Chess: White is six pieces ahead, but only an obscure route leads to checkmate in two

The traditional Hastings congress, now sponsored by Caplin, specialist providers of desktop etrading, will be online for 2021 this weekend with an 11-round all-play-all of England’s leading  grandmasters and masters.

It is rare for Michael Adams, the seven-time champion who has just won a web version of the national title, to take on Gawain Jones, David Howell, and the City of London trader Luke McShane in the same event.  Only Nigel Short, now semi-retired, and Matthew Sadler, busy as a writer and commentator, are missing of England’s 2600-plus rated grandmasters.

First prize is £1200, and the games can be viewed online at chess24.com/en and chessbomb.com starting at 1pm both Saturday and Sunday, with later games at 60-90 minute intervals.

Last weekend’s Airthings Masters had a surprise result after world champion Magnus Carlsen was knocked out in the quarter-finals.  Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan defeated Levon Aronian of Armenia in a peaceful version of the recent Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It is a remarkable comeback by the 33-year-old from Baku, who in 2013 failed badly in the world title candidates in London and then played little for several years.  Now his resilient defensive style is achieving impressive results, with very few defeats.

Puzzle 2401

White mates in two moves, against any defence. White has just a single pawn and all his pieces, Black a single pawn and no pieces. You would expect several mates in two here, but White's surprising first move is the only solution. (by Karl Skogsenden, 1970).

Click here for solution