As we have reached Puzzle number 13, what better example than a brilliancy from Garry Kasparov

Kasparov was born on 13th April and became the 13th World Chess Champion

Here is a position from 1999

White Garry Kasparov Black Vladimir Kramnik

White to move

Black to play – this game ended in a draw, could you do better?

Black wins with the following beautiful combination

  1. —–   Nh4+
  2. Kh2 ( if  Kf1  Qd1 and if  Kg1  Rc1, Rf1 Qg2 )  Qg2
  3. Rxg2  Nf3+
  4. Kh1    Rc1
  5. Rg1    Rxg1 mate

Yet again we saw lots of interesting chess in our Thanet Early Summer Swiss this week. There was also a game with a mouseslip/computer clitch, fortunately that game was already decided by this point, so no real harm done. But a lesson to us all that online chess has it’s own pitfalls compared with the easy methods of over the board play.

Our Game of the Week was an intriguing affair where both players made some original and creative choices in the opening. Neither King looked completely secure and pins and threats appeared all over the board. 

Please enjoy

 White:  shamaka      Black: KnightClubber

Thanet Early Summer Swiss

This puzzle was suggested by Broadstairs’ legend Bob Page, Bob recently moved away from Thanet but is still a keen supporter of Thanet Chess

The following recent online game ended in a draw, can you find a forced mate for Black?

Black to move

White to play and deliver mate

White wins with the forcing sequence

  1. Rh8+  Bxh8 ( If Kg7  2. Qh7 is mate )
  2. Qh7  and mate is unaviodable on either g8 or f7