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This game is a rather nice demonstration of the general approach I take against the Bishop’s Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Bc4) when playing with the black pieces. Stockfish suggests that (2… Nf6) is the best move, but I usually play the queen’s knight (2… Nc6). My logic is that White will usually develop one of their knights and we either transpose into an Italian Game if they develop their king’s knight, or as in this game, a Vienna Game, Max Lange Defense if they develop the queen’s knight (3. Nc3).

I’m fine with either as I’m familiar with playing both the Italian and the Vienna with the White pieces! We eventually enter the Berlin-Vienna Hybrid and on move 7, I played my first provocative move (7… Be6) to create some imbalance. White provoked back with an aggressive knight advance (8. Nd5) and I respond inaccurately which gives White a good advantage [+1.7]. However, the position is complicated and although White wins a concession with forcing my king to move with a queen advance, the position is almost equal [+0.4]. White was too uncertain to commit to the attack and in withdrawing their queen, I gained an advantage out of the opening [-0.5] despite a potentially uncomfortable position.

We shuffle for position in the middlegame. Although my king remained in the centre, it was well protected by a central complex of pawns. White had a more conventional position, castling kingside, but had difficulty finding a way to infiltrate. On the other hand, my unorthodox position allowed me to position my queen and then rooks down the kingside files, menacing White’s castled king down the files.

On move 16, I play a pawn break (16… f5), a mistake according to Stockfish [+1.5]. However, this was a complicated position for White to play against, and the error was only if White found a tactic advance on the other side of the board with b4 – something that was not obvious.

On move 18, a logical recapture was a mistake (18. Nxf5) and we returned to equality [0.00]. The subsequent moves demonstrate the power of semi-open files and pins! One of the aphorisms from IM Levy Rozman, otherwise known as GothamChess, is “place pressure on the pinned piece”. It can be very difficult to find the best moves in these situations and mistakes by White over the next few moves in response to pins on the h-, g-, and f-files results in the evaluation sliding from [0.00] → [-5.5]!

On move 25 at the end of a most forced trade sequence, I manage to strip away White’s king’s defensive pawns on the h- and g-files, and after (26. Kh3), a logical move to defend their bishop, a mating net had been woven [-M21]. The endgame followed the theme of pinned pieces and the power of the rook pair against a fully exposed king. My final move (34… Rxh1), capturing White’s rook for free through a skewer was technically a mistake as I had a very lovely checkmate with Rg3#! I admit that I just didn’t see it, but it didn’t matter. My capture inflicted emotional damage and White resigned, psychologically defeated. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to keep an eye out for pins, and to place pressure on the pinned piece!

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/90412768589

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.10.07"]
[Round "-"]
[White "MQBW"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C26"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Bishops-Opening-Berlin-Spielmann-Attack-4...Nc6"]
[UTCDate "2023.10.07"]
[UTCTime "10:15:58"]
[WhiteElo "1200"]
[BlackElo "1319"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "10:15:58"]
[EndDate "2023.10.07"]
[EndTime "10:43:07"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/90412768589"]
[WhiteUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[WhiteCountry "2"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:10]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:15:09.7]} 2. Bc4 {[%clk 0:15:18.3]
Bishop's Opening} 2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:10.7]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:26.3]} 3... Nf6
{[%clk 0:15:14.6]} 4. d3 {[%clk 0:15:34.4] Berlin-Vienna Hybrid [+0.1]. I play
2... Nc6 as it often will transpose effectively into Vienna Game, Max Lange
Defense lines, and although this is fine for White, I am familiar with these
lines.} 4... Bc5 {[%clk 0:15:12]} 5. h3 {[%clk 0:15:42.2]} 5... d6 {[%clk
0:15:20.9]} 6. Bg5 {[%clk 0:15:50.1][%c_arrow
c3a4;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;a4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;a4;persistent;false] Very normal, though
a little suboptimal [-0.2]} 6... h6 {[%clk 0:15:12.7]} 7. Bh4 {[%clk 0:15:58.1]}
7... Be6 {[%clk 0:15:14.3] I decide to provoke White [+0.1]} 8. Nd5 {[%clk
0:16:03.1] They provoke back $1 [-0.3]} 8... Na5 $2 {[%clk 0:14:38.6][%c_effect
a5;square;a5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g7g5;keyPressed;none;from;g7;opacity;0.8;to;g5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g5;persistent;false] g5 was the best move
and this was a mistake [+1.7]} 9. Nxf6+ $1 {[%clk 0:15:57.9][%c_effect
f6;square;f6;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 9... gxf6 {[%clk 0:14:46]} 10.
Bxe6 $6 {[%clk 0:16:05.4][%c_arrow
c4d5;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] A bit inaccurate [+1]} 10... fxe6
{[%clk 0:14:54]} 11. Qh5+ {[%clk 0:16:07.6]} 11... Kd7 {[%clk 0:14:55.6] The
opening attack ends and we are surprisingly equal [+0.4]} 12. Qf3 $6 {[%clk
0:15:52.3][%c_arrow
g1e2;keyPressed;none;from;g1;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [-0.5]} 12... Rf8
{[%clk 0:14:42.8] A slight inaccuracy [0.00]} 13. Ne2 {[%clk 0:15:51.2]} 13...
Nc6 {[%clk 0:14:26.7]} 14. c3 {[%clk 0:15:31.8]} 14... Qe7 {[%clk 0:13:35.4]}
15. O-O $6 {[%clk 0:15:36.2][%c_arrow
b2b4;keyPressed;none;from;b2;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false][%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Slight inaccuracy [-0.3]} 15...
Qg7 {[%clk 0:13:20]} 16. Ng3 {[%clk 0:15:20.5]} 16... f5 $2 {[%clk
0:12:41.5][%c_effect f5;square;f5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
g7g6;keyPressed;none;from;g7;opacity;0.8;to;g6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g6;persistent;false] This was apparently a
mistake [+1.5]. I couldn't see how I could defend f6 against White's queen,
bishop, and approach knight so pushed the pawn forward.} 17. exf5 {[%clk
0:14:57.2]} 17... exf5 {[%clk 0:12:48.7]} 18. Nxf5 $2 {[%clk 0:14:12.1][%c_arrow
b2b4;keyPressed;none;from;b2;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] As it turned it, my \"mistake\"
wasn't so as it required White to refrain from capturing back [0.00]. Note the
pins: the knight is pinned, and the g-pawn is pinned.} 18... Qg6 {[%clk
0:12:55.7]} 19. g4 $1 {[%clk 0:14:12.1][%c_effect
g4;square;g4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 19... h5 {[%clk 0:12:38.1] Place
pressure on the pinned piece $1} 20. Kh2 {[%clk 0:14:00.7]} 20... hxg4 {[%clk
0:12:43.8]} 21. hxg4 {[%clk 0:14:06.8]} 21... Rh8 {[%clk 0:12:14.3] Place
pressure on the pinned piece $1} 22. Rfe1 $4 {[%clk 0:10:16.9][%c_arrow
f3h3;keyPressed;none;from;f3;opacity;0.8;to;h3;persistent;false,b2b4;keyPressed;none;from;b2;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h3;persistent;false,b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Blunder;persistent;true] After thinking for 4 minutes, White
makes a move, but it's a blunder $1} 22... Ne7 $1 {[%clk 0:11:23.6][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The knight is dynamically
\"pinned\" in place defending the bishop so \"place pressure on the pinned
piece\" $1} 23. Kg3 $2 {[%clk 0:09:50.5][%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e1e4;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false] A mistake [-5.5]}
23... Nxf5+ {[%clk 0:11:20.7]} 24. Qxf5+ {[%clk 0:09:49.3]} 24... Qxf5 {[%clk
0:11:12.6]} 25. gxf5 {[%clk 0:09:57.7] And with that trade sequence, White's
king is full exposed on the g-file} 25... Rag8+ $1 {[%clk 0:11:17.9][%c_effect
g8;square;g8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 26. Kh3 $4 {[%clk
0:09:53.6][%c_arrow
g3f3;keyPressed;none;from;g3;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false][%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Blunder;persistent;true] White's king attempts to defend the
bishop, but re-pins it, a game ending tactical mistake [-M21]} 26... Bxf2 {[%clk
0:11:20.4]} 27. Re4 {[%clk 0:09:53.6]} 27... Rg3+ {[%clk 0:10:33.3]} 28. Kh2
{[%clk 0:09:50.9]} 28... Rxd3 $6 {[%clk 0:10:33.4][%c_arrow
d6d5;keyPressed;none;from;d6;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_effect
d3;square;d3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [-M16 $37 -5.9]} 29.
Rh1 {[%clk 0:08:22.7]} 29... Bxh4 {[%clk 0:10:28.4]} 30. Kg2 $4 {[%clk
0:08:25.1][%c_arrow
e4e2;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false][%c_effect
g2;square;g2;type;Blunder;persistent;true] [-M13]} 30... Rg8+ {[%clk 0:08:58.4]}
31. Kh2 {[%clk 0:07:52]} 31... Bg3+ {[%clk 0:07:17]} 32. Kh3 $6 {[%clk
0:07:45.5][%c_arrow
h2g2;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;g2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false][%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] [-M4]} 32... Bf4+ {[%clk 0:06:42]}
33. Kh4 {[%clk 0:07:27.7]} 33... Rh8+ {[%clk 0:06:50.1]} 34. Kg4 {[%clk
0:07:34.9]} 34... Rxh1 $5 {[%clk 0:06:59.5][%c_effect
d7;square;d7;type;Winner,g4;square;g4;type;ResignWhite,h1;square;h1;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d3g3;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;g3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false] This is inaccurate as
Rg3# was checkmate. However, This move caused emotional damage with Black
resigning immediately, even though it detays checkmate [-M4]. GG $1} 0-1