[Event "Rated Rapid game"] [Site "https://lichess.org/Hf5tSJDR"] [Date "2023.04.20"] [White "FreezingTiger"] [Black "Wing1337"] [Result "1-0"] [WhiteElo "2059"] [BlackElo "1861"] [TimeControl "600+2"] [Termination "Normal"] [UTCDate "2023.04.22"] [UTCTime "22:38:33"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C50"] [Opening "Four Knights Game: Italian Variation"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/mbodek"] [Source "https://lichess.org/study/EijHlVXi/cqAkbE7c"] [Orientation "white"] { This game was played between Tongxu Bai of Citadel and Matthew Wing on Palantir } 1. e4 { [%clk 0:10:00] } 1... e5 { [%clk 0:10:00] } 2. Nc3 { White opens with the Vienna } { [%clk 0:09:49] } 2... Nc6 { [%clk 0:09:59] } 3. Bc4 { [%clk 0:09:44] } 3... Bc5 { This natural move allows White an interesting possibility which takes advantage of the weakness on g7 } { [%clk 0:09:58] } 4. Nf3 { [%clk 0:09:43] } (4. Qg4!? { Is a playable move in this position. While normally the queen becomes a target if it is developed too early, there is no good way for black to defend the g7 pawn. Options include g6, Kf8, and bishop back to f8, but they all have drawbacks in that they hinder black's development or weaken the king. If } 4... d5 (4... Qf6? { falls into an opening trap where white already has a large advantage after } 5. Nd5 Qxf2+ 6. Kd1 Kf8 7. Nh3 Qd4 (7... h5 { is a better attempt }) 8. d3 { Where despite being a pawn down with the king on d1, white's pieces are all active and coordinated, and there are no clear weaknesses. Meanwhile black's pieces are undeveloped and the queen and bishop will get in each other's way }) 5. Qxg7 dxc4 6. Qxh8 { And white is winning }) 4... Nf6 { [%clk 0:09:56] } 5. O-O { [%clk 0:09:40] } (5. Nxe5 { does not work as after } 5... Nxe5 6. d4 { black can take the bishop on c4 with } 6... Nxc4) 5... O-O { [%clk 0:09:56] } 6. d3 { [%clk 0:09:33] } 6... h6 { Preventing white from putting the bishop on g5 } { [%clk 0:09:55] } 7. h3 { [%clk 0:09:06] } 7... d6 { [%clk 0:09:49] } 8. Qe2 { [%clk 0:06:46] } (8. a3 { Would have given the bishop an escape square on a2. }) 8... Nd4 { Since there is still a white pawn on a2, the bishop cannot retreat there, and Black had the option to trade the knight for the strong white bishop on c4 with } { [%clk 0:09:48] } (8... Na5 { After } 9. Bb3 { Black has } (9. Bb5 { fails to avert the trade after } 9... a6 10. Ba4 b5 11. Bb3 Nxb3) 9... Nxb3) 9. Nxd4 { [%clk 0:06:43] } 9... Bxd4 { While trading the c6 knight for the light squared bishop would have been good for black as the bishop was better than the knight, the trade of knights benefited white as the f-file can quickly be opened after } { [%clk 0:09:50] } 10. Be3! { [%clk 0:06:41] } 10... Bxe3 { [%clk 0:09:32] } 11. fxe3 { Despite having doubled pawns, white now has a rook on the open f-file } { [%clk 0:06:38] } 11... b6? { This move is too slow, and it allows white to quickly develop a ferocious attack. Black could have tried } { [%clk 0:09:33] } (11... Be6 { to open up the f-file as well, and fight for the balance in the center. White does not want to open up the black rook on f8, so would drop the bishop back } 12. Bb3 { and after a move like } 12... c6 { the position is roughly equal }) 12. Rf2 { [%clk 0:06:19] } 12... Bb7 { [%clk 0:09:34] } 13. Raf1 { Now white has a large advantage due to the open rooks, which cause the f7 pawn and black's king to become weak } { [%clk 0:06:15] } 13... Kh8 { [%clk 0:08:57] } 14. Qf3 { [%clk 0:05:47] } (14. Rxf6 { Would already win the game as after } 14... gxf6 15. Qh5 Kg7 16. Rf3 { It will soon become impossible to defend the black king }) 14... Qe7 { [%clk 0:08:44] } 15. Qg3 { Bringing the queen into the attack } { [%clk 0:05:13] } 15... a6 { [%clk 0:08:11] } 16. Qh4 { [%clk 0:05:05] } 16... b5 { [%clk 0:08:05] } (16... Ng8 { was necessary to stop white's idea, even though it loses a pawn after } 17. Qxe7 Nxe7 18. Rxf7) 17. Rxf6 { [%clk 0:04:00] } 17... Qxf6 { [%clk 0:06:11] } (17... gxf6 { Loses after } 18. Qxh6+ Kg8 19. Rf3 { and rg3 checkmate is unstoppable }) 18. Rxf6 { [%clk 0:03:46] } 18... gxf6 { [%clk 0:06:13] } 19. Qxh6+ { [%clk 0:03:39] } 19... Kg8 { [%clk 0:06:15] } 20. Bd5 { [%clk 0:03:32] } 20... c6 { [%clk 0:06:07] } 21. Bb3 { [%clk 0:03:20] } 21... Rae8 { [%clk 0:06:08] } 22. Ne2 { Despite sacrificing the queen, black's king is still about to become checkmated, as the white knight will route itself to g3 and f5 where it can defend the queen to give mate on g7 } { [%clk 0:03:07] } 22... d5 { [%clk 0:06:07] } 23. Ng3 { [%clk 0:03:07] } 23... Re6 { [%clk 0:06:08] } 24. Nf5 { 1-0 Black resigns. } { Overall a very strong attacking game from white. Black did not fight quickly enough in the center, and as a result white had little opposition to the kingside buildup } { [%clk 0:03:03] } 1-0