October 10, 2004
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Starflight
In memory of
Jacques Derrida and James Chace,
both of whom died in Paris on
Friday, Oct. 8, 2004, and of
Orson Welles, who died
on this date in 1985
Orson Welles
Mate in 2
V. Nabokov, 1919 “The black king has three white flight squares, without mates being provided
for these flights, which suggests giving him a fourth. 1. Bg2 therefore
presents itself, especially when you notice that it prepares mates for
all the flights, and for the king remaining on its original square.
1. Bg2
Kxc6 2. Nfe5 mate
Ke6 2. Nd4 mate
Kc4 2. Nd2 mate
Ke4 2. Nd4 mate
fxg3 2. Ng5 mate
The five variations together are the theme, ‘starflight.’ (With orthogonal
squares it is called plus- or cross-flight.)”–
Open Chess Diary, 1999,
by Tim Krabbé, AmsterdamSee also the entries of
Oct. 8, 2002 and
Oct. 8, 2004, and
related remarks on
the “double cross,” or
“king’s moves” symbol:
For an appropriate bishop, see
