The fascination of chess

There are three distinct phases to a chess game: the opening, middle and end game.

I say “distinct” as in separate: however, a weak opening positionally will set you back in the middle game and many an end game is already lost in the middle game.

The Grandmasters will study the openings for hours every day weighing up each variation but the club player like me will have his pet openings that best suits his style.

It’s the end game I find the most difficult.

You might have thought that with far less pieces on the board it would be easier, not more complex, but not so for me.

Yet the end game has a fascination all of its own.

The King that can only move one space at time and is carefully protected in the middle game becomes an essential piece.  Indeed his battle with the opposing king is known as ‘winning the opposition” and to  achieve that is essential to final victory.

I have shown an example here of a game now in its 62nd move.

I’m black and the white rook is paralysed to prevent me from queening my pawn.

My rook, tucked behind for protection, has more mobility. Yet I’m only a pawn up and white pawn is two moves from queening.

I was presented with a move selection over which I agonised. Should I move my centralised king – which was winning the opposition and guarding the white pawn – to attack the white rook?

I decided to do so as it’s my style to go for a win rather than a draw. The game is not over but white erred by wasting a crucial move by moving the king to support the pawn rather than advancing the pawn one space further.

I calculated that I can pull my rook back to cover the final rank and prevent queening. If necessary I can swap everything off except my remaining pawn which can queen.

The point is that taking the white pawn, which I did 10 moves ago to give me a small but crucial material advantage, was necessary for final victory.

It’s poring over a chess board, working out the endless permutations, which makes the game so fascinating.

I have to point out that not every opponent pores over the board as some use a computer software called Fritz which digests your position and provides the player with a best move.

This can result in the daft situation of Fritz playing Fritz.

For me chess is a recreation, a pastime, and a most enjoyable one in lockdown and I would rather go down with my game than win by computer.