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The first round of The Saint John Open Amateur Chess Championship – otherwise known as The Lady LaTour Chess Challenge – began yesterday, May 17th 2017 in Old North End Saint John. The contest will continue summer long at various venues, inside and out, around the city, to be announced. This Sunday we will be meeting in Queen Square Park South Saint John. All amateurs are welcome to play. There is no entry fee or late charge. If you would like to catch up with proceeding, grab a partner and play black and white the four following starting positions: 1st game, Jerome Gambit 1e4 e5 2Nf3 Nc6 3Bc4 Bc5 4Bf7+ Kf7 5Ne5 black to play; 2nd position, “The Little Game of Chess” W-Kg1, P-a2,b2,c2 B-Kb8, P-f7,g7, h7 white to play; 3rd position, regular game, play as you will; 4th position, W-Kc2,Qf2 B-Ke4,Rd4 white to play. Out of towners who would like to join in our contest are welcome to play as well, just send results to chesscircular@hotmail.com and you will receive notification of the format for the 2nd round.
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Re: The Lady LaTour Chess Challenge -- Saint John Amatuer Open
The second leg of the Lady La Tour Chess Challenge at Queen Square was a delightful. Some new players were welcomed to our contest, and although there were more players than tables, everyone got a chance to play and kibitz. Especially well received was the ‘Little Game of Chess’. This study is a real crowd pleaser. It dates back to Greco, but probably precedes him. Captain Evans – of gambit fame – did a study of it, as did the Hungarian master Szen. (Does anyone know where these studies can be found?) It is interesting what Ruben Fine says in his Basic Chess Endings, pg.50: “A good deal of attention has been devoted to No. 68 [Szen’s position: W-Kd1, P-a2, b2, c2; B-Ke8, P-f7, g7, h7] and its innumerable offshoots. For our purpose it suffices to note that whoever moves wins.” Now before anyone goes running off shouting “whoever moves wins” they’d better crack open that Coles reprint of Staunton’s Chess Player’s Handbook and studiously go over pages 508-520. Then they can shout. Apparently Anthony Miles also did a study of this ending. (Can anyone track that down?)
Mid-week we regroup in Old North End, but next Sunday our challenge returns to Queen Square (weather permitting) with additional sets, and the Lady La Tour Trophy. We will also be introducing the Saint John Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Bc4 as Part Two of our contest. This venturesome opening has a Legallish twist to it: 3…Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 Bg4 6.Ne5 Bxd1 7.Bxf7#. Philip Massey’s 3…e5! is a strong counter, but much remains to be tried, and one move does not make a refutation.
For park participants: It seemed that everyone with a camera was taking pictures of the chess players. So think of the Lady and stick a feather in your hat.
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