The Towers of Grasshopper
Introduction
Welcome to another Grasshopper Antics! Today we will review two Grasshoppers protecting each other and how they will fall apart.
The Twin (Grasshopper) Towers
Two Grasshoppers protecting each other is dangerous, because for two Grasshoppers to protect each other, there must be a piece in between them, and the Grasshoppers must be 2 squares away from each other, and they don’t protect the piece in between. Think of it like this. There are two towers, and something is holding both of them together. If the stabilizer falls, each of the towers will fall in turn! That means it’s a good idea to have a stabilizer for the stabilizer, like a rook protecting another rook, in between the two Grasshoppers. In this position:
Black cannot capture the Grasshoppers, as the Rook is protecting them both and they are protecting each other, but the Rook doesn’t have a protector! Notice that if the Rook weren’t there, the Grasshoppers would be hanging, as there wouldn’t be anything for them to leap over anymore. Well, Black can eliminate the stabilizer, or in this case, the White Rook, and disconnect the two Grasshoppers. This is the position now:
Pretend that White makes a waiting move:
Even if he didn’t, he would still be able to save only one of his Grasshoppers. Black takes a Grasshopper:
White makes another waiting move, though he could’ve saved the Grasshopper with Gc4:
And Black charges toward the Grasshopper, picking it off on the next turn.
White tries to save the Grasshopper, but it is too late:
Black reaps his reward!
Goodbye
I hope you enjoyed Grasshopper Antics, Part 4! See you next time!
