Our colleague and former chair Tim Onions is selling off some books for advanced players at reduced and second-hand prices: see his website for details.

Otto Blathy composed chess problems. But the ones he liked were a bit funny! The positions could never happen in a game, but they usually had a nice idea in them.

These gnarly positions are called grotesques.

Mr.B showed me this one many years ago: White to play and win! Black is moving down the board -- well, that's if they could move...

Puzzle 1

Do check out the lessons and videos from Chess in Schools and Communities: https://www.chessinschools.co.uk/chess-at-home

There are some nice fresh materials published by Chess in Schools and Communities: https://www.chessinschools.co.uk/chess-at-home

[Event "Hastings 1975/76"]
[Site "Hastings ENG"]
[Date "1975.12.29"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Julio Kaplan"]
[Black "David Bronstein"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "52"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6
gxf6 7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Qd2 c5 9. d5 f5 10. dxe6 fxe4 11. exd7+
Qxd7 12. Qc3 O-O 13. Nd2 Qf5 14. O-O-O Qxf2 15. Nxe4 Qf4+
16. Nd2 Bg4 17. Re1 Bg5 18. Bd3 Rae8 19. Ref1 Qe3 20. h3 Be2
21. Rf5 Bh6 22. Bxe2 Qxc3 23. bxc3 Rxe2 24. Rd5 Rxd2 25. Rxd2
Rd8 26. Rhd1 c4 0-1