Plane of the Week and Weekly Newsletter 9/23/2025

PLANES & CHESS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

9/23/2025

Plane of the Week: The YAL-1

Due to time constraints, the debate (Military Plane vs Commercial Plane) will now be published biweekly. In addition, we will alternate military/commercial for the singular Plane of the Days. We apologize for the inconvenience. For now, you can debate if the YAL-1 project should have been cut short!

What’s more awesome than a Boeing 747? It’s a massive, double decker, four-engined aviation legend that is an absolute icon of an aircraft. Well, I know what’s better: A massive, double-decker, four-engined plane equipped with a colossal megawatt-rated airborne laser! That’s exactly what the US Air Force’s YAL-1 was all about. Constructed on the fuselage of a retired Air India Boeing 747-400F acquired by the Air Force in 2001, it was converted for military use and outfitted with a large Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) and two kilowatt-class Target Illuminator Lasers. The lasers were designed to take out enemy missiles at takeoff, and “fry” planes out of the air. Ground testing was completed in 2004, and on August 18th, 2009, the YAL-1 successfully fired its first aerial test. On February 11th, 2010, the YAL-1 made history by destroying a liquid-fueled ballistic missile in flight, a world first. Sadly, the project was cancelled shortly thereafter due to cost concerns. Nonetheless, the YAL-1 was an incredible piece of technology and one of the most interesting aircraft I’ve ever seen.

Gambit of the Week: The Albin Countergambit

The Albin Countergambit involves a pawn sacrifice and a brilliant underpromotion for Black. Starting with d4, d5, c4, and e5, White typically takes on e5. But after d4, White is usually tempted to play the seemingly natural move, e3. But this leads the way to Bb4+, and followed by Bb2 and dxe3, you now gambit the bishop. After Bxb4, you play the great exf2+. If White captures, you grab their queen, so they might instead resort to Ke2, still defending the queen. Here is where the brilliance starts. If you captured the knight and promoted to a queen, White could simply capture your other queen on d1 with check , and after you recapture, take your newly promoted queen. Instead, you underpromote to a knight, giving a check, so now White is forced to take on g1. You now play Bg4+ and skewer the King to the queen, forcing it out of the castle’s safety (as, if White moves back to e1, Qxd1+ is near checkmate).

News

Indian Championship Begins (9/21/2025): The Indian National Chess championship , hosted at Vighnan University, has begun.

Weekly Chess Riddle 

I'm not a single piece, but a collective threat,

 a trap that ensnares, so the king can't get

 away from the danger, no matter the cost,

 for when I am built, the game is lost.

What am I?

Trophies will be awarded to the first correct answer. The answer and explanation will be in the next edition.

Previous Riddle Answer:

The correct answer was an exchange sacrifice. An exchange sacrifice sacrifices a rook for a knight or a bishop.
                                                                                                                                                                      

Club Happenings

(Red color means "new" club news)

New Members: Planes & Chess would like to welcome our two newest members, @Avgeek12 and @F-15isbestjetever! We have now surpassed 30 members!

Join Club Match: A club match against Proteam Chess Club is starting soon, but we need more members. Please join via the Tournament Tracker section of this edition; registration closes in a few days.

Share Plane Photos: We now have a forum where you can share photos of planes you've seen, and also get help identifying the type of aircraft from photos or descriptions.

Dogfight Chess: Please join the latest Planes & Chess Dogfight Chess Tournament!

Vote Chess: We are playing in numerous vote chess matches against KLM Airlines, ISM Chess Crew, Baseball Chess Crew, and others. Good luck and play well!                                                                                                                          

Tournament Tracker  

Dogfight Chess (Status: open for registration): 

https://www.chess.com/tournament/planes-chess-presents-dogfight-chess-no-3

Club Daily Match (Status: open for registration) NEED MORE PLAYERS URGENTLY:

https://www.chess.com/club/matches/planes-and-chess/1844565

Regular Daily Chess (Status: open for registration):

https://www.chess.com/tournament/planes-chess-presents-daily-chess

Chess960 Daily Chess (Status: open for registration): 

https://www.chess.com/tournament/planes-chess960

Vote Chess (Status: open for registration):

https://www.chess.com/votechess/game/374078

Member Activity

@CheckerTails31 was most active member this week, maintaining a 3-week activity streak! @Checkertails and @Lucasli17 also were the top debaters this week! Impressive!           

To compete to be listed, post in the forums, chat, answer the riddle, and partake in other club-related activities.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Editor’s Note

Happy fall, and welcome to the tenth edition of the Planes & Chess Weekly Newsletter! I would like to welcome our new members! We continue to work out changes to be compatible with our survey responses. Changes we will be making will be announced in the Club Happenings Section and/or a separate announcement as they happen.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed this edition. All suggestions for Plane of the Week and other Newsletter suggestions can be placed in the Suggestions Center forum. Have a great day!