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In the last video and article, I played for Team Sydney against my opponent for Team Melbourne in an Australian interclub tournament. This article describes our second match, where I had the black pieces!

My opponent @philipwaters played a hypermodern opening, the Nimzowitsch Defense in the last game and in this one, led with the English Opening, which is hypermodern-ish. Against the English Opening, I have no special tricks. Looking at my statistics when playing as Black, I’ve only faced the English opening 34 times, which is less than 3% of the time. And I’ve done okay, winning over half the time. What I usually do against the English is to simply play according to opening principles; develop centre pawns, take the full centre if allowed, develop pieces, generally knights before bishops, and look for opening attacks.

And so not surprisingly, we ended up with a Four Knights type position, which interestingly was also known as the Nimzowitsch Variation; an echo from the first game!

Here, the opponent knew the opening better than me. On move 5, they leapt forward with their king’s knight with a capture (5. Nxe5) and I saw that recapturing would result in White having a common tactical pattern; a pawn fork of the knight and bishop in the centre of the board (5… Nxe5 6. d4!). In the game, I had assumed that I must had made a mistake and so played (5… d6?) instead. This was the actual mistake!

The best approach was to invite the fork, as after trades and manoeuvring, Black has tactical compensation with an engine evaluation of [+0.2]; (6. d4 Bb4 7. dxe5 Nxe4) – with White’s c3-knight pinned to the king, and under attack twice by Black’s knight and bishop.

I didn’t recognise this in the game, and after a couple of moves, saw that not only had I lost a pawn, I also seemed to have lost control of the centre, with White having pawns on e4, d4 and c4! Oh no!

However, the position is not simple for White to navigate either! By this point, I saw the tactic in the aforementioned correct line – pinning White’s knight with my dark square bishop, and then attacking it twice over with Nxe4. After (7… Bb4), White blundered with (8. Bd2??) ostensibly unpinning their knight. However, this was the wrong approach; Black needed to defend their e4-pawn from my knight! As I now had (8… Bxc3! 9. Bxc3), trading my bishop for White’s knight, and removing the only defender of the e4-pawn. So, (8… Nxe4), and I recaptured a point of material, resulting in a mostly equal position!

On move 11, I made another serious mistake as I underestimated the impact of White’s potential control of the e-file while being just one step ahead of me. I castled short, and the evaluation was almost [+4]! The best move was to simplify the position by trading my knight for White’s bishop, which took away their bishop pair advantage, and removed a weakness in that my knight was at risk of getting pinned to my queen. I realised this mistake the next move when White played (12. Re1) as ultimately, White could trade a pawn for my knight.

And indeed, they “placed pressure on the pinned piece” next with (13. f3?!). Why was this an inaccuracy? Luckily for me, tactical heuristics and principles such as, “place pressure on the pinned piece”, have exceptions, and in this position, I just so happened to be able to make use of one! My “get out of gaol” tactic was that my knight could jump out of the pin, exposing the queen, but in doing so I captured Black’s bishop first with (13… Nxc3!), and the knight had a chained attack on White’s queen! After trades, I was doing okay!

White opted to keep the queens on the board and so at the end of move 14, I managed to wriggle out of another mistake, and return a position of equal material, and almost equal evaluation!

Having not performed well in the opening stages, I committed myself to playing more carefully from this part of the middlegame. No more playing moves on a phone while on the move! And I found a good idea. White’s king was relatively exposed on the back rank, having moved one of their rooks into the centre of the board early to launch an attack. White’s king was also relatively exposed along the dark squares, and White only had a light square bishop remaining. I now took advantage of the open b-file, and White’s weak d4-pawn to counterattack!

We trade a pair of rooks (21… Rxb1+! 22. Bxb1), simplifying the position. And then, (22. Qf4?) which threatens a chained fork of the d4-pawn (which then comes with an absolute fork of White’s king and e5-rook), and the c1 square (which then comes with an absolute fork of White’s king and the b1-bishop). Nice!

Stockfish called this move a mistake, as White could refute it with (Qb4), defending both the d4-pawn and b1-bishop. So, the correct move order was to play Rb8 FIRST, controlling the b-file. White saw the same tactic but played the wrong execution with (23. Qd1). Although this does defend both the bishop and pawn, it gave up control of the b-file, and allowed (23… Rb8!), and the rook joins the attack!

I’m proud of my final few moves in the game. White attempts to dislodge my queen with (24. g3??), but it’s a blunder! Remember the open b-file and White’s king being exposed on the back rank! I ignore the threat on my queen and capture White’s bishop on the back rank with my rook (24… Rxb1!!), effectively sacrificing either my rook or my queen!

However, White’s queen is now pinned to their king. If they choose to capture my queen (gxf4), I capture White’s queen with check (Rxd1+) and we enter an endgame where I’m up a piece (rook and bishop vs rook) and have a pawn majority. Completely winning!

In the game, White’s queen opted to capture my rook (25. Qxb1), but it couldn’t defend both the bishop and pawn at once! On b1, the White queen no longer had vision on the d4-pawn so (25… Qxd4+), and absolute fork, and White would lose their rook their next turn. Again, we would enter an endgame where I’m up a piece (queen and bishop vs queen) with a pawn majority. White, having suffered emotional damage, resigned. GG!

The big takeaway from this game is that even if you recognise that you’ve blundered, don’t resign immediately! This is especially so at the beginner-intermediate level where mistakes are common in complicated positions. When there’s still a lot of material left on the board, it is often possible to claw back to equality and even win! Also, look for and consider sacrifices in your calculations, otherwise, you’ll miss potential winning ideas!

Game: https://www.chess.com/game/daily/641617147

[Event "WCL2024 R6: Melbourne v Sydney - Board 16"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.04.02"]
[Round "-"]
[White "philipwaters"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Match "https://www.chess.com/club/matches/1604283"]
[CurrentPosition "6k1/p4p1p/2p1b1p1/2PpR3/3q4/5PP1/P6P/1Q4K1 w - - 0 26"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "A28"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/English-Opening-Four-Knights-Nimzowitsch-Variation-4...Bc5-5.Nxe5"]
[UTCDate "2024.04.02"]
[UTCTime "23:04:07"]
[WhiteElo "1391"]
[BlackElo "1219"]
[TimeControl "1/259200"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "23:04:07"]
[EndDate "2024.04.05"]
[EndTime "10:40:54"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/daily/641617147"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/5033606.c7d33f3f.50x50o.abdbb874fde9.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "17"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. c4 {[%clk 71:13:38] Game 2: White seems to like hypermodern type openings and
leads with the English Opening $1} 1... e5 {[%clk 71:23:17] Against the English, I
don't have any special approach other than to play according to opening
principles...} 2. Nc3 {[%clk 71:33:25]} 2... Nf6 {[%clk 71:55:40]} 3. e4 {[%clk
69:35:38][%c_arrow
g2g3;keyPressed;none;from;g2;opacity;0.8;to;g3;persistent;false,g1f3;keyPressed;none;from;g1;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false,d2d3;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g3;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,d3;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false]
This is \"fine\", but Nf3, g3, or d3 might be relatively better for White
[-0.1]} 3... Bc5 {[%clk 70:08:53] Simple opening tactic: by developing the
king's knight and the king's bishop, there is the opportunity to quickly castle
and there is a potential attack on the opponent's weak f-pawn.} 4. Nf3 {[%clk
71:57:07]} 4... Nc6 {[%clk 71:52:39] Here, we transpose into the English
Opening: Four Knights, Nimzowitsch Variation $1} 5. Nxe5 {[%clk 68:47:00]} 5...
d6 $2 {[%clk 71:49:18][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c6e5;keyPressed;none;from;c6;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] I thought that Nxe5
would be a mistake as d4 would fork my knight and bishop. However, that is fine
in this position... Instead, my d6, giving up my e-pawn was a mistake [+2.2].}
(5... Nxe5 {This is the best line... it's a bit complicated.} 6. d4 {[%c_arrow
d4e5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false,d4c5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;c5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false,e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false]}
6... Bb4 {[%c_arrow
b4c3;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false,c3e1;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;e1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false]} 7. dxe5 Nxe4
{[%c_arrow
e4c3;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false,b4c3;keyPressed;none;from;b4;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false,c3e1;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;e1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false,e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e1;persistent;false]
Placing pressure on the pinned piece and the game continues $1 [+0.2]}) 6. Nxc6
{[%clk 71:04:44]} 6... bxc6 {[%clk 71:59:39]} 7. d4 {[%clk 71:59:13]} 7... Bb4
{[%clk 71:51:28]} 8. Bd2 $4 {[%clk 71:55:59][%c_effect
d2;square;d2;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false,d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false][%c_arrow
f1d3;keyPressed;none;from;f1;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false] And this is a
mistake/blunder [+0.1] and White effectively gives up their e-pawn. White had to
defend their e4-pawn...} 8... Bxc3 $1 {[%clk 71:59:37][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false]} 9. Bxc3 {[%clk
71:25:26]} 9... Nxe4 {[%clk 71:54:29]} 10. Bd3 {[%clk 60:26:22]} 10... Qe7 $6
{[%clk 71:52:01][%c_effect
e7;square;e7;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e4c3;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false] I wanted to keep the
tension and create a potential discovered check. However, this move is
inaccurate and I should have simply traded the knight for White's c3-bishop
[+0.5]} 11. O-O {[%clk 71:57:11]} 11... O-O $2 {[%clk 71:51:54][%c_arrow
e4c3;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;c3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false][%c_effect
g8;square;g8;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Here, I
under-recognised and under-calculated the effect of a pin down the e-file...
[+3.8]} 12. Re1 $2 {[%clk 71:54:10][%c_arrow
d1e2;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false][%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This is a very natural move but Qe2
is more forcing, develops the queen and connects the rooks. [+2]} 12... d5
{[%clk 71:48:04]} 13. f3 $6 {[%clk 70:35:55][%c_arrow
d1a4;keyPressed;none;from;d1;opacity;0.8;to;a4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a4;persistent;false][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] \"Place pressure on the pinned
piece\". However, heuristics have exceptions and in this position, this was was
inaccurate [+1.4]. This is as Black's e4-knight can capture the c3-bishop with a
chained attack on White's queen $1 In this position, Qa4, with an attack on
Black's weak c6-pawn is the best move.} 13... Nxc3 $1 {[%clk
71:51:34][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false,d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false][%c_arrow
c3d1;keyPressed;none;from;c3;opacity;0.8;to;d1;persistent;false][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Almost a get
out of gaol move $1} 14. bxc3 $6 {[%clk 70:49:39][%c_arrow
e1e7;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Inaccuracy;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] Trading
queens was best according to the engine, but White might now have wanted to do
so. This, however, allowed my knight to escape the pin with essentially an equal
trade. White is still slightly better, but we're mostly equal again [+0.5].}
14... Qf6 {[%clk 70:53:43]} 15. cxd5 {[%clk 70:48:57]} 15... cxd5 {[%clk
71:27:58]} 16. Re5 {[%clk 70:35:17]} 16... c6 {[%clk 71:20:27]} 17. Qc2 {[%clk
70:48:00]} 17... g6 {[%clk 71:56:45][%c_arrow
h7h6;keyPressed;none;from;h7;opacity;0.8;to;h6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
h6;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false] h6 is slightly more
accurate [+0.1 $37 +0.2]} 18. c4 $6 {[%clk 71:53:09][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c2f2;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false,a1e1;keyPressed;none;from;a1;opacity;0.8;to;e1;persistent;false,e1f1;keyPressed;none;from;e1;opacity;0.8;to;f1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f2;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false,e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e1;persistent;false,f1;keyPressed;shift;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false]
This isn't the easiest position to find the best moves $1 Forming a battery with
the rooks on the e-file is probably best, and makes sense. Rf1 and Qf2 are both
also highly evaluated by the engine, but are perhaps less obviously good.
[-0.1]} 18... Be6 {[%clk 71:53:25]} 19. c5 {[%clk 71:52:28] White closes the
centre [0.00]} 19... Rab8 {[%clk 70:29:05] I take control of the open b-file}
20. Rb1 $6 {[%clk 70:33:46][%c_arrow
c2d2;keyPressed;none;from;c2;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_effect
b1;square;b1;type;Inaccuracy;persistent;true] ... and White challenges that
control. However, Stockfish doesn't think agree [-0.3].} 20... Qh4 {[%clk
71:58:48]} 21. Qa4 $2 {[%clk 71:31:04][%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][%c_effect
a4;square;a4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] White attempts the attack the c6-pawn
again, but it's surprisingly a mistake [-3] $1 However, Qc3 is the only good move,
but difficult to find. The queen maintains coverage of the c-file, which will
become important later...} 21... Rxb1+ $1 {[%clk 71:58:18][%c_effect
b1;square;b1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
b1;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;b1;persistent;false,f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false][%c_arrow
b1g1;keyPressed;none;from;b1;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false,h4f2;keyPressed;none;from;h4;opacity;0.8;to;f2;persistent;false]
This rook check on the back rank is a powerful forcing move $1 It's almost
checkmate and in this position, White is pretty much forced to play Bxb1...} 22.
Bxb1 {[%clk 63:34:58]} 22... Qf4 $2 {[%clk 71:32:13][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
f8b8;keyPressed;none;from;f8;opacity;0.8;to;b8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b8;persistent;false] I played Qf4 as it
forks the d4-pawn (which comes with check), and Qc1 (which also comes with check
and would win the b1-bishop). I thought that this was a good move, but Stockfish
identifies a refutation, which is (Qb4), defending both the d4-pawn and
b1-bishop. Thus, Rb8 FIRST is better. I didn't see this in the game. [-3 $37
-1.2]} 23. Qd1 $2 {[%clk 71:19:25][%c_effect
d1;square;d1;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a4b4;keyPressed;none;from;a4;opacity;0.8;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false] White had the right
idea, but the wrong execution [-3.8] $1 Qd1 does defend both the bishop and pawn,
but by giving up control of the b-file, Black's remaining rook now joins the
attack $1} 23... Rb8 $1 {[%clk 69:47:47][%c_highlight
b8;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;b8;persistent;false][%c_effect
b8;square;b8;type;GreatFind;persistent;true]} 24. g3 $4 {[%clk
68:11:22][%c_effect g3;square;g3;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
g3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false] This counterattack on
my queen seems to be fast enough to chase my queen away... However, it blunders
a piece due to forks and pins $1} 24... Rxb1 $3 {[%clk 71:08:31][%c_effect
b1;square;b1;type;Brilliant;persistent;true][%c_highlight
b1;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;b1;persistent;false] Rook sacrifice,
brilliant move $1 [-5.9] If White captures the Black queen with gxf4, Black has
Rxd1+ and then Rxd4, and enters an endgame up a piece and with a pawn majority.
If White chooses to capture the rook...} 25. Qxb1 {[%clk 65:36:52]} 25... Qxd4+
{[%clk 71:48:16][%c_effect
g8;square;g8;type;Winner,g1;square;g1;type;ResignWhite][%c_arrow
d4g1;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;g1;persistent;false,d4e5;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false,e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false]
... the Black queen captures the d4-pawn with an absolute fork of the king and
e5-rook $1 Again, Black enters the endgame up a piece and a pawn majority. White
suffers emotional damage and resigns. GG $1} 0-1