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Every now and then, you get a MAGICAL game of chess. This was one such game that I played today where, of course, I had the Vienna Gambit Accepted (1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4)!

Black attempted to pin my e-pawn to my king, but those of you who know the Vienna Gambit would recognise that this doesn’t work as we have the symmetrical queen move (5. Qe2), which develops our queen, unpins the pawn, which is once again attacking the knight on f6. In the second part of the opening, Black plays an uncommon approach – aiming for an expansion on the queenside. I knew that this was unlikely to be good as it was too slow, but as it was unfamiliar, I had to play carefully.

On move 11, I castle queenside, and we enter the middlegame. Black is significantly behind on development, with no development on the kingside, and I had full control of the centre. On move 12, I had a long-ish think of around two minutes of what I should do. Strategically, I wanted to launch an attack on Black’s king, which was still in the centre. But how? Then, I saw a devious plan and on move 12, advanced my knight forward (12. Ng5).

Black must have assumed that my target was their h7 pawn, as both my queen and knight attack it, and it’s only defended once by their rook. So, their (12… g6) makes sense. However, my actual target was the f-pawn on f7! I sacrificed the knight (13. Nxf7 Kxf7) and was very gratified to see that Stockfish rated it a brilliant move! What’s the idea? Firstly, it traps Black’s king in the centre, and it is pulled onto the f-file, where I have a future discovered check. It also punches a hole in the defences around Black’s king, create a route for piece infiltration.

Then on move 14, I push the e-pawn (14. e6+), expecting Black to capture with their d-pawn (14… dxe6), which they do. This was actually a blunder by Black [+M8]. The reason is that the d- and e-files are now opened, full exposing the king to my attack down the centre. On move 16, I miss a very lovely criss-cross checkmate-in-1. I must admit to not being so good with seeing diagonals still on an actual board (I played this game on my Chessnut PRO). However, on move 18, I find another brilliant move – I sacrifice the rook (18. Rxf8+ Rxf8)! The tactical logic here was to remove one of Black’s defenders of their pinned knight on e7. And then on move 20, I had a truly beautiful DISCOVERED CHECKMATE when moving my bishop to any legal square! This meant that I had 7 possible checkmates! MAGICAL!

The big takeaway from this game is to think tactically in your middlegame. Material is of course important, but also think in terms of piece purpose and function in a position or attack.

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/87529910089

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.09.04"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "661126Ali"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C28"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Vienna-Game-Falkbeer-Vienna-Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2023.09.04"]
[UTCTime "01:31:33"]
[WhiteElo "1364"]
[BlackElo "1260"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "01:31:33"]
[EndDate "2023.09.04"]
[EndTime "01:50:12"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/87529910089"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/305338093.76d9a807.50x50o.df3110a2919e.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "132"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:07.5]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:15:08]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:13.1]} 2...
Nf6 {[%clk 0:15:15.8]} 3. f4 {[%clk 0:15:18.7]} 3... exf4 $6 {[%clk
0:15:23.7][%c_effect f4;square;f4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Vienna
Gambit, Accepted [+0.8]} 4. e5 {[%clk 0:15:24.7]} 4... Qe7 $2 {[%clk
0:15:24.9][%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This attempted
pin is a mistake [+2.1]} 5. Qe2 $1 {[%clk 0:15:30.9][%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 5... Ng8 {[%clk 0:15:12.1]} 6. Nf3
{[%clk 0:14:50.2][%c_arrow
d2d4;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false] In practice, Nf3 is
the best move. d4 is an option for a potential spicy but risky queen trap line,
or an odd machine line that Stockfish prefers.} 6... c6 $6 {[%clk
0:15:08.2][%c_effect c6;square;c6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e7e6;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false,d7d5;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false,b8c6;keyPressed;none;from;b8;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false,d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false,c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false]
An inaccuracy [+3.2]. Developing the knight, or challenging the centre
immediately with d5 is better.} 7. d4 $6 {[%clk 0:14:52][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c3e4;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false] The second best move,
but an inaccuracy [+1.7] as White had an immediate possible attack with Ne4 and
then Nd6+} 7... b6 $2 {[%clk 0:15:07.1][%c_effect
b6;square;b6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d7d5;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] This slow queenside
expansion is a mistake [+3.6]} 8. Bxf4 {[%clk 0:14:48.7]} 8... Ba6 {[%clk
0:15:05.9]} 9. Qe4 {[%clk 0:13:43.7]} 9... Bxf1 {[%clk 0:14:59.5]} 10. Rxf1
{[%clk 0:13:45.4]} 10... Qb4 {[%clk 0:15:06.5]} 11. O-O-O {[%clk 0:13:32.7]}
11... Na6 {[%clk 0:15:09.1]} 12. Ng5 {[%clk 0:11:28.6] I spent almost two
minutes thinking through this position, and then a devious plan came to me...}
12... g6 $6 {[%clk 0:14:12.8][%c_arrow
b4c4;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false][%c_effect
g6;square;g6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [+7] as my target
wasn't the h7 pawn...} 13. Nxf7 $3 {[%clk 0:11:01.8][%c_effect
f7;square;f7;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] I sacrifice the knight $1 I was very
gratified on analysis to see that Stockfish rated this a brilliant move $1} 13...
Kxf7 {[%clk 0:14:18.3]} 14. e6+ {[%clk 0:10:01.9] This was a clearance sacrifice
to open the d- and e-files $1} 14... dxe6 $4 {[%clk 0:14:25.8][%c_arrow
f7e8;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false][%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A blunder as there is now a mating
net [+M8]} 15. Bg5+ {[%clk 0:10:03]} 15... Ke8 $2 {[%clk 0:12:51.9][%c_effect
e8;square;e8;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g8f6;keyPressed;none;from;g8;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false] A mistake as this
hangs checkmate in 1} 16. Qxe6+ $2 {[%clk 0:10:07.4][%c_arrow
e4c6;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] But it miss it on the board $1} ({A
very nice criss-cross checkmate, that I didn't see...} 16. Qxc6# {[%c_arrow
c6e8;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false,g5d8;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;d8;persistent;false,f1f8;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,d7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d7;persistent;false,e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false,d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false,f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false]})
16... Ne7 {[%clk 0:12:30.1]} 17. Rde1 {[%clk 0:08:41]} 17... Rd8 {[%clk
0:11:53.2]} 18. Rxf8+ $3 {[%clk 0:07:16.7][%c_effect
f8;square;f8;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] I actually did calculate this - I
sacrifice the rook $1 This brilliancy removes one of Black's defenders of the
pinned knight} 18... Rxf8 {[%clk 0:11:14.6]} 19. Bxe7 $2 {[%clk
0:07:19.9][%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e6e7;keyPressed;none;from;e6;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false] Sacrificing the queen
would have been a cleaner mate} ({This is a cleaner line...} 19. Qxe7+ Qxe7 20.
Rxe7#) 19... Qxd4 $2 {[%clk 0:10:57.8][%c_arrow
a6c7;keyPressed;none;from;a6;opacity;0.8;to;c7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c7;persistent;false][%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true]} 20. Bg5# {[%clk 0:07:03][%c_effect
c1;square;c1;type;Winner,e8;square;e8;type;CheckmateBlack][%c_arrow
e7d6;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;d6;persistent;false,d6c5;keyPressed;none;from;d6;opacity;0.8;to;c5;persistent;false,c5b4;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false,b4a3;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;a3;persistent;false,e7f6;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false,f6g5;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false,g5h4;keyPressed;none;from;g5;opacity;0.8;to;h4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d6;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;d6;persistent;false,c5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false,b4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false,a3;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;a3;persistent;false,f6;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false,g5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;g5;persistent;false,h4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;h4;persistent;false]
However, I have this magical situation where I had 7 possible options for
checkmate $1} 1-0