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I’m quite proud of this game as I managed to get a high accuracy (> 90%) and had a brilliant move with a rook sacrifice! My opponent played a slightly unorthodox opening sequence, which transposed into the King’s Indian Attack (1. Nf3 d5 2. g3). I think this might be the first time I’ve faced against the King’s Indian Attack, or at least, it’s the first time I can remember! As I played this game on the Australia’s “King’s Birthday” public holiday, it seemed very fitting!

On move 4, White had created their set up – they had castled short, the bishop was in the fianchetto position, with knight on f3. So, my strategy was relatively straightforward. All further development would be aiming to move pieces to attack on the kingside. Tactically, castling queenside would allow a kingside pawn storm. Also, trading off White’s strong fianchetto bishop will be good for me.

So, with those ideas in mind, I play (4… Bg4). Stockfish calls this an inaccuracy [+0.5] and this can be understood using opening principles. If there is an opportunity to take the full centre with pawns (e.g., e5 in this game) it’s often best to do so. However, my logic with this move was to prepare for long castling, and getting ready for a bishop-queen battery along the light square diagonal to force trade the fianchetto bishop. Also, by placing my bishop in a somewhat provocative position on g4, I thought that psychologically it would restrict White’s plan for development: if they moved the e-pawn, their knight would be pinned (which blocks the fianchetto bishop’s access to the long diagonal). I thought it might also provoke White to play h3 to dislodge my bishop, but in doing so, White would weaken their king’s defence.

And this came to fruition! On the next move, I formed the bishop-queen battery. White spooked, try to kick the bishop, a blunder as the pawn was straight up hanging, and I get to force trade the bishop (6. h3 Bxh3 7. Bf4 Bxg2). On move 8, I long castles (8… O-O-O) and I had a strong sense that I was ahead. The next step was to march my h-pawn forward supported by my rook!

I made a few provocative moves, sacrificing a pawn to start of trading sequence removing White’s other bishop. White, however, made a terminal mistake with (13. Nxh4). Simply, I had more attackers than they had defenders. White’s knight was ostensibly defended by a pawn on g3, but this was dangerously their “last man standing”. On move 13, I found a brilliant rook sacrifice (13… Rxh4). White captured back with their g-pawn, and this was a blunder [-M5]! King safety always trumps material. The opened g-file and step forward by the pawn critically weakened the king’s defences allowing my queen to infiltrate the position. The king was trapped in the opened alcove of the h- and g-files with checkmate on move 17. GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/80263206913

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.06.11"]
[Round "-"]
[White "VEC45"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "A07"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Kings-Indian-Attack-Yugoslav-Variation-3.Bg2-Nc6"]
[UTCDate "2023.06.11"]
[UTCTime "22:55:41"]
[WhiteElo "1414"]
[BlackElo "1418"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "22:55:41"]
[EndDate "2023.06.11"]
[EndTime "23:08:15"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/80263206913"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/241776737.e35cb586.50x50o.a5271409f92f.jpg"]
[WhiteCountry "54"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.82046355.50x50o.c8c8e6b7296c.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:06.2]} 1... d5 {[%clk 0:15:06.7]} 2. g3 {[%clk 0:15:11.9]
King's Indian Attack} 2... Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:07.3]} 3. Bg2 {[%clk 0:15:15.7]} 3...
Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:10.2] KIA: Yugolsav Variation [+0.4]} 4. O-O $6 {[%clk
0:15:19.4][%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
g1;square;g1;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Stockfish suggests taking some
central control with d4 and that this rapid castling kingside was an inaccuracy
[-0.1]} 4... Bg4 $6 {[%clk 0:14:44.2][%c_arrow
e7e5;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Stockfish thinks that I should
have used the opportunity to take the full centre with e5 making this move an
inaccuracy [+0.5]. However, my logic was to psychologically constrain White from
moving their e-pawn (which would pin the knight to the queen), and to
potentially provoke White into moving their h-pawn, weakening the king's
defences.} 5. d3 {[%clk 0:15:19.4]} 5... Qd7 {[%clk 0:14:47.2][%c_arrow
d7h3;keyPressed;shift;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;ctrl;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false] With White having
committed castling their king to the kingside, the strategy is to attack with my
pieces on that side. Tactically, getting rid of the strong fianchetto bishop is
good.} 6. h3 $4 {[%clk 0:13:59.4][%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c2c4;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false] I had hoped to
provoke this so was very happy to see it $1 This is a blunder as White has hung
that pawn [-1.7] and will now have a permanent weakness on their king's
defences.} 6... Bxh3 {[%clk 0:14:54.5]} 7. Bf4 $6 {[%clk 0:13:34.9][%c_arrow
c2c4;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A further inaccuracy [-2.6]} 7...
Bxg2 {[%clk 0:14:43]} 8. Kxg2 {[%clk 0:13:42.9]} 8... O-O-O {[%clk 0:14:33.8]}
9. Nc3 {[%clk 0:12:00]} 9... h5 {[%clk 0:14:36.1]} 10. a3 $6 {[%clk
0:11:57.5][%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e2e4;keyPressed;none;from;e2;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false] A difficult position
to play [-3.3]. Stockfish recommends fighting in the centre.} 10... e5 {[%clk
0:12:19][%c_arrow
h5h4;keyPressed;none;from;h5;opacity;0.8;to;h4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h4;persistent;false] I wanted to open the
h-file but didn't think I could achieve this with the immediate h4. Stockfish
thought otherwise $1} 11. Bxe5 {[%clk 0:11:42.1]} 11... h4 $6 {[%clk
0:12:01.2][%c_arrow
f6g4;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;g4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g4;persistent;false][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Now, I decided to push, which was
apparently suboptimal [-2]} 12. Bxf6 {[%clk 0:11:36.9]} 12... gxf6 {[%clk
0:11:25.4]} 13. Nxh4 $2 {[%clk 0:11:30][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] But it worked $1
It led to White trade away their pieces which were necessary for their defence.
White's capture with their knight is a mistake [-4.5] as the f-pawn is the last
man defender standing of the king after I sacrifice my rook $1} 13... Rxh4 $3
{[%clk 0:11:07.8][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Brilliant;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Brilliant
move $1 White's king is potentially trapped on the h- and g-files with no
defenders...} 14. gxh4 $4 {[%clk 0:11:24.2][%c_arrow
f1h1;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;h1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h1;persistent;false][%c_effect
h4;square;h4;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] A blunder [-M5].
The king's final defender cannot step forward...} 14... Qg4+ $1 {[%clk
0:11:15.9][%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 15. Kh2
{[%clk 0:11:28.9]} 15... Bd6+ {[%clk 0:11:20.8]} 16. Kh1 {[%clk 0:11:33.4]}
16... Qh3+ {[%clk 0:11:25.1]} 17. Kg1 {[%clk 0:11:40.6]} 17... Qh2# {[%clk
0:11:34.7][%c_effect c8;square;c8;type;Winner,g1;square;g1;type;CheckmateWhite]
GG $1} 0-1