(The following chess game is presented in "algebraic notation." Here's an explanation of how to follow the moves.)

Chess321 is a wonderful, free program. You can download a zipped file of the program to your own computer. Unzip the individual files into a folder on your hard drive, then double-click on chess.exe.

The program beats me consistently, especially in 5-minute games. Following is a rare exception.

White: It
Black: Me

1.  e4      c5
2.  Nf3     d6
3.  d4      cd
4.  Nxd4    Nf6
5.  Nc3     g6
6.  Be2     Bg7
7.  Be3     Nc6
8.  h4      00
9.  Nxc6    

The 5th game of the 1958 World Championship match continued 9.h5 d4.

9.  ...     bc
10. h5      Qa5
11. hg      hg
12. f3      d5

The great chess software Fritz 9 prefers 12....Rb8 here.

13. e5      Nh5
14. f4      Ng3
15. Rh2     Nxe2
16. Qxe2    Ba6
17. Qd2     Rad8

Post-game, I was sure 17....Rfd8 was much better, but Fritz finds them equal, and recommends 18.Qd4 for White in either case. The move I played set an unintentional trap that the machine fell for.

18. Bxa7?   c5

Now the bishop is trapped at a7. The machine's best hope is 19.a4, threatening to protect the prelate with Nb5; after 19.a4 Rd7 it's still a game. The move White actually played loses, by betting it all on an h-file attack that falls just short.

19. Qe3?    d4
20. Qh3     Rfe8
21. Qh7+    Kf8
22. e6      dc
23. b3      Qb4      

Now the machine can't stop ...Qe4+, leading to mate. The alternative 23....Qb5, with threats of Qe2 and Qf1, likewise forces mate, though one move later.

24. ef      Qe4+
25. Kf2     Rd2+
26. Kg3

Or 26. Kg1 Qd4+

26. ...     Qe3+
27. Kg4     Bc8+
28. Kh4     Qxf4+

Oops, missed the immediate mate with 28....Bf6++. This finish is kind of artistic anyway.

29. g4      Rxh2++

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