended in a draw as that had been pre-arranged. Thus the fifth move blunder was all his own.
There was a game at Ilford which went something like 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qg4 dxe4 5 Qxg7 1-0. Tim Harding went up to the player of the black pieces and told him he should have played 4...g6. He was than chased around the tournament hall by Black.Fortunately he didn't catch Tim.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 12:31 pm
Yes, Nick plays for us in the London League mainly.John McKenna wrote:Don't know if any of my clubmates will admit to that one but I'll own up to something since Matt Mackenzie's post about Capa has reminded me that I once lost - probably my shortest - game thus -
1.d5 f5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.e3 d5 5.Bd3 c6 6.b3?! (O-O) Bd6 7.Ba3?? Ba3 8.Na3 Qa5+ 9.Qd2 Qa3-+
I believe it was to Nicholas Fordham (who may have some link to S&B).
Funnily enough, I lost a piece in almost exactly the the same way as you did in a game in a lowly section of the 1990 British Championships. It cost me first place and - IIRC - about £60 which was riches beyond the dreams of avarice in those days. The main difference was that I was Black playing against a Stonewall attack.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:41 pm
I think there is cheating in this thread! Much easier to lose a piece in the opening and resign than get mated.
But if we are going to cheat, I've won a few quick games in the sicilian with qa5+ winning a loose piece on b5, including one in the British.
Embarrassingly I've managed to lose the game 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 c6 3 e3 Qa5 0-1 on ICC
Twice
But if we are going to cheat, I've won a few quick games in the sicilian with qa5+ winning a loose piece on b5, including one in the British.
Embarrassingly I've managed to lose the game 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 c6 3 e3 Qa5 0-1 on ICC
Twice Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:56 pm
Ah, the Stonewall Attack - more widely known since Sheffield last year.
My favourite work of grafitti - WHEN EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS FREE £40 WILL LAST FOREVER.
My favourite work of grafitti - WHEN EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD IS FREE £40 WILL LAST FOREVER.
Re: 9 move checkmate
Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:49 pm
OK, let’s clear the embarrassing stuff out of the way first. While often getting inferior positions, I usually managed, more by luck than anything, to avoid getting busted outright in the early opening. But every now and then ....
Lowest number of moves ever to have me totally wrecked: 12, as follows (North Circular League match 1965).
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Nc6? 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 Be6? 7.Qa4 Nd5? 8.Ne5 Nb6?? 9.Nxc6 Nxa4 10.Nxd8 Nxc3 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.bxc3
Simple miscalculation of the sequence of captures lost the piece, though my position was already a shambles. I played a few more token moves, but probably shouldn’t have bothered.
Going to the other extreme, about 15 months later I was able to mate in only 13 moves during a local schools’ league game:
1.e4 c5 2.g3 d6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.c3 e5?! 5.Nf3 g6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bg4 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Rxd8 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Rd3 13.Ng5?? Rd1#
As for opening traps, that hoary old one in the Cambridge Springs used to turn up every so often when I was playing. The basic version goes:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5 7.Nd2 Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Bd3?? (another move that’s strategically sound but tactically quite otherwise) ... dxc4 10.Bxf6 cxd3, etc.
My North Circular team-mates twice had their opposition fall for this one, though one of them still actually managed to lose the game in the end.
Here’s another version from the Islington U-160, 1975. Same six opening moves by both sides, then:
7.Qc2 Ne4 8.Bd3?? Nxg5 9.Nxg5 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qxg5
At this point my opponent went to swindle mode, playing very quickly and forcing me to do all the thinking. I was soon seeing “ghost†attacks (as discussed on another thread here) and playing it safe – too safe! – and as a result the game was prolonged to move 62 before I finally nailed the point.
Lowest number of moves ever to have me totally wrecked: 12, as follows (North Circular League match 1965).
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Nc6? 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 Be6? 7.Qa4 Nd5? 8.Ne5 Nb6?? 9.Nxc6 Nxa4 10.Nxd8 Nxc3 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.bxc3
Simple miscalculation of the sequence of captures lost the piece, though my position was already a shambles. I played a few more token moves, but probably shouldn’t have bothered.
Going to the other extreme, about 15 months later I was able to mate in only 13 moves during a local schools’ league game:
1.e4 c5 2.g3 d6 3.Bg2 Nc6 4.c3 e5?! 5.Nf3 g6 6.d4 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bg4 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Rxd8 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.a3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Rd3 13.Ng5?? Rd1#
As for opening traps, that hoary old one in the Cambridge Springs used to turn up every so often when I was playing. The basic version goes:
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 c6 6.Nf3 Qa5 7.Nd2 Bb4 8.Qc2 0-0 9.Bd3?? (another move that’s strategically sound but tactically quite otherwise) ... dxc4 10.Bxf6 cxd3, etc.
My North Circular team-mates twice had their opposition fall for this one, though one of them still actually managed to lose the game in the end.
Here’s another version from the Islington U-160, 1975. Same six opening moves by both sides, then:
7.Qc2 Ne4 8.Bd3?? Nxg5 9.Nxg5 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Qxg5
At this point my opponent went to swindle mode, playing very quickly and forcing me to do all the thinking. I was soon seeing “ghost†attacks (as discussed on another thread here) and playing it safe – too safe! – and as a result the game was prolonged to move 62 before I finally nailed the point.