Puzzle of the Week
The 6th Congress Grand Chess Tournament. This tournament was held in New York in 1889 and was one of the longest tournaments in history. The event was won by Mikhail Chigorin and Max Weiss. Both finished with a score of 29, but Chigorin defeated Weiss in their individual game.
A game was played between Joseph Henry Blackburne and James Moore Hanham. Hanham, playing Black, used his eponymous variation to defeat Blackburne.
Hanham is remembered today for several innovations in the opening, particularly the Hanham Variation of Philidor’s Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nd7).
A writer in the New York Times, describing the players in the Sixth American Chess Congress (1889), portrayed him as follows: “Major Hanham is a little, nervous man, who hates to sit still. He won his title during the war of the rebellion. He was one of the dudes of the tournament, and was always dressed in the latest style, with a carefully polished silk hat and neatly trimmed beard.”
After 29. Qc1 Re6 30. Bd2!? Black’s answer was 30. .. Qe5?
What was the more deadly move?
Game of the Week
2021 Victor Palciauskas Tournament
A later analisis showed that move 15. Ke2 loses the game for White. However, a win needs to be carried home. Find the right move here to secure the win for Black.
Moskowitz, Bruce vs Schroeer, Egbert
Find the right move
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