I HAVE been playing chess for a long time and my game is very much like the weather. Some days it’s good and bright and some days it’s dull and stormy.I wanted to do a story on one of the new chess players who has come to play in the Bermuda Championship Tournament (which is now in its fourth round).

It just so happened that these new players have lost most of their games and I believe in giving you all a winning game (however, I don’t mind telling you about my own mistakes and losses!)

Quite some time ago I was in England and it was a rainy day so I stayed in to watch TV. There was a show on about chess and it was Raymond Keene and Donald Woods talking about the 12 Best Games of Chess, (these are out in video and hard-back book).

In the game of the week, Keene was talking about a writer for a chess column, who after losing his game, dashed to report his loss. His loss for many reasons was more interesting to many than the winning game.

Well, little did I think that some ten years later I would be writing about a game my opponent won — and I lost spectacularly! I lost so badly that I don’t know of any game quite like it.

Firstly, there were no pawns or pieces captured. Secondly, there was only one check. All the things that a player should not do, I did in this game. My opponent was Frank Ming (pictured above).

And I knew better! I had even read in chess books some time ago, about wasting time in developing an opening like mine! Ming, who is a sharp player anyway, needed little work on me — the game only lasted 14 moves before it was all over.

Ming is playing White and I’m is playing Black.

In diagram 1, Ming is attacking my knight on f6, which I just developed so I could castle in the next move. In diagram 2, my bishop move was a waste of time because it helped Ming bring out his rook.

In diagram 3, Ming is about to give me checkmate at f7 square, so I moved the pawn to block the bishop. However, whichever way I tried to stop checkmate, there was no stopping Ming. And if you look at diagram 4, the next move is checkmate, so I resigned.

Frank Ming: White

Larry Ebbin: Black

The Bermuda Championship 200>

1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. e5 Ng8 5. Bc4 h6 6. Nc3 c6 7. 0-0 b5 8. Bb3 a5 9. a4 b4 10. Ne4 Ba6 11. Re1 Bc8 12. Nfd2 Na6 13. Qf3 e6 14. Nd6+

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