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This was the first live match I played with my new Premium Wooden Pieces for the Chessnut PRO and the experience was WONDERFUL! They are now favourite set to use on the Chessnut PRO. The big difference with these pieces is their weight, and hence, the feeling of these pieces in the hand. They have much more mass, with the balance of mass at the base compared to the standard pieces, but even my customised Zagreb ’59 set, and my Austrian Vienna Coffee House set.

Now, this video will only include footage of these pieces in action from an exciting point in the middlegame, as I literally forgot to press record on the camera! 😅 Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this hybrid format – please give me some feedback!

I had the White pieces and Black played the Caro-Kann Defense and we entered the usual main line up to move 3 (1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3). Black then played the very unusual (3… c5)!

I’d never seen this move before. It didn’t look good (and Stockfish calls this a blunder [+2.8]) but I wondered whether this was some sort of rare Caro-Kann gambit. After spending about a minute on the position, I decided to capture (4. exd5), which was a fine move. Black then responded quickly with (4… e6), making me think that this really was some sort of double-pawn sacrifice gambit. I played conservatively with (5. Bc4), wary of an opening trap from being greedy.

A few moves later, we entered an interesting opening position where the central files were fully open, and Black had a semi-open f-file as well. However, I held a one-point material advantage, and more importantly, the advantage in initiative. On move 11, Black’s understandable by erroneous backwards knight move to block check (11. Ne7) was a blunder, which gave me an advantage of at least [+4] to [+5] for the rest of the match, though there was trickiness. Tactically, I needed to take advantage of the open centre files.

On move 15, Black seemingly found a powerful tactical manoeuvre, pinning my bishop with their rook to my queen, and then king. However, I calculated that I could safely sacrifice that bishop for a winning attack! On move 17, I long castled out of the pin and seemingly hung my bishop. However, with long-castles, Black could no longer had any checks, and my rook commanded the fully open d-file. Black also had a back rank mate problem, and the rook needed to stay guard until it was addressed.

Black missed those tactical risks and captured my bishop, stepping their rook off the back rank (17… Rxe7). However, I then had the brilliant queen sacrifice (18. Qxc5), which hung my queen but also came with a fork of Black’s queen and rook! If Black captured my hanging queen with their queen, then my rook could fly to Black’s back rank with Rd8+ and checkmate was unavoidable! If they tried to defend their queen with any move that took the queen’s eye off d8, then again, back rank mate was unavoidable. In essence, Black could not avoid losing their queen!

Impressively, Black spent about 5 minutes on this position and found the best move (18… Bg4). Effectively, Black had to trade their queen and bishop, to remove my active rook and to activate their inactive rook, providing immediate additional back rank defence. However, although an immediate checkmate was thwarted, we now entered a losing endgame for Black where White had a simple endgame strategy: trade down pieces and make use of the pawn majority to promote a pawn. On move 32 with my c-pawn moving to the seventh rank, one step from promotion, Black resigns. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to always keep an eye on the back ranks – both yours and your opponent’s – especially in the setting where there are fully opened files early in the game.

Game on chess.com: https://www.chess.com/game/live/92365847739

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.10.30"]
[Round "-"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "MarcusTheRealiest"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "B15"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Caro-Kann-Defense-2.d4-d5-3.Nc3"]
[UTCDate "2023.10.30"]
[UTCTime "00:46:45"]
[WhiteElo "1325"]
[BlackElo "1423"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "00:46:45"]
[EndDate "2023.10.30"]
[EndTime "01:16:20"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/92365847739"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/77614726.33d51a80.50x50o.ca571e6c98ce.jpg"]
[BlackCountry "2"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:06.5]} 1... c6 {[%clk 0:15:08.5]} 2. d4 {[%clk 0:15:12.1]}
2... d5 {[%clk 0:15:17.7]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:17.3] Caro-Kann Defense: Main
Line} 3... c5 $4 {[%clk 0:15:22.2][%c_arrow
d5e4;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;e4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false][%c_effect
c5;square;c5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] A rather unusual move and a blunder
[+2.8] $1 I wondered in game whether this was a gambit, and there is some
trickiness to it. However, it is not good.} 4. exd5 {[%clk 0:14:11.5][%c_arrow
f1b5;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;b5;persistent;false,c1f4;keyPressed;none;from;c1;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;b5;persistent;false,f4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false]}
4... e6 {[%clk 0:15:14] As I was concerned that this was a gambit, I opted to
develop first rather than capture again. Stockfish, however, thinks that Black
has simply gone mad [+3.7] and that I should have just gone on the attack $1} 5.
Bc4 $6 {[%clk 0:13:25.3][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f1b5;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;b5;persistent;false,d5e6;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false,d4c5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;c5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b5;persistent;false,e6;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false,c5;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false]
A somewhat conservative move that was not the most accurate [+2.5]} 5... Nf6
{[%clk 0:15:14]} 6. dxe6 {[%clk 0:13:12.9]} 6... fxe6 {[%clk 0:15:08.2]} 7. d5
{[%clk 0:12:17.8]} 7... exd5 {[%clk 0:15:04.8]} 8. Bxd5 $2 {[%clk
0:11:44.9][%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c3d5;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] I wasn't sure which
was better - keeping the bishop pair or having a knight in a strong advanced
position. I opted for the knight, but Stockfish strongly prefers the bishop in
evaluation [+3.4 $37 +1.7].} 8... Nxd5 {[%clk 0:15:12.8]} 9. Nxd5 $6 {[%clk
0:11:07][%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][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Stockfish preferred a slightly
trickier approach [+1.1]} 9... Nc6 $2 {[%clk 0:13:29.6][%c_arrow
c8e6;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false][%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A mistake [+2.1] with Be6, placing
pressure on the pinned piece, being the better tactical move} 10. Bf4 {[%clk
0:10:25]} 10... Bd6 {[%clk 0:13:08.1]} 11. Qe2+ {[%clk 0:09:27.9]} 11... Ne7 $4
{[%clk 0:13:15][%c_effect e7;square;e7;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e8f7;keyPressed;none;from;e8;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false] A blunder, but the
correct move was difficult to find [+5.8]} 12. Bg5 $6 {[%clk 0:08:48.2][%c_effect
g5;square;g5;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e1c1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;c1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c1;persistent;false] A bit inaccurate but
still completely winning [+4.5]. Long castles was best. By \"placing pressure on
the pinned piece\", I will win material.} 12... O-O {[%clk 0:12:41]} 13. Nxe7+
{[%clk 0:07:14.9]} 13... Bxe7 {[%clk 0:12:43.9] Bishop captures is forced as
else, Black loses their queen} 14. Bxe7 {[%clk 0:07:19.9]} 14... Qa5+ {[%clk
0:11:42.8]} 15. c3 {[%clk 0:07:11.9][%c_arrow
e1f1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f1;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false]} 15... Re8 {[%clk
0:11:30.6]} 16. Qc4+ {[%clk 0:07:14.8]} 16... Kh8 {[%clk 0:11:32.1]} 17. O-O-O $1
{[%clk 0:06:47][%c_effect c1;square;c1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] The only
good moves that maintains my advantage $1 I have two very tricky tactical
advantages. My rook now commands the fully open d-file, and the threat of back
rank checkmate $1} 17... Rxe7 $2 {[%clk 0:11:39.8][%c_arrow
h7h6;keyPressed;none;from;h7;opacity;0.8;to;h6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] Black needed to give their king an
escape from the back rank $1 This is a mistake [+6.8]} 18. Qxc5 $3 {[%clk
0:06:01.4][%c_effect c5;square;c5;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] Brilliant
move $1 Queen sacrifice $1} 18... Bg4 {[%clk 0:07:07.6] Black thinks for almost 5
minutes, and finds the best move. Impressive $1} ({If they capture my queen, then
it's mate-in-3 $1} 18... Qxc5 19. Rd8+ Re8 20. Rxe8+ Qf8 21. Rxf8#) 19. Qxa5
{[%clk 0:05:27.9]} 19... Bxd1 {[%clk 0:07:15.5]} 20. Kxd1 {[%clk 0:05:30.7] And
entering the endgame, the strategy is simple: trade down pieces, and potentially
promote a pawn} 20... a6 {[%clk 0:06:58]} 21. Nf3 {[%clk 0:05:14.4]} 21... Rae8
{[%clk 0:06:50.8]} 22. Re1 {[%clk 0:05:07.1] This forces Black to trade rooks}
22... Rxe1+ {[%clk 0:06:38.9]} 23. Nxe1 {[%clk 0:05:11.6]} 23... Rf8 {[%clk
0:06:36.6]} 24. c4 {[%clk 0:04:52.1]} 24... g6 {[%clk 0:06:30.2]} 25. Qe5+
{[%clk 0:04:27.9]} 25... Kg8 {[%clk 0:06:34.9]} 26. Qe6+ {[%clk 0:04:34.2]}
26... Kg7 {[%clk 0:06:24.8]} 27. Qe7+ {[%clk 0:04:40.2]} 27... Kg8 {[%clk
0:06:33]} 28. Qxb7 {[%clk 0:04:41.2]} 28... Rxf2 {[%clk 0:06:30.1] Mating net
has been woven [+M15]} 29. c5 {[%clk 0:04:32.4]} 29... Rf8 {[%clk 0:06:22.3]}
30. c6 {[%clk 0:04:37.9]} 30... Rf7 {[%clk 0:06:19.1]} 31. Qxf7+ {[%clk
0:04:42]} 31... Kxf7 {[%clk 0:06:26.8]} 32. c7 {[%clk 0:04:49.1][%c_effect
d1;square;d1;type;Winner,f7;square;f7;type;ResignBlack] Back resigns [+M9]. GG $1}
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