---

This was a relatively tough positional game of the Italian. My opponent with White took the game down the Two Knights, Modern Bishop’s Opening line (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3), which is one of my least favourite to play against! It’s simply very solid, and White takes the game down a closed, positional setup, which I don’t like very much.

Luckily for me, I managed to do okay, with my opponent generally make more mistakes in the middle game. However, although I was ahead, I never got a sense of capturing the lead and we eventually ended up in the late middle game largely drawn – with equality in not only material, but also piece balance and pawn positions.

The one imbalance was that we had opposite-side castled, and my pawns were further advanced against White’s position. On move 31, White made a move that Stockfish didn’t think was immediately terrible but created a long-term weakness if White didn’t play extremely accurately. White pushed the pawn in front of their king (31. g3). I knew that this was bad, but I didn’t necessarily see how to exploit this immediately.

Interestingly in the Stockfish evaluation, White’s subsequent moves which weren’t accurate were seen as serious blunders (worse than [-7]), but I didn’t see this in the game either.

However, on move 39, with less than 2 minutes left on the clock (against my opponent’s plentiful 7 minutes), I finally saw the significance of the light square weaknesses. With White’s king’s defensive pawns all on dark squares, a bishop on the long light square diagonal effectively traps the king on the back rank, but it might not be immediately obvious if you weren’t looking for this. And when the king is trapped on the back rank, we, of course, have the opportunity for back rank checkmate!

I next make four consecutive bishop moves, to manoeuvre the bishop into the correct square, while avoiding capture. White didn’t see what I was trying to do, and on move 42, blunders mate in two. My rook advances to the back rank, check; opponent is forced to block with their rook as a desperate delay for a single turn; capture, and mate! GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/66874200813

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.01.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Bolo0666"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C55"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Italian-Game-Two-Knights-Modern-Bishops-Opening"]
[UTCDate "2023.01.07"]
[UTCTime "23:45:18"]
[WhiteElo "1352"]
[BlackElo "1388"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "23:45:18"]
[EndDate "2023.01.08"]
[EndTime "00:38:01"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/66874200813"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/113609116.02604442.78x78o.c437af337836@3x.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "32"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.78x78o.ebd68214df6f@3x.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 {Italian Game: Two Knights, Modern Bishop's
Opening. This is an entirely solid opening for White, and one of my least
favourite versions of the Italian Game to play against $1} 4... h6 5. O-O Bc5 6.
c3 d6 7. d4 {White makes the first suboptimal move in the opening [-0.13]} 7...
exd4 {[%c_arrow
c5b6;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;b6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b6;persistent;false] Stockfish considers a
slightly suboptimal move [+0.13] and prefers a backwards bishop move (Bb6) which
maintains Black's advantage.} ({This is Stockfish's preferred line, and results
in some central trades that opens up the centre.} 7... Bb6 8. dxe5 Nxe5 9. Nxe5
dxe5 10. Nd2 O-O {... and chess continues.}) 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. e5 $2 {[%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This was a mistake [-1.35]} 9...
dxe5 $1 {[%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true]} 10. dxe5 Qxd1
11. Rxd1 Ng4 12. Rf1 Ncxe5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Re1 $1 {[%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 14... f6 15. Be3 $6 {[%c_arrow
c1f4;keyPressed;none;from;c1;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false][%c_effect
e3;square;e3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy - it would have been
better to \"put pressure on the pinned piece\" with Bf4} 15... Bxe3 $6
{[%c_effect e3;square;e3;type;Inaccuracy;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true]}
16. Rxe3 g5 {[%c_arrow
f2f4;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false,g5f4;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false] This was the best
move and important to prevent White playing f4 while the knight is still pinned}
17. Nc3 Bd7 18. Rd1 $2 {[%c_arrow
c3d5;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_effect
d1;square;d1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Stockfish called this a mistake
[-2.45]. The knight had an opportunity to fork two pawns.} 18... O-O-O 19. Be2
h5 $2 {[%c_arrow
d7c6;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false][%c_effect
h5;square;h5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Stockfish calls this a mistake
[+0.28]. It would have been better to control the mobility of White's knight.}
20. Ne4 Rdf8 21. Nxf6 Rxf6 22. Rxe5 g4 23. Re7 Rd6 $6 {[%c_arrow
d7c6;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [+1.0]} 24. Rc1 $2
{[%c_arrow
f2f4;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false][%c_effect
c1;square;c1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A mistake [-1.1]} 24... c6 $6
{[%c_arrow
c8d8;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;d8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false][%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Inaccurate [+0.1]} 25. Re5 $2
{[%c_arrow
f2f3;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Mistake [-1.9]} 25... Rd2 $1
{[%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 26. Rb1 $2 {[%c_arrow
b2b4;keyPressed;none;from;b2;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false][%c_effect
b1;square;b1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A mistake - possibly too passive.}
26... Be8 $9 {[%c_arrow
h8e8;keyPressed;none;from;h8;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false] A mistake [-0.45].
Stockfish saw an opportunity to advantageously trade down pieces with White's
other rook in a passive position.} 27. Bc4 $9 {[%c_arrow
f2f3;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false] A mistake [-2.9].
White's best approach is to take advantage of their pawn majority on the
kingside.} 27... Bg6 $1 {[%c_effect g6;square;g6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}
28. Rbe1 Rf8 $9 {[%c_arrow
d2b2;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;b2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b2;persistent;false] A mistake [-0.3].
Stockfish recommends using the opportunity to capture the b-pawn.} 29. R1e2 Rd4
30. Bb3 Rfd8 $6 {[%c_arrow
c8c7;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;c7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c7;persistent;false][%c_effect
d8;square;d8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A relative inaccuracy [-0.1]} 31.
g3 {[%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false]
This weakens the light squares around the king, something that would prove
critical later} 31... Rd2 32. Be6+ $6 {[%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} 32... Kc7 33. b4 $4 {[%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A blunder [-7.7]} 33... b5 $9
{[%c_arrow
d2e2;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false] However, I \"miss\"
the potential weakness to White's back rank yet [-1.3]} 34. a3 $4 {[%c_effect
a3;square;a3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A blunder again [-7.4]} 34... a6 $9
{[%c_arrow
d2e2;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false] I still don't see the
tactic [-0.22]} 35. Kg2 R2d3 36. R2e3 Rd2 37. Re2 Rxe2 38. Rxe2 {[%c_arrow
g6d3;keyPressed;none;from;g6;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false,d3c4;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false,c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false]
After this move, and starting to run short on time (less than 2 min left
compared to my opponent's 7 minutes), I finally see the back rank mate pattern
that had previously eluded me.} 38... Bd3 {[%c_arrow
d3c4;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false,c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false]}
39. Re3 {[%c_arrow
d3c4;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false,c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false]}
39... Bc4 {[%c_arrow
c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false]}
40. Bf5 $6 {[%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false]
An inaccuracy. White should have traded bishops which would have returned to
equality. In the setting of my time deficit, it is very likely that White would
have won on time.} 40... Bd5+ $6 {[%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d5h1;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false] A relative
inaccuracy, but only if White saw the tactic. If they did so, they would have
probably traded bishops the previous turn, however.} 41. Kg1 $2 {[%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] And the king is forced onto the back
rank. The weakness of the light squares potentially lock the king in position}
41... Bf3 42. Be4 $4 {[%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] White
doesn't recognise the back rank problem and blunders [-M2]} 42... Rd1+ $1
{[%c_effect d1;square;d1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 43. Re1 Rxe1#
{[%c_effect c7;square;c7;type;Winner,g1;square;g1;type;CheckmateWhite] A
satisfying back rank checkmate $1} 0-1