Sweden vs Germany
The Heimlich Defence was a strategy developed by King Wolfson of Sweden to give the King an advantage in his match (for the North Atlantic Chess Championship) against Grand Duke Heimlich of Germany in 1508. By a drawing of lots, the match was to be played in the Castle of the Swedish King.
As the match progressed, Grand Duke Heimlich seemed to be playing beyond his normal capabilities even to have a projected mate after some brilliant moves. On the 15th move, the Swedish King called for his Chef to bring forth some refreshments.
A servant brought forth a large tray of exotic pastries specifically prepared on orders from the King. Unknown to Grand Duke Heimlich, the King had plotted with the Chef to insert some "items" into certain designated pastries that would cause problems for the Grand Duke. The doctored pastries contained herbs that would cause the Grand Duke to lose his concentration.
Unknown to the King and the Chef, there was a worker in the kitchen that had a family grudge against the Grand Duke. It seems that his sister had been abused as a servant in the Grand Duke's castle. The worker had slipped amony other things into the pastries -- parts of a dead - diseased rat.
As fate would have it, the first pastrie that the Grand Duke ate had a bit of RAT FUR embedded within it. As the Grand Duke ate the pastrie, he also consumed a large tankard of ale that caused the RAT FUR to expand within his throat thus causing him to choke.
As the Grand Duke was turning blue, one of the King's Guards rushed forward and grabbed the Grand Duke from behind an squeezed his midsection. This bold act caused the Grand Duke to vomit the RAT FUR, ale, and pastrie all over the chess board and the Swedish King.
This uncommon act by the Grand Duke in the presence of the King caused the King to draw his sword and challenge the Grand Duke to a swordfight. The Grand Duke drew his sword in hesitation for he opposed such a duel for he knew of the King's prowess with the blade and besides that he had not regained his breath.
The King then offered the Grand Duke a choice -- the Grand Duke could concede the match and thus the North Atlantic Chess Championship OR they would duel to the death. The Grand Duke surrendered the match in light of facing certain death by the blade.
Thus, the Heimlich Defence had indeed prevailed as a new chess
strategy. Even to this day, if the Heimlich Defence is
mentioned the German Chess Community begins to shudder, stammer,
swaggle, and shake.
A complete history of the mystery and intrigue of the match as well as the moves are available for your viewing on the www by contacting this www Home Page: http://www.CHESS/1508/Wolfson /if/u/look/this/up/u/have/good/humor.html
The Heimlich Defence is not a group of moves but rather a physical and emotional st-RAT-egy to keep an opponent off guard.
