---

This might be a bit perverse, but making a reversal, a comeback, from a losing position is one of my secret joys in chess! 😅 Now, that doesn’t mean that I deliberately play bad openings, but when I make a mistake and find myself in a losing middlegame, I find it fun to treat this as a challenge, rather than to immediately give up and resign.

I recently had the following game where I unthinkingly blitzed out a careless move on turn 6 (6… d6?). This was in a game of 15+10 rapid, where I had the Black pieces, and White played a Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation. Almost immediately, I realised that I should have retreated my bishop with (6… Bb6)…

And the reason for this is that after trading knights and then bishops (7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bxc5 dxc5), I now had a tower of tripledc-pawns! Despite material equality, Stockfish evaluates the position as highly disadvantageous at [+2.6]! 😂

White immediately pounces to try to solidify their advantage by trading queens, and then long castling. So, not only do I have the “tower”, but I’ve also lost the right to castle! However, I do have material equality and now a clear purpose! To get a reversal/comeback, I’ll need to consolidate, avoid trading away too many pieces, and try not to make the tripled pawns a disadvantage!

With White having castled queenside, this provides a tactical target. A consequence of the c-pawn tower is that my b-file was semi-open. So logically, develop/move pieces to the queenside to attack White’s king. Whether it is directly successful or not, it places pressure on White to defend. Putting threatening pressure on the opponent has the effect that it requires the opponent to respond accurately. Framed in another way, it invites our opponents to make a mistake or a blunder!

In this game, several of the threats that I make were not considered by the engine to have been the most accurate moves. However, they largely worked! Often against the attack, White responds inaccurately. For instance, against my “mistake” of (17… Ne5), threatening White’s light square bishop on c4, White chose to counterattack my higher value rook with their c-pawn (18. c3?). From a simple tactical heuristic perspective, it seems to make sense. White wants to trade down material to simplify into a winning endgame, so they don’t need to move away from attacks. However, in this case, it was a mistake as after (18… Nxc4), my knight had another attack on White’s d2-rook! White was forced to capture my knight rather than my rook (19. Bxc4?), and suddenly, the evaluation is near equal!

A bit flustered, White played (20. Rb2), seeking to take control of the open b-file. Although the engine thinks that this move was fine, my view is that it was a tactical mistake from a human perspective as it allowed for (20… Rxc3+). Although the evaluation was equal, this transformed my remaining doubled c-pawns into passed pawns! The liability has now become one of my greatest assets!

From a meta viewpoint, we’ve now also entered a rook and pawn endgame. One of the tricks when behind in the opening/middlegame is trying to trade down into such an endgame. This is simply as this endgame is almost like another game. Mistakes are hard to see, which means that an opponent who is technically ahead, can easily flip to equality, or even losing, with a single wrong move.

We do a lot of rook shuffling, but I manage to outplay my opponent. On turn 34, I managed to create an outside passed pawn on the h-file, in addition to my passed doubled c-pawns – a major tactical advantage. The goal was now to trade down the rooks. This was achieved and on turn 46, we had only pawns and king remaining. I had the pawn majority (3 vs 2) with the passed h-pawn! Winning was now relatively easy. Advance the pawns supported by my king. As White’s king is obliged to stop my h-pawn’s forward movement (neither of their remaining pawns can do so), my king captures their remaining pawns. Their first falls (50… Kxf5), and then the second (56… Kxf3). Defeated, White resigns – good game, GG!

Game: https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/121565445669

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.10.01"]
[Round "-"]
[White "WillyStaunton"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[CurrentPosition "8/8/8/6p1/7p/5k1K/8/8 w - -"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C47"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Four-Knights-Game-Scotch-Variation-Accepted-5.Nxd4-Bc5-6.Be3"]
[UTCDate "2024.10.01"]
[UTCTime "23:52:32"]
[WhiteElo "1193"]
[BlackElo "1235"]
[TimeControl "900+10"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "23:52:32"]
[EndDate "2024.10.02"]
[EndTime "00:11:41"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/WcWoHPwZp?tab=analysis&move=111"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/137253402.ea3e784b.50x50o.ea7e7b877554.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "3"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.f52a0759.50x50o.ab18600a8723.png"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. e4 {[%clk 0:15:09.1][%timestamp 9]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:15:08.5][%timestamp 15]}
2. Nf3 {[%clk 0:15:17.4][%timestamp 17]} 2... Nc6 {[%clk 0:15:16.8][%timestamp
17]} 3. Nc3 {[%clk 0:15:26.1][%timestamp 13]} 3... Nf6 {[%clk
0:15:24.7][%timestamp 21]} 4. d4 {[%clk 0:15:34.9][%timestamp 12] Four Knights
Game: Scotch Variation} 4... exd4 {[%clk 0:15:31.3][%timestamp 34]} 5. Nxd4
{[%clk 0:15:43.5][%timestamp 14]} 5... Bc5 {[%clk 0:15:30.8][%timestamp 105]} 6.
Be3 {[%clk 0:15:25.1][%timestamp 284]} 6... d6 $2 {[%clk 0:15:29.6][%timestamp
112][%c_arrow
c5b6;keyPressed;none;from;c5;opacity;0.8;to;b6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b6;persistent;false][%c_effect
d6;square;d6;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]
I played the move without thinking... and realised almost immediately afterwards
that this was a mistake...} 7. Nxc6 $1 {[%clk 0:14:40.7][%timestamp 544][%c_effect
c6;square;c6;type;GreatFind;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]}
7... bxc6 {[%clk 0:15:36.7][%timestamp 29]} 8. Bxc5 {[%clk 0:14:47.4][%timestamp
33]} 8... dxc5 {[%clk 0:15:45.8][%timestamp 9][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false,c7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c7;persistent;false,c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false]
Tripled pawns $1} 9. Qxd8+ {[%clk 0:14:55.6][%timestamp 18]} 9... Kxd8 {[%clk
0:15:53.6][%timestamp 22] And lost the right to castle. Alright, time to get a
comeback $1 🤪 Note: material equality. Goal is to try to consolidate, and try to
make the tripled pawns not be a disadvantage that is felt. [+2.6]} 10. O-O-O+
{[%clk 0:15:03.7][%timestamp 19]} 10... Bd7 {[%clk 0:16:02.5][%timestamp 11]}
11. Bc4 {[%clk 0:15:05.7][%timestamp 80]} 11... Ke7 {[%clk 0:15:57.5][%timestamp
150]} 12. f3 $6 {[%clk 0:15:03.5][%timestamp 122][%c_arrow
e4e5;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false][%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]}
12... a5 {[%clk 0:15:49.1][%timestamp 184]} 13. Na4 {[%clk 0:15:05.6][%timestamp
79]} 13... Rab8 $6 {[%clk 0:15:17.3][%timestamp 418][%c_arrow
d7c8;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;c8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c8;persistent;false][%c_effect
b8;square;b8;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]
Apparently the most accurate move is Bc8, however, this isn't a fighting move.}
14. Nxc5 {[%clk 0:15:07][%timestamp 86]} 14... Rb4 $5 {[%clk
0:15:25.9][%timestamp 14][%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Interesting;path;null;size;100%2525;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d7e6;keyPressed;none;from;d7;opacity;0.8;to;e6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e6;persistent;false] Stockfish once again
chooses a very passive move. I go to put pressure on White's pieces - the goal
is to induce a mistake.} 15. b3 {[%clk 0:14:59.9][%timestamp 171]} 15... Ra8
{[%clk 0:15:16.3][%timestamp 196]} 16. Nxd7 $2 {[%clk 0:14:46.6][%timestamp
233][%c_effect
d7;square;d7;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a2a3;keyPressed;none;from;a2;opacity;0.8;to;a3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a3;persistent;false] White's impatience is
a mistake [+4.4 $37 +2.7]} 16... Nxd7 {[%clk 0:15:23.5][%timestamp 28]} 17. Rd2
{[%clk 0:14:41.1][%timestamp 155]} 17... Ne5 {[%clk 0:15:21][%timestamp 125]
Again, the attack aiming to induce an error...} 18. c3 $2 {[%clk
0:14:32.6][%timestamp 185][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c4e2;keyPressed;none;from;c4;opacity;0.8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false] ... and again, it
works. White's attempt to counterattack my rook makes sense from the perspective
that you don't have to move out of an attack if you attack something with higher
value. Except in this case, it doesn't work as I \"chain\" the attack... [$37
+1.6]} 18... Nxc4 {[%clk 0:15:17.7][%timestamp 133]} 19. bxc4 $2  {[%clk
0:14:37.6][%timestamp 50][%c_arrow
d2d4;keyPressed;none;from;d2;opacity;0.8;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false][%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%2525;animated;false;persistent;true]
And another mistake, and the evaluation is now basically equal $1 Note: from the
tripled pawns, we now both have doubled-pawns on the c-file $1} 19... Rxc4 {[%clk
0:15:01.9][%timestamp 258]} 20. Rb2 {[%clk 0:14:46][%timestamp 16][%c_arrow
c1c2;keyPressed;none;from;c1;opacity;0.8;to;c2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c2;persistent;false] I think this was a
tactical mistake, even if the evaluation didn't change much. White loses their
c3-pawn, which turns Black's doubled c-pawns into both passed pawns $1} 20...
Rxc3+ {[%clk 0:14:56.1][%timestamp 158] ... and now I'm slightly ahead $1 [-0.1]
One of the comeback tactics from a losing position is trying to transform it
into a rook and pawn endgame. Rook and pawn endgame are practically almost like
a different game to \"regular\" chess, at least at the beginner-intermediate
level. As mistakes can be subtle but impactful, it's will often allow you to
regain an advantage from completely losing. The risk is that it can go the other
way as well $1} 21. Kd2 {[%clk 0:14:54.8][%timestamp 12]} 21... Rc5 {[%clk
0:14:31.5][%timestamp 346]} 22. Rhb1 {[%clk 0:14:59.1][%timestamp 57]} 22...
Rd8+ {[%clk 0:14:35.5][%timestamp 60]} 23. Ke3 {[%clk 0:14:56.4][%timestamp
127]} 23... Rc3+ {[%clk 0:14:32.7][%timestamp 128]} 24. Kf4 {[%clk
0:14:59.2][%timestamp 72]} 24... h6 {[%clk 0:14:10.8][%timestamp 319]} 25. Kg3
{[%clk 0:15:05.7][%timestamp 35]} 25... Rd4 {[%clk 0:14:09.2][%timestamp 116]}
26. Rb7 {[%clk 0:15:08.9][%timestamp 68]} 26... Kd6 {[%clk 0:13:56][%timestamp
232]} 27. R7b3 $2  {[%clk 0:15:01.2][%timestamp 177][%c_effect
b3;square;b3;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%2525;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e4e5;keyPressed;none;from;e4;opacity;0.8;to;e5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false] And White makes a
mistake/blunder $1 [-3]} 27... Rc2 {[%clk 0:13:40.1][%timestamp 259]} 28. Ra3
{[%clk 0:15:06.4][%timestamp 48]} 28... Rc5 $2 {[%clk 0:13:38][%timestamp
121][%c_effect
c5;square;c5;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4d2;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;d2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false] ... but just as
easily, I lose my advantage [0.00]} 29. Rb8 {[%clk 0:14:41.2][%timestamp 352]}
29... Rg5+ {[%clk 0:13:44.1][%timestamp 39]} 30. Kf2 {[%clk
0:14:44.1][%timestamp 71]} 30... Rd2+ {[%clk 0:13:46.8][%timestamp 73]} 31. Ke3 $1
{[%clk 0:14:46.5][%timestamp 76][%c_effect
e3;square;e3;type;GreatFind;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]}
31... Rdxg2 {[%clk 0:13:48.3][%timestamp 85]} 32. Rd8+ {[%clk
0:14:52.8][%timestamp 37][%c_arrow
a3d3;keyPressed;none;from;a3;opacity;0.8;to;d3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false] Right idea, wrong
execution [-0.7]} 32... Ke7 {[%clk 0:13:50.7][%timestamp 76]} 33. Rc8 {[%clk
0:14:50][%timestamp 128]} 33... Kd7 {[%clk 0:13:23.2][%timestamp 375]} 34. Ra8 $2
{[%clk 0:14:50.7][%timestamp 93][%c_arrow
c8f8;keyPressed;none;from;c8;opacity;0.8;to;f8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f8;persistent;false][%c_effect
a8;square;a8;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]
Logical move, but a mistake. It's so easy to blunder in rook and pawn endgames $1
[-2.9]} 34... Rxh2 {[%clk 0:13:12][%timestamp 212][%c_highlight
h6;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;h6;persistent;false,c6;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false,c7;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c7;persistent;false]
Note: three passed pawns $1 This is a major advantage $1} 35. R8xa5 {[%clk
0:14:57.4][%timestamp 33]} 35... Rb5 $2 {[%clk 0:12:48.1][%timestamp
339][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true]
Stockfish prefers simply capturing, but I didn't like that. Instead, I wanted
White to capture me...} 36. Rxb5 $2  {[%clk 0:14:55.6][%timestamp 118][%c_effect
b5;square;b5;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%2525;animated;false;persistent;true]
... and my plan worked $1} 36... cxb5 {[%clk 0:12:56.7][%timestamp 14] Note: This
\"un-passes\" White's a2-pawn $1} 37. Rd3+ $6 {[%clk 0:14:55.6][%timestamp
100][%c_effect
d3;square;d3;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a3a5;keyPressed;none;from;a3;opacity;0.8;to;a5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
a5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;a5;persistent;false]} 37... Ke6 {[%clk
0:12:48.7][%timestamp 180]} 38. a3 {[%clk 0:15:00.1][%timestamp 55]} 38... c5 $6
{[%clk 0:12:28.2][%timestamp 305][%c_effect
c5;square;c5;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
h2c2;keyPressed;none;from;h2;opacity;0.8;to;c2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c2;persistent;false] An inaccuracy, but it
doesn't matter. Black is in a dominant winning position $1} 39. Rd5 $6 {[%clk
0:15:06.7][%timestamp 34][%c_effect
d5;square;d5;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d3b3;keyPressed;none;from;d3;opacity;0.8;to;b3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b3;persistent;false]} 39... Rc2 {[%clk
0:12:28][%timestamp 102]} 40. Kd3 {[%clk 0:15:11.4][%timestamp 53]} 40... Rc4
{[%clk 0:12:13.5][%timestamp 245]} 41. a4 {[%clk 0:14:53.9][%timestamp 275]}
41... Rxa4 {[%clk 0:12:19.7][%timestamp 38]} 42. Rxc5 {[%clk
0:15:02.7][%timestamp 12]} 42... Ra3+ {[%clk 0:12:16.5][%timestamp 132]} 43. Kd4
{[%clk 0:15:05][%timestamp 77]} 43... Ra4+ $6 {[%clk 0:12:12.5][%timestamp
140][%c_effect
a4;square;a4;type;Inaccuracy;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a3f3;keyPressed;none;from;a3;opacity;0.8;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false]} 44. Kc3 $2 {[%clk
0:15:09.5][%timestamp 55][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Mistake;path;null;size;100%25;animated;false;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d4e3;keyPressed;none;from;d4;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false]} 44... Rc4+ {[%clk
0:12:02.9][%timestamp 196] And I force the rook trade $1} 45. Rxc4 {[%clk
0:15:16.8][%timestamp 27]} 45... bxc4 {[%clk 0:12:11.8][%timestamp 11]} 46. Kxc4
{[%clk 0:15:25.9][%timestamp 9] Pawn majority, and an outside passed pawn.
Winning $1} 46... Ke5 {[%clk 0:12:21][%timestamp 8]} 47. Kd3 {[%clk
0:15:33.8][%timestamp 21]} 47... g5 {[%clk 0:12:25.9][%timestamp 51]} 48. Ke3
{[%clk 0:15:42.1][%timestamp 17]} 48... h5 {[%clk 0:12:32.7][%timestamp 32]} 49.
Kf2 {[%clk 0:15:50.2][%timestamp 19]} 49... f5 {[%clk 0:12:36.2][%timestamp 65]}
50. exf5 {[%clk 0:15:58.6][%timestamp 16]} 50... Kxf5 {[%clk
0:12:45.3][%timestamp 9]} 51. Kg3 {[%clk 0:16:07.9][%timestamp 7]} 51... h4+
{[%clk 0:12:44.6][%timestamp 107]} 52. Kh3 {[%clk 0:16:16.3][%timestamp 16]}
52... Kf4 {[%clk 0:12:53.3][%timestamp 13]} 53. Kg2 {[%clk 0:16:24.8][%timestamp
15]} 53... Kf5 {[%clk 0:12:49.2][%timestamp 141][%c_arrow
f4e3;keyPressed;none;from;f4;opacity;0.8;to;e3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false] Whoops, didn't see it
the first time...} 54. Kh3 {[%clk 0:16:30.8][%timestamp 40]} 54... Kf4 {[%clk
0:12:58.1][%timestamp 11]} 55. Kg2 {[%clk 0:16:39.8][%timestamp 10]} 55... Ke3
{[%clk 0:13:07.2][%timestamp 9] But I don't make the same mistake $1} 56. Kh3
{[%clk 0:16:42.2][%timestamp 76]} 56... Kxf3 {[%clk 0:13:15.1][%timestamp
21][%c_effect f3;square;f3;type;Winner,h3;square;h3;type;ResignWhite] All over,
and White resigns, defeated $1} 0-1