Merry Christmas, campers! The Campfire Chess HQ is awash in the yuletide spirit even though we will not be blessed with snow-covered grounds this year. From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
> Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “ ‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” – Matthew 2:1-8 (ESV)
And finally, in the tradition of the festive spirit of the holiday I present you with proof that Santa is real. After all, he has a game in the database at [Chessgames.com](http://www.chessgames.com)!
[pgn]
[Event “Composition”]
[Site “Philadelphia”]
[Date “1908.12.20”]
[EventDate “?”]
[Round “?”]
[Result “0-1”]
[White “NN”]
[Black “Santa Claus”]
[ECO “C42”]
[WhiteElo “?”]
[BlackElo “?”]
[PlyCount “138”]
1.e4 {From Russel Ramsey’s chess column in the Philadelphia
Sunday Item, December 20, 1908.} e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 {
Disdaining the counter attack, Kris played: } Nxe4 4.Nxe5 d5
5.Bb3 Be6 6.O-O Bd6 7.d4 { With scant respect for the
books–with which he may or may not have been familiar–Santa
began thus early to unlumber his heavy artillery:} Qf6 {These
moves having been made rapidly, the Chess Player paused a
moment to consider the innovation, and then continued:} 8.f4
c5 {“Is that good?” inquired the Chess Player from mere force
of habit acquired at the chess club. “Oh, I guess it’s good
enough,” rejoined Kris, showing he knew the answer.} 9.Ba4+
Ke7 {“Ha ha! Now where will he castle?” impersonally asked the
Chess Player, shoving another pawn into the fray:} 10.c4
{“Maybe we won’t need to castle,” replied the other
contestant, making the pieces click as he chopped the pawn.}
dxc4 {“Take it away!” sternly commanded the Chess Player, as
he attacked the Black Knight:} 11.Qc2 {“Oh, I guess we won’t
have to–yet,” answered Santa:} Bf5 {These pleasantries having
been exchanged, the contestants settled down to more serious
play. } 12.Qxc4 cxd4 13.Qb5 b6 14.Re1 Bc5 15.b4 a6 16.Qc4 b5
{This last move was made with the physical emphasis customary
under the circumstances. “Not so swift,” cautioned the Chess
Player, neatly side-stepping with the royal consort:} 17.Qd5
Bxb4 18.Rxe4 Bxe4 19.Qxe4 Rc8 20.Qb7+ Kd8 21.Nxf7+ {“Give it
up,” suggested the Chess Player, while Santa blew huge clouds
of smoke through his shaggy beard and carefully considered the
next move. After some pause he replied, “Oh, I guess we don’t
have to give it up yet,” and boldly essayed the sacrifice. }
Qxf7 {“Oh, we have him beaten to a pulp now,” exclaimed the
Chess Player, gleefully pouncing on the Queen: } 22.Qxf7
{“Well, get out of check!” roared Santa:} Rxc1+ 23.Kf2 { “Oh
yes, we’ll get out of check,” smoothly replied the Chess
Player, and again the players quieted into silent
maneuvering.} Nd7 24.Bb3 Kc7 25.Qxg7 Bc5 {“Now see what he
wants to do,” laughed the Chess Player at the masked
battery. “Oh well, we’ll go right on down the pike.”} 26.f5
Re8 27.Be6 Re7 28.Qg3+ Kb7 29.Qd3 Kb6 30.a4 Ne5 {“Don’t stay
there,” cautioned Kris. “All right, but move your King first,”
rejoined the Chess Player.} 31.a5+ Kc7 32.Qe4 d3+ 33.Kg3 Bd6
34.Qa8 Nc6+ 35.Kh4 Be5 {“Which do you like best?” good
naturedly taunted Santa. “Why,” answered the Chess Player, “if
you get out of check first, maybe I’ll let you take your
choice!” } 36.Qc8+ Kd6 37.Nd2 Bxa1 38.Ne4+ Ke5 {“Going on down
the pike,” announced the Chess Player as he played:} 39.f6
Rxe6 40.f7 Rh6+ 41.Kg5 Rg6+ 42.Kh5 {Kris wrinkled his grizzly
brow and studied the portentous position for several minutes
while he vigorously puffed on his great pipe and finally
played: } Kxe4 {“This is like taking pennies from a blind
man’s tincup,” exclaimed the Chess Player as he improvised a
second Queen with an inverted rook:} 43.f8=Q Be5 44.Qf3+ Kd4
45.Qcf5 Rc3 46.Q3e4+ Kc5 47.Qf8+ Rd6 48.Qf2+ Rd4 49.Qf8+ Bd6
50.Qf2 d2 {The Chess Player regarded this threatening advance
for a moment. “Well, it comes high, but we must have it
regardless of expense,” he explained as he executed the
following exchange: } 51.Qxc6+ Kxc6 52.Qxd4 {Kris now
deliberated for some time, being finally urged to action by
the impatient stamping of the reindeer on the roof. “Let’s
give him a l-i-t-t-l-e check,” he mused, suiting the action to
the word: } Rc5+ 53.Kh6 Rd5 {Again the Chess Player paused at
the new change in the situation. “Well, now we’ll keep the
Black man jumping for a while,” he said as he planned his next
few moves. } 54.Qb6+ Kd7 55.Qb7+ Ke6 56.Qc8+ Ke5 57.Qh8+ Kf4
58.Qf6+ Ke4 59.Qf3+ Kd4 {“Now I guess we have time for some
sparrow-shooting,” concluded the Chess Player, chopping the
h-pawn: } 60.Kxh7 Kc4 61.Qe4+ Rd4 62.Qc2+ Kd5 63.Qf5+ Be5
64.Qf3+ Kc4 65.Qd1 {“That will hold the Black baby till we
Queen one ourselves,” commented the Chess Player, poking down
the ashes in his pipe with the head of a pawn. } Rd3 66.h4 Bc3
67.h5 Re3 68.Qf1+ Kb3 69.Qd1+ Kb2 {The Chess Player pondered
long and earnestly. Nothing seemed promising. Everything was
hopeless. “Hurry up,” urged the triumphant elf, “It’s getting
late.” “Gee, I thought I had you, but you got away!” announced
the Chess Player. “I resign.” As old Kris disappeared in the
fireplace, the Chess Player’s wife shook him by the
shoulder. “Come, come, dear.” she exclaimed. “Wake up and trim
the tree, or the children will think Santa forgot them.” “I
thought he had,” replied the Chess Player, rising and knocking
ashes from his pipe, “but I guess I was only asleep.”} 0-1
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A **huge** thanks to everyone who supported *Campfire Chess* throughout 2016. I am looking forward to a bright and productive 2017! See you all next year!