Blunders…been there, done that etc but how do you handle them? Do you slink away into a quiet corner to weep, or laugh and let the whole world laugh with – or, more likely, at – you? Here’s an example of the latter approach from the St Albans Congress. To experience the full extent of White’s tragedy you need to resist the urge to dive in at move 44 and instead start at the beginning because – whisper it quietly – White had played pretty well up to the point at which his roof fell in which makes the pathos of the situation all the more palpable.
This could become a regular feature if enough players with the requisite thick skin can be found to advertise their failings to a wider audience. In the meantime, sit back with a glass of schadenfreude and enjoy. However, don’t laugh too loudly because the next time it could be you.
White: Robert Page (145) Black: William Phillips (158) St Albans Major