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Chandler Cornered
The Tattoo + Game from Gibraltar
I've always wanted a chess tattoo.
So when I found out there was a new Tattooist at
the West Port I went along to fulfill my dream.
I already have a tattoo on right hand.
Here I'll try and scan it in.
What is it?
Well there is a wee story behind this.
I amble drunk into a tattoo shop with a heavily tattooed friend.
"Come on Geoff get a tattoo." he challenges me.
"Nah" I reply looking at the drawings. "...nothing I fancy."
"Come on Geoff get a tattoo." he urges me on.
I crack when I see something I fancy.
So pointing to the can of lager I'm drinking
I asked the artist if he will do the bird on the can.
Yup it's the Kestrel from a can of Kestrel Lager.
I sometimes wish I had been drinking that 1629 beer.
Here is the crest from the bottle top.
But as with everything in life. I have no regrets.
And anyway I recall the words of Pete Townsend in
The Who song 'Tattoo'.
"Though I may regret you, no skin graft is going to get you."
So what to get this time?
At first I thought I would get a Rook on each shoulder.
Then I thought of covering my entire body with a chess set.
All 32 pieces, on my body, legs and arms.
Soon the idea developed into having the full score of
the Morphy at the Opera game tattooed on my back.
Then I figured on having just a plain chessboard on my back
so when I die I can be skinned and people can play chess with
my bones that will be carved into a chess set.
I can then play chess forever.
Or I could have all the Ruy Lopez mainlines tattooed in very
small letters on both arms. I could read my arms during a game.
But the downside of this idea is that other players would
come up and start reading my arms as well or some controller
would force me to wear long sleeves.
How about the word 'CHECKMATE!' tattooed on my chest?
So when I mate someone I can lift up my tee-shirt and gloat.
This idea grew into having the words 'I RESIGN' written
on my bum. So if I ever lost a game (it happens).
I could simply moon my opponent.
So with this idea in mind I went to the Tattooist.
Nobody told me it was female artist. She refused.
Gibraltar 2007
I've been following the exploits of Keith Ruxton playing
in the same tournament as some of the World's best players.
At the time of writing this Keith has 3½ from 6. Excellent.
I'll ask him for his best game with notes when he returns.
Meanwhile I have this instructive offering from the same Tournament.
T.Abergal (2475) - P.Wallace (2274) Rd.1, Gibraltar 2007.
Themes:
The Unforced error, the ability to spot a blunder,
cutting out counter-play and recognising Knight fork patterns.
In this standard looking Ruy Lopez position Black to move
should bring the Knight back into play with 10...Nc6
Instead 10...b5? An unforced error which cost Black a pawn and the exchange.
11.axb5 axb5 Black obviously missed 12.b4 and after the Knight moves
(slipping in cxb4 makes no difference) then 13.Bxf7+ wins the Rook on a8.
Play continued with Black sticking to his grim defensive task
in a lost position. Now the second instructive point.
In this position White saw the threat of Rf4 and the coming
Knight fork on e2.
So White gave back the exchange picking up another pawn with 34.Rxc3.
This is a move weaker players are reluctant to play. Returning the OX
and simplifying into a clear won ending cutting out counter play.
And a few moves later, Black who earlier had been planning a Knight fork,
fell into a Knight fork and again lost the exchange. He resigned on the spot.
In this position Black played 37...hxg5.
White played 38.Qxf7! 1-0.
Here is the complete game.
[Click here to replay the game] T.Abergal - P.Wallace 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3 Be7 5.0-0 0-0 6.Re1 d6 7.a4 Na5 8.Ba2 c5 9.Nbd2 a6 10.c3 b5 11.axb5 axb5 12.b4 Nc6 13.Bxf7+ Rxf7 14.Rxa8 Ne8 15.Ra1 Nc7 16.bxc5 dxc5 17.Qe2 h6 18.h3 Kh7 19.Nf1 Ne6 20.N1h2 b4 21.cxb4 cxb4 22.Be3 Bd7 23.Qa2 Qe8 24.Rec1 Nc7 25.Qc4 Bd6 26.d4 exd4 27.Bxd4 Nxd4 28.Qxd4 Nb5 29.Qd3 Bf8 30.Ng4 Bxg4 31.hxg4 Nc3 32.e5+ Kg8 33.Qc4 Kh7 34.Rxc3 bxc3 35.Qxc3 Qe6 36.g5 Qf5 37.Qb3 hxg5 38.Qxf7 |
Right I'm off to Bells to see if Robert Burns
will write 'I RESIGN' on my bum with a biro pen.
