Elementary Checkmates

During the COVID-19 seclusion, organizers in my city are still running youth chess tournaments. We are using a chess playing site and another protected site for posting pairings with the student names linked to the handles they use online. I create the pairings and email them to the tournament organizer. He posts them on the website. Then, the players having the White pieces send challenges to their opponents and the games begin. A group of coaches each watch a batch of games, and post the results in Slack, where we also communicate about problems--games not started, or the wrong time control, or errors reporting, or anything else.

Meanwhile, I have two computers working. One for SwissSys and email. The other for watching the games of those whom I coach. Both computers are logged in to Slack.

I was watching this game, which struck me as a complicated and dangerous position that could go either way.

Black to move

18...Bg7??

The horror. The horror.

I thought the student should have played 18...Bb4+ 19.Nc3 (19.Kf1 Qd1#) 19...dxc3 20.Qe5+ is White's only chance. (20.bxc3 Bxc3+! 21.Qxc3 Qxh4–+) 20...Kf7 and White can force a draw.

19.Qe7# 1–0

After losing that game, Black had White in the next round and a clear advantage.

White to move

39.Qe6? 

The student overlooked a forced checkmate.

39.Re8+ Kg7 40.Qe5+ Kh6 41.Rh8+ Kg6 42.Rg8+ Kh7 43.Qg7#

39...Qh4+ 40.Kg1 Qd4+

40...Qxe7 White is fighting for a draw.

41.Kh2

41.Qe3! wins 41...Qd1+ 42.Qe1 Qd4+ 43.Re3 Qxd5 44.Qf1+ Kg7 45.Rg3+ Kh7 46.Qb1+ Kh8 47.Qb2+ Qd4+ (47...Kh7 48.Qg7#) 48.Qxd4+ Kh7 49.Qh4#

41...Qf4+?

41...Qh4+ 42.Kg1 Qxe7 White is fighting for a draw.

White to move

42.Kh3!

I was proud of my student for finding this move. There are no more checks other than those that lose the queen.

42...Qf2

42...Qf5+ 43.Qxf5+ Kxe7 44.Qe6+ Kd8 45.g4 and the rest is easy.

Now, I am cheering at my computer screen. Find the simple checkmate that I have taught hundreds of times to children over the past twenty years.

43.Re8+ Kg7 44.Rg8+ Kh7 45.Qg6# 1–0

The student found it, and I sent a text message to all the parents of the team that I coach, that this student made my day!