Carlsen vs. Gates, mate in 9

[hfojvt]

Last edited Sat Jan 25, 2014, 04:45 PM - Edit history (1)

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/pluggedin/bill-gates-obliterated-chess-champ-just-over-one-174129124.html

Bill Gates playing chess against a world champion.
Gates is playing white.

1. E2-E4 B8-C6
I decided a few years ago that I would always open with E2-E4 given a chance. As such, I've played thousands of games with this opening and know, in general, the variations

2. G1-F3? D7-D5
I don't know that Gates made a bad move there, but I would not have done that. I would have gone D2-D4. If my opponent gives me the center, I will take it.

3. F1-D3?? G8-F6
I see no advantage to bringing out that bishop there. I'd have been much more likely to either goto E5, or, as Gates eventually does next, take the pawn

4. E4-D5 D8-D5

5. B1-C3 D5-H5
That's what I would have done, threaten the queen with the knight, but at this point I would either move my bishop to E2 or B5, threatening either the queen or pinning the knight. Capablanca claimed that the bishop is more valuable than the knight, and made a good case for it, but I find, at my level, that knights are very dangerous, as Carlsen shows in the next few moves. Gates instead does exactly what Carlsen is expecting him to do - he castles.

6. E1-G1 C8-G4!
Not a huge threat, but more so because of the foolish placement of the bishop.

7. H2-H3 C6-E5!!
By now Gates should know that something is up. A guy like Carlsen is not just going to give away a bishop, and that with a knight at G4, Carlsen has a potential mate with queen to H2.

8. H3-G4 F6-G4
Still, Gates has H2 defended by his knight. But Carlsen can take that knight with his own knight at E5. But at this point Gates is ahead, having traded a pawn for Carlsen's bishop. He can defuse the attack at H2 by the simple expedient of F1-E1 (duh). Then if Carlsen goes E5-F3 Gates can just go D1-F3 and Carlsen pretty much has nothing.

But Gates is unaware of the positioning of the knights - one thing that makes the knight so dangerous at lower levels, its movements are harder to visualize, and Gates throws away his defense.

9. F3-E5??? H5-H2!

Not that Carlsen would not murdelate me, my ranking being a mere 1800 on my best day (which is probably fifteen years in the past) but probably not in nine moves.

As far as time goes, I used to play this guy Kevin at the chess club and he would put 2 minutes on his clock and 8 minutes on mine. I would play really fast, thinking that he would lose on time, but he never did. I used to lose most games by a mere pawn and think "I am almost as good as Kevin."

Then one day I played him with five minutes on each clock and he tore me to pieces three or four straight games. Just crushed me (although NOT in a mere nine moves). Amazing how fast even people not as good as Carlsen can play, and play well enough to beat other good players.

[hfojvt]

1. I thought there might be more interest

in 11 dimensional chess.