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Today’s game is an excellent demonstration of a powerful opening tactic from @TFossS, one of my subscribers who has sent through several quick win games before. As per page 26 of my book, “50+2 Chess Quick Wins: Tactical ideas for exciting chess for beginner players“, opening a centre file such as the d-file can create an opportunity for an unexpected checkmate attack very early in the game.

This game started initially with my subscriber with the white pieces playing the Queen’s Pawn Opening. By move 4, the position had transposed into the Main Line of the Pirc Defense. White is better according to the evaluation, but hypermodern openings are often fine for Black, though it can be tricky.

Almost immediately on move 5, White strikes out with an aggressive (5. e5). Stockfish calls this an inaccuracy with the evaluation dropping immediately to favour Black at [-0.7], but this sets up a devious trap! Black’s only good response is the awkward looking Nh5, moving the knight out of the attack and counterattacking White’s bishop on f4. The very natural looking response by Black to capture in the centre (5… dxe5) is a mistake [+0.5] as White’s intention was to fully open the d-file with (6. dxe5).

After the queens leave the board (6… Qxd1+ 7. Rxd1), Black moves their knight out of the attack by White’s pawn on e5, but this innocent looking move is a blunder [+4.9]! Black is at least losing a rook, with a risk of mate!

White next uses the tactic described on page 38 of my book, advancing their queen’s knight to the powerful square of d5. Black tries to defend the c7 square with (8. Nd5 Na6), but this doesn’t work as that diagonal is guarded by White’s light square bishop (9. Bxa6). Black captures back the bishop (9… bxa6) and it now becomes obvious that Black doesn’t see the full implication of the tactic. The knight doesn’t just give an absolute fork of the king and rook, but with the open d-file, creates a mating net for the black king on the back rank! With (10. Nxc7+), the black king is forced to sidestep to f8. The rook then flies down the d-file onto d8, checkmate! GG!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/84493491903

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.07.30"]
[Round "-"]
[White "TFossS"]
[Black "Nikizakr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "B07"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Pirc-Defense-Main-Line-4.Bf4-Bg7"]
[UTCDate "2023.07.30"]
[UTCTime "22:04:56"]
[WhiteElo "1284"]
[BlackElo "1256"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[Termination "TFossS won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "22:04:56"]
[EndDate "2023.07.30"]
[EndTime "22:05:55"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/84493491903"]
[WhiteUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[WhiteCountry "2"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[BlackCountry "4"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. d4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 1... d6 {[%clk 0:09:59.9]} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 0:09:57]} 2...
Nf6 {[%clk 0:09:59.1]} 3. e4 {[%clk 0:09:54.3]} 3... g6 {[%clk 0:09:58.2]} 4.
Bf4 {[%clk 0:09:52.4] Transposition into the Pirc Defense: Main Line} 4... Bg7
{[%clk 0:09:56.8]} 5. e5 $5 {[%clk 0:09:52][%c_arrow
d1d2;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Interesting;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] An
aggressive attack in the centre. This is an inaccuracy [-0.7] but sets up a
devious trap that takes advantage of a tactic to open the d-file.} 5... dxe5 $2
{[%clk 0:09:55][%c_arrow
f6h5;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] This very
natural looking move is a mistake [+0.5]} 6. dxe5 {[%clk 0:09:51.9]} 6... Qxd1+
{[%clk 0:09:53.1]} 7. Rxd1 {[%clk 0:09:51.8]} 7... Ng4 $4 {[%clk
0:09:48.8][%c_arrow
f6h5;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;Blunder;persistent;true] This is a blunder as Black needed to
play Nh5 with an attack on the bishop on f4, which gives Black a step of tempo
[+4.9]} 8. Nd5 $1 {[%clk 0:09:50.7][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d5e7;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false,d5c7;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;c7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false,c7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c7;persistent;false]
A brilliant attacking move} 8... Na6 {[%clk 0:09:26.6][%c_arrow
e8g8;keyPressed;none;from;e8;opacity;0.8;to;g8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g8;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;g8;persistent;false] Black tries to
defend the c7 square, but this doesn't work} 9. Bxa6 {[%clk 0:09:49.6]} 9...
bxa6 $4 {[%clk 0:09:24.3][%c_effect a6;square;a6;type;Blunder;persistent;true]
Black misses the immediate checkmate threat $1 [+M2]} 10. Nxc7+ {[%clk 0:09:45]}
10... Kf8 {[%clk 0:09:22.3]} 11. Rd8# {[%clk 0:09:44.9][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Winner,f8;square;f8;type;CheckmateBlack] Beautiful checkmate,
GG $1} 1-0