2/20/2022 – Star columnist Jon Speelman continues to link chess positions with Monty Python sketches. Readers pitched in with further suggestions, and in particular one noted the unexpected absence of the expectedly ‘Unexpected Spanish Inquisition’!
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The Inquisition is here
[Note that Jon Speelman also looks at the content of the article in video format, here embedded at the end of the article.]
A fortnight ago, I attempted, somewhat spuriously, to link chess positions to Monty Python sketches. As requested, readers pitched in with further suggestions, and in particular one noted the unexpected absence of the expectedly Unexpected Spanish Inquisition.
So this time I’m continuing with a few more, more or less tenuous, links. The Inquisitors will drop by when, I hope, I’ve diverted you sufficiently for them to be something of a surprise. But first from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
This nice finish was suggested in the comments to the previous column as an example of this.
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1.e4
1,185,008
54%
2421
---
1.d4
959,510
55%
2434
---
1.Nf3
286,503
56%
2441
---
1.c4
184,834
56%
2442
---
1.g3
19,892
56%
2427
---
1.b3
14,600
54%
2428
---
1.f4
5,954
48%
2377
---
1.Nc3
3,911
50%
2384
---
1.b4
1,791
48%
2379
---
1.a3
1,250
54%
2406
---
1.e3
1,081
49%
2409
---
1.d3
969
50%
2378
---
1.g4
670
46%
2361
---
1.h4
466
54%
2382
---
1.c3
439
51%
2425
---
1.h3
289
56%
2420
---
1.a4
118
60%
2461
---
1.f3
100
47%
2427
---
1.Nh3
93
66%
2506
---
1.Na3
47
62%
2476
---
Please, wait...
1.c4In this pivotal game during the
famous match in Baguio, Korchnoi gained the advantage but then, after allowing
Karpov to equalise, blundered horribly at the end of a time scramble.Nf62.Nc3e63.d4Bb44.e30-05.Bd3c56.d5b57.dxe6fxe68.cxb5a69.Nge2d510.0-0e511.a3axb512.Bxb5Bxc313.bxc3Ba614.Rb1Qd615.c4d416.Ng3Nc617.a4Na518.Qd3Qe619.exd4cxd420.c5Rfc821.f4Rxc522.Bxa6Qxa623.Qxa6Rxa624.Ba3Rd525.Nf5Kf726.fxe5Rxe527.Rb5Nc428.Rb7+Ke629.Nxd4+Kd530.Nf330.Nc2Rxa431.Bf8would have gained a very nice
and safe advantage.30...Nxa331.Nxe5Kxe532.Re7+Kd433.Rxg7Nc434.Rf4+Ne4Karpov has coordinated his pieces brilliantly and should now hold.35.Rd7+Ke336.Rf3+Ke237.Rxh737.Re7Ncd238.Ra3Black keeps the
h-pawn but is a little tied up.37...Ncd238.Ra3Rc6
39.Ra1??
Blundering into a horrible trap.39.g3would draw easily enough afterNf3+40.Kg2Ne1+41.Kg1Nf3+39...Nf3+!And Korchnoi had to resign since39...Nf3+40.gxf3or40.Kh1Nf2#40...Rg6+41.Kh1Nf2#is mate0–1
But there was no hint of a shrubbery, and I was wondering what else to add when I came across this in the latest edition of Chess magazine as a Christmas solution. The clumps of Black pieces are at least plausibly shrubby, and I’m grateful to Chess’ editor Richard Palliser for kindly endorsing my plagiarism here.
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In this nice study,
which is perhaps more a construction task, a deluge of checks by the shrubbery
loving knights (I looked for an adjective meaning bush loving but was
helpfully directed to Kate Bush) leads to an unlikely repetition, a full 16
moves later!
1.Ng4+Ke71...Kg62.Ne5+2.Nf5+Kd73.Ne5+Kc84.Ne7+Kb85.Nd7+Ka76.Nc8+Ka67.Nb8+Kb58.Na7+Kb49.Na6+Kc310.Nb5+Kd311.Nb4+Ke212.Nc3+Kf213.Nd3+Kg314.Ne4+Kg415.Ne5+Kf516.Ng3+Kf6And the knights, who are presumably now saying "Ekke Ekke Ekke Ekke Ptang
Zoo Boing!" gee up for round 2.½–½
There’s also some shrubbery allied with several horses in this study by a Dutch composer, which was championed a few years ago by Jim Plaskett. I knew of it but couldn’t recall more than the outline, and indeed finally tracked down on Luke McShane’s advice by googling “Plaskett’s puzzle”. I have a vague memory that it may have appeared in Chess too, possibly even as part of a Christmas competition.
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If you're
feeling strong, you might like to try to solve this glorious study in which in
a sense everything unfolds precisely as it ought to...
1.Nf6+Kg71...Kg62.Bc2+Kxf62...Kg73.Nh5+Kf74.d8Q3.d8Q+2.Nh5+Kg63.Bc2+Kxh54.d8Q!Nf7+5.Ke6Nxd8+6.Kf5With the king trapped on h5, Black's
army strugles to defend him against the rampant white-squared bishop and the
only way to delay defeat is to create two newborn foals:e27.Be4e1N!8.Bd5c29.Bc4c1N!10.Bb5Nc711.Ba4The d1-h5 diagonal cannot be
defended so it's mate in 3 more moves at most.1–0
In the Van Breukelen study it is the Bishop who is boss, and we continue with a famous study in which, with the help of a single fierce pawn, a bishop outplays a queen and knight.
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1.Qc8!When I was first shown this beautiful and
highly thematic study, I simply failed to find the first move and spent some
time analysing the prosaic - and insufficient - Qd6+. Hence the anlaysis of it
here.1.Qd6+Kg82.gxh7+Kh83.Be73.Kf5Qb5+3.Bxa5Nc73...Qc84.Bd84.Qe5Qg44...Qc3+5.Kxf7Qg7+6.Ke8Nc7+7.Bxc7Qxc74.Bxc74.Bc3Qe6+4...Nb55.Qg3Qe6+5.Kg5+4...Qa85.Qg3Qa6+6.Bd6Qf1+3.Qd4Qf84.Kf5+Kxh73...Nb63...Nc74.Qxc7Qb54...Qa85.Qg35.Qc8+Kxh76.Qc2+3...a44.Qg34.Bf8Qe24...Qc6+5.Bd64.Kg54.Qxb6Qa85.Qd45.Kxf7Qd5+5...Qf3+4...Kxh74...Nd55.Kh65.Qd3+Kg86.Kh6Qc6+1...Kg82.Bc7Qxc82...Nxc73.gxf7+3.gxf7+Kh84.Be5Qc55.Bb2!If instead White plays Ba1, then it is he who ends up in zugzwang.5.Ba1?Nc76.Bb2a47.Ba1a35...Nc76.Ba1a47.Bb2a38.Ba1a29.Bb2a1Q10.Bxa1Nd5+10...h511.Kg6+10...Qf811.Kf5+Qg712.f8R#11.Ke6+Nc312.Bxc3+Qxc313.f8Q#Poetry!1–0
1.e4 This "trap" is rather messy and indeed inconclusive, but
it does occur in the Hungarian Defence with 3...Be7e52.Nf3Nc63.Bc4Be74.d4exd45.c3dxc36.Qd5Simply6.Nxc3gives very decent
compensation for the pawn.6...Nh67.Bxh60-0
8.Bc1?8.Bxg7Kxg78...Nb4?9.Qe5d510.Qg3+-9.Nxc3And White is better but Black has
the two bishops.8...Nb49.Qd19.Qh5!Nc2+10.Kd1Nxa111.Nxc3
is also at least equal for Black though much messier.d512.exd5c69...c210.Qd2cxb1Q11.Rxb1c6
This sketch ends with the shopkeeper Graham Chapman being thumped by John Cleese's Hungarian. But perhaps it was “only a scratch”, as the Black knight claims.
An 18-year-old Garry Kasparov faces a 52-year-old Tigran Petrosian.
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1.d4 This
beautiful game features a truly brilliant resource by Petrosian in which his
king proved that all the pressure really was just a scratch.d52.c4dxc43.Nf3Nf64.e3Bg45.Bxc4e66.h3Bh57.Nc3a68.g4Bg69.Ne5Nbd710.Nxg6hxg611.Bf1c612.Bg2Qc713.0-0Be714.f4Nb615.g5Nfd716.Qg40-0-017.Rb1Kb818.b4Nd519.Na4f520.Qg3Nxb421.Bd2Nd522.Rfc1Ka723.Qe1Ba324.Rc2Qd625.Rb3Qe726.Qe2Rb827.Qd3Bd628.Nb2Rhc829.Nc4Bc730.a4/\ a5, Rcb2,M Qb1b5This brave move isn't much liked bty
the engines but shows wonderful fighting spirit.31.axb5cxb532.Ra2!Kb7!!?32...bxc433.Rxa6+!32...Bd633.Rxb5Rxb534.Nxd6Qxd635.Qxb5±33.Bb4?33.Na3!Bb633...N7b634.Nxb5axb535.Qxb5Rd835...Ra836.Bxd5+exd537.Qxd5+36.Bb4!Qe837.Qa6+Kc638.Bc5Kd738...Ra839.Rxb6+39.Bf1!+-34.Nc2!Ra835.Nb4Qd636.e4fxe437.Qxe4Ra738.Qxg6Bxd4+39.Kh1N7b640.f5!+-33...Qe8!33...Qd8?34.e4!fxe435.Qxe4Qe836.Qxd5+exd537.Bxd5+Ka738.Rxa6+Kxa639.Ra3+Ba540.Rxa5#34.Bd634.Ba5Qe7!34...Ra835.Qb1
35...Kc6‼
An incredible idea which totally changes the geometry by unpinning the b-pawn.
It turns out that Bxc7 should now lead to an equal ending but, unsurprisingly,
Kasparov was totally discombobulated and wilted. When I looked in Megabase, I
found that this was one of three times that Petrosian beat Kasparov as Black
in five games. Admittedly, when he got older, Kasaprov won the final two of
these.36.Rba3?36.Bxc7bxc436...Kxc737.Nb2Kd838.Qe1N37.Rb7Rxc738.Rxa6+Rxa639.Qb5+Kd640.Qxa6+Ke740...Rc6?41.Qa3+41.Bxd5Rxb742.Bxb742.Qxe6+?Kd843.Qxe8+Kxe844.Bxb7c3-+42...Qb843.Kf2=36...bxc437.Rxa6+Rxa638.Rxa6+Bb639.Bc5Qd840.Qa140.Qb4Ra841.Qa4+Kb740...Nxc541.dxc5Kxc542.Ra40–1
1.e4 In
this famous game, Karpov gained a space advantage and then played a fabulous
move to cement his advantage.e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.0-0Be76.Re1b57.Bb3d68.c30-09.h3Na510.Bc2c511.d4Qc712.Nbd2Nc612...cxd413.cxd4Nc614.Nb3a515.Be3a416.Nbd2Bd717.Rc1Qb713.d5Nd814.a4Rb815.axb5axb516.b4Nb717.Nf1Bd718.Be3Ra819.Qd2Rfc820.Bd3g621.Ng3Bf822.Ra2c423.Bb1Qd8
23...Rxa224.Qxa2Qd825.Qa624.Ba7!This beautiful move prevents Black from exchanging off
all the rooks on the a-file and maintains a pleasant advantage.Ne824...Qc725.Bc2Na525.Bc2Nc726.Rea1±Houdini is still telling me that this
is only about 3/4 of a pawn, but in practice it was deeply unpleasant and
Unzicker was extremely unlikely to hold.Qe727.Bb1Be828.Ne2Nd829.Nh2Bg730.f4f631.f5g5?!31...gxf532.Ng3Maybe this isn't as vile for
Black as it looks. At least that's what the software is claiming after f4.32.exf5e433.Qd432...f433.Nf5Qf832.Bc2Bf733.Ng3Nb734.Bd1h635.Bh5Qe836.Qd1Nd837.Ra3Kf838.R1a2Kg839.Ng4Kf840.Ne3Kg841.Bxf7+Nxf742.Qh5Nd843.Qg6!Kf844.Nh5
A fitting finish to
a beautiful game. Choked to death, Black resigned.44.Nh5Qf745.Bb6Rxa346.Rxa3Rb847.Qxf7+1–0
I think that’s enough Python for the moment, though please do send any other ideas for a later date. It did occur to me that the comfy chair might be the opening 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 b5, which I sometimes encourage as White when I want a very quiet game – but I’ve also lost this position a couple of times, perhaps through getting too comfy...
In a fortnight we’ll move on to something a bit more serious. I haven’t decided what yet, so any suggestions in the comments would be most welcome.
Considered a master of prophylaxis, Petrosian sensed dangers long before they actually became acute on the board. In his prime, Petrosian was almost invincible. Let our authors introduce you into the world of Tigran Petrosian.
Jonathan SpeelmanJonathan Speelman, born in 1956, studied mathematics but became a professional chess player in 1977. He was a member of the English Olympic team from 1980–2006 and three times British Champion. He played twice in Candidates Tournaments, reaching the semi-final in 1989. He twice seconded a World Championship challenger: Nigel Short and then Viswanathan Anand against Garry Kasparov in London 1993 and New York 1995.
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