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Every now and then, Black with respond to the Vienna Game with d6 (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 d6), which is similar to the Philidor Defense if White developed the other knight. However, against the Vienna Game, it is simply not good. Part of this is simply that the next opening moves are easy for White – take the full centre with (3. d4).

Black might think that at the end of the trades that they get a point of tempo by chasing away the queen with the development of their knight (3… exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6). However, at this point, White has any number of good moves. Firstly, White can simply pin the knight to the king with (Bb5). Or, White can move their queen to a number of good squares including Qd3, Qe3, and even undeveloping with Qd1. All of these moves retain an advantage to White from around [+0.3 to +0.5].

Feeling a bit cocky, I played an aggressive move 6 with Nd5, inviting a trade of knights. This was an inaccuracy as the evaluation returns to [0.00], but Black had to ignore the provocation. Black, however, obliged, which was a mistake, granting me an important advantage [+2.3]. Move out of the opening, my opponent buckles unders the pressure of the attack down the centre in the opening – hanging their other knight, and then attempting to escape a pin by side-stepping their king. Unforutnately, this was a bad mistake with a [+7] evaluation in my favour on move 10.

The strategy was now simple. Consolidate and finish development. Trade pieces where possible. And then, launch an overwhelming attack down the centre with rooks and queen. GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/481086855

[Event "Cellar Dwellers 26 - Round 1"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.02.20"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "demoor555"]
[Result "*"]
[Tournament "https://www.chess.com/tournament/cellar-dwellers-26"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C25"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Vienna-Game-2...d6"]
[UTCDate "2023.02.20"]
[UTCTime "22:51:16"]
[WhiteElo "1199"]
[BlackElo "925"]
[TimeControl "1/259200"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "22:51:16"]
[EndDate "2023.03.14"]
[EndTime "04:52:07"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/daily/481086855"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/35997692.b448f1d4.50x50o.8d994ad89ae4.jpeg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 71:52:40]} 1... e5 {[%clk 67:15:58]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 70:49:03] Vienna
Game} 2... d6 {[%clk 52:54:40] Philidor-ish Defense - not uncommon and not good
[+0.5]} 3. d4 {[%clk 70:16:42]} 3... exd4 {[%clk 47:19:06]} 4. Qxd4 {[%clk
71:46:58]} 4... Nc6 {[%clk 48:12:55]} 5. Qe3 {[%clk 71:21:46][%c_arrow
d4e3;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false,d4d3;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false,f1b5;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;b5;persistent;false,d3d1;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false,d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false,d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false,b5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b5;persistent;false]
There are a number of very reasonable moves for White including: Qe3, Qd3, Qd1,
and Bb5} 5... Nf6 {[%clk 52:29:46]} 6. Nd5 {[%clk 71:49:43] Provocative move,
encouraging a knight trade [0.00]} 6... Nxd5 $2 {[%clk 71:51:58][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] And Black obliges, which is a mistake
[+2.3]} 7. exd5+ {[%clk 71:53:24]} 7... Ne5 $2 {[%clk 48:15:06][%c_arrow
c6e7;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This is a mistake as Black loses the
knight [+5]} 8. f4 $1 {[%clk 71:40:20][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Place pressure on the pinned piece
 $1} 8... Be7 {[%clk 71:54:40]} 9. fxe5 {[%clk 71:57:18]} 9... dxe5 {[%clk
47:39:47]} 10. Qxe5 $6 {[%clk 72:00:00][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g1f3;keyPressed;none;from;g1;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false] A relative inaccuracy
[+3]} 10... Kf8 $2 {[%clk 71:59:50][%c_effect
f8;square;f8;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Though this is a bad mistake [+7]}
11. Nf3 {[%clk 71:50:38]} 11... Bd6 {[%clk 48:35:03]} 12. Qd4 {[%clk 71:41:18]}
12... f6 {[%clk 52:18:57]} 13. Bc4 {[%clk 70:59:41]} 13... Bd7 {[%clk 71:49:00]}
14. Bf4 $6 {[%clk 71:55:34][%c_arrow
e1g1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} 14... g5 {[%clk 53:10:01]} 15.
Bxd6+ {[%clk 70:44:07][%c_arrow
f3g5;keyPressed;none;from;f3;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g5;persistent;false]} 15... cxd6 {[%clk
49:30:12]} 16. O-O {[%clk 70:45:31]} 16... Rg8 {[%clk 48:12:11]} 17. Bd3 {[%clk
71:15:23]} 17... g4 {[%clk 50:37:53]} 18. Nh4 {[%clk 69:42:16]} 18... g3 {[%clk
46:25:46][%c_arrow
d8b6;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;b6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b6;persistent;false] Unfortunately, Black
simply isn't fast enough for this to be a threat [+M12]} 19. Rxf6+ {[%clk
71:56:29]} 19... Ke8 {[%clk 71:34:33]} 20. Re1+ {[%clk 71:00:44]} 20... Be6
{[%clk 50:01:53]} 21. Rexe6+ {[%clk 72:00:00]} 21... Kd7 {[%clk 71:59:44]} 22.
Rxd6+ {[%clk 72:00:00]} 22... Kc7 {[%clk 71:59:51]} 23. Qc5+ {[%clk
70:31:17][%c_arrow
d4c4;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false]} (23. Qc4+ {Quickest
path to checkmate [+M4]} 23... Kb8 24. Rxd8+ Rxd8 25. Qf4+ Rd6 26. Qxd6+ Kc8 27.
Rf8#) 23... Kb8 {[%clk 55:00:58]} 24. Rxd8+ {[%clk 72:00:00]} 24... Rxd8 {[%clk
71:59:50]} 25. Rf8 {[%clk 72:00:00]} 25... Rxf8 {[%clk 71:42:25]} 26. Qxf8+
{[%clk 72:00:00]} 26... Kc7 {[%clk 71:57:46]} 27. Qxa8 {[%clk 72:00:00]} 27...
a6 {[%clk 71:59:47]} 28. Qa7 {[%clk 71:36:03]} 28... h5 {[%clk 49:02:47]} 29.
Bxa6 {[%clk 71:14:45]} 29... Kd6 {[%clk 71:46:22]} 30. Qxb7 {[%clk 71:55:04]}
30... Ke5 {[%clk 49:54:20]} 31. h3 {[%clk 71:13:04]} 31... Kd4 {[%clk 47:16:33]}
32. c3+ {[%clk 71:58:07]} 32... Ke4 {[%clk 71:31:34]} 33. d6+ {[%clk 71:42:34]}
33... Kf4 {[%clk 46:29:35]} 34. Qf3+ {[%clk 71:48:51]} 34... Ke5 {[%clk
47:23:45]} 35. d7 {[%clk 71:57:54]} 35... Ke6 {[%clk 71:43:21]} 36. d8=Q {[%clk 71:58:37][%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Winner,e6;square;e6;type;ResignBlack] <br /><br />Game may
have continued...} (36. d8=Q Ke5 37. Qdd5# {+M1}) 1-0