---

Welcome to another episode of the “chessnoob Game Review” series where the focus will be on identifying in how a game, whether I win or lose, could have been improved. This gives me an opportunity to reflect more deeply about a game and hopefully, the lessons that I draw for myself will be helpful to my fellow beginner and beginner-intermediate chess players!

This game is a review of the von Hennig Gambit against the Caro-Kann Defense (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Bc4). I previously made a video and article on the 8 move checkmate trap that comes out of this gambit (https://adventuresofachessnoob.com/2022/08/27/8-move-checkmate-against-the-caro-kann-defense-von-hennig-gambit/).

In this game, however, my opponent managed to extricate themselves from a fatal trap by finding the best and necessary response on move 7 (7… Be6). I knew from previous analysis that this was still good for me at roughly [+2] as after some trades and castling, my pieces are developed, while White awkward doubled e-pawns and limited development. Black could have equalised by forcing a series of piece trades that effectively counter my earlier development, reduce the material I have to form an attack, while making their material advantage more significant.

However, I realised in this game that it wasn’t exactly obvious to me what my approach should be next, and where I had the attack. Black is a point of material up from the opening gambit, and if they manage to develop or regain some tempo, White could easily fall behind. This literally happens one move later with the evaluation practically going back to equality.

This was a tricky position, and my opponent blundered, I blundered back, and thankfully, they blundered a second time. The position looked more dominating for White than perhaps it was and on move 14, after having suffered emotional damage, Black resigned. Lucky!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/450153035

[Event "2022 Australian Championship B Resere division - Round 1"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2022.12.04"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "TheOrangeBanana74"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Tournament "https://www.chess.com/tournament/2022-australian-championship-b-resere-division"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "B15"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Caro-Kann-Defense-von-Hennig-Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2022.12.04"]
[UTCTime "03:57:39"]
[WhiteElo "1184"]
[BlackElo "1144"]
[TimeControl "1/172800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "03:57:39"]
[EndDate "2022.12.05"]
[EndTime "19:59:36"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/daily/450153035"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Bc4 {Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig Gambit
[-0.76]} 4... Nf6 5. f3 exf3 6. Nxf3 Bg4 $4 {[%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A serious blunder [+2.68]} 7. Ne5
{This is fun line, that is still very good, that invites Black to blunder
checkmate} ({This is the grown up and sensible move...} 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Ne5+
Ke8 9. Nxg4 {... and chess continues with White in a very comfortable
development lead [+2.7]}) 7... Be6 {Black finds the best move in this position}
({If Black misses the trap and captures the \"hanging\" queen, then it's mate in
1...} 7... Bxd1 $4 {[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;Blunder;persistent;true]} 8.
Bxf7#) ({If Black realises the trap, and moves their bishop to defend f7, while
keeping pressure on the queen, then it's mate, or a devastatingly bad position
that is almost mate at around [+10]} 7... Bh5 $4 {[%c_effect
h5;square;h5;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true]} 8. Qxh5 $3
{[%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;Brilliant;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true]})
8. Bxe6 $1 {[%c_effect e6;square;e6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 8... fxe6 9.
O-O {And I complete my development is a very nice position at around [+2].
However, it wasn't obvious to me in the game how to actually proceed.} 9... Nbd7
10. Be3 $2 {[%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This was a
mistake [-0.1] which demonstrates the tenuousness of the position. Black is up a
point of material from the opening gambit and if I let them develop, they will
take the advantage.  Stockfish suggests adding a second defender to the knight
on e5, or retreating that knight.} 10... Nxe5 $1 {[%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 11. dxe5 Nd5 $4 {[%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] Luckily for me, this was a serious
blunder [+5]} 12. Qf3 $4 {[%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Blunder;persistent;true]
Though this was a \"missed win\" or a blunder back [-1]} ({Stockfish suggested
that this line was best and it isn't the most intuitive...} 12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13.
Qg4 O-O-O) 12... g6 $4 {[%c_effect g6;square;g6;type;Blunder;persistent;true]
Luckily for me, Black plays another waiting move which is a blunder [+7.9]} 13.
Qf7+ Kd7 14. Rad1 {[%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Winner,d7;square;d7;type;ResignBlack] Although this was not
the most accurate move [+5], it visibly looks bad enough to cause emotional
damage and Black resigned} 1-0