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The Bouncing Knight from Outer Space

Is chess.com the best place in the galaxy to play chess, or not? No argument! And why? Because chess.com treats all us individuals like kings.

Just a few days ago I completed my 1000th game and, to celebrate, Erik et al  introduced Chess 960. Guys, you shouldn't have! I mean, I love the place anyway but this is just too much.

Of course I'd never played Chess 960 but I thought, “If they did all that just for me then I really should try it out.” And I did.

The first game was over in a trice. Five moves. Then my opponent got a bit discombobulated by the strange position, overlooked a bishop that was sitting in a place it had no right to sit, and lost a piece. Ah, well.

Then came my next game with the Knight from Outer Space. Well, I guess he was from outer space because my opponent was YouCoolAlien and we all know where aliens come from, don't we!

It's probably the most disastrous—and potentially the funniest—game I've ever played and as the Alien's steed leapt back and forth among my pawns, stealing, checking, forking the whole time, my poor old king suffered a bad attack of the collywobbles.

It was a clever attack with a lovely smothered mate at the finish.

My only regret is that the Alien did it to me and not I to him.

But Chess 960 is fun and I'll certainly be back for more.

Comments


  • 4 years ago

    Dozy

    starwraith:  Even though I lost it was one of the most fun games I've ever played.  I will also note that while this game went on, I won $135 on Pokerstars!! "

    That's a classic, starwraith ... you certainly got a laugh from me.  Losing can be painful but sometimes the position compensates for it.

    But it's interesting that your friend is dubbed mr_osmosis because I posted a piece about learning chess by osmosis.  You might enjoy it: http://blog.chess.com/Dozy/osmosismdashchess-mastery-made-easy

  • 4 years ago

    starwraith

    haha Dozy!  I agree this may be the funniest game of chess i've seen!  Thanks a lot for posting, it's good you can see the humor in losing this game.  One of the most fun games I've ever played was against a friend OTB -- I will copy and paste what I had written the day after:

    "mr_osmosis and I had a game last night (as we are neighbors), along with a few beers and some online poker.  It was a bit of a celebration because I'm graduating with an accounting degree tomorrow! 

    He got to play the white pieces while I took black.  Opened with the Sicilian defense and I believe he played the Bc4 line (e6, etc...).  It was slow to start but ended in fireworks.  I got careless and hung my QUEEN on the back rank, but surprisingly the game went on to an exciting finish.  At one point it was my two bishops vs. his two knights -- all four pieces lined up head to head on the queen side; (Nc3, Nc4, Bc5, Bc6) so it was going to be the battle of the minor pieces. [very cool to look at, never had a position arise quite like this] He was up two pawns at this point.  Anyway, after I hung my queen it ended up as my two rooks and two bishops vs. his Queen, rook, and knight.  I came up with a sequence to pin his queen to his king using my rook and bishop.  He captures my bishop with the queen, i capture the queen -- even he thought he was screwed at this point -- next move he checkmates me on the back rank (looking very surprised himself as the rook landed), capturing my rook with his.  We both had a great laugh.

    Even though I lost it was one of the most fun games I've ever played.  I will also note that while this game went on, I won $135 on Pokerstars!! "

  • 4 years ago

    Dozy

    davejitsu: My brain may be to small for 960

    LOL ... Tell me about it!  :-(

    On the other hand, now I have half a dozen games under my belt I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable.  It's a weird way to play chess, though.

  • 4 years ago

    davejitsu

    My brain may be to small for 960

  • 4 years ago

    Dozy

    acemaster56: Isn't that the Famed windmill  or does it require a discovered check from a bishop or queen behind the knight.

    It certainly is, acemaster.  I've never seen it done with a knight but it's definitely a windmill.  They're so rare, and so entertaining to watch, that I thought this was worth posting -- even if I was on the receiving end. Thanks for the comment.

  • 4 years ago

    acemaster56

    Isn't that the Famed windmill  or does it require a discovered check from a bishop or queen behind the knight.

  • 4 years ago

    qtsii

    Nice !

  • 4 years ago

    rich

    I've heard of the Bouncing bishop attack, but not this.

  • 4 years ago

    da_tornado

    Crazy knight.

  • 4 years ago

    farbror

    Wow! Some game!

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