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This was a Team Australia Tournament match that demonstrates the RIDICULOUSNESS of how one mistake in the Englund Gambit can result in a CRUSHING dominant position from the opening!

We had the Englund Gambit Accepted (1. d4 e5 2. dxe5) and then the usual beginning of the trap line with the “Killer Queen” giving a triple fork with check on move 4 (2… Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Bf4 Qb4+). White correctly blocks with a backwards bishop move and I take the b-pawn (5. Bd2 Qxb2). Every move up to this point from White has been the best move.

But then comes the trap! The entirely natural looking, no, EXCELLENT looking move (6. Bc3) which seemingly provides x-ray defence of the rook in the corner with everything defended is a drastic blunder [-5]. If you’re not aware of this, it’s extremely hard to see!

The next 11 moves is DEVASTATING for White. At the end of the sequence, White is left with four remaining pawns, all split, the king bongclouded on e2, is down 5 points of material and a full piece. White has no compensation.

My opponent is probably at least as strong as me (they were higher rated in daily and beat me on the rematch) and managed to defend their position for almost another 30 moves before resigning having lost their final piece. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to definitely try the Englund Gambit. Yes, it’s a bit dodgey and no good once you get into middle/upper intermediate. However, it’s a super fun way of smashing 1. d4!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/543906593

[Event "TA 2023 Easter Bilbies tournament - Round 2"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.07.25"]
[Round "-"]
[White "matt6261"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Tournament "https://www.chess.com/tournament/ta-2023-easter-bilbies-tournament"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "A40"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Englund-Gambit-2.dxe5-Nc6-3.Nf3-Qe7"]
[UTCDate "2023.07.25"]
[UTCTime "15:36:06"]
[WhiteElo "1246"]
[BlackElo "1179"]
[TimeControl "1/172800"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "15:36:06"]
[EndDate "2023.07.26"]
[EndTime "20:01:11"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/daily/543906593"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/102059400.cb7974c8.50x50o.957018467ed6.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. d4 {[%clk 42:46:40]} 1... e5 {[%clk 47:27:50]} 2. dxe5 {[%clk 47:42:35]
Englund Gambit Accepted} 2... Nc6 {[%clk 47:59:43]} 3. Nf3 {[%clk 47:25:22]}
3... Qe7 {[%clk 47:57:03]} 4. Bf4 {[%clk 47:47:14]} 4... Qb4+ {[%clk 47:55:58]
The \"Killer Queen\" of the Englund Gambit $1 This position is technically bad for
Black [+1.7] but the risk is high for White...} 5. Bd2 $1 {[%clk
47:56:58][%c_effect d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The right move}
5... Qxb2 {[%clk 47:42:55]} 6. Bc3 $4 {[%clk 47:51:12][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] This is a very natural looking move,
but a blunder $1 [-5]} 6... Bb4 $1 {[%clk 47:59:42][%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 7. Nfd2 {[%clk 47:42:24]} 7...
Bxc3 {[%clk 47:59:09] And now we smash White's position up material...} 8. Nxc3
{[%clk 47:58:08]} 8... Qxc3 {[%clk 47:58:58]} 9. f4 $6 {[%clk 47:34:06][%c_arrow
a1b1;keyPressed;none;from;a1;opacity;0.8;to;b1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b1;persistent;false][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] It's not easy to play for White
[-6.5]} 9... Nd4 {[%clk 45:01:55]} 10. Rc1 {[%clk 47:20:26]} 10... d5 {[%clk
46:18:44] Opening the diagonal for the bishop} 11. exd6 {[%clk 47:11:20]} 11...
cxd6 {[%clk 47:55:09]} 12. e3 {[%clk 47:49:25]} 12... Qxe3+ {[%clk 47:46:57]}
13. Be2 {[%clk 47:50:14]} 13... Bg4 {[%clk 47:57:54]} 14. Nf3 {[%clk 47:55:57]}
14... Nxf3+ {[%clk 47:55:08]} 15. gxf3 {[%clk 47:58:18]} 15... Bxf3 {[%clk
47:57:57]} 16. Rf1 {[%clk 47:54:10]} 16... Bxe2 {[%clk 47:53:31]} 17. Qxe2
{[%clk 47:58:35]} 17... Qxe2+ {[%clk 47:59:50]} 18. Kxe2 {[%clk 47:59:25] And in
this position, White has four split pawns, is down 5 points of material, and
lost the right to castle $1 [-6.1]} 18... O-O-O {[%clk 47:59:42]} 19. Kf3 {[%clk
47:59:18] And from here, White plays on and manages to keep the game going for
almost another 30 moves $1  Amazing $1} 19... f5 {[%clk 47:59:45]} 20. Rf2 {[%clk
47:59:33]} 20... Nf6 {[%clk 47:59:47]} 21. Re2 {[%clk 47:59:36]} 21... Rhe8
{[%clk 47:59:07]} 22. Rg2 {[%clk 47:59:42]} 22... Ng4 {[%clk 47:59:13]} 23. Kg3
{[%clk 47:59:21] White avoids a mate $1} 23... Re6 {[%clk 47:58:14]} 24. h3 {[%clk
47:53:34]} 24... Ne3 {[%clk 47:57:36]} 25. Re2 {[%clk 47:56:15]} 25... Nf1+
{[%clk 47:56:16]} 26. Kf2 {[%clk 47:56:59]} 26... Rxe2+ {[%clk 47:58:56]} 27.
Kxe2 {[%clk 47:55:30]} 27... Ng3+ {[%clk 47:59:45]} 28. Kf3 {[%clk 47:59:30]}
28... Ne4 {[%clk 47:59:54]} 29. Rg1 {[%clk 47:59:04]} 29... g6 {[%clk 47:59:54]}
30. h4 {[%clk 47:59:48]} 30... d5 {[%clk 47:59:21]} 31. h5 {[%clk 47:58:36]}
31... Rd6 {[%clk 47:59:51]} 32. hxg6 {[%clk 47:59:43]} 32... hxg6 {[%clk
47:59:28]} 33. Rh1 {[%clk 47:08:41]} 33... Kc7 {[%clk 47:31:48]} 34. Rh7+ {[%clk
47:01:24]} 34... Kb6 {[%clk 47:58:37]} 35. Ke3 {[%clk 47:59:05]} 35... Rc6
{[%clk 47:57:51]} 36. Kd4 {[%clk 47:58:03]} 36... Nf6 {[%clk 47:57:28]} 37. Rh2
{[%clk 47:54:57]} 37... Rc4+ {[%clk 47:55:46]} 38. Kd3 {[%clk 47:54:39]} 38...
Rxf4 {[%clk 47:59:16]} 39. c3 {[%clk 47:14:32]} 39... Kc5 {[%clk 47:51:14]} 40.
Rb2 {[%clk 47:58:26]} 40... b5 {[%clk 47:52:39]} 41. Rg2 {[%clk 47:33:30]} 41...
Ng4 {[%clk 47:57:38]} 42. Rg3 {[%clk 47:40:49]} 42... Ne5+ {[%clk 47:56:55]} 43.
Ke3 {[%clk 47:58:58]} 43... Ra4 {[%clk 47:57:02]} 44. Rg2 {[%clk 47:47:16]}
44... f4+ {[%clk 47:47:12] I manage to force their king and rook onto the same
rank, allowing me to force win their last piece $1} 45. Kf2 {[%clk 47:53:41]}
45... Rxa2+ {[%clk 47:58:59]} 46. Kf1 {[%clk 47:57:22]} 46... Rxg2 {[%clk
47:59:43]} 47. Kxg2 {[%clk 47:55:46]} 47... Kc4 {[%clk 47:59:35][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Winner,g2;square;g2;type;ResignWhite] And the win is now
unstoppable as the king will give a protected path for the b-pawn to promote.
GG $1} 0-1