Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Chess Train

Published: Sun, 12/11/16

Newsletter Issue Chess Train

Tactics Time

Chess Train

Once in a lifetime type experience! (Or you can do it every year lol) ~ Joseph Palmer


T

his position comes from the game Emmanuel Schiffers vs Mikhail Chigorin, St. Petersburg played in 1897.

In the position on the right it is Black to move.

Answer below.

If you are looking for a chess adventure in 2017, you could consider riding on the Chess Train!

The 2016 Chess Train rode from October 7-11, and took the round trip route

Prague (Capital of Czech Republic)
Regensburg (Germany)
Innsbruck (Austria)
Salzburg (Austria)
Český Krumlov (Czech Republic)
Prague

   You can see a nice YouTube video of the event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TetEC3eFl3o

   I originally learned about the Chess Train from Donna Alarie's excellent Chess Pals email newsletter (you can sign up for that at http://chesspals.com/. It is free and comes out once a week). I looked into riding on the 2016 Chess Train, but it was the same weekend as Millionaire Chess 3.

   The 2017 Chess Train will be held October 13-17, 2017. The route will be

Prague
Olomouc (Czech Republic)
Trencin (Slovakia)
Bratislava (Capital of Slovakia)
Lednice (Czech Republic)
Prague

The Chess Train Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/SachovyVlak/ and has some nice photos and links about the event.

   Their website is http://praguechess.cz/poradane-akce-detail.php?id_akce=39&langue=en where you can see photos and videos of past events. The train has been running once a year since 2011. I think it is amazing how they take different routes and visit different cities and countries each year.

   I love stuff like this, and think it sounds like a blast!

   Here is the complete game:

[Event "Petersburg (Match)"]
[Site "Petersburg (Match)"]
[Date "1897.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emmanuel Schiffers"]
[Black "Mikhail Chigorin"]
[ECO "C40"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "60"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f6 3. Nxe5 Qe7 4. Nf3 d5 5. d3 dxe4 6. dxe4
Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Nc6 8. O-O Bd7 9. Nc3 Qg6 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11. Bh5
O-O-O 12. Bxg6 hxg6 13. Qe2 Bd6 14. Ne4 Nf3+ 15. gxf3 Bxh2+
16. Kg2 Bh3+ 17. Kh1 Be5 18. Qe1 Bg4+ 19. Kg1 Bxf3 20. Ng3 Ne7
21. Qe3 Bc6 22. Qxa7 b6 23. Be3 Nf5 24. f4 Nxg3 25. fxe5 Rh1+
26. Kf2 Rh2+ 27. Kxg3 Rdh8 28. Qa6+ Kb8 29. Bxb6 Rg2+ 30. Kf4
Rh4+ 1/2-1/2

You can play through this game here: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1036460

Answer:

Black missed a brilliant double piece sacrifice leading to a forced mate with 23...Rh1+!! 24.Nxh1 Bh2+! 25.Kxh2 Rh8+ 26.Bh6 (delaying the mate) Rxh6+ 27.Kg3 (27. Kg1 Rxh1#) Nf5+ 28.Kg4 Rh4#

This is rather deep, and one of the most famous chess players in history missed it, so don't feel bad if you did too :-)

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend,