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🔥 Coupon code: CHESSNOOB64 for 10% off ChessUp products: https://playchessup.com/products/chessup-2

Hi everybody! I’ve been rather busy since mid-January 2026 as I’ve started a new job, and haven’t had much time for chess. However, I’ve mostly settled in now, and I’ve some content that I would very much like to work on! 🤩

One of those things is to continue my hands-on exploration and use of the ChessUp 2. This has become my favourite electronic chess board to use for real-life OTB chess out-and-about, when I’m planning on meeting someone specifically for a game. Why?

• The board and pieces are a nice size, while still reasonably portable with the custom carry bag. For instance, it very nicely carries the board and pieces, and also a notebook that I had for my meeting, and the camera (DJI Osmo Pocket 3) I used for this video!
• Touch sense allows for the most natural movement of chess pieces, especially for an opponent who has no familiarity with electronic chess boards. Specifically, sliding pieces, which can be an issue on some other boards, works completely seamlessly.
• The display works really well as a built-in chess clock, saving the need to bring along a separate clock, or using an app on my phone.
• The board records the games played (without the need of a companion device or network access), and this works flawlessly.

Where playing a game of chess out-and-about is more opportunistic, or if I’m carrying other items (e.g., a laptop and other work equipment), my preference is still to bring a more portable set – e.g., a roll-up silicone or mouse-mat material board and wooden pieces, or the Chessnut Go. However going to a chess club? The ChessUp 2 is amazing!

Last week, I had a meeting with my mentee over dinner, and then an after-dinner game of chess! We met at a fantastically relaxed and low-key Malaysian restaurant, Ipoh Hawker at Marrickville – check it out if you’re a Sydney-sider!

I’d been having a glass of pinot noir and if you follow my channel and blog, you’d know that alcohol and chess, insofar as good chess performance, don’t go together! I’d already lost the first game from blundering my queen, but I managed to preserve my dignity with the second… 😅

With White, I managed to play the Vienna Gambit, Accepted, which almost always goes well!

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Learn how to play the best chess opening attacks in the Romantic style with my new book, “Become a Chess Assassin!” available now on your local Amazon store!

[Event "After dinner game"]
[Site "Ipoh Hawker Marrickville, NSW Australia"]
[Date "2026.03.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "vitualis"]
[Black "Dr Khan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Time "22:32:12"]
[TimeControl "600+5"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/4DwbUJZ4y4/analysis"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 exf4 $2 {[%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d7d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d7;to;d5;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false] Vienna Gambit
Accepted, let's go  $1} 4. e5 $1 {[%c_highlight
e5;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;e5;persistent;false,f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f6;persistent;false][%c_effect
e5;square;e5;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
e5f6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e5;to;f6;persistent;false]} 4... Ng8 {Dr
Khan recognised immediately that the knight needed to go back and played the
right move.} 5. Nf3 d6 6. d4 dxe5 7. Bc4 $5 {[%c_effect
c4;square;c4;type;Interesting;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] There's a
potential tricky line where I sacrifice a second pawn (the d-pawn), and then
even the c3-knight  $1} 7... Be6 $6 {[%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Inaccuracy;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
b8c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false] Dr Khan realised that
f7 was a problem and so decided to address it very directly. This isn't the most
accurate move, but it is tactically quite logical and sound  $1} (7... exd4 $2
{[%c_effect d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;persistent;true] This is a beautiful
trappy line to checkmate  $1} 8. O-O $3 {[%c_effect
g1;square;g1;type;Brilliant;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
g1;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;g1;persistent;false]} 8... dxc3 $4
{[%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false]} 9. Bxf7+ $1
{[%c_effect
f7;square;f7;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false,e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false][%c_arrow
f7e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;f7;to;e8;persistent;false,d1d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d1;to;d8;persistent;false]}
9... Ke7 10. Re1+ $1 {[%c_effect
e1;square;e1;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
e1;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;e1;persistent;false,e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false][%c_arrow
e1e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e1;to;e7;persistent;false]} 10... Be6 11.
Rxe6+ {[%c_arrow
e6e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e6;to;e7;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e7;persistent;false]} 11... Kxf7 12. Qxd8
Kxe6 13. Ng5+ Kf5 14. Qd5+ Kg6 15. Qf7+ Kxg5 16. h4+ Kxh4 17. Qxf4+ Kh5 18.
Qg5#) 8. Bxe6 {I didn't really have anything better, but this does take away the
bite of my plan to attack f7  $1} 8... fxe6 9. O-O exd4 $2 {[%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
b8c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b8;to;c6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
c6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c6;persistent;false]} 10. Nxd4 $6
{[%c_effect
d4;square;d4;type;Inaccuracy;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c3e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c3;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false] I couldn't find a
better move in game, but Stockfish doesn't like it. I thought that this might
create some tricky tactics in the future.} 10... Bc5 $4 {[%c_effect
c5;square;c5;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false] This is a blunder,
but I didn't see it in game  $1 Can you see it  $2} 11. Ne2 $4 {[%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false,h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;h5;persistent;false,e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;c5;persistent;false][%c_arrow
d1h5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d1;to;h5;persistent;false,h5e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;h5;to;e8;persistent;false,h5c5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;h5;to;c5;persistent;false]
Always keep an eye out for checks  $1 I knew this was there but I didn't see the
fork. With this blunder, Dr Khan is nicely ahead as my knight is pinned  $1} 11...
e5 12. c3 Nc6 13. b4 Nxb4 $2 {[%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c5b6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c5;to;b6;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b6;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b6;persistent;false] A complicated
position. This makes a lot of sense, but is surprisingly a mistake according to
the engine  $1} 14. cxb4 Bxb4 $4 {[%c_effect
b4;square;b4;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c5d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c5;to;d4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d4;persistent;false,b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false]
This is a blunder of the same type as before, but once again, I didn't see the
fork  $1 Argh  $3} 15. Ne6 $2 {[%c_effect
e6;square;e6;type;Mistake;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d1a4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d1;to;a4;persistent;false,a4e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;a4;to;e8;persistent;false,a4b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;a4;to;b4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e8;persistent;false,b4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b4;persistent;false]
I again had a nice fork, winning the misplaced bishop, but it's not misplaced if
I don't see it  $1} 15... Qd7 $2 {[%c_effect
d7;square;d7;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
d8d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d8;to;d1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d1;persistent;false] However, we were both
playing a hesitant game  $1} 16. Qxd7+ $2 {[%c_arrow
d1b3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;d1;to;b3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b3;persistent;false][%c_effect
d7;square;d7;type;Mistake;persistent;true] I decided to trade queens here,
thinking that I've locked Black's king in the centre. Evaluation-wise, I lose a
lot of my advantage.} 16... Kxd7 17. Nxg7 Nh6 18. h3 $2 {[%c_effect
h3;square;h3;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
c1b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c1;to;b2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b2;persistent;false] I needed to be more
aggressive  $1} 18... Rhg8 19. Rd1+ Ke7 20. Nh5 f3 $2 {[%c_effect
f3;square;f3;type;Mistake;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_arrow
a8d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;a8;to;d8;persistent;false][%c_highlight
d8;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d8;persistent;false] The f-pawn advance
makes sense, but the attack doesn't bite as there isn't enough \"juice\".} 21.
Neg3 $1 {[%c_effect
g3;square;g3;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
g3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;g3;persistent;false] This is the only good
move, but it isn't too hard to find. There is a certain tricky power with a
knight pair  $1} 21... Bc5+ 22. Kh2 $1 {[%c_effect
h2;square;h2;type;GreatFind;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true][%c_highlight
h2;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;h2;persistent;false] Again, the only good
move, but not hard to find.} 22... f2 $4 {[%c_arrow
h6f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;h6;to;f7;persistent;false,f3g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;f3;to;g2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f7;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f7;persistent;false,g2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;g2;persistent;false,f2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f2;persistent;false][%c_effect
f2;square;f2;type;Blunder;keyPressed;undefined;persistent;true] This makes
sense, but fundamentally, the promotion square is defended twice over so it
doesn't work. Dr Khan probably lost sight of continuity with the checks, and
didn't see that his h6-knight was hanging  $1} 23. Bxh6 Rg6 24. Nf5+ Ke6 25. Nfg7+
Kf7 26. Rd7+ Be7 27. Be3 Rd8 28. Rxd8 {Now, the approach is simple  $1 Trade down
pieces to an endgame. As I have numerically an extra piece, this will be winning
 $1} 28... Bxd8 29. Bxf2 Bf6 30. Rd1 Bxg7 31. Rd7+ Kf8 32. Nxg7 Rxg7 33. Rxg7 Kxg7
{And I now have an endgame with an extra bishop. Dr Khan has an extra pawns, and
their c- and e-pawns are passed pawns so the game isn't over yet  $1 However, as
long as I play carefully, I should win this endgame.} 34. Bxa7 b6 35. Bb8 Kf6
36. Bxc7 b5 37. Bd6 Ke6 38. Bf8 h5 39. Kg3 Kf7 40. Bb4 Kf6 41. Kf3 Kf5 42. g4+
hxg4+ 43. hxg4+ Kg5 44. Ke4 {[%c_effect
e4;square;e4;type;Winner;animated;true,g5;square;g5;type;ResignBlack;animated;true]
Dr Khan resigns, recognising that it's all over as they cannot defend the e-pawn
and stop my g-pawn. And once those pawns are traded, they cannot defend their
b-pawn and thus cannot prevent my a-pawn from ultimately promoting. Good game,
GG  $1} 1-0