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This game is a tale of woe. My subscriber, who wanted to remain anonymous played the Vienna Game: Main Line against me (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5) and I had assumed in this first game against them after the opening that I was going to easily win. They were rated in the 700s in daily games.

Immediately clarified the centre, and we were left on move 5 with an e-pawn each, but on the “wrong side” of the board. White had a semi-open f-file having lost their f-pawn in the exchange. I had a semi-open d-file, with my queen controlling that file. This geometric difference means that I had better control of the centre, and the position is almost [-1] in favour of Black.

And this turned out to be the case. I created a battery of my bishop and queen staring at White’s f2 square. White tries to defend with Qe2, the only move that wasn’t disastrous. However, I found (8… Bg4) a brilliant move! This attacks the black queen and is seemingly hanging. If they take the bait and capture the bishop, then Qf2 is super winning.

This was where I blundered. I was playing this out on my phone. White played (9. c3), counterattacking my queen. In my impatience, I had thought that Black had found a refutation to my attack, and so withdrew the queen to d7. White’s c3 was actually a blunder [-6] as I had a beautiful sequence where I force trade the queens, trade minor pieces, and I end up clean up a rook. Winning.

However, my retreat was a blunder [+2], with White now winning with a better position, and capture my e4 pawn for free! Retrospectively, it was arrogance that stopped me from looking at the position more closely.

On move 13, I deliberately hung my knight as a trap, hoping that White would capture with their pawn, opening the d-file. As this was a daily game, I had time to chase through a series of potential checks in the calculation, and foresaw a beautiful mating sequence, around a [-M9]! White, however, avoided the trap and played well. I blundered a complicated position with the evaluation going to [+9]. Luckily, Black didn’t punish me with finding the right line, and I breathed a sigh of relief when they offered a queen trade. With Black trading away their most active piece, the evaluation dropped back to [+0.6] – I had a chance again! This part of the middle game was very complicated, but I came out ahead, entering a rook and bishop endgame at [-6]. We had the same-coloured bishops and I was up two pawns. Winning!

I managed to trade off the bishops on move 40, entering a rook and pawn endgame. Here, arrogance struck again as I didn’t calculate clearly before shooting off moves. I few moves later, I blunder a rook move, going from winning to [0.00]. One move later, I miscalculated, assumed I had enough time, a sacrificed my rook, which was a game ending blunder. On move 51, I throw in the towel. GG!

[Event "Let's Play!"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.04.08"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Chess Noob Sub"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C29"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Vienna-Game-Main-Line-4.fxe5-Nxe4"]
[UTCDate "2023.04.08"]
[UTCTime "00:59:30"]
[WhiteElo "710"]
[BlackElo "1197"]
[TimeControl "1/604800"]
[Termination "Chess Noob Sub won by resignation"]
[StartTime "00:59:30"]
[EndDate "2023.04.11"]
[EndTime "00:47:12"]
[WhiteUrl "https://adventuresofachessnoob.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/cropped-noob_logo_icon_1200px.png"]
[WhiteCountry "2"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 {Vienna Game: Main Line} 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 {This
is a suboptimal line for White [-0.9]} 5... dxe4 6. g3 $2 {[%c_arrow
d2d4;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false][%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This slow move, defending the h4
square, is a mistake [-4]} 6... Bc5 $6 {[%c_arrow
b8c6;keyPressed;none;from;b8;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false][%c_effect
c5;square;c5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Given the weakness to the kingside
defence, I decided to launch an immediate attack on f2, and perhaps, arrogantly,
assumed that my 700 ELO rated player will lose immediately $1 This move is
considered an inaccuracy, but Black is still completely winning [-2.5]} 7. Bg2
Qd4 $2 {[%c_arrow
d8e7;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Stockfish doesn't believe in this
attack from the perspective of perfect play, even though it is very aggressive
and is still advantageous for Black [-1.3]} 8. Qe2 $1 {[%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] This is the only move that isn't
immediately disastrous for White} 8... Bg4 $3 {[%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] Brilliant move inviting the queen
to capture, which would be a disastrous blunder} 9. c3 $4 {[%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A blunder [-6]} 9... Qd7 $4
{[%c_effect d7;square;d7;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4g1;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false] But on my phone, I
couldn't find the right line and in my impatience assumed that my attack had
been refuted and blunder  [+2] a retreat $1} ({What I should have played...} 9...
Qxg1+ 10. Rxg1 Bxe2 11. Kxe2 Bxg1 {And Black is completely winning...}) 10. Qxe4
Nc6 11. d4 Bf5 12. Qf4 Be7 $6 {[%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][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [+2.5]} 13. d5 O-O-O
{I was hoping that White would capture my knight with the pawn as that would
blunder mate $1  As this was in the daily game format, I managed to calculate it
out $1} 14. Ne2 {However, they didn't fall for it...} ({What I saw and the trap I
was hoping White would fall into...} 14. dxc6 $4 {[%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;Blunder;persistent;true]} 14... Qd1+ 15. Kf2 Bc5+ 16. Be3 Rd2+
17. Ne2 Qxe2+ 18. Kg1 Qxg2#) 14... g5 15. Qe3 Na5 $4 {[%c_effect
a5;square;a5;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c6e5;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] A blunder [+9]} 16.
O-O Nc4 $2 {[%c_effect c4;square;c4;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c8b8;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;b8;persistent;false] A mistake} 17.
Qf3 $2 {[%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e3a7;keyPressed;none;from;e3;opacity;0.8;to;a7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a7;persistent;false] White makes a mistake
back [+3.4]} 17... Bc5+ $2 {[%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Mistake;persistent;true]
My aggressive counterplay was not appreciated by Stockfish $1 [+6]} 18. Nd4 Bg4
19. Qxf7 $2 {[%c_effect f7;square;f7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] White trading
off their most active piece was a mistake [+0.6] and I breathe a sigh of
relief $1} 19... Qxf7 20. Rxf7 Nxe5 $1 {[%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 21. Rg7 $2 {[%c_arrow
f7f1;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false][%c_effect
g7;square;g7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] After feeling like was I losing, I
finally regain the advantage [-1.1]} 21... Nf3+ $6 {[%c_arrow
h7h6;keyPressed;none;from;h7;opacity;0.8;to;h6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] However, rather than playing more
solidly, I was again a little arrogant with playing unbalanced attacks [+0.3]}
22. Kf1 Nxh2+ 23. Kg1 $1 {[%c_effect g1;square;g1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]}
23... Nf3+ 24. Kh1 $2 {[%c_effect
h1;square;h1;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g2f3;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false] A mistake [-2.3]}
24... Nxd4 25. cxd4 Bxd4 26. Rxg5 h5 27. Bf4 Bxb2 $6 {[%c_effect
b2;square;b2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4f6;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false] Inaaccurate
[-1.1]} 28. Rb1 Bf6 29. Rg6 Bf5 $6 {[%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] I thought this was a strong move,
but the Stockfish believed in defending the bishop before attempting to fork
[0.00]} 30. Rxf6 {[%c_arrow
b1c1;keyPressed;none;from;b1;opacity;0.8;to;c1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c1;persistent;false] However, this was a
complicated position [-1.6]} 30... Bxb1 31. Bh3+ $2 {[%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f6f7;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false] A mistake [-6]} 31...
Kb8 32. d6 cxd6 33. Bxd6+ Rxd6 34. Rxd6 Bxa2 {Here, I was satisfied as I knew I
was in a completely winning endgame... I soon, however, stuff this up... [-6]}
35. Kg2 Kc7 36. Rd7+ Kc6 37. Kf2 Rf8+ 38. Ke3 Re8+ 39. Kf4 Be6 40. Bxe6 Rxe6 {I
trade off another one of White's pieces} 41. Rh7 a5 42. Rxh5 b5 43. g4 a4 44. g5
Rg6 {[%c_arrow
e6e8;keyPressed;none;from;e6;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false] I blunder the rook
and pawn-endgame. From winning, it's now [0.00]} 45. Rh6 $1 {[%c_effect
h6;square;h6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 45... b4 $4 {[%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] I thought I had enough time, but I
was mistaken. White now has a forced mating line} 46. Rxg6+ Kc5 47. Ra6 b3 48.
Ra5+ Kd4 49. Rxa4+ Kc3 50. Ra6 b2 51. Rb6 {[%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Winner,c3;square;c3;type;ResignBlack] Here, I throw in the
towel. Amazing endgame play by my opponent $1} 1-0