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Recently, I had another game against the Caro-Kann – and thus, another game of the Caro-Kann destroyed by the von Hennig Gambit (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Bc4)!

This game is a perfect example of just how good the von Hennig Gambit. Although it is objectively a suboptimal move [-0.5], its strength lies in the fact that White ends up often in a winning middlegame with Black only playing seemingly “sensible” moves.

For instance, (4… Nf6) is Black’s best move, developing a piece and defending the pawn on e4. Next, (5… b5) takes space on the queenside, wins back some tempo by forcing White to move the bishop a second time, and potentially White’s bishop could get trapped in the future. Next (6… exf3) releases the tension in the centre with an expectation that it may eventually be impossible to defend the e-pawn. By capturing, Black consolidates their advantage of a point of material.

And then (7… Bg4). Psychologically, Black feels under pressure to develop pieces and all other pieces are constrained. This move seemingly pins the White knight winning tempo. Except, it is a blunder!

White now has the brilliant move (8. Bxf87+), capturing the f-pawn with check with the bishop sacrificing itself. This is followed up with (8… Kxf7 9. Ne5+), the knight unpinning by giving check and an absolute fork of the king and bishop. At the end of the trade sequence, Black has no developed pieces, has a hole in their f-file, damaged queenside pawns, no central presence, and no development. Although there is material equality, White has an evaluation advantage of over [+3]!

We enter a middlegame and with my advantage, I manage to launch an attack winning more material. We convert into an endgame where I had four pieces to Black’s two. They play a few more turns but resign on move 23 suffering from emotional damage and the will to play on. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to try the von Hennig Gambit against the Caro-Kann Defense! It’s a little unsound, but it’s very fun to plan and quite winning.

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/89944202319

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.10.02"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "matzenheim"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "B15"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Caro-Kann-Defense-von-Hennig-Gambit"]
[UTCDate "2023.10.02"]
[UTCTime "00:10:40"]
[WhiteElo "1337"]
[BlackElo "1270"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "00:10:40"]
[EndDate "2023.10.02"]
[EndTime "00:24:21"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/89944202319"]
[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 0:15:09.2]} 1... c6 {[%clk 0:14:58.3]} 2. d4 {[%clk 0:15:15.5]}
2... d5 {[%clk 0:15:03.3]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:21.6]} 3... dxe4 {[%clk
0:15:05.1]} 4. Bc4 $5 {[%clk 0:15:30.4][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Caro-Kann Defense: von Hennig
Gambit. Technically inaccurate [-0.5] but deadly in practice $1} 4... Nf6 {[%clk
0:14:49.1]} 5. f3 {[%clk 0:15:38.9]} 5... b5 {[%clk 0:14:20.2]} 6. Bb3 {[%clk
0:15:07.4]} 6... exf3 {[%clk 0:14:23.5]} 7. Nxf3 {[%clk 0:15:15.8]} 7... Bg4 $4
{[%clk 0:14:18.4][%c_effect g4;square;g4;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e7e6;keyPressed;none;from;e7;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false] A blunder [+2.3].
However, this is a very natural move. Psychologically, Black feels under
pressure to develop pieces and all other pieces are constrained. This move
seemingly pins the White knight winning tempo.} 8. Bxf7+ $3 {[%clk
0:15:14.4][%c_effect f7;square;f7;type;Brilliant;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f3e5;keyPressed;none;from;f3;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] One of my favourite
moves, bishop capture of the f-pawn with sacrifice, a brilliancy $1 The \"oh no,
my queen\" trap with Ne5 is the other option which is about equivalent in
evaluation, but with the possibility of an immediate checkmate.} 8... Kxf7
{[%clk 0:14:19.4]} 9. Ne5+ $1 {[%clk 0:15:23.4][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 9... Ke8 $6 {[%clk
0:13:43.8][%c_arrow
f7g8;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;g8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g8;persistent;false][%c_effect
e8;square;e8;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true]} 10. Nxg4 {[%clk 0:15:32.1]} 10...
Nxg4 {[%clk 0:13:19]} 11. Qxg4 {[%clk 0:15:40.3] And at the end of the opening
sequence, Black has no developed pieces, a hole in their f-file, damaged
queenside pawns, no central presence and no development. White is ready to
castle. [+3.2]} 11... Nd7 {[%clk 0:13:18.3]} 12. O-O {[%clk 0:15:48.4]} 12...
Nf6 {[%clk 0:13:17.7]} 13. Qf3 {[%clk 0:15:32.1]} 13... Qxd4+ {[%clk 0:12:54.9]}
14. Be3 {[%clk 0:15:29.5]} 14... Qg4 $4 {[%clk 0:12:55.8][%c_arrow
d4c4;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;c4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c4;persistent;false][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A blunder [+7] as Black needed to
defend the c6 pawn} 15. Qxc6+ {[%clk 0:15:16.5]} 15... Kf7 {[%clk 0:12:36.1]}
16. Qxa8 {[%clk 0:15:17]} 16... g6 {[%clk 0:12:26.3]} 17. Nd5 {[%clk
0:14:34.6][%c_arrow
f1f7;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false,d5f6;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false] Note: the knight on
the f-file is pinned} 17... Bg7 {[%clk 0:12:25.3]} 18. Nxf6 {[%clk 0:14:41.4]}
18... Rxa8 {[%clk 0:12:19]} 19. Nxg4+ {[%clk 0:14:49.2] And we end that trade
sequence into an endgame where I have four pieces, and Black has two [+10].
Emotional damage.} 19... Kg8 {[%clk 0:12:18.4]} 20. c3 {[%clk 0:14:42.4]} 20...
Rd8 {[%clk 0:12:18]} 21. Bxa7 {[%clk 0:14:36.4]} 21... h5 {[%clk 0:12:21.1]} 22.
Nf2 {[%clk 0:13:59.8]} 22... Bh6 {[%clk 0:11:52.1]} 23. Ne4 {[%clk
0:13:32.4][%c_effect g1;square;g1;type;Winner,g8;square;g8;type;ResignBlack] The
emotional damage finally catches up and Black resigns. GG $1} 1-0