LCCC's 1st Night of 2018 Has 14 Players - Kid's Night Next Week!

Chess is fun for everyone!

Another fun night of chess at the Club as we kick off our 39th year. We had fourteen players for a fun night of casual chess.

Be sure to stop by next week as Monday January 14th is our popular Kid's Night. This is the night where our younger members and guests get the full attention of the of the veteran players.

We make sure they are paired with other young players and can get lessons from our stronger players or coaches if they wish.

Be sure to stop by for this fun event.

White to move and win.

Now here is an endgame from the 1960 USSR Championship. Endgames look like the simplest part of chess since there are less pieces on the board. But in reality, they are the most tricky and complicated.
In this position, White has a commanding material advantage. But you see, the queening pawn for Black is about to even everything up.
White must find a way to stop the pawn.

1. Rc4    
This looks like the best move. If Black plays 1. ....e1=Q then White can play 2. Re4+, Qxe4 3. Bxe4 and White's problem is solved, and actually will now win the game with 3....Kd6 4. Bxb7, Kc5 5. Bd5, Kxb6 6. Kxf6 and White can queen his remaining pawn.
So what can Black do instead?

1. .....           f5
2. Bxf5        e1=Q
3. Re4+       Kd8!

Now if  4. Rxe1? , Black is stalemated with no moves and the game ends in a draw. And if White plays 4. Kf7? instead, threatening mate on d4, Black plays 4. ....Qe3! 5. Re6, Qe5! and White can still only stalemate with 6. Rce5
Very tricky stuff. So now it is White's turn to be tricky.

4. Kf8!        Qe3
Now if 5. Re6? then 5. ....Wc5+ 6. Kg7, Qxf5 and Black wins!

5. Kf7!         Wxb6
6. Rc4!         .........
White has another mate threat, this time on c8, which Blacks meets with a pin.

6. .......          Qb3
7. Be6           Resigns
White breaks the pin, reimposing the mate threat that Black can only stop by giving up his Queen, so White wins!

Endgames can be tricky and complicated and not for the faint of heart. Also remember that in tournament play, the clocks for both sides usually don't have much time left. Coolness under pressure is required to find the best moves.
The best way to get that 'coolness' is to study and practice endgames.