Chess Is Chess 2019: Chess Is Chess, #1

By Tim Sawyer

Chess is chess. The little guy always has a chance to beat the master. Even dubious aggressive openings can win brilliantly.

This book has 210 games. The last half are Blackmar-Diemer Gambits. The first half includes other openings – good and bad.

I like short chess wins in any opening. I write about masters and rank amateurs. I use tournament games or online blitz games.

My analysis is entertaining and informative. I criticize bad ideas, but I don't try to find fault with players. We're all deeply flawed.

When I select a game, I run blunder check with a chess engine to note big mistakes. I comment on why the result happened. Hope you enjoy the book!

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tim Sawyer
• Release date: Dec 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9798201588564

Book preview

Introduction

Chess is chess. The little guy always has a chance to beat the master. Even dubious aggressive openings can win brilliantly.

This book has 210 games. The last half are Blackmar-Diemer Gambits. The first half includes other openings – good and bad.

I like short chess wins in any opening. I write about masters and rank amateurs. I use tournament games or online blitz games.

My analysis is entertaining and informative. I criticize bad ideas, but I don’t try to find fault with players. We’re all deeply flawed.

When I select a game, I run blunder check with a chess engine to note big mistakes. I comment on why the result happened.

I learned chess in 1963 but did not play much until 1970. My first game was published in 1972. My first book published in 1992.

I wrote 3000 chess game blog posts from 2011 to 2019. Games stay on the blog temporarily. Then I remove games to put them in books. Blog games through 2019 are found in these 15 books:

Chess Is Chess 2019: Games from my Blog

King Pawn 1.e4 e5 – Second Edition

French Defence 1.e4 e6 – Second Edition

Sicilian Defence 1.e4 c5 – Second Edition

Caro-Kann 1.e4 c6 – Second Edition

Alekhine & Pirc 1.e4 – Second Edition

Queen Pawn 1.d4 d5 – Second Edition

Indian Defences 1.d4 Nf6 – Second Edition

Bird & Dutch 1.f4 & 1...f5 – Second Edition

Rare First Moves – Second Edition

Queen’s Knight 1.Nc3 & 1...Nc6 – Second Edition

Blackmar-Diemer Games 1: Accepted 4.f3 exf3

Blackmar-Diemer Games 2: Declined 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4

Blackmar-Diemer Games 5: Gambit Accepted and Declined

Blackmar-Diemer Games 8: Gambit Accepted and Declined

If you have all these books, you have all the games. Enjoy!

Chapter 1 – Flank Openings

Game 1 – Sawyer 1.h4 e5

We spend most of our time preparing for the popular openings. But how should we handle Rare First Moves as Black?

The Kadas Opening 1.h4 is named after the Hungarian master Gabor Kadas. He often played it as White followed by 2.d4 or 2.e4. I recommend a classical response to Rare First Moves. Push two center pawns. Place pieces on active squares. Take no risks. Keep everything safe. Open lines. Look for tactics.

Here I opened the c-file for my attack.

JackBach (1335) - Sawyer (2007), ICC 3 3 Internet Chess Club, 11.12.2018 begins 1.h4 e5 2.a3 d5 3.c3 Nf6 4.b3 Be7 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 0-0 7.Be3?! Re8 8.a4 b6 9.Qc2 Be6 10.Qd3 c5 11.Qd1 Nc6 12.Qd2? [12.Nf3 Ng4-+] 12...cxd4 13.Bxd4 Bb4 14.Nc3 [14.Bc3 Ne4 15.Qb2 Qf6-+] 14...Ne4 15.Qc1 Nxd4 16.Rb1 [16.f3 Bxc3+ 17.Qxc3 Nxc3-+] 16...Nxc3 17.Qd2 Qf6! 18.Rc1 Rac8 19.e3 Nc6 [Or 19...Ne4!-+] 20.Ba6 Rc7 21.Bd3 Rec8 22.Rc2 Ne4 23.Qxb4 Nxb4 24.Rxc7 Rxc7 25.Bxe4 dxe4 26.a5 Rc1+ 27.Kd2 Qc3+ 28.Ke2 Qb2# White checkmated 0-1

Game 2 – Sheldrick 1.g4 c5

Kevin Sheldrick defeated a FIDE Master in a tournament. Sheldrick wrote:

Here is a win I had with the Grob against an FM I thought you might be interested in. Have fun! Bye, Kevin

Wow! That looked like a wild Sheldrick win. FM Bill Jordan does not lose often.

Years ago I played the Grob 1.g4 and the Borg 1...g5 from each side, including four games vs the infamous Claude Bloodgood.

Lifetime as Black I'm +84% in 300 games. Strong players rarely choose 1.g4, but I'm always uncomfortable playing those games.

Sheldrick (2004) - Jordan (2158), Hosworth Foundation Tournament Adelaide, Australia, 05.10.2019 begins 1.g4 c5 2.Bg2 Nc6 3.h3 [3.e4!=/+] 3...g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.c4 e6 6.Nc3 Nge7 7.d3 d5 8.Bd2?! [8.Bf4! e5 9.Bg5=] 8...b6 9.Qc1 h6 10.0-0 Bb7 11.e4 dxc4 12.dxc4 Nd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4 14.Ne2 Rc8 15.b3 f5? [risky and unnecessary as Bill later mentioned and suggested instead 15...h5 intending 16...0-0, as better, which the computer also much prefers to the game continuation] 16.exf5? [16.Nf4 Qd7 (16...Qd6 17.e5!+/=; 16...Kf7? 17.exf5+-) 17.exf5 exf5 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Bb4!+-] 16...Bxg2 17.Kxg2 gxf5!? 18.Nf4 Kf7 19.Qa3 Qd7 20.f3 Rhe8 [20...Ng6=/+] 21.Rae1 Nc6?! [21...e5=] 22.Re2?! [22.Nh5+/=] 22...e5 23.Nh5 Bf8 24.Qc1 f4??+/- [another risky move but it was difficult for Black to adequately defend his h-pawn and the computer thought best was the tricky 24...d3 25.Ree1 Rcd8= intending 26.Bxh6?? d2-+] 25.Bxf4! exf4 26.Qxf4+ Kg6 27.Rfe1 Rxe2+ [no better is 27...Qf7 28.Rxe8 Rxe8 29.Rxe8 Qxe8 30.Qf5#] 28.Rxe2 Bg7 29.Qe4+ Kf7 30.Qh7 Kf8 31.Re4 Rc7 32.Rf4+ Qf7 [32...Ke8 33.Qg8+!+-] 33.Qxg7+! Ke8 34.Rxf7 Rxf7 35.Nf6+ Ke7 36.Nd5+ Ke8 37.Qg8+ and Black resigned [Game notes by Sheldrick] 1-0

Game 3 – Wight 1.g4 g6

David Wight wrote, Hey Tim Sawyer, I was playing around and this happened.

He sent me a Grob Opening game where he won with an interesting idea. Masters who dabble with the Grob prefer 2.Bg2. Mr. Wight just pushed both flank pawns to 4.g5 and 5.h6!

Wight (1799) - Blunder_Lord (1771), Rated Rapid game lichess, 11.01.2019 begins 1.g4 g6 2.h4 [2.Bg2=] 2...Bg7 [2...h5 3.g5=] 3.h5 [3.Bg2] 3...d6 [3...g5 4.d4 h6 5.e4=] 4.g5 [4.hxg6 hxg6 5.Rxh8 Bxh8 6.g5=] 4...e5?! [4...gxh5 5.Rxh5 h6=] 5.h6! Bf8 6.d4 Be7 [6...f6 7.gxf6+/=] 7.dxe5 dxe5 8.Qxd8+ Bxd8 9.Nc3 Bf5 [9...Nc6=] 10.Bg2 Nc6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Nf3 Bxc2 [Or 12...f6 13.Rh4 Bxc2 14.Rc4+/-] 13.Nxe5 Ne7? [13...c5 14.Be3+/-] 14.e4 0-0 15.Nd7 Re8?! [15...Bd3 16.Be3+-] 16.Nf6+ Kf8 [16...Kh8 17.Nxe8+- picks up a rook] 17.Nxh7+ Kg8 18.Nf6+ Kf8 [18...Kh8 19.Nxe8+-] 19.h7 [White wins by force: 19...Kg7 20.Nxe8+ Kh8 21.Bf4 Nd5 22.Nxd5 f6 23.gxf6 Bxf6 24.Ndxf6 Bxe4 25.Rh6 Rd8 26.Be5 Rd1+ 27.Rxd1 Bf3 28.Ng8# Discovered mate!] 1-0

Game 4 – Welborn 1.g4 d5

Michael Basman played the Grob 1.g4 and Macho Grob 1...g5 with the idea of defending his g-pawn with his h-pawn. The Grob is dangerous to play at the higher levels where opponents excel at tactics. At club levels or in blitz games, the Grob works fine with its offbeat ideas and unexpected attacks. Black wasted time with 3...h6 and lost two pieces after 17...Qd6? in this Dallas tournament game between Steve Welborn and David Ward.

Welborn (1600) - Ward (1672), Dallas Pinfork, 02.03.1996 begins 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 e5 3.h3 h6 4.c4 c6 5.cxd5 cxd5 6.Qb3 Nf6 7.Nc3 e4 8.d3 Nc6 9.g5 hxg5 10.Bxg5 Bb4 11.0-0-0 Be6 12.dxe4 d4 13.Qa4 [13.Nd5+/=] 13...Qb6 14.Bxf6 [14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.Bxd5=] 14...gxf6 [14...dxc3 15.Bd4 cxb2+ 16.Kb1 Bc5-/+] 15.Nd5 Qc5+ 16.Kb1 b5 17.Qxb5 [17.Qb3+/-] 17...Qd6? [17...Qxb5=] 18.Nxb4 [18.e5+-] 18...Rb8 [18...Qxb4 19.Qxc6+ Ke7 20.Qc7+ Ke8 21.Nf3+-] 19.Qxc6+ 1-0

Game 5 – Sawyer 1.b4 e5

I love center pawns. This Polish Opening began 1.b4 e5. After eight moves, White had pawns on b5, a3, and e3 vs the Black pawns on e5, d5, and c5.

Here’s how I beat up on JackBach: Safe pieces, open files, and fast tactics led to a quick win. I envisioned the actual finish when I played 19...Ne5. The game ended with a mate in two.

JackBach (1359) - Sawyer (2026), ICC 3 3 Internet Chess Club, 17.12.2018 begins 1.b4 e5 2.b5 [2.Bb2 Bxb4 3.Bxe5=] 2...d5 3.e3 [3.Bb2 Nd7=/+] 3...Nf6 4.a3 Bd6 5.Ra2 Be6 6.Be2 0-0 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.Bb2 c5 9.Nc3? [9.bxc6 bxc6 10.d4 e4-/+] 9...d4 10.Ng5 Bxa2 11.Nxa2 h6 12.Nh3 b6 13.exd4 [13.f3 Qc7-+] 13...exd4 14.c3 dxc3 15.dxc3 [15.Nxc3 Rc8-+] 15...Bc7 16.Qc1 [16.0-0 Re8-+] 16...Qe7 17.Qd1 Rfe8 18.Qd2 Rad8 19.Kf1 Ne5 20.Qf4 [20.Qe3 Nfg4 21.Bxg4 Nxg4 22.Qxe7 Rxe7 23.g3 Rd1+ 24.Kg2 Rxh1 25.Kxh1 Re2-+] 20...Nd3 [Or 20...Nc4!-+] 21.Qd2 Nxb2 [21...Nxf2!-+] 22.Qxb2 Rd1+ 23.Bxd1 Qe1# White checkmated 0-1

Game 6 – Delpire 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 Nc6

Jason Delpire had a spur of the moment inspiration to play a Blackmar Gambit as Black against Bird's Opening. The From Gambit begins 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6.

Carl Schlechter had played 2...Nc6 3.Nf3 g5. Jason Delpire opted for 3...f6 4.exf6 Nxf6. My database had White scoring +6 -5 in previous games. Black enjoyed success in this blitz game. He sacrificed a piece and made threats. Jason's risky strategy paid off with checkmate!

palamambron (1706) - Delpire (1588), Rated Blitz lichess, 25.04.2019 begins 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 Nc6 [The Birds Opening From Gambit is 2...d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3=] 3.Nf3 f6!? [Dozens of times I've played the Schlechter Gambit 3...g5!?] 4.exf6 [White could try 4.d4 or 4.e4] 4...Nxf6 5.d4 Bd6?! [5...d5! gives Black the use of two bishops.] 6.g3 [6.e3+/-] 6...0-0 7.Bg2 Ne4 [Maybe 7...b6!?] 8.0-0 [A thematic move in this type of position is 8.Qd3+/-] 8...Nxg3 9.hxg3 Bxg3 10.Bg5 [10.Ng5!+- leaves White up a knight and a pawn with a good position.] 10...Qe8 11.Qd3 Qh5 12.Nbd2?! [More active is 12.Nc3!+- which has the added advantage that the knight would cover e2.] 12...d5 13.c4?! Bf5 14.Qe3? [Suddenly the tables turn to Black's favor. White could still survive after 14.Qc3+/=] 14...Rae8 15.Qb3 Nxd4 16.cxd5 [White cannot save the queen without losing the king. If 16.Qd1 Nxe2+ 17.Qxe2 Rxe2-+] 16...Nxe2 mate 0-1

Game 7 – Zilbermints 1.Nf3 g5 2.Nxg5

Lev Zilbermints inspires us with his gambit success. Against the Reti Opening, he won a blitz game vs a FIDE Master on the Internet Chess Club with the Herrstrom Gambit 1.Nf3 g5!?

Black has compensation after 2.Nxg5 e5 with an extra pawn in the center and an attack on the knight. Objectively, White should gain a small edge with the extra pawn, but finding a good defense is challenging under the pressure of a fast-moving clock.

Drunkenight (1962) - Zilbermints (2066), ICC 5 0 Internet Chess Club, 11.01.2019 begins 1.Nf3 g5 2.Nxg5 e5 3.Ne4 d5 4.Nec3 Nf6 [4...d4!?=] 5.e3 Rg8 [5...Nc6] 6.d4 e4 [6...exd4 7.exd4 Nc6 8.Qe2+ Be6 9.Be3 Qd7 10.Nd2 0-0-0 11.0-0-0+/=] 7.Ne2 c6 8.c4 Bd6 9.Nbc3 Be6 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Qb3 [11.Nb5+/-] 11...Qd7 12.h3 h5 13.Bd2 Nc6 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.Na4 b6 16.a3 Ke7 17.Nac3 Na5 18.Qa2 Nc4 19.Rc2 Nxd2 20.Kxd2 Rc7 [20...b5 21.Qb3 Rb8 22.g3+/=] 21.Nc1 Rgc8 22.Be2 h4 23.Nb3 Qe8 24.Rhc1 Bd7 25.Na1 Ke6 [25...Qg8 26.Nxd5+ Nxd5 27.Qxd5+/=] 26.Ba6 [26.Bg4+!+-] 26...Rb8 27.Nxd5 [27.Qb3+/-] 27...Rxc2+ 28.Nxc2 Nxd5 29.Nb4 [29.Bc4 Bc6-/+] 29...Kf6 [29...Bxb4+ 30.axb4 Qe7-+] 30.Nxd5+ Kg7 31.Qc4 [31.Nc3+-] 31...Be6 [31...b5 32.Qe2+/=] 32.Qb5? [32.Nc7 Bxc4 33.Nxe8+ Rxe8 34.Rxc4+-] 32...Qxb5 33.Bxb5 Bxd5 34.Bc6 Bxc6 35.Rxc6 Rd8 36.b4 [36.f3 exf3 37.gxf3 Kf8-/+] 36...Kf6 37.Kc3 Ke7 38.Kc4 Kd7 39.d5 [39.Kd5 Be7 40.Rh6 Rg8 41.Rh7 Rxg2 42.Rxf7 Ke8 43.Rf5 Rh2 44.Kxe4 Rxh3-/+] 39...Rg8 40.Kd4 f5 41.a4 Rxg2 42.a5 bxa5 43.bxa5 Rxf2 44.Ra6 Rd2+ 45.Kc3 Rxd5 46.Kc2 Bb8 47.Rh6 Rxa5 48.Rxh4 Ke6 White resigns 0-1

Game 8 – Zilbermints 2.Nxg5 e5 3.Nf3

Lev Zilbermints sent me another Herrstrom Gambit 1.Nf3 g5 win which I analyze. Black showed his incredible skill as an attacker. His International Master opponent would be more difficult to defeat in a slower game with such a risky counter gambit.

Zilbermints wrote: Thank you! I should mention that the 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 e4 Nf6 5 Nc3 line is the easiest one to play against. Black puts his KR on g8 and pressures g2, keeping the Bf1 momentarily locked. This game is a textbook example on how to play the Herrstrom Gambit. My opponent was IM Torben Sorensen of Malta, with a 2283 FIDE rating.

Sorensen (2124) - Zilbermints (2115), ICC 5 0 Internet Chess Club, 28.11.2018 begins 1.Nf3 g5?! 2.Nxg5 e5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d5 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.d3?! [7.Bb5+/- is recommended when Black has a pawn on g7.] 7...Rg8 8.Qe2 f6 [8...Bg4!?=] 9.Bd2 [9.d4 Bg4 10.dxe5 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Nxe5 12.Bf4 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Qd5=]