Discovered Thanksgiving Attacks

Discovered Thanksgiving Attacks by Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl)

Cheerio friends!  I was at a chess tournament Saturday coaching my students and I noticed something.  Many children were discovering new attacks, and using discovered attacks to win material!  I am going to highlight some of these discoveries here.  Then, we are going to play a little "Take Me Thanksgiving Chess".

To discover an attack, first you need 3 pieces lined up.  Practice these sneaky snake attacks first.  Watch what happened in Gwen and Autumn's game:

(Actually, it turns out they are both my students, so...no rooting for me.)

 

 

 

I was confounded when analyzing this game when I saw Ng8.  Retreat?  I don't ... OH!  How sneaky!  She is hoping you leave your queen there so that her queen can capture it!  Did you all notice that?  This was definitely a hoping move, and not the best move on the board, but sometimes these tricks work!

 

 

 

Try to solve this easy puzzle from Luke's game:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notice how with a discovered attack you can switch the places of the attacked pieces and still win material.  Jaiden created a similar puzzle for Tommy and Mac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for a puzzle for you!  Black to move and win the queen in one move.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, working backwards, do the same puzzle but in two moves.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use the same pattern to solve this one.  Black to move and win the queen or rook in two.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you notice that we used forcing moves, not hoping moves?  What is the difference?

 

Nice work!  Now, Thanksgiving is a time to eat, hang out with family, and be thankful, right?  So, here is a chess game that is perfect for the season.  It's got several names, one of which is TAKE ME!  (Also known as Loser's chess, Thanksgiving chess, birthday chess, opposite chess...etc.)

Start with the pieces set up as regular, but then instead of trying to capture your opponent's pieces, you are trying to GET captured! The first person who LOSES all of his or her pieces WINS!  So when there is a possible capture, say, "TAKE ME," and they HAVE to take you.  Then you can say, "Thank you!"  Because you are so happy to lose a piece.  :) 

In this game you CAN lose your king!!  No checks, points for material, or checkmates.  The strategy focuses on "hanging" or "protected."  You want to capture pieces that are protected if you have to capture something at all.  Remember to still take turns!  Have fun!

Tip of the week:  Be nice to the people who make your Thanksgiving dinner.  Especially whoever made the pie.  And say THANK YOU!