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This was a rapid 10+5 game on Lichess where my opponent played the unusual “reverse King’s Gambit” response to the Vienna Game (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 f5). Now, I might have faced it once before and I knew that this was not a good response to the Vienna (in fact, a blunder at [+1.9]), but I also wasn’t sure whether taking the f-pawn immediately was problematic. As it turns out, it is. In essence, this critically weakens Black’s light squares around their king, which can be immediately attacked and exploited safely.

I this game, I took a somewhat more conservative approach and placed a second pawn in the centre first, before taking the f-pawn. For both me and my opponent, the series of moves in the opening are inaccurate as I didn’t punish Black immediately, and Black didn’t attempt to defend against the potential punishment immediately! Such is life in beginner-intermediate chess!

On move 6, however, I calculated a punishing and as it turned out, winning line. As per above, this exploited the very weak light squares around the Black king, which was now very exposed. Black had practically no developed pieces other than their bishop fecklessly on b4. The e- and f-files were now semi-open. My queen and light-square bishop attack f7 in the style of the scholar’s mate. Black attempts to defends first with the knight – a mistake as it’s sniped at long range by my dark-square bishop. Next, their queen attempts to defend, but on the wrong square, checkmate is now unavoidable. Move 14, a lovely pawn promotion checkmate with gxh8=Q#! This game is the story of the humble e-pawn, the MVP who managed to capture and advance their way to h8 striking the killer blow!
The big takeaway from this game is to move your f-pawn in the opening with care! Outside of opening theory, it is rather dangerous at the beginner-intermediate level!

Game on Lichess: https://lichess.org/793gaZ3b

[Event "Rated Rapid game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/793gaZ3b"]
[Date "2023.08.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "Borisk58"]
[Result "1-0"]
[UTCDate "2023.08.13"]
[UTCTime "02:55:02"]
[WhiteElo "1622"]
[BlackElo "1647"]
[WhiteRatingDiff "+23"]
[BlackRatingDiff "-6"]
[TimeControl "600+5"]
[ECO "C25"]
[Opening "Vienna Game"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[BlackCountry "225"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 0:10:03] Vienna
Game} 2... f5 $4 {[%clk 0:09:42][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] Reverse King's Gambit approach to the
Vienna is a blunder [+1.9], but one needs to be careful} 3. d4 $6 {[%clk
0:09:12][%c_arrow
e4f5;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;f5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f5;persistent;false][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] This is an inaccuracy [+0.7] as
immediately capturing with exf5 is fine with Black's light square diagonal very
weak} 3... Bb4 $6 {[%clk 0:09:00][%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e5d4;keyPressed;none;from;e5;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false] This is an inaccuracy
[+1.6] by Black} 4. exf5 $6 {[%clk 0:09:05][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4e5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] I had a strong
feeling the capturing in the centre would be good, but Stockfish thinks that the
other pawn is better [+1.2]} 4... d5 $2 {[%clk 0:08:48][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e5d4;keyPressed;none;from;e5;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false] Sensible looking
move, but is a mistake [+3]} 5. dxe5 $6 {[%clk 0:08:48][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d1h5;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false] An inaccuracy, as for
the move order, Qh5+ first is best [+1.8] as the f5 pawn is currently hanging,
and the forcing nature of the check wins tempo} 5... d4 $2 {[%clk
0:08:48][%c_arrow
c8f5;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;f5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f5;persistent;false][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Unfortunately, Black's aggressive
pawn push doesn't work [+3.8]} 6. Bb5+ $6 {[%clk 0:08:24][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d1h5;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false] Qh5+ is better,
though this is still okay [+3]} 6... c6 {[%clk 0:08:49]} 7. Qh5+ $1 {[%clk
0:08:15][%c_effect h5;square;h5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 7... Kf8 {[%clk
0:08:50]} 8. Bc4 {[%clk 0:08:08][%c_arrow
h5f7;keyPressed;none;from;h5;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false,c4f7;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false] Checkmate threat
taking advantage of the weak light squares} 8... Nh6 $4 {[%clk 0:08:22][%c_arrow
d8e8;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false][%c_effect
h6;square;h6;type;Blunder;persistent;true] Knight defending the f7 square
doesn't work [+14]} 9. Bxh6 {[%clk 0:08:09]} 9... Qe7 $2 {[%clk 0:08:07][%c_arrow
d8e8;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Checkmate is no more than [+M19]} 10.
f6 {[%clk 0:08:05]} 10... Bxc3+ {[%clk 0:07:42]} 11. bxc3 {[%clk 0:08:07]} 11...
Qc7 {[%clk 0:07:16] Now [+M3]} 12. fxg7+ {[%clk 0:08:05]} 12... Ke7 {[%clk
0:07:14]} 13. Qf7+ {[%clk 0:08:06]} 13... Kd8 {[%clk 0:07:16]} 14. gxh8=Q#
{[%clk 0:07:59][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Winner,d8;square;d8;type;CheckmateBlack] Promotion checkmate $1
GG $1} 1-0