[Event "USCF/WS/23W19 (USA)"] [Site "https://lichess.org/study/COTjwBdh/NdXpvymv"] [Date "2023.07.08"] [White "Cissik, John"] [Black "Brodhead, Matthew"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1337"] [Annotator "Irons,Robert"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Four Knights Game: Italian Variation"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/COTjwBdh/NdXpvymv"] [Orientation "white"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 { The Four Knights Game has seen somewhat of a resurgence of late, and is recommended in Christof Sielecki's Keep It Simple 1. e4. } 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5?! { I prefer 5. 0-0 and 6. d3 or even 5. d3. } 5... O-O 6. O-O a6?! { Black can take advantage of the White knight's absence from f3 with } (6... Nd4 7. d3 c6) 7. Nf3 b5 8. Bd5?! { Here I prefer } (8. Bb3 { , and then if } 8... a5 9. a4 b4 (9... bxa4 10. Bxa4 $14) 10. Nd5 Nxe4 11. d3 Nf6 12. Bg5 { White has good piece play and targets at e5 and f7 for the pawn. }) 8... Ra7? (8... Nxd5 9. Nxd5 { and Black can choose between buckling down with 9. ...d6 or fighting for more with 9. ...f5. }) 9. d3?! (9. Bxc6 dxc6 10. Nxe5 $16) 9... Nd4?! (9... Re8) 10. Be3? (10. Nxe5 Nxd5 11. Nxd5 $14) 10... b4?! (10... c6 11. Bb3 a5 $15) 11. Na4?! (11. Nxe5! bxc3 12. bxc3 Ne6 (12... Nc6? 13. Bxc5 Nxe5 14. Bxa7 $18)) 11... d6 12. Nxc5 Nxd5 13. Nb3?! { Better is } (13. Bxd4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nf4 15. Nc6 $14) 13... Nxe3 14. fxe3 Nc6?! (14... Nxf3+ 15. Qxf3 a5 $15 { Black has active play. }) 15. c3 a5 16. cxb4?! (16. d4) 16... axb4 17. d4 Ba6 18. Rf2 Re8 19. d5?! (19. Rc1) 19... Ne7 20. Na5? (20. Nbd2 $15 { The text overlooks a tactic that, fortunately for White, Black also overlooks. }) 20... Bb5?! (20... c5! { creates a candidate passer and also threatens the a5-knight. }) 21. Ng5?! (21. a4 bxa3 22. Rxa3 { hangs tough a little longer. After this Brodhead doesn't let up. }) 21... Rf8 22. Qh5? h6 23. Rxf7 hxg5 24. Rxf8+ Qxf8 25. Nb3 Bc4 (25... Rxa2!) 26. Nc1 Qf1# { 0-1 Black wins. } 0-1