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An important tactical concept in chess, especially in the middle game is positional continuity. In essence, it is recognising the roles of individual pieces and the tactical resources in a position, and how that changes as pieces move. For instance, it can be easy to forget that a square was defended by a particular piece, and assume the square is still defended after the piece has moved. The greater the level of abstraction, for instance, tactical resources like pins, the easier it is to have a lapse in continuity. This becomes a potential for both you and your opponent to make a mistake, and from that, the opportunity to avoid and create traps!

This was a game where I had the black pieces, and my opponent played the Ruy Lopez Opening. As usual, I responded with the Jaenisch Gambit, and I quickly knew that I had taken my opponent off the beaten path as it took them a couple of minutes to respond. And they Accepted the Jaenisch (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. exf5) which is an inaccuracy!

We mostly play accurately from then on and enter an interesting position where we opposite side castle, and an equal evaluation. In the early middle game on move 12, my opponent strikes out with their b-pawn attacking my queen and this was a mistake [-1.6] as it creates a weak c-pawn which becomes a target. Here I make my first mistake, I miscalculated and thought I could capture the pawn immediately with (12… Nxc3) thinking that I was counterattacking White’s queen. This was a mistake as the queen was defended by their knight on d4, and I saw this almost immediately after the move.

Having thought that I had blundered the position, I was pleasantly surprised when White didn’t take my queen and captured my knight first (13. Nxc3). Almost without thinking, I immediately took their knight with my queen, moving it out of the attack by their pawn. However, this was a lapse in continuity. My queen was defending my bishop on f5, and by taking the knight on c3, the bishop was now hanging. The correct move was to capture the knight on d4, both moving my queen out of the attack from the pawn and removing the attacker of my bishop.

The next two lapses in continuity and errors were made by my opponent. On move 19, they made what the chess.com analytic engine labelled a brilliant move, by hanging their bishop on g7, and instead, playing (19. Rab1) forming a rook-queen battery down the b-file. Although I’m not so sure this move was “brilliant” as it’s easy to see, it was the best move as it creates an immediate checkmate threat. However, after I play (19… b6) which temporarily removes the mate threat, White needed to remember that their bishop on g7 was still hanging. However, White was so focussed on the queenside attack they played (20. a4) instead of moving the bishop. This was a blunder as there was no reason why I shouldn’t capture their bishop as their attack on the queenside isn’t quick enough.

I noticed this lapse in continuity. So, on move 22, I played (22. Re2) as a massive bluff. My rook and bishop are both attacking f2 and looks scary. However, the attack doesn’t work. However, on the surface the attack seems credible and rational. At the same time, the rook is hanging. My “gambit” was that White will make the interpretation that I hung my rook accidently while making a logical looking attack. And while they think down this line, this encourages another lapse in continuity that their knight was blocking a battery of my queen and rook down the g-file with a mating attack. As this attack didn’t exist when the knight was moved originally onto the g3 square, they might not recognise its role, or it becomes easy to forget!

And it worked. After 20 seconds, White captured my rook with their knight, opening the g-file – (23… Qxg2#) – GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/78717725477

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.05.25"]
[Round "-"]
[White "nbajaj730"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C60"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Ruy-Lopez-Opening-Jaenisch-Gambit-Accepted"]
[UTCDate "2023.05.25"]
[UTCTime "01:41:41"]
[WhiteElo "1303"]
[BlackElo "1403"]
[TimeControl "1800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "01:41:41"]
[EndDate "2023.05.25"]
[EndTime "02:12:41"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/78717725477"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/93725074.f0efe64a.50x50o.b38d9110a8cd.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "69"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:29:58.6]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:29:48.1]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:29:54.4]}
2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:29:43.4]} 3. Bb5 {[%clk 0:29:37.3]} 3... f5 {[%clk 0:29:38.5]}
4. exf5 $6 {[%clk 0:27:28.6][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Ruy Lopez Opening: Jaenisch Gambit
Accepted. It is an inaccuracy for White to accept the Jaenisch Gambit [-0.35]}
4... e4 $1 {[%clk 0:29:29.5][%c_effect
e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 5. Qe2 {[%clk 0:27:06.4]} 5...
Qe7 $1 {[%clk 0:29:24.8][%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]
This is relatively similar to a reverse Vienna Gambit accepted - the pawn can be
unpinned with a symmetric queen move} 6. Bxc6 $1 {[%clk 0:26:05.1][%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e4f3;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false]} 6... dxc6
{[%clk 0:29:12.9]} 7. Nd4 {[%clk 0:25:55.6]} 7... Nf6 {[%clk 0:28:37][%c_arrow
g8h6;keyPressed;none;from;g8;opacity;0.8;to;h6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false] An inaccuracy [+0.1]}
8. O-O {[%clk 0:24:37.5]} 8... Qc5 {[%clk 0:28:20.3]} 9. c3 {[%clk 0:24:09.9]}
9... Bxf5 {[%clk 0:28:12.4]} 10. d3 {[%clk 0:23:27.6]} 10... O-O-O {[%clk
0:27:55.3]} 11. dxe4 {[%clk 0:23:18]} 11... Nxe4 {[%clk 0:26:06.4]} 12. b4 $2
{[%clk 0:20:26.2][%c_effect b4;square;b4;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e2f3;keyPressed;none;from;e2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false] This is a mistake
[-1.6] with the attack easily side-stepped and White creating a weak c-pawn}
12... Nxc3 $2 {[%clk 0:25:13.9][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c5d5;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] A mistake [+0.5] as I
miscalculated, as I forgot that the knight on d4 defended the e2 square...} 13.
Nxc3 $2 {[%clk 0:19:40.2][%c_arrow
b4c5;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;c5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] However, White
mustn't have seen it either, and opt to take [-3.7].} 13... Qxc3 $2 {[%clk
0:25:08.6][%c_arrow
c5d4;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Having convinced
myself I had blundered the previous position, I almost immediately took the
knight on c3 which had just moved, which is a mistake [+3.4], and lost sight of
the \"continuity\" that the queen was defending the bishop on f5.} 14. Bb2 $2
{[%clk 0:19:22.5][%c_arrow
d4f5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;f5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f5;persistent;false][%c_effect
b2;square;b2;type;Mistake;persistent;true] White opts to develop their bishop
which is a mistake as they could have just taken my bishop with Nxf5, moving
their knight out of the attack and capturing a hanging piece [-1.9]} 14...
Qxb4 $4 {[%clk 0:24:37.5][%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c3d3;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false] However as mentioned,
I had lost sight of \"continuity\" and didn't see that my bishop was hanging,
making this the last, and most consequential mistake/blunder in this series...
[+3.7]} 15. Nxf5 {[%clk 0:19:11.3]} 15... Bc5 {[%clk 0:22:49.6]} 16. Bxg7 {[%clk
0:18:02.7]} 16... Rhe8 {[%clk 0:22:29.5]} 17. Qb2 $2 {[%clk 0:16:54.3][%c_effect
b2;square;b2;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e2h5;keyPressed;none;from;e2;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false] A very understandable
move. White wants to trade queens now that they are up on material. In this
complicated position, Stockfish considers this a mistake [+2.1]} 17... Qg4 $6
{[%clk 0:21:14.5][%c_arrow
b4b2;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;b2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b2;persistent;false][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Stockfish evaluation thinks that
trading queens is \"best\", but I disagree from a strategic perspective. It'll
be very difficult to win after the queen trade, so my strategy is to keep
material while creating an attack, while tactically creating as many threats as
possible, forcing White to respond and potentially make a mistake [+3.1]} 18.
Ng3 {[%clk 0:16:04.8]} 18... Rd7 {[%clk 0:18:06.2]} 19. Rab1 $3 {[%clk
0:15:49.4][%c_effect b1;square;b1;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] Curiously, the
chess.com analytic engine calls this a brilliant move, but seems to be fairly
obvious that I cannot capture the bishop due to the immediate mate threat $1}
19... b6 {[%clk 0:17:42.1]} 20. a4 $4 {[%clk 0:15:09.7][%c_effect
a4;square;a4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] This is perhaps a loss of
\"continuity\". The bishop is still hanging and there is no longer an immediate
mate threat, making this a blunder [-3.3].} 20... Rxg7 {[%clk 0:17:21.5]} 21. a5
{[%clk 0:14:59]} 21... Bd4 {[%clk 0:16:13.3]} 22. Qb3 {[%clk 0:14:25.6]} 22...
Re2 $5 {[%clk 0:15:11.7][%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h7h5;keyPressed;none;from;h7;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false] Having noticed my
opponent's lapses in continuity, I play this as a massive bluff, as it isn't
immediately possible for my bishop and rook to credibly attack f2. However, it
SEEMS plausible enough, and it looks like I had calculated this for a minute. I
was hoping that White thought that I might have misplayed and blundered, and
then capture my rook with their knight...} 23. Nxe2 $4 {[%clk
0:14:05.6][%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] ... and they
did $1  The lapse in continuity here is forgetting that the knight was blocking a
mating attack with my queen-rook battery $1} 23... Qxg2# {[%clk
0:15:06.2][%c_effect c8;square;c8;type;Winner,g1;square;g1;type;CheckmateWhite]}
0-1