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I recently played this game where my opponent with the White pieces played the Two Knights Open Italian. The position on move 4 (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4) can be arrived at with a different move order via the Scotch Gambit. Indeed, this is a named position – the Scotch Gambit, Dubois Reti Defense.

Having studied this before, I knew that after White pushes their e-pawn, the move to play is the counterattack with d5 (5. e5 d5), but that was the extent of my theoretical knowledge. Clearly, my opponent was familiar with the opening and continued down the line of theory with (6. Bb5). It took me about two minutes to find the next move and on move 7, I made the first non-book move in the game.

In reviewing this game, I realised that this line is actually very good for White indeed. On move 7, I had only a single move that maintained equality, with all other moves giving a good advantage to White. This move is the quiet looking Be7 and so is definitely not obvious.

On move 10, White found a brilliant tactic with Nxd4, ostensibly hanging their bishop. However, the bishop could not actually be captured or else, White would have trapped my queen! A few moves later on move 13, I realised that I was completely losing. White could win my knight by force, and after the dust settled, it looked like they would have a very strong winning position. That was when I found an audacious move! I saw that it was a completely bluff – if White found the correct response, I was in an even worse position. But they had to find it!

So, I played (13… Nf3+) – a check, with a discovered attack by my queen on the opponent’s rook on the back rank. It looked like I had a potential back rank mate in 1! White had to find the backwards knight move (14. Nxf3), but they didn’t! In that position, they had only 5 legal moves. Three of those moves resulted in immediate checkmate, Nxf3 was completely winning, and gxf3 prevented checkmate, but completely losing. Unfortunately for my opponent, they avoided checkmate, but didn’t find the backwards knight move!

The game switched in a flash, from [+5] to around [-9]! To keep things safe, I forced a queen trade, and then, a forced trade of my bishop for White’s remaining rook. In an endgame of my rook pair vs White’s knight pair, I found checkmate on move 24, but mouse-slipped the rook to the wrong position! Luckily for me, this didn’t matter and had checkmate two turns later. GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/74484738351

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.04.06"]
[Round "-"]
[White "WillyStaunton"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C55"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Scotch-Game-Scotch-Gambit-Dubois-Reti-Defense-5.e5-d5-6.Bb5-Nd7-7.O-O"]
[UTCDate "2023.04.06"]
[UTCTime "01:50:50"]
[WhiteElo "1258"]
[BlackElo "1421"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "01:50:50"]
[EndDate "2023.04.06"]
[EndTime "02:13:13"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/74484738351"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/137253402.ea3e784b.50x50o.ea7e7b877554.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "3"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:29:59.2]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:29:55.2]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:29:52.9]}
2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:29:53.6]} 3. Bc4 {[%clk 0:29:48.1]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk 0:29:52]}
4. d4 {[%clk 0:29:40.6] Italian Game: Two Knights, Open} 4... exd4 {[%clk
0:29:27.4] This is a named position that can be reached in the Scotch Gambit
through a different move order - the Dubois Reti Defense. Although it's [0.00],
it can be tricky to play for both White and Black.} 5. e5 {[%clk 0:29:28.6]}
5... d5 {[%clk 0:29:23.2][%c_arrow
d7d5;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] The move to know in
this position} 6. Bb5 {[%clk 0:29:20.1]} 6... Nd7 {[%clk 0:27:42.4]} 7. O-O
{[%clk 0:28:44.7] Up to this point, we had been playing book moves} 7... Bc5 $2
{[%clk 0:27:18.2][%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f8e7;keyPressed;none;from;f8;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false] With White playing
all book moves up to this point, I struggled to find the next good move. Bc5 is
a mistake [+1], that will become obvious in the next few moves with a brilliant
attack by White $1 The best move is the quiet looking Be7 and is the only move
that retains equality - all other moves give an advantage to White $1 This makes
this a rather strong opening for White $1} ({Ostensibly, this is the only line
that retains equality for Black $1} 7... Be7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9. Nxd4 Nb8 10. Qf3 O-O
11. c4 f6 12. e6 Bc5 13. Nb3 Be7 {And chess continues...}) 8. Bxc6 {[%clk
0:28:11.9]} 8... bxc6 {[%clk 0:27:13.1]} 9. Bg5 $1 {[%clk 0:27:14.5][%c_effect
g5;square;g5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 9... Be7 {[%clk 0:26:26.4] White
forces me to move the bishop twice, so I lose tempo} 10. Nxd4 $3 {[%clk
0:26:20.2][%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] A brilliant
move by White $1 I cannot capture the ostensibly hanging bishop as the knight will
capture the queen...} 10... Nxe5 $2 {[%clk 0:26:10.3][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c8b7;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;b7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b7;persistent;false] A mistake [+4.5] as
my pieces get pinned on the e-file} ({If I took the \"hanging\" bishop...} 10...
Bxg5 11. Nxc6 {[%c_arrow
c6d8;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;d8;persistent;false,c6e7;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false,e5f6;keyPressed;none;from;e5;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false,e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false,f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false]
And the Black queen is trapped $1}) 11. Bxe7 {[%clk 0:25:27]} 11... Qxe7 {[%clk
0:26:04]} 12. Re1 {[%clk 0:25:24.5]} 12... Bd7 $6 {[%clk 0:25:28.7][%c_effect
d7;square;d7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f7f6;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false] An inaccuracy [+5]}
13. Qh5 {[%clk 0:24:21.1] And I'm in trouble as White can force capture my
knight} 13... Nf3+ $5 {[%clk 0:24:30.4][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Interesting;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] However, I
found this audacious move which is a bluff $1 If White plays Nxf3, they win.
However, they are already winning and they MUST find this move. Any other move
is completely losing for White.} 14. gxf3 $4 {[%clk 0:23:58.4][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] White had 5
legal moves, only two of which did not immediately result in checkmate.
Unfortunately, White chose the wrong move [-8.6]} 14... Qxe1+ {[%clk 0:24:26.5]}
15. Kg2 {[%clk 0:23:55.3]} 15... O-O-O {[%clk 0:22:38.9]} 16. Nb3 {[%clk
0:23:08.8]} 16... Rhe8 {[%clk 0:21:24.5]} 17. Nc3 {[%clk 0:23:00.6]} 17... Qe7
{[%clk 0:20:39.3]} 18. Rd1 {[%clk 0:22:22.3]} 18... h6 {[%clk 0:19:52]} 19. Nxd5
{[%clk 0:21:30.4]} 19... Qg5+ $2 {[%clk 0:19:46.3][%c_arrow
c6d5;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_effect
g5;square;g5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Stockfish considers this a mistake
[-6.3] as I didn't need to trade queens. However, I'm still completely winning
and by forcing a queen trade, I simplify the game - I open up the h-file and
White loses their most active piece. I still think that this is a good move.}
20. Qxg5 {[%clk 0:21:21.1]} 20... hxg5 {[%clk 0:19:45.2]} 21. Nb4 $2 {[%clk
0:20:49][%c_effect b4;square;b4;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d5c3;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false] This is a mistake
[-9.4] as I now have a discovered attack on White's rook} 21... Bh3+ {[%clk
0:19:32.1]} 22. Kxh3 {[%clk 0:20:42]} 22... Rxd1 {[%clk 0:19:31.7]} 23. Nxc6 $2
{[%clk 0:20:39.9][%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h3g2;keyPressed;none;from;h3;opacity;0.8;to;g2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false] This hangs [-M4]}
23... Rh8+ $6 {[%clk 0:19:25.9][%c_arrow
d1g1;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false][%c_effect
h8;square;h8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Not the most accurate move [-7]}
24. Kg3 $2 {[%clk 0:20:37.4][%c_arrow
h3g2;keyPressed;none;from;h3;opacity;0.8;to;g2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false][%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Hangs [-M1]} 24... Rh1 $2 {[%clk
0:18:04.1][%c_effect h1;square;h1;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d1g1;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false] Whoops, a mouseslip $1
Luckily, it wasn't fatal $1} 25. Nxa7+ {[%clk 0:20:03.1]} 25... Kb7 {[%clk
0:18:00]} 26. Nb5 $2 {[%clk 0:19:56.6][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g3g4;keyPressed;none;from;g3;opacity;0.8;to;g4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g4;persistent;false] Luckily for me, White
didn't see the mate} 26... Rg1# {[%clk 0:17:54.3][%c_effect
b7;square;b7;type;Winner,g3;square;g3;type;CheckmateWhite]} 0-1