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Why do you play chess? What is your reason and purpose for playing?

I’ve recently been reflecting on this question. An observation that I’ve made in some of the comments and feedback to my content, and some of the other chess blogs that I’ve read, is that some seem to hold a perspective that there is only one legitimate way to play chess. For instance, the Englund Gambit shouldn’t be encouraged because it is unsound. “Hope chess” is a dismissive criticism that is levelled at these openings.

Although I agree that the Englund Gambit is probably far from optimal if your goal is to improve as a serious competitive chess player, I think that it is necessary to point out the importance of context. I play chess largely to have fun! Although I wouldn’t mind getting better, my principal reason and purpose for playing is for enjoyment, and not to train to compete in serious competitions.

And so, in that spirit of whimsy, there are tactical approaches to winning apart from playing accurately. This is especially so at the beginner-intermediate level, which is the vast majority of online recreational players! This quick, unrated, and highly INACCURATE 10+0 game of rapid demonstrates an aggressive and romantic approach that can sometimes be quite effective!

I had the black pieces, and we start with the Englund Gambit (of course!) Accepted (1. d4 e5 2. dxe5). The psychological tactics start immediately! We attack quickly and relentlessly and demonstrate that we are unafraid of losing material to attack. This creates a particular psychological dynamic – the opponent feels under pressure and on the defensive for the entire match. The aggressive sacrificing of material can be disorienting for the opponent as it is seemingly a transgression of the “rules” of the game. This can result in the opponent being “captured” in our tactical lines and our initiatives.

On move 4, White gives up their pawn on e5 with the tentative (4. e3). In the Englund Gambit, if you can capture back the pawn, you should do so, and after (4… Nxe5 5. Nxe5 Qxe5) we are back to equality [0.00] with Black having gained a potential advantage in development with the queen powerfully in the centre of the board.

On move 10, White castles kingside (10. O-O) and I now launch a series of attacks which are inaccurate/mistakes/blunders, but each force White to respond accurately over and over. Firstly (10… Ng4) with an immediate mate threat. White finds the correct response. Then (11. Qh5), a mate threat again and again, White finds the correct response (12. h3) with an attack on my knight.

According to the engine, the attack has been completely refuted at this point, but Stockfish doesn’t succumb to human psychology. I choose to sacrifice the knight to open the h-file, and instead, bring another piece to the attack with (12… Bd6). White captures the hanging knight (as expected) and the tactical idea now is that with the open h-file, White must critically keep the f4 square blocked as I would have a checkmate with my queen and dark square bishop having vision on h2.

By this point, White is fully “captured” with their attention only on my kingside attack and on f4. A type of “tunnel vision”. Indeed, with (15… gxf4) I took a gamble that White would play (16. Nxf4) to recapture on the f4 square, rather than see their best move (Nf6+), a royal fork! And I was right! On move 17, White probably thought that they had rebuffed my attack (technically correct) and could launch a counterattack (technically correct), and so moved their knight back to the powerful d5 square (disastrous execution!). In doing so, they forgot they needed to keep f4 closed. This represented an evaluation reversal from a peak of over [+10] → [-M2]! Checkmate came on move 18, with the same attack set up on move 12. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is to not underestimate the importance of psychological tactics, especially at the beginner-intermediate level. Accuracy is of course important, but is your purpose for playing simply to play accurately, or to have fun?

Game: https://www.chess.com/a/24yyyhTenoXxW

[Event "Live Chess"]

[Site "Chess.com"]

[Date "2023.11.29"]

[Round "?"]

[White "Random Chess Noob"]

[Black "vitualis"]

[Result "0-1"]

[TimeControl "600"]

[Termination "Random Chess Noob won by checkmate"]

[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]

[BlackCountry "17"]

[BlackTitle ""]

[BlackElo "1304"]

[WhiteElo "????"]



1. d4 {[%clk 0:09:54.9][%timestamp 51]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:09:57.1][%timestamp

29]} 2. dxe5 {[%clk 0:09:51.7][%timestamp 32] Englund Gambit Accepted} 2... Nc6

{[%clk 0:09:54.8][%timestamp 23]} 3. Nf3 {[%clk 0:09:48.8][%timestamp 29]} 3...

Qe7 {[%clk 0:09:52.6][%timestamp 22]} 4. e3 {[%clk 0:09:35.5][%timestamp

133][%c_arrow

c1f4;keyPressed;none;from;c1;opacity;0.8;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight

f4;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false] Somewhat inaccurate

[+1.4 $37 +0.5]} 4... Nxe5 {[%clk 0:09:48.4][%timestamp 42]} 5. Nxe5 {[%clk

0:09:32.3][%timestamp 32][%c_arrow

b1c3;keyPressed;none;from;b1;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight

c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false] And we're back to

equality [0.00]} 5... Qxe5 {[%clk 0:09:37.9][%timestamp 105]} 6. Nc3 {[%clk

0:09:25.5][%timestamp 68]} 6... Bb4 {[%clk 0:09:31.1][%timestamp 68]} 7. Bd2

{[%clk 0:09:19.8][%timestamp 57]} 7... Nf6 {[%clk 0:09:19.4][%timestamp 117]} 8.

Bc4 $6 {[%clk 0:09:15.7][%timestamp 41][%c_effect

c4;square;c4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] This is somewhat inaccurate

[-0.7]} 8... d5 {[%clk 0:09:06.3][%timestamp 131]} 9. Bb3 {[%clk

0:09:08.5][%timestamp 72]} 9... Be6 {[%clk 0:08:57.5][%timestamp 88]} 10. O-O

{[%clk 0:08:56.4][%timestamp 121]} 10... Ng4 $5 {[%clk 0:08:24.7][%timestamp

328][%c_arrow

e8c8;keyPressed;none;from;e8;opacity;0.8;to;c8;persistent;false][%c_highlight

c8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c8;persistent;false][%c_effect

g4;square;g4;type;Interesting;persistent;true] This is a mistake in terms of

accuracy [-0.7 $37 +2.5], as White can rebuff this attack . However, as we will

see, there can be tactical psychological merit in putting the opponent under

constant pressure by attacking. One can win not only by playing accurately, but

by making the opponent lose $1} 11. f4 $1 {[%clk 0:08:39][%timestamp 174][%c_effect

f4;square;f4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true] White finds the correct response}

11... Qh5 {[%clk 0:08:05.5][%timestamp 192] More pressure $1} 12. h3 {[%clk

0:08:23.9][%timestamp 151] White finds the correct response} 12... Bd6 $5 {[%clk

0:07:17.2][%timestamp 483][%c_effect

d6;square;d6;type;Interesting;persistent;true] Bring another piece into the

attack $1 I choose to sacrifice the knight to open the h-file $1 Again, this is an

inaccuracy [+3.0 $37 +3.7] according to the engine, but as we'll see, the pressure

gets the the opponent.} 13. hxg4 $6 {[%clk 0:08:10.5][%timestamp 134][%c_arrow

b3d5;keyPressed;none;from;b3;opacity;0.8;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight

d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_effect

g4;square;g4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] An inaccuracy [+2.6] - White's

focus has been drawn into a type of tunnel vision in responding to my ongoing

threats, giving me the initiative.} 13... Bxg4 {[%clk 0:07:16.2][%timestamp 10]}

14. Qe1 {[%clk 0:08:03][%timestamp 75]} 14... g5 $5 {[%clk 0:06:55.7][%timestamp

205][%c_effect g5;square;g5;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%c_arrow

c7c6;keyPressed;none;from;c7;opacity;0.8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight

c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false] This is a mistake

according to the engine [+2.6 $37 5.5], however, it is once again, creating

immediate pressure. White must play accurately to avoid a fatal blow.} 15. Nxd5

{[%clk 0:07:57.6][%timestamp 54]} 15... gxf4 $2 {[%clk 0:06:50.9][%timestamp

48][%c_arrow

e8c8;keyPressed;none;from;e8;opacity;0.8;to;c8;persistent;false][%c_highlight

c8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c8;persistent;false][%c_effect

f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Now, this was

another highly aggressive move that is clearly a mistake when seen in sober

analysis [+10]. However, under the psychological flow of the game, I was

reasonably confident that White will capture the pawn, clearing the dark square

diagonal $1} 16. Nxf4 $2 {[%clk 0:07:51.1][%timestamp 65][%c_arrow

d5f6;keyPressed;none;from;d5;opacity;0.8;to;f6;persistent;false,f6e8;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false,f6h5;keyPressed;none;from;f6;opacity;0.8;to;h5;persistent;false][%c_highlight

f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false,e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false][%c_effect

f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] And here's the

proof that they were captured in the tunnel vision $1 White had the completely

winning Nf6+ royal fork, but missed it $1 Instead, White's knight is now pinned in

place... [+5.5]} 16... Qh6 {[%clk 0:06:28.7][%timestamp 222]} 17. Nd5 $4 {[%clk

0:07:18.6][%timestamp 325][%c_effect d5;square;d5;type;Blunder;persistent;true]

And in trying to save their knight, thinking that the pressure is over, White

blunders [-M2] $1} 17... Qh2+ {[%clk 0:06:24.7][%timestamp 40]} 18. Kf2 {[%clk

0:07:15.6][%timestamp 30]} 18... Bg3# {[%clk 0:06:20.5][%timestamp 42][%c_effect

e8;square;e8;type;Winner,f2;square;f2;type;CheckmateWhite][%c_arrow

h2g1;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false,g3f2;keyPressed;none;from;g3;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,h2g3;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;g3;persistent;false,g4e2;keyPressed;none;from;g4;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight

g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false,g3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false]

GG $1} 0-1