Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Merry Christmas 2015

Published: Fri, 12/25/15

Merry Christmas !

I hope that you are having a Happy Holiday!

I am in Pittsburgh visiting my family. It is remarkably warm here - record highs with temperatures in the 60s!

This is a position that I saw on Geoff Chandler's redhotpawn.com blog post, "The Pawn Sacrifice and No.5.", which you can read here: http://www.redhotpawn.com/chess-blog/the-planet-greenpawn/the-pawn-sacrifice-and-no-5.281

This comes from the game R. Cannon (1985) vs P. Mulay (1780) FIDE Open, London 2015

White to move

Answer Below.

Here is a fun bonus puzzle - it has nothing to do with chess, but I enjoyed it :)

Find the Panda in all of the snowmen.

(source: https://www.facebook.com/thedudolf/ )

We have a few more 2016 chess calendars available on amazon if you are interested!

Thanks so much to everyone who ordered one!

We ran out a couple of times, and supplies are limited.

http://amzn.to/1TiFlkJ

Here is the complete game in PGN

[Event "London Classic Open"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2015.12.11"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Cannon, Raymond C"]
[Black "Mulay, Partha"]
[ECO "C07"]
[WhiteElo "1985"]
[BlackElo "1780"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. dxc5 Nf6 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Ngf3 Nc6 7. Bc4 Qxc5 8. Qe2 Be7 9. Nb3 Qh5 10. Bf4 O-O 11. O-O-O Na5 12. Nxa5 Qxa5 13. Bd2 Qc5 14. Bc3 a6 15. Bd4 Qc7 16. Be5 Qc5 17. Bd3 Rd8 18. Nd4 Bd7 19. Nb3 Qc8 20. g4 Bc6 21. Rhg1 b6 22. g5 Ne8 23. Rg3 g6 24. Nd4 Bd5 25. Kb1 Nd6 26. Qg4 Qd7 27. Qh3 Nc4 28. Qxh7+

1-0

You can play through this game here: http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2015/12/23/Game194857338.html

Answer:

Black resigned after 28. Qxh7+!

It is checkmate after 28...Kf8 29.Qh8#

28...Kxh7 29.Rh3+ Kg8 30.Rh8#

This is a good mating pattern to know with the dark square holes around the King and strong dark square bishop.

Happy Tactics and Merry Christmas!

Your Friend,

Tim Brennan

tim@tacticstime.com

P.S. I didn't get a chance to meet Hipster Santa or Fashion Santa, but this pic was taken on the Santa Express Train at the Royal Gorge, which was a lot of fun!