Annotated games

Games

Games worth playing through, newest first, with every move written out. The first three are well-known teaching lines. The last two are real games from the club, annotated by Graham, published without the players’ names.

Each game prints its moves as text, so it reads with JavaScript switched off and with styling switched off. The replayable board that steps through them enhances these slots rather than supplying their content.

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit · 0–1 
1. e4  e5  2. Nf3  Nc6  3. Bc4  Nd4 (interesting move)
    The shilling move. Black ignores the threat to f7 and offers the e5 pawn instead — the whole trap depends on White being greedy.
4. Nxe5 (mistake)
    Greedy. The knight had better squares.
    Instead of Nxe5:
      4. Nxd4  exd4  5. c3
          Taking the knight is simply good: White is a pawn up and Black has nothing.
4… Qg5 (good move)  5. Nxf7 (blunder)
    Winning a rook and losing the game.
    Instead of Nxf7:
      5. Bxf7+  Kd8  6. O-O
          Giving the piece back is the only way out, and White is still worse.
5… Qxg2  6. Rf1  Qe4+  7. Be2  Nf3#
0–1
Black offers the e5 pawn; taking it costs White the game in seven moves. The trap has its own teaching page, which shows the position after 3…Nd4. A teaching example, not a club game.
Légal’s Mate · 1–0 
1. e4  e5  2. Bc4  d6  3. Nf3  Bg4
    The bishop pins the knight to the queen. A pin is only a pin while it still matters.
4. Nc3  g6  5. Nxe5 (good move)
    White ignores the pin and gives up the queen.
5… Bxd1 (mistake)
    Taking is the losing move.
    Instead of Bxd1:
      5… dxe5  6. Qxg4
          Declining is correct: Black is a pawn down and alive.
6. Bxf7+  Ke7  7. Nd5#
1–0
White gives up the queen on move five and mates two moves later. The lesson is that a pinned piece is only pinned while the pin still matters. A teaching example, not a club game.
The two-move mate · 0–1 
1. f3 (dubious move)
    Already loosening. The f-pawn is in front of the king.
1… e5  2. g4 (blunder)
    Opening the e1-h4 diagonal, and nothing can block it.
    Instead of g4:
      2. e4
          Almost anything else keeps the game going.
2… Qh4#
    The fastest mate there is.
0–1
The fastest mate there is, and the reason we teach not to move the pawns in front of the king. Two moves open the e1–h4 diagonal and nothing can block it. A teaching example, not a club game.
Club game: a landmine on d5 · 1–0 
1. e4  e6  2. f3 (dubious move)
    Not a good move, the King side is now weak on those dark squares, d4 much better to control the center.
2… d6 (dubious move)
    too passive, d5 is better, challenge that center
3. Nc3  Bd7  4. Bc4 (dubious move)  Be7 (dubious move)  5. d4
5… Nf6  6. d5  O-O  7. dxe6  fxe6  8. Nd5 (mistake)
    a Landmine square BOOM! p x N. better to develop the othe knight
8… Nc6 (mistake)
    Lucky for White, Black missed it
9. Nxe7+  Nxe7 (dubious move)
    Qxe7 best, connect the Rooks and leave the knight on c6
10. Ne2  Qb8 (dubious move)
    pointless move, d5 is the move
11. Bg5  Nc6  12. Bxf6  gxf6 (dubious move)
    should be Rook takes, now the King is wide open
13. Qd2  a6  14. O-O-O  Rd8 (dubious move)
    Queen e8 is better here,getting her back into the game
15. Nf4  Be8 (mistake)
    King safety is paramount, should move it to f7
16. Nxe6  Rd7  17. Nc5+ (dubious move)
    discovered check, clever, but take advantage and take material with the Knight, nxc7 is best
17… Kf8 (mistake)
    the Rook is under attack sat on a landmine, move it to f7 and block the check
18. Nxd7+  Bxd7  19. Qh6+  Ke8 (dubious move)
    king to e7 helps to protect the pawn on f6
20. Qxf6  d5  21. Bxd5  Nd4  22. Qf7+  Kd8  23. Qf8+  Be8  24. Bxb7
    this wasn't checkmate as was thought, the knight is blocking the Rook, but after a few correct moves, White easily wins.
24… Qxb7  25. Rxd4+  Kc8  26. Qxe8#
1–0
A club game, annotated by Graham. White puts a knight on d5 where a pawn already guards the square — a landmine, in the club’s own phrase — and Black misses the capture. Landmines and ticking bombs has more.
Club game: all aboard the Blunder Bus · 0–1 
1. e4  e5  2. Bd3
    ? Bishop blocks d pawn, best is Nf3
2… Bc5  3. b4  Bd4
    ? Bxb4 would be better, white can easily block with c3
4. Nf3
    but didn't, first BLUNDER, always look at opponents last move, what's he up to?
4… Bxa1  5. Nc3
    now play c3 and block the Bishop in
5… Nf6
    best is to take the Knight on c3 with the Bishop and leave White with doubled pawns
6. Bb5  c6  7. Bc4  Nh5  8. Nxe5  Nf4  9. Bxf7+
    best is Knight takes f7 forking Queen and Rook
9… Kf8  10. Ne2
    now Knight on e5 is hanging, which when taken would mean Bishop on f7 is unprotected
10… Bxe5
    Oh no, my Knight!
11. Ba3
    looking for discovered attack which is good, but get rid of that dangerous Knight on f4 first with NxN
11… Nxg2+
    there goes that dangerous Knight
12. Kf1  Qh4  13. b5+
    King takes Knight is best, Knight is unprotected
13… d6
    easy blocked
14. Rg1  Ne3+  15. Ke1
    why not take the Knight with the d pawn?
15… Nxd1
    OH NO, my Queen!!!
16. Kxd1  Qxh2  17. Rf1  Bg4
    that White Bishop on f7 is still hanging!
18. bxc6
    better to save your Bishop, move it to c4 to protect the Knight on e2
18… Nxc6  19. Bd5
    not the best square but at least it's saved
19… Nd4
    now see the advantage of Bishop on c4?
20. Rh1
    All aboard the BLUNDER BUS!
20… Qxh1#
0–1
A club game, annotated by Graham. White drops a rook on move four and the queen on move fifteen — and the bishop that quietly arrives on a3 two moves earlier is what turns 13.b5 into a discovered check. Looking both ways is the habit that prevents the first mistake.