Canadian Chess Master

How to quickly illustrate the concept of space advantage? Try this opening, an irregular Alekhine:
1.d4 Nc6!? 2.e4 Nf6?! 3.e5 Nd5 4.c4 Ndb4

If instead 4…Nb6 then 5.d5! Nxe5 6.d5 Nbc4 7.Qd4 wins material.

5.a3 Na6 6.b4! Nab8 7.f4!

And the result of Black’s naive knight maneuvers? Black’s g8-knight has swapped spots with his easterly cousin, and White has not yet developed a single piece. Yet White maintains a clear advantage due to his greater command of the board.

I’ve been looking at some classic art recently to get an idea of how artists hundred of years ago used the theme of chess in their compositions. The game position on this circa 1508 oil painting by Dutch painter/engraver Lucas van Leyden (1494-1533) certainly invokes a raised eyebrow:

Lucas may have had “marvelous skills as a colorist” and “deft and fluid brushwork”, but his “vivid imaginative powers” led him to append several extra files in an impressive display of artistic license. Let’s zoom in to the position…

At least he put a white square in the right hand corner… hey wait… there’s three red corners!

Here’s a famous image of a couple of Arab chaps in 1283, perhaps enjoying a break from the Crusades, and playing a game of Shatranj.

“Hurry Ali! We must finish or the Shah will make us his next eunuchs!”

Shatranj or not, the position doesn’t seem to make sense, as Black is missing (or has removed) his king. Perhaps Ali, tugging furtively at his chin, is contemplating unsheathing his double-bladed shamshir and beheading his infidel opponent for such treachery!