Tactics Time Newsletter: 2015 Chess Calendar!

Published: Wed, 12/10/14

Newsletter Issue Tactics Time Newsletter Chess Calendar

Tactics Time

2015 Chess Calendar

I've been on a calendar, but I've never been on time. ~ Marilyn Monroe


T

his position comes from the game Pierre Julian (1847) vs Gunnar Andersen (2217) from the Winter Springs Open, played this past weekend in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

White to move.

Answer below.

Today I would like to tell you about something brand new and very special!

It is a daily chess calendar that Anthea Carson and I created!

I've been using daily calendars for years.

My mom always buys me a "Dilbert calendar" for Christmas, and this past year I also got a Pittsburgh Steelers calendar.

They are fun, look good on my desk, and I often use the backs as scratch paper.

In fact, I recently went to a meeting, with just a pen and a page from my calendar. A software manager sat next to me, looked me funny, and said "Is that all you brought?!" lol

But one thing I have never seen is a daily CHESS calendar.

UNTIL NOW!

http://tacticstime.com/s/2015-daily-chess-calendar/

We decided to make our own daily calendar (with help from local printers), and I think it turned out really great.

There are 365 pages (one for each day, obviously), and each has a unique tactic on it. Many of them are never seen before problems that we were working on for Tactics Time 3. They are all very similar to the ones I publish in the books, this newsletter, etc.

The calendar comes with a stand, and will make a GREAT gift for the holidays and New Year!

So far the response has been overwhelming....

Anthea posted a picture on her personal facebook page, which went totally viral, getting hundreds of "likes", "shares" and comments from chess lovers around the world.

With just minimal, and half assed promotion, we have already sold dozens! We have already shipped calendars to Norway, Australia, Russia, Israel, Mexico, India, Denmark and all over the US. (If you have already ordered one, thanks for your order! They have all been shipped, and are on their way!)

I was actually going to play in the Winter Springs Open this past weekend myself, but then my mailbox started blowing up with calendar orders after Anthea's post, so I spent most of Saturday and Sunday figuring out how we were going to ship these all over the world and getting them to the post office.

So it has been pretty exciting!

So, if you would like a calendar as well, please check out the page I set up. You can see pictures, and order one there: http://tacticstime.com/s/2015-daily-chess-calendar/

Here is the game in PGN

[Event "Winter Springs Open"]
[Site "Manitou Springs City Hall"]
[Date "2014.12.06"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Julien, Pierre"]
[Black "Andersen, Gunnar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "E73"]
[WhiteElo "1847"]
[BlackElo "2217"]
[PlyCount "55"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Bg5 h6 7. Be3 e5 8. d5
Nbd7 9. Qd2 Kh7 10. h4 Nc5 11. f3 a5 12. g4 Ng8 13. O-O-O Bd7 14. Nh3 b6 15.
Ng5+ Kh8 16. h5 gxh5 17. Rxh5 f6 18. Nh3 Qe8 19. Rh1 f5 20. exf5 Qe7 21. Nf2
Be8 22. R5h3 a4 23. Kc2 c6 24. Bxh6 Nxh6 25. Qxh6+ Bxh6 26. Rxh6+ Kg7 27. Rh7+
Kf6 28. Nfe4+ 1-0

You can play through this game here: http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2014/12/10/Game52039765.html

Answer:

25. Qxh6+!! leads to a forced mate for white. (Other moves maintain White's advantage, but this is the only move leading to mate)

if 25...Kg8 26.Qh7+ Kf7 27.Qg6+ Kg8 28.Rh8# the bishop on g7 is pinned.

if 25...Bxh6 26.Rxh6+ Kg7 (26...Qh7 and 26...Kg8 lead to similar mates)

27.Rh7+Kg8 28.Rh8+ Kf7 29.R1h7+ forcing the black king to the kill square

29...Kf6 30.Nfe4+ (either knight can check first) 30...Nxe4 31.Nxe4#

This is an amazing combination! One of the best I have ever seen played over the board here in Colorado. GREAT job Julian!

Brian Wall wrote: "Expect the Pierre Julien Queen sac to grace the cover of Tactics Time
4, 5 and 6 soon." lol

BTW, although he had a rough time here, congrats to Gunnar who is only 16, and very recently made it over 2200 and a master rating! Gunnar is a tactical beast, and I consider him one of the top 5 tactical players in Colorado.

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend,