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This was a quick 10+5 game of rapid that I played on Lichess. A game that has one of the most interesting endings I’ve ever played. To summarise, this is my BEST, BAD game to date!

I had the black pieces and the game started normally enough – we played down a line of theory in the Four Knights Game: Italian Variation (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Bd3 dxe4 7. Bxe4).

On move 8, I decided to have a bit of fun, played (8… f5), basically a gambit, and the position then transformed down a line with some similarities to the Jaenisch Gambit, Exchange Variation.

Now, I had a headache (I suffer from occasional migraines) during the game and after (12. Nxc6), I played (12… Bb7) which straight up hung my queen! I saw it almost immediately and was kicking myself and wondering if I should resign. However, White didn’t capture my queen! Perhaps they also didn’t see it, but it might be the case that they were wary of an “oh no my queen” type trap! I had set up the position with some trappy possibilities – my light square bishop was staring down the long diagonal, and there was a potential rook to e8, pinning White’s queen to her king.

In actuality, there was no trap, and it was just a headache-induced, and headache-inducing blunder! White instead played a seemingly conservative move (13. Ne5) – using their knight to capture a hanging pawn and then retreating. However, this was White blundering right back [-5.1], and I knew that I had a massive and fun advantage!

White had a fundamental weakness with their king stuck in the centre on the fully open e-file, controlled by my rook. On move 18, White managed to form a rook-queen battery on the g-file, a mate threat against my king.

However, it wasn’t enough. On move 20 (20. Re1), there was a mating net [-M10] (which I couldn’t see in game) and I wondered how to push ahead. I did see a winning line with (20… exf2). This would involve a series of trades and we would simplify into a winning endgame for Black. This was a prosaic and slightly boring option.

But I was also entranced with the move that I eventually played, a queen sacrifice with (20… Qxe1+)! White’s king is forced to capture (21. Kxe1) and then after double-check with (21. exf2+), White’s king has only three legal moves. I calculated that in two of the moves, it’s almost immediate checkmate. In the game, White played the intuitive looking (22. Kf1), which would block the promotion square for the pawn. Except, I now immediately had (21… Re1#), GG!

However, what if White found the one move that didn’t immediately result in checkmate with (22. Kd2)? On analysis after the game, there is an extraordinary line! Firstly, there is (22. Bb4+), a brilliant move! Black’s bishop gives check and is hanging. However, if White captures the bishop with their queen, it is deflected from the checkmate attack on the g-file, and Black can promote their f-pawn to a queen the next turn!

So, White’s only option is to block the check with their pawn (23. c3). Black now has an absolutely gangster manoeuvre with (23… f1=N+)! Yes, the winning move is through underpromoting the f-pawn to a knight with check, and then no matter what White does, over the next couple of moves, we get a devastating family fork (26… Ne3+) and win White’s queen the next turn! This transforms the game to an endgame where Black has three pieces (bishop, knight, and rook) to White’s remaining rook. Brilliant!

The big takeaway from this game is to not resign after blundering a piece. No game was ever won by resigning, and sometimes, in the aftermath of a mistake arise brilliant lines and fun games!

Game: https://lichess.org/m5uS6br7

[Event "Rated Rapid game"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/m5uS6br7"]
[Date "2023.11.09"]
[Round "?"]
[White "susanzie"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[UTCDate "2023.11.09"]
[UTCTime "01:33:21"]
[WhiteElo "1562"]
[BlackElo "1533"]
[WhiteRatingDiff "-6"]
[BlackRatingDiff "+15"]
[TimeControl "600+5"]
[ECO "C47"]
[Opening "Four Knights Game: Italian Variation"]
[Termination "Normal"]
[Annotator "lichess.org"]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]
[WhiteUrl ""]
[WhiteCountry "2"]
[WhiteTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:10:02]} 2... Nc6
{[%clk 0:10:04]} 3. Bc4 {[%clk 0:10:03]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk 0:10:07]} 4. Nc3 {[%clk
0:10:05] Four Knights Game: Italian Variation} 4... Nxe4 {[%clk 0:10:10]} 5.
Nxe4 {[%clk 0:10:07]} 5... d5 {[%clk 0:10:14]} 6. Bd3 {[%clk 0:09:27]} 6... dxe4
{[%clk 0:10:17]} 7. Bxe4 {[%clk 0:09:30] It's all theory up to this point, but
it's slightly better for Black [-0.1]} 7... Bc5 {[%clk 0:09:39]} 8. d3 $6 {[%clk
0:09:09][%c_effect d3;square;d3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e1g1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false] A bit of an
inaccuracy [+0.3 $37 -0.3]} 8... f5 $2 {[%clk 0:08:53][%c_effect
f5;square;f5;type;Mistake;persistent;true] A provocative and aggressive move
[+1.5] $1 Basically, a gambit... what will White do $2} 9. Bxc6+ {[%clk 0:09:01]}
9... bxc6 {[%clk 0:08:55]} 10. Nxe5 {[%clk 0:08:58]} 10... Qd4 {[%clk
0:08:50][%c_arrow
e8g8;keyPressed;none;from;e8;opacity;0.8;to;g8;persistent;false,d8f6;keyPressed;none;from;d8;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g8;persistent;false,f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false]
An immediately threatening move, but perhaps too impatient, and Stockfish rates
this another mistake [+2.3]. Short castles or Qf6 is potentially more defensive.
There is also the very tricky Bxf2+ $1} ({This is potentially a tricky line $1}
10... Bxf2+ $5 {[%c_effect f2;square;f2;type;Interesting;persistent;true]} 11.
Kxf2 Qd4+ {[%c_arrow
d4f2;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,d4e5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false]})
11. Qe2 $6 {[%clk 0:08:19][%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%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] Not entirely accurate
[+1.4]} 11... O-O {[%clk 0:08:45]} 12. Nxc6 $2 {[%clk 0:08:16][%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c2c3;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false] A mistake [-0.2] that
gives Black a good initiative with Qd5} 12... Bb7 $4 {[%clk 0:08:23][%c_effect
b7;square;b7;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4d5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] I'd like to say that
this was a supreme bluff, with an \"oh no my queen\" moment. However, it was
actually just a blunder and I saw the hanging queen immediately after the move
[+6.25]. However, I have set up an attack down the long light square diagonal
and White's queen does look like it could get pinned to her king...} 13. Ne5 $4
{[%clk 0:08:12][%c_effect e5;square;e5;type;Blunder;persistent;true] And White
blunders right back [-5.1] by undercalculating the position $1} 13... Bxg2 {[%clk
0:08:19]} 14. Rg1 {[%clk 0:08:03]} 14... Rae8 {[%clk 0:08:13]} 15. Be3 {[%clk
0:07:54]} 15... Qxe5 {[%clk 0:08:03]} 16. Rxg2 $6 {[%clk 0:07:27][%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][%c_effect
g2;square;g2;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [-6.8]. White needed
to get their king out of the centre.} 16... Qxb2 {[%clk 0:07:58]} 17. Rd1 {[%clk
0:06:50]} 17... f4 {[%clk 0:07:37] Place pressure on the pinned piece...} 18.
Qg4 {[%clk 0:05:44][%c_highlight
g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false,g4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g4;persistent;false][%c_arrow
g2g7;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;g7;persistent;false] Good
counterattack on the g-file. I'm okay at the moment, but need to be careful.}
18... Qc3+ {[%clk 0:06:14]} 19. Kf1 {[%clk 0:05:30]} 19... fxe3 {[%clk 0:06:14]}
20. Re1 $4 {[%clk 0:05:05][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f2f3;keyPressed;none;from;f2;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false] An understandable
move in a complex position, but there is a [-M10]} 20... Qxe1+ $5 {[%clk
0:05:15][%c_effect e1;square;e1;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Here, I
struggled to find a path forward. I thought that exf2 was probably fine/best,
but I didn't to go down a more glorious path $1} ({This is probably the easier
conversion to a winning endgame...} 20... exf2 21. Qxg7+ Qxg7 22. Rxg7+ Kxg7)
21. Kxe1 {[%clk 0:05:00]} 21... exf2+ {[%clk 0:05:17]} 22. Kf1 $4 {[%clk
0:04:55][%c_arrow
e1d2;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_effect
f1;square;f1;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] The white king
had only three legal moves. Kf1 and Kd1 result in [-M1] and [-M2] respectively.
Only Kd2 escapes immediate mate [-7.2].} ({I discovered this amazing line on
analysis - a glorious shining path $1} 22. Kd2 Bb4+ $3 {[%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Brilliant;persistent;true] A brilliant move $1 If Qxb4, this
deflects Black's queen from the attack down the g-file, and we promote our
f-pawn to queen. White must block the check with c3.} 23. c3 f1=N+ $1 {[%c_effect
f1;square;f1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d2d1;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false,d2c1;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;c1;persistent;false,d2c2;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;c2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c2;persistent;false,c1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c1;persistent;false,d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false]}
24. Kc1 Ba3+ $1 {[%c_effect a3;square;a3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 25. Kb1
Re1+ $1 {[%c_effect e1;square;e1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 26. Kc2 Ne3+
{[%c_arrow
e3c2;keyPressed;none;from;e3;opacity;0.8;to;c2;persistent;false,e3g2;keyPressed;none;from;e3;opacity;0.8;to;g2;persistent;false,e3g4;keyPressed;none;from;e3;opacity;0.8;to;g4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g4;persistent;false,g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false,c2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c2;persistent;false]
A family fork, and we win the queen and enter the winning endgame of 3 pieces vs
1 $1}) 22... Re1# {[%clk 0:05:14][%c_effect
g8;square;g8;type;Winner,f1;square;f1;type;CheckmateWhite] GG $1} 0-1