Are You Ready for Some . . . ?
Spectator sports, American-style
I like to play chess with old men in the park, but it’s hard to find thirty-two of them.
— Emo Phillips
I read on the Interwebs that some rich guy in India is starting an international professional team chess competition, the Global Chess League. Six teams of six players each, with names like the Mumbai Masters and the Alpine Warriors, playing each other in a round-robin format for a flashy-looking trophy. I am not making this up. They’ve attracted some of the biggest names on the world woodpushing circuit, received the blessing of the international federation (FIDE, the Fédération Internationale des Échecs), and have just completed their trial-balloon inaugural season in Dubai. The hope is to build franchise identities and fan followings and turn it into a big-league spectator sport, with commercial sponsorships and TV contracts and merchandise sales. Yes, chess.
Now, maybe something like this can go over in places like Mumbai and the Alps. But I think they’d need to make a few changes in the format if they want it to catch on with American sports fans. I mean, these are people for whom soccer is too slow. I’ve been trying to imagine what an American professional chess league would look like. Maybe something like this:
Hello again, everybody, and welcome to your Tuesday Night NCL Game of the Week. I’m Rudy Lopez alongside the great Casper Garrikov. A sellout crowd on hand here at Bughouse Arena in scenic downtown Secaucus, and they’re ready to rumble for tonight’s showdown match between the hometown New Jersey Crushers and the visiting Seattle Knighthawks. The tailgate parties have been going on for hours, and it’s a raucous atmosphere here in the old Bughouse. And Casper, a lot to dissect as we get ready for this huge match.
That’s right, Rudy, these are two closely matched teams, fighting it out for that crucial last playoff spot on the road to the coveted Morphy Cup. Seattle comes in clinging to a half-game lead in the standings, so all they need is a draw tonight to lock up that final playoff berth. But they’re a bit banged up after that exhausting 58-move endgame loss last week to the Memphis Blitz. That fatigue might become a factor as this game goes along.
For the Crushers, they’ve been on a roll with two wins and a draw in their last three outings, but tonight it’s win or go home, so expect to see them come out fighting right from the opening move. Looking forward to some hard-hitting, physical chess from both teams tonight.
And of course, a classic confrontation between these opposing kings, Magnusen and Nathananda, who’ve given us so many epic battles over the years. Let’s go down to Harmony Bethman at boardside for the lineups and the latest update on these two squads.
Thanks, Rudy, well there you see the Crushers’ lineup, led of course by the Chairman of the Board himself, the great Carlos Magnusen, along with Latifah Knowles at the queen spot. On the kingside the renowned knight-and-bishop duo of Otto “The Fork” Springer and Lorenzo “The Stiletto” Fegatello, and over on the queenside it’s bishop Stan Boleshevsky and knight Alex Gligoruyko. In the corners of course the mighty Smash Brothers, Nimzolyubov and Bogovich. Up front it’s a solid forward line, anchored by the center pair of KP Mick Short and QP Nigel Taal, known affectionately to the New Jersey fans as Mutt and Jeff.
For king Vishnu Nathananda’s Seattle Knighthawks, some last-minute shuffling in the back rank. Vishy was telling me before the game they’ve been having some interference problems on the kingside; the bishop and rook, Grimshaw and Nowotny, can’t seem to stay out of each other’s way. So tonight he’s switching Loyd Grimshaw over to the queenside and sliding the regular queen’s bishop, Lars Bentsen, into the KB spot, hoping for better coordination. So we’ll be keeping an eye on how that works out as this game progresses. Rounding out the Seattle back rank are knights Philidor de Labordelaise and Rahul Casabranca and queen’s rook Roscoe Boznovsky. And of course let’s not forget queen Khaleesi Tchigaryen, a two-sport star crossing over from the Continental Cyvasse Association.
Up forward in the second rank, they’ll be without their veteran KB pawn, Henry “Poppinfresh” Pillsbury, sidelined tonight after a bone-jarring capture in last week’s endgame by Memphis’ Leon Teprosian. In his place tonight will be the rookie, Buddy Renko, a first-round draft pick out of Scheveningen University. And there on your screen you see the rest of the Seattle pawn line. That’s about it from down here, back up to you, Rudy and Casper.
Thanks, Harmony, and let’s have a look at the opening betting line, brought to you by Blackburne Shilling, the official gaming partner of the NCL. There you see New Jersey the favorite at -260 and Seattle at +150, meaning your $100 wager pays $250 if the Knighthawks win tonight. And don’t forget to play tonight’s Wager of the Night: will the game go more or less than 24½ moves? Just use the QR code you see on your screen to get started, and remember, when you sign up with Blackburne Shilling, your first play is always free.
And here come the teams taking the board, the Knighthawks in their visiting black and the Crushers in the home whites, and we’re just moments away from the opening move. There’s the signal from the umpire starting the home clock. A quick glance between the New Jersey center pawns, and it’s the king’s pawn, Short, jumping forward two squares. And we’re underway here at the Bughouse. Most of the world would call that move e4, but here in the States of course we like to do things our own way, so we’ll continue to use the old, traditional descriptive notation, 1 P–K4. Luigi Benoni, the Seattle king’s pawn, matching it with a two-square jump (1…P–K4) of his own. Benoni one of the mainstays of that Seattle front eight, fourth in the league in piece kills, second in en passants.
And already we can see hints of Seattle’s game plan, Rudy, aiming for the draw with a more classical King’s Game instead of their familiar fighting Sicilian Defense. We’ll see what the Crushers can do to steer things in a sharper direction.
There’s Otto Springer, the king’s knight, looking over at Magnusen for the sign. His mount, Desperado, anticipating it too, already starting to crouch for the leap . . . but no, it’s Nigel Taal, the queen’s pawn, taking his initial jump (2 P–Q4) instead. New Jersey choosing to go for a Center Game. What do you make of it, Casper?
Well it’s certainly an unusual choice, Rudy. Seattle just about has to take that queen’s pawn or give up the center, but without Springer out there first for support it’ll have to be the queen, Latifah Knowles, on the recapture. That puts her out in the center of the board where she’s an easy target for a Seattle counterattack. You have to wonder what Carlos has up his sleeve.
Well, we’ll find out soon enough. There’s the capture by Benoni (2…PxP) as expected, and the Knighthawks draw first blood. Taal dusts himself off and trots over to the New Jersey bench, he’s done for the night. Knowles getting ready to retake. But wait—Magnusen waves her off and signals to the QB pawn, Victor Kramchik, to step up to the third rank instead (3 P–QB3).
It’s a Danish Gambit, Rudy! A Danish Gambit! Sacrificing another pawn! You can hear the audible gasp from the crowd. We knew the Crushers would come out aggressive, but I don’t think anyone expected anything like this. There hasn’t been a Danish played in this league in…well I don’t know how long, but it’s certainly quite a while.
Not since way back in 1957, according to our crack research team, by the Boston Terriers against the old Chicago Bulldozers. And now the question is, does Seattle go ahead and take that second pawn?
Well, you know what old Will Steinmetz always said: the way to refute a gambit is to accept it.
Right you are, Casper, and it looks like that’s just what Vishy’s decided to do. There’s the second capture by Benoni (3…PxP), putting New Jersey two pawns down after just three moves. The crowd buzzing with anticipation, waiting to see where Magnusen goes from here. And it’s the Stiletto, king’s bishop Lorenzo Fegatello, developing out to the fourth rank (4 B–B4). Fegatello staring down menacingly at that rookie KB pawn, Renko.
Now does Benoni take the third pawn? Boleshevsky, the New Jersey queen’s bishop, eyeing him getting ready for the retake, but no, it’ll be the Seattle king’s knight, Labordelaise, getting into the game with his natural developing leap (4…N–KB3).
Yeah, Vishy doesn’t like the looks of that third pawn capture. That exchange would put another New Jersey bishop commanding that long, central diagonal aimed right at the Seattle kingside. So instead he just quietly develops a piece and puts some pressure on that Crusher center pawn, Short.
And now it’s the New Jersey queen’s knight, Gligoruyko, jumping in with the capture (5 NxP) to give Short some support out there in the center. That’s one of the gambit pawns recovered.
So that’ll do it for Benoni. Not a bad night’s work, short but sweet: two captures in three moves, that’ll look good on the scoresheet. And here comes the Seattle king’s bishop out to his fourth rank (5…B–B4).
That’s Lars Bentsen, usually the queen’s bishop, but as Harmony was telling us, he’s playing out of his normal position tonight, over on the kingside instead. We said we’d be keeping an eye on him, and here he is getting right into the action early.
Now Springer, the New Jersey king’s knight, finally gets to make that developing leap of his (6 N–B3), and the Seattle queen’s pawn, Hector Porchnoy, steps up a square (6…P–Q3) to open the gate for the other bishop, Grimshaw. Magnusen peering out, reading the board. What do you make of it, Casper?
Well they’re still down a pawn, of course, from the gambit opening, but they’ve got plenty of compensation: three pieces and a pawn out dominating the center, lots of long, open lines for those bishops and queen. Carlos is obviously looking for a quick attack before the Hawks can get those queenside pieces rolling, but I think he’ll probably want to castle first. Better safe than sorry.
You called it, Casper, that’s just what he does (7 O–O). That’s what makes you such a keen analyst of the game. And now Nathananda does the same (7…O–O). A little respectful nod and a grin there across the board between these two veteran kings who’ve faced each other so many times before. And now the home fans—the famous New Jersey Seventeenth Man—raising a chant of “Let’s Go, Crushers,” anticipating the coming onslaught. And sure enough, there’s Springer spurring his mount up to the fifth rank (8 N–KN5).
No surprise, Rudy, the Fork and the Stiletto, Springer and Fegatello, ganging right up on the rookie.
The Seattle rook’s pawn, Marcus Botvinsky, steps up (8…P–KR3) to put the question to Springer. What’s Otto going to do? Does he advance, retreat, capture? And there’s your answer! Down goes Renko (9 NxBP). A short outing for the rookie, never left his home square.
It’s one of the oldest plays in the book, Rudy—knight and bishop for rook and pawn. Nowotny with a clean, hard hit (9…RxN) and that’ll do it for Springer. Put a Fork in him, he’s done.
And now here’s a surprise, instead of Fegatello taking back to complete that four-man swap, it’s Short, the king’s pawn again, pushing forward (10 P–K5) to attack the knight, Labordelaise. New Jersey now down a whole piece.
Oh, some pretty sharp tactics there, Rudy. The Seattle rook, Nowotny, isn’t going anywhere because the Stiletto has him pinned to the king. Meanwhile Porchnoy, the queen’s pawn, doesn’t dare capture Short because he’s the only thing standing between Latifah Knowles and the undefended Seattle queen, Tchigaryen. Just the kind of precision teamwork these Crushers are known for.
So Labordelaise has no choice but to look for an escape, and there he goes up the knight’s file toward the castled king (10…N–N5). And now Short pushes again (11 P–K6), this time threatening the rook, Nowotny! He’s having quite a night for himself, isn’t he, Casper?
Just what you’d expect from an all-league pawn of his caliber, Rudy.
Seattle desperately looking for some counterplay, and it’s the queen, Khaleesi Tchigaryen, cruising all the way up the diagonal to the side of the board (11…Q–R5).
Trying to take the sting out of the New Jersey attack with a mating threat of her own, down there against the Crushers’ KR pawn, Karl Shlechertort, looking to draw him forward and loosen Magnusen’s castled position. Khaleesi showing some of the active play she brought over from the Cyvasse Association. They don’t call her the Dragon Queen for nothing.
Magnusen standing there in his castle, looking unflappable as always. He gives Schlechertort a shake of the head and points out to Short instead, and there’s a solid takedown by Short on the burly rook, Nowotny (12 PxR+). Who says chess isn’t a contact sport? I’ll tell you what, for a pawn his size, that Short doesn’t back down from anybody.
Yeah, Nowotny will be feeling that one tomorrow. And of course that’s also check, so Nathananda has to drop everything else and deal with it immediately. Vishy steps in front of Short (12…K–B1) to block him off that promotion rank, and that gives the New Jersey queen’s bishop, Boleshevsky, time to slide out to the fourth rank (13 B–B4) and give Schlechertort some cover.
So much for the Seattle mating threat, at least for the moment. So Labordelaise just swings his mount around the other way and takes down the KB pawn, Alexei Tartakovich, instead (13…NxBP). Now he’s threatening the Crushers’ queen, Latifah Knowles. She takes a little diagonal step up onto the open king’s file (14 Q–K2), ratcheting up the pressure on Labordelaise. He’s now attacked three times, defended only twice.
So Labordelaise just jumps back where he came from (14…N–N5+), clearing the diagonal and discovering check by the bishop, Bentsen. Magnusen sidesteps into the corner (15 K–R1), out of the line of fire.
I think I see what Vishy’s up to, Casper. Remember, all he needs is a draw tonight to clinch that playoff berth. He’s going for a perpetual check: Labordelaise can just jump back up and check again (…N–B7+). Magnusen comes out of the corner (K–N1), Labordelaise goes back; back and forth, all Labordelaise has to do is repeat it three times and it’s a draw, and the Knighthawks are playoff-bound.
But wait! He didn’t repeat the check! Instead it’s Grimshaw, the queen’s bishop, stepping up to the second rank (15…B–Q2)! What’s going on, Casper? Why didn’t Seattle just repeat the perpetual and draw the game?
It doesn’t work, Rudy. Magnusen doesn’t have to come out of the corner. Remember, that capture by Short against Nowotny a couple of moves ago opened up the king’s file. If Labordelaise checked again, the rook, Nimzolyubov, could just take him. Bentsen could take back, of course, winning the Exchange, but then there’d be nothing to stop Latifah Knowles from charging up that open file and mating on the eighth rank (Q–K8≠), supported by Short who’s still sitting pretty up there on the seventh with Fegatello behind him on the diagonal. So the Hawks can’t afford to go for the perpetual, they have to do something to cover that mating square.
I didn’t see that, Casper, which is why Vishy Nathananda is a future Hall of Famer and I’m sitting up here with you in the broadcast booth. Now the other New Jersey rook, Bogovich, rumbles over out of the other corner (16 QR–K1) to double up behind Knowles on the open file. And here comes the Seattle queen’s knight, Rahul Casabranca the Galloping Goan, charging over to help out on the kingside (16…N–QB3)—but I don’t think he can get there in time.
No, but he also clears the back rank for the queen’s rook, Boznovsky, to defend the mating square.
And Knowles goes ahead with it anyway (17 Q–K8+)! A queen sacrifice! You see the electronic check detector lighting up the king’s square.
Yeah, they didn’t have technology like that back in my day, Rudy. It’s a different game nowadays.
The take by Boznovsky (17…RxQ), and it’s the pawn, Short, on the recapture, with check (18 PxR=Q+). That’s Short’s eleventh career promotion, the leader among active pawns. Latifah still standing there at boardside, she’s just come off and hasn’t even had time to head over to the New Jersey bench. She just turns and hands the crown to Short. He puts it on his head, and the Crushers have their queen back.
He doesn’t get to keep that crown for long, though. The Knighthawks have only one legal move, the recapture by Grimshaw (18…BxQ), and Mick Short’s night is finally done. And here it comes, the final crusher—Boleshevsky takes Porchnoy (19 BxQP≠), and it’s all over! Checkmate, New Jersey! The Crushers are in the playoffs! The home fans swarming out of the stands, and they’re picking Stan Boleshevsky up and carrying him off the board.
And what a beautiful mate it is, Rudy! It’s a double check by the bishop and rook, Boleshevsky and Nimzolyubov, so the Knighthawks can’t take them both, can’t block them both, and Vishy has nowhere to go. The Smash Brothers commanding those adjacent open files, the bishops raking adjacent diagonals. One rook giving the check, the other guarding a flight square; one bishop checking, the other guarding a flight square. As pretty a mating position as you’ll ever see. What a magnificent team performance by the New Jersey Crushers!
It’s time for the Blackburne Shilling Man of the Match, and I don’t think there’s any doubt about it, Casper. The New Jersey king’s pawn, Mick Short, with a spectacular night. Just look at that stat line: two piece threats, two captures, two checks, a promotion, and a game-winning sacrifice. He’ll remember this one for a long, long time. And of course, for winning that award, he’ll be receiving $1000 in free play vouchers from Blackburne Shilling, the official gaming partner of the National Chess League. And by the way, tonight’s game came in at 19 moves, so those of you who took the under on the Wager of the Night, you’re a winner! And now let’s go down to boardside, where Harmony Bethman is standing by with tonight’s Man of the Match, Mick Short.
Thanks, Rudy. And Mick, you’re headed for the playoffs after this dramatic win tonight. How are you feeling right now?
Oh, wow, Harmony, I can’t really put it into words. It’s incredible, just incredible. I want to thank the Supreme Being, and of course my teammates and our incredible king, Carlos Magnusen, calling the plays. And a special shout to my incredible roomie, Nigel Taal. His incredible gambit sacrifice over there on the queen’s file was what made this all possible. So all credit to Nigel and Carlos and the rest of the team, and of course to the Supreme Being. Incredible.
Well, that about wraps it up. It’s been quite a night here at the Bughouse. Don’t forget to tune in next week for the opening playoff match between the San Diego Storm and the Milwaukee Kingslayers. And of course coming up this weekend, the North American Parcheesi Open. Check your local listings. And now for Casper Garrikov and Harmony Bethman, this is Rudy Lopez saying good night from Secaucus. Once again the final result, the New Jersey Crushers mate in 19 moves over the Seattle Knighthawks. Good night, everybody!
[Adapted (very) freely from “Last Round,” by Kester Svendsen, originally published in Chess World magazine (1947); reprinted in Irving Chernev, The Chess Companion (Simon and Schuster 1968, reissued in 2015). The game itself was actually played between Rezso Charousek and Jakob Wollner in 1893.]
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“Are You Ready for Some . . . ?” by Stephen Chernicoff is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
