Worst move on the board

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Roger de Coverly
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Worst move on the board

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:15 pm

The now closed Streatham blog would run an occasional series on this.

Here's an example from a League game this evening.


Black to play and find a "normal" move that loses instantly.

The position should be recognisable as having arisen from the "Short" variation in the Advance Caro.

Alex Holowczak
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by Alex Holowczak » Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:29 pm

Black played Qb6, and presumably white responded with Ba5?

Roger de Coverly
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by Roger de Coverly » Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:30 pm

Alex Holowczak wrote:
Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:29 pm
Black played Qb6, and presumably white responded with Ba5?
Yes.

A database search suggests the blunder has the merit of being original.

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JustinHorton
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by JustinHorton » Tue Jan 16, 2018 5:57 am

However, ...Qa5 would have been a worse move.
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Michael Farthing
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by Michael Farthing » Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:52 am

Alex Holowczak wrote:
Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:29 pm
Black played Qb6, and presumably white responded with Ba5?
On reading this I spent a good 3 seconds wondering why white's Ba5 deserved the question mark :?

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Tue Jan 16, 2018 1:05 pm

JustinHorton wrote:
Tue Jan 16, 2018 5:57 am
However, ...Qa5 would have been a worse move.
Yes, but that is trivially obvious. Though it does mean that Qb6??? still isn't the ABSOLUTELY worst move, as in your former series.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

J T Melsom
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Re: Worst move on the board

Post by J T Melsom » Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:05 pm

No mention of the final match score in the fixture which generated this curiosity? :)

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