The uses of chess are often astonishing. Chess themes are to be found virtually anywhere.
While steeping a bag of green tea a few months ago, I discovered the following aphorism on a paper tab attached to the tea bag:
“Champion chess players relax by taking the knight off.”
Some chess references, however, are not so innocuous.
A liberal political magazine printed the following text on the envelope of a solicitation I recently received:
“The key difference between men and women in terms of mental ability,” says (televangelist) Rev. Pat Robertson, “is chess. There’s never been a woman grandmaster chess player. Once you get one then I’ll buy some of the feminism.”
Of course, noted an accompanying insert, there were two women grandmasters at the time who would have strenuously disagreed with him. Today there are an additional three, including the formidable Judit Polgar.
I’ve just reread a Rex Stout detective story entitled “Gambit.”
The required murder takes place at the Gambit Club, a chess club on West 12th Street in Manhattan, whose description remarkably matches that of the famous Marshall Chess club. A key figure in the book has an unusual surname, more than coincidentally similar to that of a leading player of the time.
The victim is likened to a gambit pawn or piece that is sacrificed to gain an advantage.
My favorite use of chess took place at a capacity-filled Moscow stadium in the ’50s, where a game between the world champion Mikhail Botvinnik and another grandmaster was choreographed and performed by stars of the Bolshoi Ballet.
Below is a sparkling win by Nigel Short of England from the recent Pan-Pacific Tournament in San Francisco. %%
Alexei Dreev………..Short
1. d4…………………..Nf6
2. c4……………………e6
3. Nf3…………………..d5
4. Nc3………………….Be7
5. Bf4………………….0-0
6. e3……………………c5
7. dxc5………………..Bxc5
8. a3…………………..Nc6
9. Rc1…………………..a6
10. cxd5………………..exd5
11. Bg5…………………..d4
12. Nb5…………………dxe3
13. Qxd8………………exf2ch
14. Ke2…………………Rxd8
15. Bxf6……………….Re8ch
16. Kd1…………………gxf6
17. Rxc5…………………Bg4
18. Nc3………………….Nd4
19. Bc4…………………Nxf3
20. Kc2………………..Bf5ch
21. Kb3………………..Nd2ch
22. Ka2………………….Be6
White resigns (a)
Note (a) After 23. Bxe6 fxe6, Black threatens . . . f1(Q), etc.
Solution to Beginner’s Corner: 1. . . . Qe6ch! 2. Qxe6 (or 2. Kxe6) stalemate. %%
