chessnutz

(Our weekly chess puzzle)
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Bobby Fisher versus Ronald De La Rochefoucauld

London 1977

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Fisher playing the White pieces has a lot of action going on. His rooks are locking horns with their opponents and his queen is well forward and similarly engaged. The Black king is exposed but he's a piece in front. Can you see how White decisively turned the tables in this apocalyptic end game?

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Answer: Fisher was well aware of persistent rumours that De La Rochefoucauld was involved with freemasonry. At an opportune moment he lean forward and asked his opponent: "Been worshiping Jahbulon lately?" De La Rochefoucauld turned pale, rose from the table and stormed out of the room, thereby forfeiting the game. Jahbulon is of course the name under which freemasons worship satan. Fisher went on to win the world championship but the International Chess Federation has since outlawed the Jahbulon manoeuvre in open chess competitions.