CHESMAYNE

Midi: pmtf

 

 

Bad Bishop

 

 

 

“Riders on the Beach”, Paul Gauguin

A BS obstructed by your own mps or a BS that is trapped (:tra) behind your own mps which are on cells the same colour as the BS (either XL or XD cells).   If the mps are hemmed-in there will be cells of one colour (a colour weakness, :cow

) that neither the mps nor the BS can control.   If you have one BS in the endgame try to keep your BS on the opposite coloured cells to your mps.  Your BS will not be able to offer protection to the mps but will retain mobility.   If you see yourself heading for a :bd-BS endgame, see if you can exchange this BS before such a position arises.   See BS under Major Pieces.   A BS who is blocked by its own mps because the mps are positioned on cells of the same colour as the BSs cell.  

If a BS is hemmed in by PAs, and therefore has limited mobility, it is considered bad.    Bad bishop: a BS hemmed in by its own PAs, on the same colour cells.   Examples in the Bishops [link] handout and in the Canon.    A BS which runs along the same diagonals as ones which its own PAs are on and thus block it in and keep it from reaching its full potential.   

Bad BS: the one that you still have left on the board! 

 

How Bad is Your Chess?

  by Bill Wall

How bad is your chess?  No matter how bad you play, there is someone who is worse.   Here are some of my worst games (or my opponents).  With the popularity of chess over the Internet, you can really find some bad players who play bad chess.   Most of bad chess is from bad openings.

Can you get mated in 2 moves?  It’s an old trap (Fool’s Mate), but do people fall for it?    In 1996 my Internet opponent, Mr NK, lost in two moves after playing 1.f3 (not good) 1...e5 2.g4?? Qh4 mate.   It could have been the Grob with 1.g4 e5 2.f3?? Qh4 mate.   If you are going to play 1.f3, after 1...e5, play anything but 2.g4.  Try 2.c4 or 2.e4 or 2.g3 or 2.Nh3, but not 2.g4. 

Can you be mated in three moves?   In 1998 my Internet opponent, Cornwell, fell for a 3 move mate after I played 1.e4 and my opponent played g5 (a Michael Basman specialty) 2.d4 f6?? 3.Qh5 mate.  Black had to play 2...h6 or 2...Bg7 to make it a real game. 

Here is another mate in 3.  Nerd - Wall, Internet 1998.   1.f4 (giving me the Bird) 1...e5 (From’s Gambit) 2.g3? (White should accept the gambit with 2.fxe5 or play the KIs Gambit with 2.e4) 2...exf4 3.gxf4?? Qh4 mate. 

The fianchettoed BS can be dangerous and you need to pay attention to it’s threat.    The RO is worth more than the BS, so avoid moves like this……. 

Wall - Campelli, Dayton 1984.   1.b4 (the Polish or Sokolsky) 1...e6 (more usual is 1...e5) 2.Bb2 Bxb4??   3.Bxg7 wins the RO.   Black had to play something like  2...Nf6.   Now White needs to defend his b-pawn with 3.a3 or push it with 3.b5.  But not 2...Bxb4.  Even 2...f5 can be played.  Other 2^nd moves for Black have included 2...d5 or 2...a5 or 2...b6 or 2...Qh4, but not the greedy 2...Bxb4. 

Shevcenco - Wall, Internet 2000.   1.d4 b5 (the Polish reversed) 2.e3 (control the center and play.  2.e4) 2...Bb7 3.Bxb5? Bxg2 and Black wins the RO. 

Avoid hanging two pieces at once.  Jecates - Wall, Internet 1996.   1.Nf3 (the Reti) 1...d5 2.e4?! (you have to know how to play the gambit) 2...exf4 3.Bb5+?? c6.  Now what piece do you want to give me.   White had to play 3.Ng5 to play the proper gambit.   White now threatens to win his PA back.   Black can try a variety of moves such as 3...f5 or 3...Nf6 or 3...Qd5 or 3...e5 or 3...Bf5.  Just don’t play 3.Bb5+ and have your pieces attacked by PAs, losing at least one of them. 

Wall - Fingers, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.f3 Bb4 3.c3 Qh4+? 4.g3, and Black must lose a piece.   Hanging the QU and a piece is a common trap. 

Ronzel - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e4 e5 2.Qg4? (don’t bring your QU out early like this) 2...Nc6 3.Bc4?? d5 and Black wins a piece (the BS).  White’s QU is threatened by the Black BS on c8 that was just exposed after 3...d5, threatening the White BS on c4 at the same time.  The moves could have also been played 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 (BSs Opening) 2...Nc6 3.Qg4?? d5.  Almost anything could be played besides 3.Qg4 (which doesn’t even threaten mate like 3.Qf3 or 3.Qh5). 

MastaAce - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.e4 c5 (the Sicilian Defense) 2.Bc4 (usually KTs are developed before BSs) 2...Nc6 3.Qg4? (what do they see out there) d5 and now White must retreat the QU from attack of the Black BS on c8 and lose his BS on c4.

Cicada - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5 3.Qf3 Nc6 4.Qxf5 (poisoned PA) 4...d5, attacking the QU and BS at once.

Pocz - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qg4 (threatening 4.Qxg7) 3...Kf8  4.Nf3? d5, again threatening QU and BS.

Avoid exposing your KI too early.  DJR - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.h4?! (not the best way to control the center) 1...e5 2.f3? (that’s going to expose the KI) 2...Be7 (attacking the Rook Pawn on h4 twice.   That should be a signal to protect it) 3.Nc3?? Bxh4+ and White can’t avoid mate.  White should have played Nc3 on his 2^nd move.  That would have been much better than 2.f3.  Other 2^nd moves could have been 2.b3 or 2.d4 or 2.Nf3, but 2.f3 exposes the KI too much.  After 2...Be7 White had to play 3.g3 to stay in the game.

Here is another example of exposing the KI.  Texas Guy (not George W Bush) - Wall, Internet 1999.   1.b3 (Larsen’s Opening) 1...e5 2.d3 (usual is 2.Bb2.  White is exposing his KI) 2...Nc6 3.Na3? Bb4+.  Whoops.  White loses at least the KT after 4.Bd2 and now 4...Bxa3.   And if 4.c3 Bxc3+ wins the RO.

Protect your KI!  Here is another exposed KI.  Wall - Deaneo, Internet 1999.  1.e3 (not as aggressive as 1.e4, but I felt tired that day).   1...h6?! (take control of the center) 2.Bc4 f5?? 3.Qh5+ and White mates after 3...g6 4.Qxg6 mate.

Wall - Taterhole, Internet 1998.   1.d4 f5 (the Dutch) 2.e4 (the Staunton Gambit) 2...g6? (best to take with 2...fxe4) 3.exf5 gxf5?? 4.Qh5 mate

Don’t expose your KI and leave other pieces hanging.   Wall - Minion, Internet 2000.  1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 (usually not too good to bring the QU out early, but some players, such as Indiana master Bernie Parnham, can get away with this) 2...g6?? (what was he thinking or smoking?) 3.Qxe5+ and White wins the RO after 4.Qxh8.  Don’t expose your KI and get mated!

Millionaire - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.g4 (the Grob) 1...d5 2.b4? (2.h3 or 2.c4 would have been better) 2...Bxg4 3.Nc3 e5 4.f3?? Qh4 mate.

Wall - Shopboy, Internet 1998.  1.e4 g5 2.d4 Nc6? (protect your PAs) 3.Bxg5 f6?? 4.Qh5 mate

Wall - Paladin, Internet 1998.  1.e4 g6 2.Qf3 f5? 3.exf5 gxf5?? 4.Qh5 mate.

Scott - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.g4 d5 2.h3 e5 3.a4?! (White should follow up with 3.Bg2) 3...Bc5 4.f3?? Qh4 mate.

Wall - Neden, Internet 1998.  1.e4 f6?! 2.Nf3 g5? 3.Nxg5 (sacrifice if you can mate) 3...fxg5??  4.Qh5 mate. 

Wall - Nobel, Internet 1999.  1.b3 c6 2.Bb2 f6?! 3.e3 h6?? 4.Qh5+ and mate after 4...g6 5.Qxg6 mate.

Have an escape route for your pieces.  Sometimes the KT hops all over the board without thinking about an escape route.  This is one of the most common traps.

Wall - Lovegren, Dayton 1980.  1.e4 Nc6 (Nimzovich Defense) 2.d4 e5 3.d5 Nd4? (time to retreat to 3...Nb8 or play 3...Nce7) 4.c3 and the Black KT is trapped.

Wall - Walthour, Dayton 1983.  1.b4 d5 2.Bb2 Nc6?! 3.b5 Nb4? (time to retreat back to c8) 4.a3, trapping the KT.

Wall - Oz, Internet 1996.  1.d4 d5 2.e4 (trying to make it into a Blackmar Diemer Gambit).  2...Nf6 3.e5 Ne4? 4.f3, trapping the KT.

WMM - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 (the Queen Pawn Counter Gambit or Elephant Gambit) 3.Nc3 d4 4.Nd5 c6, trapping the KT.

Wall - R. Andrews, Internet 1996.  1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 Nf6 3.e5 Ne4? 4.f3, winning the KT.

Wall - Jeed, Internet 1998.  1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 g6 3.d5 Ne5? 4.f4.  Thanks for the gift.

Wall - Prits, Internet 2000.  1.e4 g5 2.d4 Nf6? 3.e5 Ne4? (other KT moves allow 4.Bxg5) 4.f3, and the KT goes.

Firstblood - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.a3 d4 4.Nb5? a6, winning the KT.

Avoid bringing the QU out too early, especially if it gets pinned in front of the KI.  Memo - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e4 e5 2.d4 (the Center Opening) 2...exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6.  4.Qc3?? (best is 4.Qe3) 4...Bb4, pinning and winning the QU.

Wall - Mike, Internet 1996.  1.e4 d5 (the Center Counter Defense) 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qc6??.  (usual is 3...Qa5 or 3...Qd8) 4.Bb5.  Thanks for the QU.

Wall - Leery, Internet 2000.  1.e4 d6 2.Nc3 Qd7 3.d4 Qc6?? 4.Bb5, winning the QU.

Sometimes bringing out the QU too early just gets it trapped.  NK - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e3 e5 2.Qf3?! (hoping for 3.Bc4 and 4.Qxf7 mate) 2...d5.  3.c4 (hoping for 3...dxc4 4.Bxc4 and 5.Qxf7 mate) 3...e4.  4.Qf4?? Bd6 trapping the QU.  White has 13 legal QU moves and loses the QU on all moves.

Of course, one must avoid Scholar’s Mate with the BS and QU.  Wall - Rumpleboy, Internet 1996.  1.e4 h5?! 2.Bc4 g6 3.Qf3 Bh6?? (or 3...Bg7) 4.Qxf7 mate. 

Avoid bringing out that QU too early, then getting attacked by threatening 2 pieces at once.  BRJ - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 (looking for an easy mate with 4.Qxf7).  3...g6 4.Qg4? (or 4.Qh3) d5, winning the BS if White wants to save the QU.

Ford - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Qf3 d6 4.Qa3? d5, attacking QU and BS.

Watch out for exposing your RO, a common trap.  Kytril - Wall, Internet 1996.  1.e4 e5 2.b3 Bc5 3.Bb2 Qh4 (threatening mate with 4...Qxf2).  4.g3? (not the best way to avoid mate) 4...Qxe4+, winning the RO after 5...Qxh1.

Wall - Hellsaa, Internet 1998.  1.e4 a5?! 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Qf3 b6?? 4.e5.  If the KT moves at f6, then 5.Qxf7 mate.  White is also threatening 5.Qxa8, winning the RO.

Wall - Patch, Internet 1998.  1.e4 f6?! 2.Bc4 b6? (exposes the RO, and the KI is exposed).  3.Qh5+ g6 4.Qd5, threatening mate with 5.Qf7 mate or winning the RO with 5.Qxa8.

Wall - Adowbor, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 c6 3.Qh5 (threatening 4.Qxf7 mate) g6?? 4.Qxe5+ and playing 5.Qxh8 next, winning the RO.

Wall - Merlin, Internet 1998.  1.d4 d6 2.g4 Bxg4 3.Bg2 h5? 4.Bxb7, winning the RO.

Wall - Runaway, Internet 1998.  1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 e4 3.e3 Bxb4? 4.Bxg7, wins the RO.

Bamsemums - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.c4 Bc5 3.b3 Qh4 (threatening 4...Qxf2 mate) 4.g3? Qxe4+, winning the RO.

BJ - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.c4 e6 2.Nh3 Bc5 3.b3 Qf6 4.Ba3 Bd4, winning the RO or other material.  If 5.Nc3 Bxc3 wins the KT.  If 6.dxc3 Qxc3+ 7.Qd2 Qxa1, winning the RO.

Wall - Douglas, Internet 1999.  1.Nc3 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 b6? 4.Qe4+, winning the RO.

Nipigon - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 Nc6 2.f4 e5 (a KIs Gambit Declined) 3.fxe5? Qh4+ 4.g3 Qxe4+, winning the RO.

Avoid getting two pieces attacked by one enemy PA.  Wall - Lough, Internet 1998  1.e4 e5 2.f4 (the KIs Gambit) 2...Bd6 (best to accept it with 2...exf4) 3.Nf3 Nf6? 4.fxe5, winning a piece.

Dock - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 g5 2.Qh5 h6 3.Nf3? (blocking in the QU) 3...Nf6 4.Qh3 g4, winning the KT after 5.Qg3 gxf3.

Protect the KI, especially from the BS-QU combination.  Wall - Stryker, Internet 1998.  1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 Qc7 3.Qf3 h5? 4.Qxf7+ and after 4...Kd8, White wins a piece with 5.Qxf8.

Icool - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.d3 Bc5 3.c3 Qf6 (watch out for the BS-QU combination) 4.b4?? Qxf2 mate. 

Wall - Gaming, Internet 1998.  1.e4 b6 (Owen’s Defense) 2.Qf3 g6 3.Bc4 (look out) 3...Bb7?? 4.Bxf7 mate (or 4.Qxf7 mate).

Wall - Saskia, Internet 1998.  1.e4 g6 2.Qf3 Bg7 3.Bc4 Nf6?? 4.e5.  If the KT moves to a wrong square, then White plays 5.Qxf7 mate.  He could play 4...Nd5, but 5.Qxd5 wins the KT and still threatens mate.

Wall - VoltageMan, Internet 1999.  1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 d6 3.Bc4 Nf6?? 4.Qxf7 mate

Nimble - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Qf6 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Nd5?? (hoping for 4...Qe6 5.Nxc7, winning the QU) 4...Qxf2+ and after 5.Kd1 5...Qxf1 mate.

Giants - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.h4 Qf6 4.Nd5?? Qxf2 mate.

Avoid the KI and QU getting forked by the KT.  So embarrassing to see the KI and QU both getting forked.  Carlitosos - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.e4 Nh6 (a drunken KT) 2.Qe2 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nd4 4.Qe3?? (time to retreat back to d1 and protect the c2 square) 4...Nxc2+ and winning the QU.

Avoid getting the QU and a piece forked by a KT.  Wall - Sioux, Internet 1998.  1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 (the Vienna Opening) 2...Bb4 3.Qg4 (attacking the g7 square) 3...Qf6? 4.Nd5, forking QU and BS on b4.  If 4...Qd6, then 5.Qxg7 wins the RO.

Nek - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.e3 d5 2.Qh5 e6 3.Bd3 c6 4.Bxh7? Nf6, forking QU and BS.  The BS is attacked by 2 pieces and must fall.

Sometimes pieces are just plain free.  Goofy - Wall, Internet 1998.  1.a4 e5 2.Na3 Bc5 3.d3 Qh4 (threatening 4...Bxf2 or 4...Qxf2).  4.Be3?? Bxe3.  A free piece since 5.fxe3 cannot be played.  After 5.g3 Qb4+ 6.c3 Qxb2 7.fxe3 Qxc3+, Black maintains his material advantage. 

Avoid hanging a piece because you forgot your opponent could check.  Timotic - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.e4 d5 (the Center Counter Defense) 2.Nc3 d4 (transposing to a Dunst opening - 1.Nc3 d5 2.e4 d4) 3.Nb5 (usual is 3.Nce2) 3...c5 4.d3? (exposing the KI to check) 4...Qa5+ and winning the KT on b5.

Smoke - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.d4 g6 2.Nc3 c5 3.Bf4 Bg7 4.Nb5? (threatening 5.Nc7+ and winning the RO, or 5.Bc7, winning the QU) 4...Qa5+ with check and winning the KT after 5...Qxb5.

Look to see if your opponent can check you, or mate you!  Wall - Bullster, Internet 1999.  1.b3 g5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e3 b6?? 4.Qh5 mate.

Wall - Joco, Internet 1999.  1.b3 f6 2.Bb2 h6 3.e3 Nc6?? 4.Qh5+ and it’s mate after 4...g6 5.Qxg6 mate.

Watch the fianchettoed BS and any attack aimed at the RO.  Fugazi - Wall, Internet 1999.  1.c4 g5 2.d3 Bg7 3.Bxg5 (a poison PA) 3...Bxb2 4.Nc3 (hoping for 4...Bxa1 5.Qxa1) Bxc3+! (better than 4...Bxa1) and White still wins the RO.

Wall - Merack, Internet 2000.  1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 e4 3.e3 Bxb4?? 4.Bxg7 wins the RO.  Avoid Noah’s Ark trap.  That’s getting the BS trapped by the PAs.

Destroyer - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.e4 c5 2.Bc4 a6 3.Qh5 (threatening 4.Qxf7 mate) 3...e6 4.Ne2? (closing the escape route for the BS) 4...b5 and the BS is trapped after 5.Bb3 c4.

Don’t lose material over a lost tempo.  Judson - Wall, Internet 2000.  1.d4 d5 2.c3 Nf6 3.Nh3?! Bxh3 4.Qa4+? (White should gain his material back with 4.gxh3) 4...Bd7.  And Black saves his piece while attacking White’s QU.