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chess noob Quick Wins! is a series of short videos, to demonstrate very quick wins! As a beginner, you become aware of the Scholar’s Mate and the Fool’s Mate, but neither of these show up in real games. However, there are tricky quick checkmates and wins that occur, even at the intermediate level of chess.

This was a game submitted by Team Australia clubmate @Daja_K that demonstrates how dangerous the Scotch Gambit can be! The Scotch Game and the Scotch Gambit are potentially excellent openings for the beginner-intermediate player looking to play something aggressive and fun!

In the Scotch Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4), White forgoes recapturing the pawn in the centre and uses the step of tempo to develop their bishop. This accelerated development creates the possibility for a massive opening attack. Although Black is slightly better according to Stockfish with an evaluation of [-0.1], the Lichess community database demonstrates that White has an overwhelming win ratio advantage of White (54%) vs Black (42%)!

In this game, Black played an interesting move (4… Be7). If this were an Italian, this would be the Hungarian Defense. This is not a mistake, but perhaps a little suboptimal and unusual.

White now challenges Black’s advanced d4-pawn with (5. c3), coaxing it to capture down the chain and in effect, deflect it to the c-file. Black takes the bait (5… dxc3?!), a tactical mistake! Black gains material but opens the d-file for White’s queen (6. Qd5!?). White now has a major advantage in development and a powerful attack in the form of the queen-bishop battery staring down the light square diagonal at Black’s weak f7-pawn.

Now, this queen move by White is very direct and somewhat speculative, as Black can defend against the attack with the relatively ugly (6… Nh6), developing the king’s knight to the edge of the board which defends the f7-square. However, this is Black’s ONLY move that isn’t immediately losing. Although evaluation-wise, Black is “fine”, they were left with no margin of error. Unfortunately for Black, they don’t find the move and instead played (6… d6??) which blundered [+M2].

White’s queen takes the f-pawn and then the bishop gives the follow up blow along the same diagonal (7. Qxf7+ Kd7 8. Be6#). GG!

Game: https://www.chess.com/game/live/99464481213

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.01.20"]
[Round "-"]
[White "Daja_K"]
[Black "alberto_arroyo_arroyo"]
[Result "1-0"]
[CurrentPosition "r1bq2nr/pppkbQpp/2npB3/8/4P3/2p2N2/PP3PPP/RNB1K2R b KQ -"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C50"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Italian-Game-Hungarian-Defense-4.d4-exd4-5.c3"]
[UTCDate "2024.01.20"]
[UTCTime "04:36:18"]
[WhiteElo "1430"]
[BlackElo "1484"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[Termination "Daja_K won by checkmate"]
[StartTime "04:36:18"]
[EndDate "2024.01.20"]
[EndTime "04:38:10"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/99464481213"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/210334921.e8f26b14.50x50o.5de62c8e7da2.png"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://www.chess.com/bundles/web/images/noavatar_l.84a92436.gif"]
[BlackCountry "95"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:10:00]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:09:59]} 2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:09:58.5]} 2...
Nc6 {[%clk 0:09:57.3]} 3. d4 {[%clk 0:09:57.4]} 3... exd4 {[%clk 0:09:54.6]} 4.
Bc4 {[%clk 0:09:56.4] Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit $1 This is a very tricky and
effective gambit at the beginner-intermediate level $1 [-0.1] In the Lichess
community database, the win ratio is White (54\%) vs Black (42\%) in the
position $1} 4... Be7 {[%clk 0:09:52.4] This is an interesting bishop move that
would be the Hungarian Defense if the game were an Italian} 5. c3 {[%clk
0:09:22.7] White challenges Black's advanced d4-pawn and aims to deflect it to
the c-file} 5... dxc3 $6 {[%clk 0:09:49.6][%c_arrow
c6a5;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;a5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a5;persistent;false][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] Black takes the bait, and it's a
mistake. The d-file is now semi-open and gives access to the centre of the board
for White's queen $1 [+0.8]} 6. Qd5 $5 {[%clk 0:09:19.5][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%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] White now plays a
rather direct but speculative move [+0.6], forming a battery of the queen and
bishop along the light square diagonal, targeting the weak f7-pawn. This is
speculative as Black can defend this with a somewhat ugly but effect Nh6.} 6...
d6 $4 {[%clk 0:08:59.9][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
d6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d6;persistent;false,h6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false][%c_arrow
g8h6;keyPressed;none;from;g8;opacity;0.8;to;h6;persistent;false] However, when
Black has only a single good move, it means that any mistake is catastrophic $1
This blunders [+M2] $1} 7. Qxf7+ {[%clk 0:09:15.4][%c_arrow
f7e8;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false,f7f8;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false,c4f7;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;f7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,f8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f8;persistent;false,f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false]}
7... Kd7 {[%clk 0:08:58.5]} 8. Be6# {[%clk 0:09:13.8][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Winner,d7;square;d7;type;CheckmateBlack][%c_arrow
f7e6;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false,e6d7;keyPressed;none;from;e6;opacity;0.8;to;d7;persistent;false,f7e8;keyPressed;none;from;f7;opacity;0.8;to;e8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false,d7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d7;persistent;false,e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false]
GG $1} 1-0