Shortest game

[Alex Holowczak]

In answer to Alex, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGC_Ltd gives a reasonable (short) overview. JC Thompson died in 1971 and I joined LGC in 1975, so unfortunately we never met, although both of us were Head of Calibrations Division at some stage in our careers. The very good thing about LGC was that it did so many different things, you could have a wide and varied career in the same building. Leonard did several simuls at LGC, and obviously we gave him a hard time, but it has to be said I only remember him performing a pretty effective demolition job!

I didn't expect JCT to be mentioned in a "shortest game" thread!

Very interesting, thanks.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Yes, very interesting Kevin, thanks for that. It is a bit off-topic (so PM me if that is more suitable), but I was reading up on LGC as I did work experience there in about 1993 when I was about 16, so I've followed them on and off since then, and I hadn't realised the privatisation had been so drastic (and successful?):

From here: " A consortium of Laboratory employees, the Royal Society of Chemistry and 3i put together a bid in 1995 which was accepted, taking the form of a management buyout and it became LGC Ltd in February 1996." [...] "Employee numbers have risen from 270 in 1996 to about 2,800 in 2019, as the company has grown organically and through multiple acquisitions."

I hope privatisation didn't affect the chess activities!

[David Sedgwick]

It is a bit off-topic …

I have commented previously about the tendency of Forum threads to veer wildly off topic.

This thread has gone from being about members' shortest games to being about the development of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist after privatisation. That must surely have set a new record.

[Kevin Thurlow]

Er, yes... (and I will PM Chris)

As a special treat, I'll post my favourite short game, which I've used a few times to win speed games (including against the same guy twice in one evening!)

1.e4 Nc6, 2.d4 d5, 3.exd5 Qxd5, 4.Nf3 Bg4, 5.Nc3 Bxf3, 6.Nxd5 Bxd1, 7.Nxc7+ Kd8, 8.Nxa8 Bxc2, 9.Bf4 Nxd4, 10.Nc7 e5, 11.Bxe5 Bb4

What I particularly like about this one is that all of white's moves are at least plausible.

Kudos to Lawrence for including some losses!

[John Upham]

It is a bit off-topic …

I have commented previously about the tendency of Forum threads to veer wildly off topic.

This thread has gone from being about members' shortest games to being about the development of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist after privatisation. That must surely have set a new record.

and now it is discussing threads going off-topic : where next ?

[Michael Farthing]

and now it is discussing threads going off-topic : where next ?

The answer to that question is clearly that the thread will discuss the question itself.

As is shown by this reply.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Maybe we could discuss where Kevin's PM to me has gone?

(I am not waiting on tenterhooks at all!)

Seriously, Loz seems to have searched his database to pull out examples of games he has played under a certain number of moves.

Does anyone want to crunch the numbers for their games or even a large commercial database, and say how many games (decisive ones) last a certain number of moves, and what proportion of games overall last 15 moves or less? (I think the traditional definition of a 'miniature' is 25 moves or less).

[LawrenceCooper]

Maybe we could discuss where Kevin's PM to me has gone?

(I am not waiting on tenterhooks at all!)

Seriously, Loz seems to have searched his database to pull out examples of games he has played under a certain number of moves.

Does anyone want to crunch the numbers for their games or even a large commercial database, and say how many games (decisive ones) last a certain number of moves, and what proportion of games overall last 15 moves or less? (I think the traditional definition of a 'miniature' is 25 moves or less).

It's easy to do, sort into number of moves and then I picked out the few decisive results among all the quick draws

[Roger de Coverly]

and say how many games (decisive ones) last a certain number of moves, and what proportion of games overall last 15 moves or less? (I think the traditional definition of a 'miniature' is 25 moves or less).

Taking my own games since 1968, there are over 4,500 of them. Under 1% (42) finished in 15 moves or less, with only 9 of them draws, last round usually. There's just a couple in team matches.

[Mick Norris]

My shortest decisive games, both wins, were 11 moves with black and 13 moves with white

My shortest draws were 1 and 5 moves

[Nick Ivell]

Thanks for the Morra, Keith. I knew you wouldn't let me down!

[Matt Mackenzie]

My shortest decisive games, both wins, were 11 moves with black and 13 moves with white

My shortest draws were 1 and 5 moves

My shortest draw is 11 moves (and yes, it was pre-arranged)

[Tim Spanton]

Talking of shortest games: https://beauchess.blogspot.com/2019/11/ ... -show.html

[Tim Spanton]

Out of exactly 3,700 games in my own-games database, I have 90 that lasted 15 moves or fewer - that is 2.4%.
White won 45, 14 were drawn and Black won 31.
My score is +44=14-32.

https://beauchess.blogspot.com/

[Paolo Casaschi]

My favourite short game, played a few times at blitz with the Black pieces:
d4 e5 de5 Nc6 Nf3 Qe7 Bf4 Qb4 Bd2 Qb2 Bc3?? Bb4 Qd2 Bc3 Qc3 Qc1#