Coffee and Strudel
Another Vienna Gambit – enjoy it with coffee and strudel.
This is a genuine coffee-house chess game between two old friends who like nothing better than demolishing each other over the chess-board. Otherwise, what are friends for?
Both players go at it with no regard for the finer defensive, let alone positional, points of chess. Then again, the game was fun to play. And let us recall the famous adage, of the even more famous Icant Remember Who, when he proclaimed that the essence of playing chess is fun. We are here on this earth for such a short time. Why waste it hunched over a board if it ain't fun?
The notes to the game are light, strictly low-calorie, as befits the skill of the players and the mood they were in.
George Eraclides of East Preston Versus Gino Tomisich of West Preston
2001
Vienna Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Qe2 Ng5 (this is a viable alternative to the more normal line Nxc3) 7. d4 c6 (to safeguard the Queen-side from any predatory incursions by the Knight; Ne6 is the alternative) 8. Be3 Bg4 (better is 0-0; Black now comes under sustained pressure) 9. h3 Nxf3+ 10. gxf3 Bf5 11. Rg1 g6 (he intends h5 later with a solid position but he never gets a chance to try it; Bg6 was a reasonable alternative) 12. O-O-O Nd7 13. Qg2 b5 (Qc7 with an 0-0-0 was safer, but he prefers to attack) 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Rxd3 a5 16. f4 a4 17. f5 (to open lines for attack; if gxf5, then Qg7 Rf8, Qxh7 with many threats beginning with Bh6) b4 18. Ne2 b3 19. cxb3 (if axb3 then a3 with some counterplay; White has a devious plan) axb3 20. axb3 Ra1+ 21. Kc2 Rxg1 22. Qxg1 Qa5 (he should look to his defence with Nb6 and Qc7) 23. e6! (White now breaks through in typical coffee-house style) Nf6 (if fxe6 then fxg6 is better for White) 24. exf7+ Kxf7 25. fxg6+ hxg6 26. Nf4 Rg8 27. Bd2 Qb6 28. Rg3 g5 29. Rxg5 Rxg5 30. Qxg5 Ke8 (Ne4, Qg6+ Kf8, Ne6++) 31. Qe5 Qd8 32. Ng6 (simplest) Qd6 (if Ng8 then Bg5) 33. Qxe7+ (best way) Qxe7 34. Nxe7 Kxe7 35. Bg5! (the pin is deadly at any time; a lot of amateur players, like us, think of it as an opening tactic, but you can use it anytime if you remember the bunny rules, and look out for it; see previous posts on the bunny philosophy of chess) Ke6 36. Bxf6 Kxf6 37. Kc3 1-0
At least both players had a go. The Vienna is a much under-appreciated opening, as are most of the e4 19th Century openings.
See you next time pilgrims.
R.I.P. Bobby Fischer.
Forever young.
Forever the best.
This is a genuine coffee-house chess game between two old friends who like nothing better than demolishing each other over the chess-board. Otherwise, what are friends for?
Both players go at it with no regard for the finer defensive, let alone positional, points of chess. Then again, the game was fun to play. And let us recall the famous adage, of the even more famous Icant Remember Who, when he proclaimed that the essence of playing chess is fun. We are here on this earth for such a short time. Why waste it hunched over a board if it ain't fun?
The notes to the game are light, strictly low-calorie, as befits the skill of the players and the mood they were in.
George Eraclides of East Preston Versus Gino Tomisich of West Preston
2001
Vienna Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. fxe5 Nxe4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Qe2 Ng5 (this is a viable alternative to the more normal line Nxc3) 7. d4 c6 (to safeguard the Queen-side from any predatory incursions by the Knight; Ne6 is the alternative) 8. Be3 Bg4 (better is 0-0; Black now comes under sustained pressure) 9. h3 Nxf3+ 10. gxf3 Bf5 11. Rg1 g6 (he intends h5 later with a solid position but he never gets a chance to try it; Bg6 was a reasonable alternative) 12. O-O-O Nd7 13. Qg2 b5 (Qc7 with an 0-0-0 was safer, but he prefers to attack) 14. Bd3 Bxd3 15. Rxd3 a5 16. f4 a4 17. f5 (to open lines for attack; if gxf5, then Qg7 Rf8, Qxh7 with many threats beginning with Bh6) b4 18. Ne2 b3 19. cxb3 (if axb3 then a3 with some counterplay; White has a devious plan) axb3 20. axb3 Ra1+ 21. Kc2 Rxg1 22. Qxg1 Qa5 (he should look to his defence with Nb6 and Qc7) 23. e6! (White now breaks through in typical coffee-house style) Nf6 (if fxe6 then fxg6 is better for White) 24. exf7+ Kxf7 25. fxg6+ hxg6 26. Nf4 Rg8 27. Bd2 Qb6 28. Rg3 g5 29. Rxg5 Rxg5 30. Qxg5 Ke8 (Ne4, Qg6+ Kf8, Ne6++) 31. Qe5 Qd8 32. Ng6 (simplest) Qd6 (if Ng8 then Bg5) 33. Qxe7+ (best way) Qxe7 34. Nxe7 Kxe7 35. Bg5! (the pin is deadly at any time; a lot of amateur players, like us, think of it as an opening tactic, but you can use it anytime if you remember the bunny rules, and look out for it; see previous posts on the bunny philosophy of chess) Ke6 36. Bxf6 Kxf6 37. Kc3 1-0
At least both players had a go. The Vienna is a much under-appreciated opening, as are most of the e4 19th Century openings.
See you next time pilgrims.
R.I.P. Bobby Fischer.
Forever young.
Forever the best.
posted by George Eraclides at 6:48 PM
1 Comments:
Interesting to know.
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