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I have a particular fondness of bishop sacrifices where they are used as long-range assassins, smashing through the opponent king’s defences! This game was special in that there was a DUAL sacrifice!

My opponent led with the Bishop’s Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Bc4). Stockfish considers that (2… Nf6) is the best response but I usually play 2… Nc6). My rationale? This opening is potentially quite trappy for White, but after Nc6, the clear best move for White is (3. Nf3), which simply transposes back to the Italian Game. My logic, however, is that White doesn’t want to play the Italian (which is why they led with the Bishop’s Opening), so if we end up in an Italian, I’m not disadvantaged. If they try to avoid the Italian and play anything else, there is often an advantage to Black by simply developing and playing according to standard opening principles.

Interestingly, White attempted a waiting move with (3. a3). I couldn’t see anything obviously exploitable so simply developed my other knight, potentially slightly up some tempo.

Both of us tread carefully in the opening, with no trades or captures. On move 9, White castles kingside, and I see a potential strategy. Although White had castled, I was up on development. This had occurred because White had made some pawn moves and had opted to “preventively” move their light square bishop onto a2. White’s knight on f3 was their only “real” developed piece. None of their other pieces had developed. Their bishop on a2 was set up to attack but couldn’t defend their its king. So, I play (9… Qd7) and line up a bishop-queen battery down the light square diagonal staring at White’s pawn on h3, getting ready for an immediate massive attack on the Black king’s position and keeping my king in the centre!

White potentially didn’t see my impending tactic of smashing their kingside pawns and played another relatively slow developing move of (10. Re1). This was an inaccuracy as the pawn on f2 was now not only pinned to the king but had the king as its only defender.

I strike – bishop sacrifice (Bxh3)! Stockfish calls this a mistake as the engine can defend this, but it’s not so easy for a human! After the trades (11. gxh3 Qxh3), I’ve lost one bishop, but White’s king side defence is dangerously damaged with missing h- and g-pawns, and my queen is now staring at the gaping hole that was once the “walls” of the king’s castle. White attempts to shore up defences with a backwards knight move (12. Nh2), which also opens up the diagonal for White’s queen to join the fray.

However, while attention was drawn to that side of the board, White neglected my second bishop, staring at f2. I strike again – bishop sacrifice (Bxf2+)! After the trades (13. Kxf2 Qxh2+), White’s king is now completely exposed. His castle is demolished – all three kingside pawns are gone, and their backwards knight has also been demolished. More than that, all of White’s pieces are still on the back rank, except for the bishop languishing on a2, cut off from the rest of the army.

The following position wasn’t the easiest to play, but it was easier for me than White. I had plenty of time to calculate and eventually discovered an [-M4] after my knight joined up with my queen for the attack. On move 19, White opted to resign recognising that they could only delay mate by one turn. GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/75616205559

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.04.19"]
[Round "-"]
[White "1199azizsaid1199"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C23"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Bishops-Opening-2...Nc6"]
[UTCDate "2023.04.19"]
[UTCTime "04:05:37"]
[WhiteElo "1468"]
[BlackElo "1432"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "04:05:37"]
[EndDate "2023.04.19"]
[EndTime "04:22:01"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/75616205559"]
[WhiteUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[WhiteCountry "125"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:29:53.2]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:29:57.6]} 2. Bc4 {[%clk 0:29:49.7]
Bishop's Opening [0.00]} 2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:29:50.7] The engine considers Nf6 is
best, but Nc6 is fine [+0.25], as it blunts some of the traps from the Bishop's
Opening, with the single best move for White being Nf3, which simply transposes
back to an Italian Game.} 3. a3 {[%clk 0:29:31.9] White playing a waiting move
[-0.1]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk 0:29:27.8]} 4. d3 {[%clk 0:29:27.7]} 4... h6 {[%clk
0:29:01.5][%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] I saw that I had an
opportunity to immediate strike in the centre with White's slower development,
but I decided to play a little more conservatively as I'm less familiar with the
Bishop's Opening lines [+0.3]} 5. c3 {[%clk 0:29:22.7]} 5... Bc5 {[%clk
0:28:35.3]} 6. Nf3 {[%clk 0:29:20]} 6... a5 $6 {[%clk 0:27:48.9][%c_effect
a5;square;a5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] My thought was to give an escape
for my dark square bishop, and blunt the queenside expansion by White. Stockfish
thinks this was inaccurate [+0.75].} 7. h3 $6 {[%clk 0:29:07.8][%c_arrow
d3d4;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false][%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] But we both play a closed
conservative game [0.00]} 7... d6 {[%clk 0:27:41.7]} 8. Ba2 {[%clk 0:28:50.6]}
8... Be6 {[%clk 0:27:11.7] Develop the bishop - if White trades it off, then
they lose a tempo by moving their bishop a second time, and I open up the
f-file. If I capture their bishop, teir rook moves to an odd position on a2.} 9.
O-O {[%clk 0:28:39.8]} 9... Qd7 {[%clk 0:26:50.4]} 10. Re1 $6 {[%clk
0:28:10.8][%c_effect e1;square;e1;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy
[-1]. Note the f2 pawn is not only pinned to the king, but the king is now its
only defender.} 10... Bxh3 $2 {[%clk 0:26:13.4][%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e6a2;keyPressed;none;from;e6;opacity;0.8;to;a2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a2;persistent;false] Bishop sacrifice $1
Stockfish calls this a mistake on the basis of engine perfection [+0.7],
however, my aggressive tactic of immediately smashing White's kingside defensive
pawns ends up being a winning idea $1} 11. gxh3 {[%clk 0:28:04.4]} 11... Qxh3
{[%clk 0:26:09.7]} 12. Nh2 $4 {[%clk 0:28:02.2][%c_effect
h2;square;h2;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d3d4;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false,c1e3;keyPressed;none;from;c1;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false,e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false]
The bishop sacrifice opened a gaping hole in the king's defences along with my
queen infiltrating the position. White attempted to bolster the defence with
this backwards knight move that opens the diagonal for the White queen, but this
logical looking idea is a blunder [-4].  While White's attention was drawn to
the immediate broken wall of their \"castle\", they neglected to see second
long-range assassin, the dark square bishop staring at the final king's guard on
f2...} 12... Bxf2+ $1 {[%clk 0:24:58.3][%c_effect
f2;square;f2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Dual bishop sacrifice $1 And now the
White king is completely exposed while White's pieces are either undeveloped or
stuck on the wrong side of the board.} 13. Kxf2 {[%clk 0:27:58.2]} 13... Qxh2+
{[%clk 0:24:56.1]} 14. Kf1 {[%clk 0:27:47.5]} 14... Qh1+ {[%clk 0:24:45.4]} 15.
Kf2 {[%clk 0:27:42.2]} 15... Qh4+ $6 {[%clk 0:24:19][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h1h2;keyPressed;none;from;h1;opacity;0.8;to;h2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h2;persistent;false] Not the most accurate
manoeuvre [-2.2]. I was trying to work out how to bring my knight on f6 into the
attack. Qh2+ and then Nh5 was best.} 16. Kf1 $2 {[%clk 0:26:40.1][%c_effect
f1;square;f1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] But in this difficult to play
position, White makes another mistake [-8.5] and I'm now completely winning}
16... Ng4 $1 {[%clk 0:23:59.4][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] Checkmate threat on f2} 17. Be3 $4
{[%clk 0:24:29.7][%c_arrow
d1d2;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_effect
e3;square;e3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] Understandable move, the bishop
defends f2, but this is a blunder [-M4]} 17... Qh1+ {[%clk
0:21:33.8][%c_highlight
f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false,g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false][%c_arrow
h1f1;keyPressed;none;from;h1;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false,h1g2;keyPressed;none;from;h1;opacity;0.8;to;g2;persistent;false,g4f2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false]
With this check, White only has two legal moves - Bg1 and Ke2} 18. Bg1 {[%clk
0:23:58.7]} ({If the king tried to escape, they are hemmed in by their own army,
helpless and unable to assist...} 18. Ke2 Qg2+ {[%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false,e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false,f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false][%c_arrow
g2d2;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false,g2f1;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false,g2f3;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false,g4f2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,g4e3;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false]}
19. Bf2 {[%c_arrow
g2f2;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,g2f1;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false,g2f3;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false,g4e3;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false,g4f2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false]}
19... Qxf2# {[%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false,e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false,e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false,f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false][%c_arrow
f2f1;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false,f2f3;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false,f2e3;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false,f2d2;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false,g4f2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false]})
18... Qh3+ {[%clk 0:21:01.3]} 19. Ke2 {[%clk 0:23:40.7]} 19... Qg2+ {[%clk
0:20:57.6][%c_effect e8;square;e8;type;Winner,e2;square;e2;type;ResignWhite]
White can only delay checkmate by one turn by blocking with Bf2 so opted to
resign. GG $1} 0-1