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A Very Curious Discovery

DaBassie

Most games are forgotten and never to be seen again. Some few however stand the test of time, sometimes by pure random chance. I like the symbolics behind it. Now the entire lichess community knows this random game from the 1950's...

Also, black missed a golden chance for a beautiful checkmate. 26. ...Qxf2+ 27. Rxf2 Rd1#. Some might argue this isn't really checkmate, but if you play this sequence confidently enough, white surely won't notice.

Most games are forgotten and never to be seen again. Some few however stand the test of time, sometimes by pure random chance. I like the symbolics behind it. Now the entire lichess community knows this random game from the 1950's... Also, black missed a golden chance for a beautiful checkmate. 26. ...Qxf2+ 27. Rxf2 Rd1#. Some might argue this isn't really checkmate, but if you play this sequence confidently enough, white surely won't notice.
oSpiderKnighto

@DaBassie Doesn't work unforutnatly because White would play Qxd1

@DaBassie Doesn't work unforutnatly because White would play Qxd1
RajjSinghh

@DaBassie The "Test of time, pure random chance" part of your comment is accurate, but the community part is very funny. I mentioned I tracked the White player to a club in Cheltenham, England. I sent this game to their club shortly after writing this blog. The man who received my email was happy to receive it and had actually heard of the white player as a member, probably many years ago. Hopefully it brought some smiles and good memories back for his clubmates who would have played with him.

Which is, in my opinion, the best thing that can happen to us. None of us here are good enough to be remembered for our playing abilities, but having enough of an impact that your club members remember you many years later is very, very nice.

@DaBassie The "Test of time, pure random chance" part of your comment is accurate, but the community part is very funny. I mentioned I tracked the White player to a club in Cheltenham, England. I sent this game to their club shortly after writing this blog. The man who received my email was happy to receive it and had actually heard of the white player as a member, probably many years ago. Hopefully it brought some smiles and good memories back for his clubmates who would have played with him. Which is, in my opinion, the best thing that can happen to us. None of us here are good enough to be remembered for our playing abilities, but having enough of an impact that your club members remember you many years later is very, very nice.
CheckmateGamer_67

https://lichess.org/fide?q=Alex+Ivanov
Also founded this curious discovery......... 3 Alexey Ivanov(s) all from Russia btw.
Hope they are not a family

https://lichess.org/fide?q=Alex+Ivanov Also founded this curious discovery......... 3 Alexey Ivanov(s) all from Russia btw. Hope they are not a family
gardener23

I think this is very interesting.

I think this is very interesting.
Metagross31

Very nice post, thanks for sharing this almost-lost-to-time game with us :)

I wonder how many score sheets I have forgotten in books and chess sets all over the place in the past 18 years :D

Very nice post, thanks for sharing this almost-lost-to-time game with us :) I wonder how many score sheets I have forgotten in books and chess sets all over the place in the past 18 years :D
Hugo962

I really liked this post. I’ve come across handwritten notes in old books several times, and I always find it amazing to be able to access a small slice of the past that would otherwise have been forgotten. It makes me think about the lives of the people who wrote them... people who never imagined anyone would read their words so far in the future.

The fact that the game itself isn't particularly interesting it's not important; in fact, I find that preferable. Since it wasn't a high-level match the preservation of the scoresheet is all the more unlikely, and therefore all the more fascinating.

I really liked this post. I’ve come across handwritten notes in old books several times, and I always find it amazing to be able to access a small slice of the past that would otherwise have been forgotten. It makes me think about the lives of the people who wrote them... people who never imagined anyone would read their words so far in the future. The fact that the game itself isn't particularly interesting it's not important; in fact, I find that preferable. Since it wasn't a high-level match the preservation of the scoresheet is all the more unlikely, and therefore all the more fascinating.