Blog Post #106: Forever with my King

Dear Readers,

I am writing to you now tonight from Frankfurt, where I am delighted to have won the Adolf Anderssen Seniors Memorial Chess Tournament with 6.5 points from 7 games. I am also really happy and grateful for having made many new friends here in Germany.

1st Prize on 6.5/7 at the 2021 Adolf Anderssen Seniors Memorial Chess Tournament in Frankfurt, Germany.
1st Prize Trophy
Pictured with International Master Klaus Klundt, a truly remarkable gentleman who, now aged 80, is still playing fabulous, creative chess filled with energy and passion for the ‘Royal Game’. Klaus won the 2nd Prize on 6/7 with 5 wins and 2 draws (one against me, and the other against Frank Rosenberger who won the 3rd Prize with a score of 5 points).
Pictured with Frank Rosenberger, the winner of the 3rd Prize.
Pictured with Herbert Huber, who won a prize for performing extremely well, far above the level of his current published rating.
Not only was Adolf Anderssen (1818-1879) a great Professor of German and of Mathematics, but also he was generally regarded as being the world’s leading chess player for a large part of the period from 1851-1866. His stunningly beautiful win with the King’s Gambit against Lionel Kieseritzky in London on 21 June 1851 was so unforgettably impressive to all who saw it that it quickly became known as the ‘Immortal Game’.
Pictured with the very kind and friendly tournament organiser, Mr. Edgar Winand. Edgar’s faith is more powerful than any chess move, and one of our common favourite verses from The Bible is: ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.’
A lovely chess gift from Edgar Winand. I think that Edgar will like the following anagram that I found today: MY RISEN CHANGES = CHESS IN GERMANY !
Another beautiful chess gift from Edgar Winand
This family image was to be seen in various forms around the tournament venue. I like it very much, and I have always liked the motto of F.I.D.E. (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), the World Chess Federation: ‘Gens Una Sumus’, Latin for ‘We Are One Family’.
There were lots of terrific chess battles in the tournament. I have composed a fun puzzle tonight, based closely on the game between Manfred Harringer and Theodor Mehlen, which was the very last game to finish. In my puzzle here, it’s White to play and win. Happy solving!
Chess helps people to think very well and logically too.

Warm congratulations for finding 1 Qe7+ Ka6 2 Qd7! (threatening 3 Bb7+ Ka7 4 Bc6+ Ka6 5 Qb7 mate), intending 2…b5 3 Qb7# or 2…a4 3 Qxa4#.

I would like to conclude this article by wishing everyone a happy weekend now. For further reading, you may well enjoy visiting the following websites by some of my new friends in Germany.

http://www.svkt-karbo.de

http://www.gavagai.de

http://www.hfcors.de

With kindest wishes as always,

Paul Motwani xxx

Author: Paul A. Motwani

My name is Paul Motwani, but my colleagues, my students and their parents mostly call me "Mr. Mo"! My middle initial, A, stands for Anthony, because I was born on the official feast day of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of miracles and of lost souls. I love teaching Mathematics and Chess, and giving fun-packed talks and shows in schools and clubs. The popular ingredients of Math, Chess, Mystery and Magic are my "Fantastic Four", and I give prizes too! I am an International Chess Grandmaster, and (loooooong ago!) I was the World Under-17 Champion. I am the author of five published chess books and hundreds of newspaper articles. I live with my wonderful wife and son in Belgium. I also love music, movies and puzzles. I blog at paulmotwani.com. My e-mail address is pmotwani141@gmail.com. You can find me on Facebook, too.

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