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I’ve been getting a run of Giraffe Attack games. To understand how winning this is, of the 17 Giraffe games I’ve played on chess.com, I’ve a 76%-win rate. Today’s game was a 10+15 rapid game on Lichess where once again, I played the Giraffe Attack against the Anderssen Defense in the Vienna Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Qg4) for the win!

Black played the best response (3… Nf6) and I parked the queen into its usual square in these positions (5. Qg3). The goal is the attack the e5 pawn. Black castles and I capture e5 (5… O-O 6. Qxe5). This is a mistake [-2.5], as I forgot about a clever geometric tactic that Black has available!

Black can play the prospectively brilliant move (5… Bxf2+) which seems to sac their bishop. However, it can’t be taken by the king as Black can then follow up with a devastating royal fork and the game would basically be over (6. Kxf2 Ng4+)!

Luckily for me, Black who was playing very quickly, missed this tactic, choosing to play a natural looking attacking move with (5… Re8). However, this was a blunder [+5.8] as they hang their bishop, and fundamentally, the threat down the e-file is just not quick enough. This is tested, but after a series of trades, on move 12, I long castle, and am 4 points of material up (a pawn and a minor piece), with an evaluation of better than [+7].

Black has some attacking chances down the b-file, and I need to be careful. However, I’m able to consolidate, rotating my king’s knight to join the defence on the queenside. Although Black has four pieces attacking my king’s position, I had three defending pieces, and the full complement of defensive pawns so was rock solid.

On move 20, Black allowed an opportunity where I could force a trade of rooks, and this was the beginning of the end. Simplifying for the position allowed my material advantage to be exerted and stripped away Black’s positional tactics. For instance, Black’s rook battery can’t exist with one rook! Similarly, on move 24, Black allowed an opportunity where I could force a queen trade, entering an endgame with a pawn majority and knight and rook vs rook.

Still, it wasn’t necessarily simple as Black’s rook was better developed and had infiltrated, and Black at a substantial time advantage. They played well, but a pawn sacrifice allowed me to create a passed pawn on the b-file and with king and rook, promotion is unstoppable against a single rook. Ultimately, on move 50, Black was forced to trade their rook for my passed pawn. They played on, but with the simplified position, my time disadvantage was no longer felt with the 15 second increment with each move. And then on move 58, I delivered an evil ladder checkmate with pawn underpromotion to a rook (56. f8=R#)! GG!

Game on Lichess: https://lichess.org/oo6rYZJt

[Event "Rated Rapid game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/oo6rYZJt"]
[Date "2023.05.03"]
[Round "?"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "chess_ggop"]
[Result "1-0"]
[UTCDate "2023.05.03"]
[UTCTime "00:42:40"]
[WhiteElo "1724"]
[BlackElo "1632"]
[WhiteRatingDiff "+20"]
[BlackRatingDiff "-51"]
[TimeControl "600+5"]
[ECO "C25"]
[Opening "Vienna Game: Giraffe Attack"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://adventuresofachessnoob.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/lichess.png"]
[BlackCountry ""]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 0:10:03]} 2... Bc5
{[%clk 0:10:03]} 3. Qg4 {[%clk 0:10:05] Vienna Game: Giraffe Attack} 3... Nf6
{[%clk 0:10:07] Black's best response} 4. Qg3 {[%clk 0:10:09]} 4... O-O {[%clk
0:10:09]} 5. Qxe5 $2 {[%clk 0:10:10][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d2d3;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false] This is a mistake,
but requires Black to spot a tricky geometric tactic [-2.5]} 5... Re8 $4 {[%clk
0:10:11][%c_arrow
c5f2;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false][%c_effect
e8;square;e8;type;Blunder;persistent;true] Black, however, lays a natural
attacking move, which blunders their bishop [+5.8]} ({A very clever line for
Black...} 5... Bxf2+ $1 {[%c_effect
f2;square;f2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c5f2;keyPressed;shift;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f2;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false]} 6. Kxf2 Ng4+
{[%c_arrow
g4f2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,g4e5;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false,e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false]
And Black wins with a royal fork $1}) 6. Qxc5 {[%clk 0:10:09]} 6... d5 {[%clk
0:10:11]} 7. d3 {[%clk 0:09:17]} 7... dxe4 $6 {[%clk 0:10:10][%c_arrow
b8a6;keyPressed;none;from;b8;opacity;0.8;to;a6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e4;square;e4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [+7.5]} 8. dxe4
{[%clk 0:08:30]} 8... Na6 {[%clk 0:10:06]} 9. Bxa6 {[%clk 0:07:55]} 9... bxa6
{[%clk 0:10:07]} 10. Bg5 {[%clk 0:07:30]} 10... h6 {[%clk 0:10:09]} 11. Bxf6
{[%clk 0:07:32]} 11... Qxf6 {[%clk 0:10:13]} 12. O-O-O {[%clk 0:07:24]} 12...
Rb8 {[%clk 0:10:11] Although I'm winning, I need to be careful not to blunder a
checkmate by losing control of the b2 square} 13. f3 {[%clk 0:06:21]} 13... Be6
{[%clk 0:09:58]} 14. Kb1 {[%clk 0:06:03]} 14... c6 {[%clk 0:08:44]} 15. Nge2
{[%clk 0:06:00]} 15... Rb7 {[%clk 0:07:23]} 16. Nd4 {[%clk 0:05:56]} 16... Reb8
{[%clk 0:07:21]} 17. Nb3 {[%clk 0:05:30]} 17... a5 {[%clk 0:07:05]} 18. Qxa5
{[%clk 0:05:18]} 18... Bxb3 {[%clk 0:06:00]} 19. cxb3 {[%clk 0:04:58]} 19... Qg6
{[%clk 0:05:41]} 20. Rd8+ {[%clk 0:04:55] An opportunity to force trades to
simplify the position is good when up on material $1} 20... Rxd8 {[%clk 0:05:36]}
21. Qxd8+ {[%clk 0:04:59]} 21... Kh7 {[%clk 0:05:40]} 22. g3 {[%clk 0:03:35]}
22... f5 {[%clk 0:05:40]} 23. Qc8 {[%clk 0:03:31][%c_arrow
c8b7;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;b7;persistent;false,c8f5;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;f5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b7;persistent;false,f5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f5;persistent;false]
A fork of the rook, and f5, which forces a queen trade} 23... Re7 {[%clk
0:05:31]} 24. Qxf5 {[%clk 0:03:33]} 24... Qxf5 {[%clk 0:05:29]} 25. exf5 {[%clk
0:03:37] And now, I should have a winning endgame [+9.7] though it isn't
necessarily simple $1} 25... Rf7 {[%clk 0:05:29]} 26. g4 {[%clk 0:03:40]} 26... c5
{[%clk 0:05:31]} 27. Ne4 {[%clk 0:03:32]} 27... Rd7 {[%clk 0:05:31]} 28. Nxc5
{[%clk 0:03:35]} 28... Rd2 {[%clk 0:05:33]} 29. Ne6 {[%clk 0:02:42][%c_arrow
e6f4;keyPressed;none;from;e6;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false,f3f4;keyPressed;none;from;f3;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false] Proud to find this
move to neuter the infiltration of the Black rook as everything is defended}
29... a5 {[%clk 0:05:33]} 30. Kc1 {[%clk 0:02:38]} 30... Rf2 {[%clk 0:05:31]}
31. f4 {[%clk 0:02:41]} 31... Re2 {[%clk 0:05:16]} 32. a3 {[%clk 0:02:39]} 32...
Re3 {[%clk 0:05:16]} 33. b4 {[%clk 0:02:40]} 33... axb4 {[%clk 0:05:18]} 34.
axb4 {[%clk 0:02:44]} 34... Rb3 {[%clk 0:05:20]} 35. Rd1 {[%clk 0:02:26]} 35...
Rxb4 {[%clk 0:05:23]} 36. Rd4 {[%clk 0:02:30] Invitation for Black to trade away
their last piece} 36... Rb3 {[%clk 0:05:26]} 37. Kc2 {[%clk 0:02:33]} 37... Rf3
{[%clk 0:05:29]} 38. Rd3 {[%clk 0:02:30]} 38... Rf2+ {[%clk 0:05:33]} 39. Rd2
{[%clk 0:02:32]} 39... Rf3 {[%clk 0:05:36]} 40. b3 {[%clk 0:02:32]} 40... Rf1
{[%clk 0:05:37]} 41. Kc3 {[%clk 0:02:34]} 41... Rf3+ {[%clk 0:05:35]} 42. Kc4
{[%clk 0:02:35]} 42... Rf1 {[%clk 0:05:30]} 43. Rc2 {[%clk 0:02:24]} 43... Rg1
{[%clk 0:05:30]} 44. h3 {[%clk 0:02:10]} 44... Rh1 {[%clk 0:05:31]} 45. Rc3
{[%clk 0:02:14]} 45... Re1 {[%clk 0:05:26]} 46. b4 {[%clk 0:02:18]} 46... Re4+
{[%clk 0:05:29]} 47. Kc5 {[%clk 0:02:17]} 47... Re2 {[%clk 0:05:22]} 48. b5
{[%clk 0:02:20]} 48... Rb2 {[%clk 0:05:25]} 49. b6 {[%clk 0:02:10]} 49... Rb1
{[%clk 0:05:17]} 50. Kc6 {[%clk 0:02:13]} 50... Rxb6+ {[%clk 0:05:20] Black
realises they can't prevent promotion so sacs their rook for the passed pawn}
51. Kxb6 {[%clk 0:02:16]} 51... h5 {[%clk 0:05:17]} 52. g5 {[%clk 0:02:16]}
52... g6 {[%clk 0:05:17]} 53. Rc7+ {[%clk 0:02:17]} 53... Kg8 {[%clk 0:05:18]}
54. f6 {[%clk 0:02:14]} 54... h4 {[%clk 0:05:11]} 55. f7+ {[%clk 0:02:13]} 55...
Kh7 {[%clk 0:05:10]} 56. f8=R# {[%clk 0:02:07][%c_effect
b6;square;b6;type;Winner,h7;square;h7;type;CheckmateBlack] Gangster
underpromotion checkmate $1} 1-0