Sunday, August 2, 2009

How do you catch a pirate?


With 15 points out of 18 games, Piratepaul has become a player to be reckoned with (see "Aarrgghhh!") in the ongoing Chessworld Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)Thematic Tournament. So - how do you catch a pirate?

Well, you can always cross your fingers and hopes he makes an oversight, like in his game (move 25) against eddie43. It's not very likely, but it could happen.

Piratepaul - eddie43
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 d6 6.d3 h6 7.a4 a6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Kh1 Bg4 11.Nbd2 d5 12.Qb3 Be6 13.Qc2 Ng4 14.d4 exd4 15.cxd4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.Nf3 dxe4 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Qxc7+ Kg6 20.Be3 Nxf2+ 21.Bxf2 e3 22.Qg3+ Kh7 23.Bxe3 Qxb4 24.Rab1 Qe4 25.Rxb7 Qxb7 26.a5 Rhf8 27.Re1 Qb5 28.Bb6 Rf1+ 29.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 30.Bg1 Bc4 31.Qc3 Kg8 32.h3 Re8 33.Kh2 Qf4+ 34.Kh1 Bb5 35.Qb3+ Bc4 36.Qc3 Bd5 37.Qc2 Qg3 38.Qd2 Qxh3+ 39.Bh2 Re1+ 40.Qxe1 Qxg2
checkmate

You could also take the "extra" piece you have as Black, and whip up an attack on his King, like blackburne did.

Piratepaul - blackburne
JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.c3 h6 6.d3 Nf6 7.0-0 d6 8.a4 a6 9.b4 Ba7 10.Qb3+ Be6 11.c4 Nd4 12.Qd1 Rf8 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Kh1 Bg4 15.Be3 Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nh5 17.Rg1 Nxf3 18.Rg2 Qh4 19.Ne2 Rf7 20.Bxa7 Rxa7 21.b5 Ra8 22.a5 Raf8 23.Qb3 Nd2 24.Qc2 Rxf2 25.Qxd2 Rxg2 26.Rg1 Rxh2
checkmate


Or you could simply hang in there, fight every step of the way, and look for a good Frank Marshall-style swindle to get you out of trouble.

In this position from Sir Osis of the Liver - Piratepaul, JGTourney4 ChessWorld, 2009, White is a piece and a couple of pawns down, and if the position weren't complicated, he could resign the game in good faith.

Instead, White gave it one more try.

30.Qxe5 Nf4 31.Rxf6 Nxd3


Threatening the annoying Queen, but reaching a bit too far. Simply good enough was 31...gxf6 32.Qxf6+ Kh7 33.Qxf4

32.Rxh6 checkmate

No comments: