Why chess is better than a whodunit

People (especially non chess players) like to ask me if I get bored during a chess game. No, I don’t! Well, soooometimes when the position is easily won or totally equal. But in those cases, I just follow my neighbors’ games  :-). Normally, I am fully absorbed in my game. There are always some tactical motives or strategies I have not seen before… this is why I love chess so much. In this tournament, there have been some nice positions as well. Since I do not walk around that much during the match, I only know what happens in my teammates’ games. This is what I found most interesting:

Lubbe (2458) – Brunello (2589), Position after 16.0-0-0

16…Bxa4 17.g5 Nd7 18.g6 Nf8 19.gxf7 Kxf7 20.Rhg1 Qc7 21.b3 Bb5 22.Nxe6 Nxe6 23.Bxe6 Kxe6 24.Qd5 Kd7 25.Rxg7 Rc8 26.Rd2 Qc6

27.Qf5+ Kd8 28.Bd4? (28.Qe6 +-) Rf8 29.Qe6 Rc7 30.Be5 Qd7? (30…Bd3±) 31.Rxd6 Bxd6 32.Rxd7 Rxd7 33.Bxd6 … 1:0

Ohme (2352) – Manolaraki (1982)

Position after 50.Nf4

My opponent played here 50…Ng6. After 51.Nxg6 h3 52.Nh4 h2 53.Nf5+ Ke5 54.Ng3 I won easily. More interesting, although still lost for black, would have been: 50…Ke5 51.Kxc7 Kxf4 52.d6 Ng6 53.d7 Nf8

54.g6 (not 54.d8=Q because of 54….Ne6+) Nxd7 55.Kxd7 h3 56.g7 h2 57.g8=Q h1=Q 58.Qb8+ Kg4 59.Qxb6 +-

I think those two examples illustrate how nerve-racking and exciting chess can be. Especially after time trouble, I often feel like having run a marathon. On the other hand, watching other games might be thrilling as well. After today’s game, I followed the game of my teammate. She was one piece down and in a totally hopeless position. However, her opponent blundered several times so that she could have recaptured the piece. She never did so. Finally, she made use of the opportunity and equalized. I guess every coach knows the feelings I had while watching :-). I love crime thrillers… but they are nothing in comparison with chess! That chess can also be amusing was shown in my game today:

In the present position my opponent (rating: 1918) played Nc6-a4. After I told her that this is an impossible move, we couldn't stop laughing :-)!