A Three-Checks Chess Game

Three-Checks chess is an interesting and very playable variant, in which the first player who gives three checks wins the game (or before that, a regular checkmate works too). See Brainking or Wikipedia for more detailed rules.

The game below is played by me against a strong opponent. I am still figuring out the strategy to the game.

[Site "BrainKing.com"]
[Date "2011.06.10"]
[White "ughaibu"]
[Black "Koksal"]

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bc4 a6 4. a4 Nc6 5. O-O Bd6

Up till now, it could have been a regular chess or an extinction chess game. Now black is threatening for a check on h2. 3 checks is not too many, so, depending on the situation of course, trading a minor piece for a check is most times sound.

6. g3 h5 7. e5 Nxe5 8. Nxe5 Bxe5 9. d4 cxd4 10. Re1 Qc7 11. Qe2 f6 12. h4 Ne7



Preventing check on e6, so that the bishop is free to be sacrificed at g3.

13. Ra3 b6 14. Nd2 Bb7 15. Ne4 Bxe4 16. Qxe4 d5 17. Bb5+

White's check number 1, sacrificing a bishop.

17... axb5 18. Qd3 Kf7 19. f4 Kg8



This move is probably unnecessary, but here it is hard to suggest black anything good. The center is about to break. Maybe it would have been better playing 19... b4 keeping queen's side shut.

20. axb5 Rxa3 21. Qxa3 Kf7 22. fxe5 Qc5

A desperate counter-attack attempt, which is thwarted easily.

23. Qd3 Qc4 24. Qf3 Nf5 25. exf6 gxf6 26. Rxe6



If white king captures that rook Qxf5+ and then g4+ makes three checks for white. Black resigned.

1-0

An Extinction Chess Game - 2

[Site "BrainKing.com"]
[Date "2011.06.04"]
[White "Koksal"]
[Black "Rubikon51"]

1. e4 c6 2. Nf3 d5 3. e5

Open up the position only if it suits you.

3... Bf5 4. d3 e6 5. Be2 Qb6 6. O-O c5 7. Nh4



Smell of opportunity. If black's developed bishop is captured, other bishop might come under attack either by f4-f5 pawn push, or via a3-f8 diagonal by white's c1 bishop.

7... Bg6 8. f4 Ne7 9. g4 h6 10. Nxg6 Nxg6 11. b3 Nc6 12. f5

So far, going as planned: putting pressure on black's only bishop.

12... Ngxe5 13. fxe6 f6 14. Rf5



Use your rook when you can. A rook is an effective tool to trade for knights and bishops, since most times the other rook doesn't see any play for a long time anyway.

14... O-O-O 15. Qf1 Be7 16. Rxe5 Nxe5 17. d4



This seems to be the winning move here. Opens up the necessary e2-a6 diagonal, and blocks black's d4 push. The rest of the game is a chain of obligatory moves by black, where white will win by threatening the black knight and bishop to black's eventual demise.

17... Nc6 18. Bb5 Nb8 19. Bd7 Rxd7 20. exd7 Kd8 21. Qf5 cxd4

Here the threat is 22. Qg6. 21... c4 move, threatening check from d4, loses too: 21... c4 22. Bf4 Na6 23. Qxd5 Rf8 24. Qe4 Bb4 25. c3 Ba5 26. b4 etc.

22. Bf4 Na6 23. Qd3 Nb4 24. Qd2 Nc6 25. Qe2 Bf8 26. Qe6 1-0

An Extinction Chess Game

[Site "BrainKing.com"]
[Date "2011.05.31"]
[White "monty bridge"]
[Black "Koksal"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. a3 b6 4. Nc3 Bb7 5. Bg5 Be7

To my knowledge opening theory is not well established in Extinction Chess. Generally players use their bishops and knights from one side freely, while they keep the other side either closed, or underdeveloped. You want ample room for maneuvering, and threatening for favorable piece exchanges, but not too much room so you don't get invaded. In this game I do not like black's position so far, seems too passive to me.

6. f3 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 d6 9. e4 Nh5 10. Bf2 f5



Again, it's all about Lebensraum. You have to have some maneuvering space, even if it weakens your king's side. Here, strong White center has to be attacked somehow, and there are not many ways to do that.

11. exf5 exf5 12. Bd3 O-O 13. Qc2 Ng7 14. c5 dxc5

As said earlier, white left his king's side undeveloped and black is trying to keep his queen's side closed. Hence white is attacking on the queen's side to break black's defenses.

15. dxc5 Nc6

The knight at g7 seems safe, so the other knight can see some action.

16. Rd1 Qe8 17. Qe2 Qg6 18. cxb6 axb6 19. Bb5 Bc5



White's b5 bishop is too exposed. Attacking white's other bishop is the way to go.

20. Qc4 Kh8 21. Bxc5 bxc5 22. Qa2 Rfe8 23. Kf2 f4 24. Ne4 Rxe4 25. Qb1 Qe6 26. fxe4 c4



The b5 bishop probably cannot be saved anymore. Hence white loses.

27. Rd5 Na5 28. b3 c6 29. Ba4 Nxb3 30. Rd8 Rxa4 0-1