Winning Chess Moves: Mayet vs. Anderssen, 1851

You are playing the role of the quintessential Romantic, Adolf Anderssen. Karl Mayet has just played the dreadful 12. Qxe4. How does Anderssen (Black) punish his opponents in dramatic fashion?

Black to move and mate in 5 (Mayet – Anderssen, Berlin 1851).

My Favorite #Chess Games: The Evergreen Game

Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 – March 13, 1879)

I keep returning to the combination of artistry, complexity and romanticism that is the Evergreen Game. The freshness of ideas that occur with close analysis continues to intrigue and inspire each new generation of chess players who choose to explore this breathtaking game. In fact, the actual moves of Adolf Anderssen and Jean Dufresne are just the beginning, the true beauty of The Evergreen Game lies in the endless possibilities surrounding blacks infamous 19th move. Had Jean Dufresne chosen better there, I remain confident that the game would still be evergreen. In my notes below I include all of my discoveries from two decades of teaching the game. For ease of study, I recommend copying the text and pasting it into your favorite chess program. Enjoy!

 

 

[Event “The Evergreen Game”]
[Site “Berlin (Germany)”]
[Date “1852”]
[Round “”]
[White “Anderssen Adolf (GER)”]
[Black “Dufresne Jean (GER)”]
[Result “1-0”]
[Eco “C52”]
[Annotator “Chris Torres”]
[Source “”]

{[ EVANS gam.,C52] Anderssen Adolf (GER) +20 =0 -7 Dufresne Jean (GER) +1 =0 -7
Anderssen Adolf (GER)-Dufresne Jean (GER) +6 =0 -1} 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 {
The Evans Gambit is an aggressive choice named after the Welsh sea Captain
William Davies Evans. Here white gladly offers a pawn so he/she can open the
center and develop faster than in the Giuoco Piano(1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
4.c3 Nf6 5.d4) by not having to spend a tempo on playing pawn to c3.}
Bxb4 {Although I recommend accepting the gambit, Black can also chose to decline it as seen below.}
( 4…Bb6 5.a4 a6 6.Bb2 d6 7.b5 axb5 8.axb5 Rxa1 9.Bxa1 Na5 10.Be2
Nf6 11.Nc3 O-O 12.O-O c6 13.d4 Qe7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Na4 Bd8
( 15…Bc7 {?} 16.b6 Bb8 17.Qd2 $18 ) 16.Bxe5 Nxe4 17.Bd3 Ng5
( 17…Nf6 18.Bd6 {!} ) 18.Bd4 Ne6 19.Be5 Bc7 20.Qe1 cxb5 21.Bxb5
Nc6 22.Bxc6 bxc6 23.Qc3 Bb7 24.Bxc7 Qxc7 25.Nc5 Bc8 26.Ne5 Re8
27.Ned3 Nf4 28.Nxf4 Qxf4 29.Re1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Kf8 31.Nd3 Qd6
32.Qe4 h6 33.h3 Be6 34.Ne5 Qd5 35.f3 Qxe4 36.fxe4 Ke7 {?}
( 36…c5 37.Nd3 c4 38.Nc5 Ke7 39.e5 f6 40.exf6+ Kxf6 41.Kf2
Bd5 42.g3 Ke5 {=} ) 37.Nxc6+ Kd6 38.Nd4 Ke5 39.Nxe6 fxe6 40.Kf2
Kxe4 41.Ke2 Kd4 42.Kd2 g5 ( 42…h5 43.c3+ Ke4 44.h4 e5 45.Ke2
Kf4 46.Kd3 g5 47.hxg5 Kxg5 48.Ke4 Kf6 49.Kd5 {!} $18 ) 43.c3+
Kc4 44.g4 Kd5 45.Kd3 Kc5 46.Ke4 {1-0, Breyer Gyula (HUN) – Nyholm Gustaf (SWE), Baden-Baden 1914 It}
) 5.c3 {Attacking Black’s bishop again while preparing to play d4.}
Ba5 {White must also be prepared for 5… Bc5 and 5… Be7. See below.}
( 5…Bc5 6.d4 exd4 7.O-O d6 8.cxd4 Bb6 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bh4
Nxc4 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxc4 Qf7 14.Nd5 Nh6 ( 14…Be6 15.Qa4+ Bd7
16.Qa3 {!} ) 15.Rad1 Bg4 16.Qc1 {!} Bxf3 17.gxf3 O-O 18.Kh1 Qh5
19.Qf4 Kh8 ( 19…g5 {?} 20.Nxf6+ Rxf6 21.Qxf6 Qxh4 22.Rg1 Nf7
23.Rg4 Qh6 24.Rxg5+ Qxg5 25.Rg1 $18 ) ( 19…c6 {!} 20.Nxf6+
Rxf6 {!} 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Qxf6 Nf7 $13) 20.Nxf6 {!} $16Qf7 21.e5
dxe5 22.dxe5 Ng8 ( 22…Rad8 23.Qe4 ) 23.Rg1 {!} gxf6
( 23…Nxf6 24.exf6 gxf6 25.Rd7 {!} Qe6 26.Qh6 $18 ) 24.Rxg8+
{!} Rxg8 ( 24…Qxg8 25.Rg1 Qe6 26.Qh6 $18 ) 25.Bxf6+ Rg7 26.Rg1
Rag8 27.Qh6 {!} $18 Bc5 ( 27…Bxf2 28.Rg4 {! ‘with the idea’ e6,e7} $18 {}
) 28.e6 Qf8 29.f4 Be7 30.Ba1 b5 31.f3 c5 32.f5 b4 33.Rg3 c4 34.Qxh7+
{1-0, Chigorin Mikhail I (RUS) – Yakubovich N (RUS), Russia 1879 corr.}
) ( 5…Be7 6.d4 Na5 7.Be2 {!} {
7. Ne5 – Kasparov – Short, London (active) 1993 7. Bf7 – Losev – Baikov,
Moscow 1989 7. Bd3 – Losev – A.Alekhin, Leningrad 1987}
( 7.Nxe5 Nxc4 8.Nxc4 d5 9.exd5 Qxd5 10.Ne3 Qd8 11.O-O Nf6 12.c4
O-O 13.Nc3 c6 14.Rb1 Re8 15.Bb2 Qc7 16.Qf3 Bd7 $13 )
( 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Kf8 ( 8…Ke8 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qh4
$40 ) 9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.g4 d6 11.g5 dxe5 12.gxf6 Bxf6 13.dxe5 Nc4
14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6+ gxf6 16.Bh6+ Kf7 17.Rg1 Rg8 {=} )
( 7.Bd3 d6 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Nxe5 Nf6 10.O-O O-O 11.Qc2 c5 12.f4
c4 {!} 13.Nxc4 Nxc4 14.Bxc4 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Ng4 16.g3 Qb6 17.Na3
Re8 $45 ) exd4 {?} { 7… d6! – Melts – Finocchiaro, corr. 1991}
( 7…d6 {!} 8.Qa4+ c6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Nxe5 Nf6 11.O-O b5 {!}
( 11…O-O 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Rxd6 Qxd6 15.Ng6 $16 )
( 11…Qc7 12.Nf3 O-O 13.e5 $14 ) 12.Qc2 O-O ( 12…Qc7 13.Nf3
Bg4 14.Nbd2 Rd8 15.a4 a6 16.axb5 axb5 17.Ba3 $14 ) 13.a4 Qc7
( 13…b4 14.cxb4 Bxb4 {=} ) 14.Nf3 a6 {=} {(B) Belloskus – Melts, corr. 1983 (C) Melts – Jankind, corr. 1991}
) 8.Qxd4 {!} {8. cd – Melts – Usatchy, corr. 1989-91}
( 8.cxd4 Nf6 9.Qa4 b6 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.d5 O-O 12.O-O Re8 13.Bb2
c6 14.Rad1 d6 $13 ) Nf6 ( 8…d6 9.Qxg7 Bf6 10.Qg3 Ne7 11.Bg5
$16 ) 9.e5 Nc6 10.Qh4 { 10. Qf4 – Melts – Gajewski, URS 1981}
( 10.Qf4 Nh5 11.Qa4 g6 12.Bh6 $16 ) Nd5 11.Qg3 {!} g6 12.O-O
Nb6 13.c4 d6 14.Rd1 {} $16 {} Nd7 15.Bh6 Ncxe5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Nc3
f6 18.c5 {!} Nf7 19.cxd6 cxd6 20.Qe3 Nxh6 21.Qxh6 Bf8 22.Qe3+
Kf7 23.Nd5 Be6 24.Nf4 Qe7 25.Re1 {[ S. ABRAMOV ]} {1-0, Kasparov Garry (RUS) 2795 – Anand Viswanathan (IND) 2725 , Riga 1995 Memorial M.Tal (cat.17)}
) 6.d4 {A wise old man once said of the opening, “Always play to gain control of the center.”}
exd4 {Cracking the center open may be playing into white’s plans but the alternatives are even more difficult for black.}
( 6…d6 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.dxe5 Bb6 9.Nbd2 Na5 ( 9…dxe5 10.Ba3 Na5
11.Qb4 c5 12.Qb2 Nxc4 13.Nxc4 f6 14.Rd1 Qe6 15.Nd6+ Ke7 16.O-O
Nh6 17.c4 Nf7 18.Nxc8+ Raxc8 19.Rd5 $44 {Christiansen – Gretarsson, Yerevan (ol) 1996}
) 10.Qb4 Nxc4 ( 10…Ne7 {!?} 11.exd6 Nec6 $13 {Maeder – Heinz, Amsterdam 1969}
) 11.Nxc4 Bc5 12.Qb3 Ne7 13.O-O O-O 14.exd6 cxd6 15.Ba3 {!} {x d6}
Qc7 16.Nd4 Bxa3 17.Nxa3 Nc6 18.Rfe1 Qe7 19.Rab1 Ne5 20.c4 a6
21.Nac2 Be6 22.Ne3 b5 {%09} 23.Nd5 {!} {%09} Bxd5 24.cxd5 {} $16 { x c6}
Qf6 25.Nc6 Rfe8 26.Rbc1 g6 27.h3 h5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Rc6 Qe7 30.f3
g5 31.Qb4 Rd8 32.Rxa6 f5 33.Qa5 fxe4 34.Ra7 Rd7 35.Rxd7 Qxd7
36.fxe4 g4 37.hxg4 hxg4 38.Qc3 Qa7+ 39.Qe3 Qxe3+ ( 39…Qxa2
{!?} {} ) 40.Rxe3 Kf7 41.Kf2 Kf6 42.Re2 Re8 43.Ke3 g3 44.Kf4
Ra8 45.Rb2 Ra5 46.a3 Rxa3 47.Rxb5 Ra2 48.Rb6 Rxg2 49.Rxd6+ Kf7
50.Kf3 Rg1 51.Re6 {[ A. MITENKOV ]} {1-0, Short Nigel D (ENG) 2660 – Huebner Robert Dr (GER) 2580 , Dortmund 1997 It (cat.18)}
) 7.O-O {Castling out of the pin is the obvious plan for white.}
d3 {A clever push that has the intended consequence of leaving the c3 square
unavailable for white’s knight while trying to slow down white’s development. 7… Nge7 should also be strongly considered.}
( 7…dxc3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Nxc3 Nge7 11.Ne2 Bb6 12.Ba3
O-O 13.Rad1 Re8 14.Nh4 Qh5 15.Ng3 Qxh4 16.Bxf7+ Kf8 17.Bxe8 Kxe8
18.Rfe1 Qf4 19.Re4 Qf7 20.Qc2 Nd8 21.Rd3 Ne6 22.Rf3 Qg6 23.Qb3
c5 24.h4 h5 25.Kh2 Bc7 26.Rd3 b6 27.Bc1 {…0-1, Anderssen Adolf (GER) – Dufresne Jean (GER), Berlin 1851}
) ( 7…d6 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.cxd4 Bb6 10.Bb5 Kf8 11.e5 dxe5 12.Ba3+
Nge7 13.Nc3 Kg8 14.Ne4 Qf4 15.d5 Qxe4 16.dxc6 Be6 17.Qb2 Nxc6
18.Rfe1 Qd5 19.Bxc6 Qxc6 20.Nxe5 Qa4 21.Bb4 Rd8 22.Bc3 f6 23.Nf3
Kf7 24.Rac1 Qxa2 {0-1, Mieles Palau Daniel (ECU) 2486 – Granda Zuniga Julio E (PER) 2637 , Salinas 2/23/2005 It (cat.8)}
) ( 7…Nge7 8.Ng5 d5 9.exd5 Ne5 10.Bb3 O-O 11.Nxh7 Kxh7 12.Qh5+
Kg8 13.Qxe5 Nf5 14.Bd2 c5 15.dxc6 bxc6 16.Re1 Bc7 17.Qe4 Qf6
18.Bf4 {1/2-1/2, Short Nigel D (ENG) 2677 – Adams Michael (ENG) 2755 , Sarajevo 2000 It (cat.19)}
) 8.Qb3 {Developing the queen with a major threat to the belly button.}
Qf6 {Developing the queen onto a dangerous diagonal while providing a much needed defender to f7.}
9.e5 {Threatening the guard. Black can not capture the pawn because his uncastled
king would allow white to pin and win the knight with Re1.}
( 9.Re1 Nge7 ( 9…Bb6 10.e5 Qg6 11.Qd1 Nh6 12.Bxd3 Qh5 13.h3
Ne7 14.Nbd2 d5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Nc4 Bc5 17.Bg5 f6 18.Nxd6+ Bxd6
19.Bb5+ Kf8 20.Qxd6 Nhf5 21.Qd8+ Kf7 22.Rxe7+ Nxe7 23.Ne5+ {1-0, Anderssen Adolf (GER) – Dufresne Jean (GER), Berlin 1855}
) 10.Bg5 Qg6 11.Bxe7 Kxe7 12.e5 Kf8 13.Nbd2 Bb6 14.Ne4 Nd8 15.Qa3+
Ke8 16.Nf6+ {1-0, Anderssen Adolf (GER) – Rosenthal Samuel (POL), Vienna 1873 It (matches)}
) Qg6 {Qf5 was also a possibilty.} ( 9…Qf5 10.Ba3
( 10.Rd1 Nge7 11.Bxd3 Qh5 12.Nbd2 {is also possible.} ) Nge7
11.Nd4 Qh5 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.Nd2 Bb6 14.Rae1 a5 15.Ne4 Nxe5 {?}
16.Nd6+ {!} cxd6 17.Qxb6 O-O 18.Qxd6 Ng6 19.Bxd3 Rd8 20.Bxg6
Qg5 21.Qc7 hxg6 22.Be7 {1-0, Eskelinen Aarno (FIN) 2191 – Tapaninen Jukka, Finland 1989}
) 10.Re1 {White’s attack is so powerful he has three strong choices.}
( 10.Ba3 Nge7 11.Nd4 Bb6 12.Nd2 Bxd4 13.Bxe7 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Nxe7
15.Bxd3 Qc6 16.Qa3 Qe6 17.Bc4 d5 18.exd6 Qxd6 19.Qf3 O-O 20.Ne4
Qg6 21.Rfe1 Bg4 22.Qf4 Nc6 23.Qxc7 Rac8 24.Qd6 Bf5 25.Qf4 Nb4
26.Nd6 Bh3 27.g3 Nc2 28.Nxc8 Bxc8 29.Re7 Be6 {…1-0, Kuijpers Frans A (NED) 2375 – Von Saldern Ruediger (GER) 2143 , Les Dicqs 2002 It (open)}
) ( 10.Rd1 Nge7 11.Bxd3 Qh5 12.Nbd2 O-O 13.Ba3 d6 14.exd6 cxd6
15.Bxd6 Rd8 16.Nc4 Be6 17.Qa3 Bxc4 18.Bxc4 Nf5 19.Bf4 Qg4 20.Bxf7+
Kxf7 21.Qb3+ Kf8 22.Ng5 Nh6 23.Nxh7+ Ke8 24.Re1+ Ne7 25.Rxe7+
Kxe7 26.Re1+ {1-0, Wan Yunguo (CHN) 2487 – Zeng Chongsheng (CHN) 2456 , Beijing 9/18/2012 Zt}
) Nge7 {Black would obviously like to get castled.} 11.Ba3
( 11.Nbd2 O-O 12.Ne4 d5 13.exd6 cxd6 14.Bxd3 d5 15.Nc5 Qh5 16.Bg5
Ng6 17.Bd2 Bb6 18.Qb5 Bg4 19.Ng5 h6 20.h3 hxg5 21.hxg4 Qxg4 22.Be2
Qf5 23.Bd3 Qf6 24.Be3 Nge5 25.Be2 Rfe8 26.Rad1 Rad8 27.Qb3 Na5
28.Qb5 Qc6 29.Bd4 Nec4 30.Qb4 Nd6 {…1-0, Conquest Stuart (ENG) 2539 – Narciso Dublan Marc (ESP) 2476 , Pamplona 2002 It (cat.14)}
) ( 11.Qd1 d5 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Bxd3 Qh5 14.Bg5 Bd8 {-0.04 CAP} )
b5 {?} {Insatead of castling, Black decides to sacrifice a pawn to allow his rook and
bishop to enter into the battle quickly. This plan ends up being overly aggressive. Better was:}
( 11…d5 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Nbd2 O-O ) ( 11…O-O 12.Rd1 d2 13.Nbxd2
d6 14.exd6 cxd6 15.Be2 Be6 ) 12.Qxb5 {!} Rb8 13.Qa4 Bb6
( 13…O-O {?} 14.Bxe7 ) 14.Nbd2 {?} ( 14.Qd1 O-O 15.Bxd3 f5
16.Nbd2 ) Bb7 {?} ( 14…O-O 15.Ne4 d5 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Bxd3 Bg4
18.Nxd6 Qxd3 19.Qxg4 Qxc3 20.Nf5 Nxf5 21.Bxf8 Qb2 22.Kh1 Bxf2
23.Rec1 g6 24.Qe4 Rxf8 25.Qxc6 Bb6 26.Qc3 Qxc3 27.Rxc3 Rd8 )
15.Ne4 {!} Qf5 {?} {Lasker’s suggested improvement is 15… d2.}
( 15…d2 16.Nexd2 O-O ) 16.Bxd3 Qh5 17.Nf6+ gxf6 18.exf6 Rg8
19.Rad1 {!?} {A clever trap but black is not forced to accept it.}
Qxf3 {??} {
The key mistake at the key moment in the game. I could probably write an entire
book on the complexities of the alternatives. Below is some analysis worthy of a chessboard.}
( 19…Bd4 {!} {This move is definately good enough for the draw.} {%08DA}
20.cxd4 ( 20.Nxd4 {%08DA} Rxg2+ 21.Kxg2 Nxd4+ 22.Re4 Bxe4+ 23.Bxe4
Qg4+ 24.Kf1 Qe2+ 25.Kg1 Qxe4 26.Qxd4 Qxd4 27.Rxd4 Ng6 )
( 20.Bf1 {%08DA} Qxf3 21.Rxd4 Ne5 22.Qxd7+ Nxd7 23.Rxe7+ Kd8
24.Rdxd7+ Kc8 25.Rxc7+ Kd8 26.Rcd7+ Kc8 27.Rc7+ Kd8 28.Rcd7+ )
{%09DB} Qxf3 {%09DB} 21.Be4 Rxg2+ 22.Kh1 Rxh2+ 23.Kxh2 Qxf2+
24.Kh1 Qh4+ 25.Kg1 Qg4+ 26.Kh1 Qh3+ 27.Kg1 Qg4+ ) ( 19…Qh3
{!?} {Probably good enough for the draw and has more winning chances for black than 19… Bd4.} {%08DA}
20.Bf1 ( 20.g3 {??} Rxg3+ 21.hxg3 Qxg3+ 22.Kh1 Qxf3+ 23.Kh2 Ne5
24.Qxd7+ Kxd7 25.Be2+ Nd5 26.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 27.Kg3 Nxe1 28.c4 Rg8+
29.Kh4 Bxf2+ 30.Kh5 Rg3 31.Kh6 Rxa3 {and white is crushed.} )
Qf5 21.Kh1 {Eventually leads to a draw but with plenty of opprtunities for each color to play a game losing move.}
( 21.Bxe7 {?} Qxf3 22.Bc5+ Kd8 23.Re7 d6 ( 23…Bc8 {?} 24.Bxb6
Rxb6 ( 24…Qxf6 25.Bxa7 Ra8 26.Re3 Rxa7 27.Qe4 Bb7 28.Rde1 )
25.Rxf7 Qh5 26.Rg7 Rxg7 27.fxg7 Qg6 {and you have to like black’s chances.}
) 24.Bxb6 axb6 25.Rxf7 Qf5 26.Re1 Ne5 27.Rg7 Bd5 28.f4 Rxg7 29.fxg7
b5 30.Qd4 Nc6 31.Qe3 Qf7 32.g3 Ne7 33.Bg2 Bc4 34.Qa7 Rc8 35.Qd4 )
Qxf6 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.Rxd7 Kf8 24.Rexe7 Qxf3 25.Rxf7+ Qxf7 26.Rxf7+
Kxf7 27.Qf4+ Ke7 28.Qe5+ Kd8 29.Qf6+ Kd7 30.Qf5+ Kd6 31.Qf4+
Kc6 32.Qf3+ Kd7 33.Qf5+ ) ( 19…Rg4 {?} {A most interesting move that leads to a small advantage for white.} {%08DA}
20.Re4 {!} ( 20.Bc4 {?} {A clear second best to 20. Re4.} Qf5
21.Rxd7 Rxg2+ 22.Kxg2 Qg4+ 23.Kf1 Qh3+ 24.Ke2 Qxd7 25.fxe7 Nd4+
26.Nxd4 Qxa4 27.Bb5+ Qxb5+ 28.Nxb5 Be4 29.c4 Bg6 30.Rd1 c5 31.Rd5
Kxe7 ) Rxe4 21.Qxe4 d6 22.Re1 Qg6 23.Qxc6+ Bxc6 24.Bxg6 hxg6
25.Rxe7+ Kf8 26.Ne5 dxe5 27.Rxc7+ Ke8 28.Rxc6 Bc5 29.Bb4 Bxb4
30.cxb4 Rxb4 31.g3 Ra4 32.Rc7 Rxa2 33.Re7+ Kf8 34.Rxe5 Ra6 35.Re7
Rxf6 36.Rxa7 Kg7 {After all the excitement black is left 1 pawn down in a rook and pawn ending.}
) ( 19…Qg4 {??} {%08DA} 20.Qxg4 Rxg4 21.Bf5 Rf4 22.Bxd7+ Kf8
23.fxe7+ Nxe7 24.Bxe7+ Kg7 25.Nd4 Re4 26.Nf5+ Kg8 27.Bf6 Bc5
28.h3 Bd5 29.Rxe4 Bxe4 30.Nh6+ Kf8 31.Bf5 Bxf5 32.Nxf5 {White would win easily from here.}
) ( 19…Nb4 {??} {Mate in 4.} {%08DA} 20.Qxd7+ Kxd7 21.Bb5+
Kc8 22.Bd7+ Kd8 23.fxe7# ) ( 19…Ne5 {??} {Black gets a lot of checks but white will come out on top if he/she defends accurately.} {%08DA}
20.Rxe5 Rxg2+ 21.Kf1 Bxf3 22.Rxh5 Bc6 23.Qb4 Rxf2+ 24.Ke1 d6
25.Rxh7 Rxf6 26.Rh8+ Kd7 27.Rxb8 Re6+ 28.Kd2 ) ( 19…Rxg2+ {?!}
{A tempting move that certainly gives white plenty of opportunities to blunder.
However, it’s just not accurate enough to be a legitimate alternative.} {%08DA}
20.Kxg2 Ne5 21.Qxd7+ {!} Kxd7 22.Bg6+ Ke6 23.Bxh5 Rg8+ 24.Kh3
N7g6 25.Bg4+ Kxf6 26.Nxe5 Nxe5 27.Be7+ Kxe7 28.Rxe5+ Kf6 29.Rf5+ )
( 19…d6 {?} {
This was once suggested by a student as a means of interfering with the scope
of the dangerous a3 bishop. This may be true but white will still get a winning game after this mistake.} {%08DA}
20.Be4 {!} Kf8 21.fxe7+ Nxe7 22.Bxb7 Qg6 23.Nh4 Qf6 24.Bf3 Ng6
25.Nxg6+ hxg6 26.Re2 Rh8 27.Qc6 Kg7 28.h3 Rh4 29.Bg4 {and white has a winning material advantage.}
) 20.Rxe7+ {!} Nxe7 {?} {Setting up one of the most beautiful mating combinations every played! White to move and mate in 4.}
( 20…Kd8 21.Rxd7+ {!} Kc8 22.Rd8+ {!} Kxd8 23.Be4+ Nd4 24.Bxf3
Bxf3 {Is painful but still preferable over being checkmated.} )
{%09DB} 21.Qxd7+ {!!} {%09DB} Kxd7 22.Bf5+ Ke8 23.Bd7+ Kf8 24.Bxe7# 1-0

Velocity Chess Makes it Fun to be at Odds with One Another

Velocity Chess

Velocity Chess is a revolutionary new online chess platform that is making playing chess “at odds” cool again. Want to play a game against a chess master where he/she spots you a rook or a few minutes in a blitz game? Velocity Chess is the place for you. Setting up a game at odds has never been easier and you can even wager virtual coins on the outcome. By harnessing the power of Bitcoin, Velocity Chess seems poised to become the online leader in handicapping on internet speed chess. Coupled with with the best anti-cheat technology in the industry, Velocity Chess is adding a new dynamic to online chess in much the same way that poker was transformed by Planet Poker in 1998.

 

Setting up “at odds” chess games on Velocity Chess is easy.

Below is my best example of a chess game played at odds on Velocity Chess:

[Event “blitz game at rook and time odds”]
[Site “www.VelocityChess.com”]
[Date “2014.8.2”]
[Round “?”]
[White “Chris Torres”]
[Black “Msrmsr”]
[Result “1-0”]
[TimeControl “White 5:00, Black 10:00”]
[SetUp “1”]
[FEN “rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBN1 w Qkq – 0 1”]

The starting position. White had 5 minutes while black has 10.

{I enjoy playing games at odds. Many of my chess heroes played in a time
that this was common. Now, it’s rare but I am keeping the torch burning both in classrooms and on Velocity Chess .}

1. a3 {I am convinced that the main reason
Anderssen’s Opening has a bad reputation is the fault of the players
playing white rather than the opening itself. It is actually a very
flexible way to start the game as white. In addition, the white player can
play his favorite black opening with the bonus of starting with the a-pawn one square forward.}

1… g6 {My opponent’s plan is to immediately make it
hard for me to play a “b4” pawn push.}

“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”-Robert Frost

 

2. d4 {I grab the center while placing an obstacle on the a1-h8 diagonal.}

2… d5

3. e4 {When you are playing at rook’s odds, it is imperative to attack quickly because most early attacks are not reliant rooks and you are unlikely to win an endgame down a rook anyways.}

dxe4

4. Nc3 Bf5 {My opponent makes his first strategic mistake. Generally
speaking, you do not want to bring a bishop out to the side of the board
you are preparing a fianchetto for your other bishop. Now his bishop is
limited in the direction it can retreat.}

5. f3 Bg7 {This is a seriously
interesting opening position. However, an early tactical brawl favors the
player who is a stronger tactician.}

The position after 5…Bg7.

6. fxe4 Qxd4 {I really don’t want to
trade queens as I am already down a rook. Unfortunately, my opponent definitely understands the value of trading when ahead pieces.}

7. Nb5 {Rather than trade queens, I throw more tactics into the mix.}

The position after 7. Nb5.

 

Qxe4+ 8. Be2 {I avoid trading queens and am hoping for a combination with Nxc7+ followed by Qd8#.}

Be5 {My opponent defends “c7” and thus stops my mating idea.}

The position after 8…Be5.

 

 

9. Nf3 {I develop with a threat against the “guard.”}

h6? {Black stops my knight from jumping to “g5” but that is not what I was planning. Thus, he just
wasted time.}

10. Nxe5 Qxe5 {The queen takes the place of the bishop in
guarding “c7.”}

The position after 10… Qxe5.

 

11. Be3 {I am tempting the queen to leave d5 in order to capture my bishop. Either way, the position retains just enough tactics.}

a6? {My offer confuses my opponent. Really, he should have just taken my bishop.}

12. Bd4 {Lots of tactics now.}

The position after 12. Bd4. “Lots of Tactics now!”

 

 

12… Qxh2

13. Nxc7+ {For the moment, I am threatening both of his rooks and checking his king. These are the types of positions that tend to confuse weaker players.}

13… Kf8 {And black is definitely confused. He should have simply captured the knight on “c7” with his queen.}

The position after 13… Kf8.

 

 

14. Nxa8 {Now we are even in pieces although my opponent maintains a material advantage because of his extra pawns. Still, white is catching up.}

14… Nf6

15. Bxf6 {I am attempting to expose his king further at the cost of trading pieces when I am down in material.}

15… Qh1+ {My opponent should hold off on the check until after he recaptures on f6.}

The position after 15… Qxh1+.

 

16. Kd2 Qxd1+

17. Rxd1 {He finally trades queens but it is not nearly as advantageous of a plan as it used to be.}

17… exf6

18. Bf3 Nc6 19. Nc7 {My knight exits from a dangerous corner while
threatening to win a pawn after the bishop grabs the knight on “c6.”}

The position after 19. Nc7.

 

 

19… Kg7{Black could have saved a pawn by playing “a5.”}

20. Bxc6 Rd8+ {My opponent is still trying to trade pieces even though the position no longer calls for it.}

21. Kc1 Rxd1+

22. Kxd1 bxc6

23. Nxa6 {At this point, my oppnent’s
clock reads “6:18” and my time left is just “1:36.” No worries.}

23… Be4 

24. Nc5 {Rather than save my pawn on “g2,” I elect to blockade his pawn on “c6” with my knight in order to facilitate my a-pawn queening on “a8.”}

24… Bxg2

The position after 24… Bxg2.

25. a4 Bf1

26. a5  f5? {I am not sure why my opponent decided that the
f-pawn is more of a threat than the a-pawn because it is not.}

27. b3 {Now
my plan is to place a pawn on “c4” and then my a-pawn will be home free.}

27… f4

28. c4 f3

The position after 28… f3.

29. Ke1 Bg2

30. Kf2 {This move was really not necessary but I was playing purely by instinct. It certainly doesn’t hurt my cause at all.}
31… h5

31. a6 h4

32. a7 h3

The position after 32… h3.

33. Kg1 {This move wasn’t necessary but just
“felt correct.” Again, it doesn’t hurt my cause.}

33… Bh1

34. a8=Q  h2+

35. Kxh1 f2 {This looks like trouble but all my pieces and pawns have been perfectly placed for victory. To quote John “Hannibal” Smith, “I love it when a plan comes together.”(A-Team reference)}

The position after 35… f2. “I love it when a plan comes together.”- John “Hannibal” Smith

 

36. Qa1+ f6

37. Qf1 g5

38. Qxf2 Kg6

39. Kxh2 {I have just 7.4 seconds left on the clock. No worries!}

The position after 39. Kxh2. “I have just 7.4 seconds left on the clock. No worries!”

 

 

39… f5

40. Nd7 g4

41. Qd4 Kg5

42. Qf6+ Kf4

43. Kg2 g3

44. Qe5+ Kg4

45. Qxg3+ Kh5

46. Qe5 Kg4

47. Nf8 f4

48. Nh7 f3+

49. Kf2 Kh3

50. Qg3#
1-0

Victory Achieved with 2.8 seconds to spare.

 

For more info on Velocity Chess, please read:

My First Impressions of Velocity Chess 

and

Velocity Chess

For more info on Bitcoin, I recommend reading:

Why Bitcoin Matters by Marc Andreessen 

Paul Morphy’s Christmas Miracle

Position after 20…Nd5?
White to move and win.

When Adolf Anderssen arrived in Paris on December 15, 1858, Paul Morphy was gravely ill. Doctors were treating his influenza with leeches and blood-letting. Despite Morphy being too weak to stand from his bed, the two strongest chess players in the world decided to play a chess match as this encounter would likely be their last. No money was at stake, only honor. While very ill, Morphy outplayed Anderssen and eventually recovered his health. Below is game 7, “The Christmas Miracle”:

[Event “Anderssen-Morphy”]

[Site “Paris FRA”]

[Date “1858.12.25”]

[Round “7”]

[White “Paul Morphy”]

[Black “Adolf Anderssen”]

[Result “1-0”]

[ECO “B01”]

[Opening “Scandinavian”]

[Variation “Anderssen Counterattack, Collijn Variation”]

1. e4 {Notes by Chris Torres.} d5 {Anderssen, perhaps wisely, avoids 1 e4 e5 against which his opponent had a reputation of superior knowledge. Instead black chooses the Scandinavian Defence.} 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5 {On a5 the black queen is hard for white to attack and if white plays d4 will be pinning the knight on c3.} 4. d4 {Black’s most aggressive reply and a specialty of Adolf Anderssen.} e5 5. dxe5 Qxe5+ 6. Be2 {Neither man wanted to trade Queens on e2.} Bb4 7. Nf3 {Paul Morphy prefers sacrificing a pawn to obtain a more speedy development of his pieces. Of course his pawn sacrifice is correct.} Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Qxc3+ 9. Bd2 Qc5 10. Rb1 {Now we can clearly see Morphy’s lead in development.} Nc6 11. O-O Nf6 12. Bf4 {I would have played Bg5. But I am not the greatest attacking chess player who has ever lived.} O-O {Anderssen makes a wise decision not to bother with attempting to defend the c pawn. Doing so would have resulted in too much initiative for white’s attack.} 13. Bxc7 Nd4 14. Qxd4 Qxc7 15. Bd3 Bg4 {That pins nothing. Better would have been rook to e8.} 16. Ng5 Rfd8 17. Qb4 Bc8 {I can not think of any other way of saving the pawn on b7. If Anderssen plays …b6, Morphy could have swiped the h pawn with the knight. Perhaps best was kicking the knight away with …h6.} 18. Rfe1 a5 19. Qe7 {Always be suspicious when Morphy is willing to trade queens.} Qxe7 20. Rxe7 Nd5? {Adolf Anderssen makes a serious mistake. Nd5 may look as though it forces Morphy’s rook to leave the seventh rank but this is not the case. Better was …Rd7.} 21. Bxh7+! {Paul Morphy delivers a very instructive combination and a true Christmas miracle.} Kh8 22. Rxf7 Nc3 23. Re1 Nxa2 24. Rf4 Ra6 25. Bd3 1-0