C20 1.e4 e5: Unusual White second moves (1.e4 e5 2.c3 Nf6)

Today I post two games in this same new opening straight away as I saw that the the two consecutive games in my database were played by the same players and as it so happens, also the same opening. The game below was played in a tournament called 2014 August Grand Seven Fourteen II. It is an ongoing tournament held at Red Hot Pawn. As majority of the games have finished only two players still have chances to win the tournament and I am one of them. I have secured at least fourth place in this 21 player tournament. Thinking times are seven days for each move and there are fourteen days in the bank to use in case you can't make a move in the seven days. In case you spend over seven days to think your move, your timebank starts depleting. Still you have seven days minimum to make your next move even if you used time from the bank. I have added two mate in threes, one mate in two, one mate in five and one mate in seven puzzle today. When I added my first puzzle today to mate in three section, I noticed that my opponent in that game had a rating of 2938! He or she is most likely the highest rated adversary that I have ever faced.

The second game was played in a tournament called 2014 August Grand Seven Fourteen III and it obviously is also held at Red Hot Pawn. The thinking times and the amount of players is the same as in the game above. The tournament also started the same day August 11th 2014. In both these tournaments you get 40 simultaneous games immediately when the tournament starts as you play with each color against everyone in the tournament. This tournament differs a bit from the other one in at least one aspect, I am no longer fighting for the win of the tournament but instead I fight for third place.

Game number three. This was played in a team match called Feb. 2015 Challenge(WL): 1701-1900 and it is played between CYBERMEN ELITE and TROY. I am playing on board 1 in this match for TROY. This is only played on three boards, so it is one of the smallest team matches I have been a part of. The current score is 1 - 3 in favor of TROY, so we have at least drawn this match already. In the two remaining games we only need a draw to win the match. This was a rather uneventful game and draw was agreed upon on move 17. The draw was offered by my opponent and I thought I should accept due to the fact that I had no real ideas on how to improve my position. Also the situation in the match was going good enough for us that draw was sensible to make at that point. If we would have needed every game to be won in order to win the match or even draw it, I would not have accepted the draw offer.

[Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.08.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Arayn"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C20"] [WhiteElo "1168"] [BlackElo "1871"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s)"] [PlyCount "58"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. c3 {C20 King Pawn Game: Macleod Attack} Nf6 {C20 1.e4 e5: Unusual White second moves} 3. d3 d5 4. exd5 (4. Nd2 Bc5 5. Be2 O-O 6. Ngf3 Qe7 7. O-O a5 8. b3 Rd8 9. Qc2 Nbd7 10. a3 Nf8 11. Bb2 Ng6 12. b4 axb4 13. cxb4 Bd6 14. Rfe1 Bd7 15. Bd1 dxe4 16. dxe4 c5 17. Nc4 cxb4 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 {Zach,A (2280) -Schlosser,A Bayern 1999 0-1 (47)}) 4... Qxd5 5. c4 (5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bf5 7. Qb3 O-O-O 8. d4 exd4 9. Bc4 Re8+ 10. Kf1 Qa5 11. Bxf7 Bd3+ 12. Kg1 Bc5 13. Be6+ Kb8 14. Nc4 Qa6 15. Nce5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Rxe6 17. Nxd3 Qxd3 18. Bf4 Rhe8 19. h3 Ne4 {Sebek,P (1487)-Stork,R (1764) Trebic 2017 0-1}) 5... Bb4+ {-0.66/22} (5... Qd6 $1 $17 {-1.56/19} 6. Nc3 Nc6) 6. Bd2 $146 {-1.90/19} (6. Nc3 $15 {-0.66/22} Qd6 7. Be2 (7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 O-O 9. Be2 c5 10. Be3 Nc6 11. Nf3 Bg4 12. O-O Rad8 13. h3 Bh5 14. Qb3 Rd7 15. Rad1 Rfd8 16. d4 e4 17. dxc5 Qc7 18. Rxd7 Rxd7 19. g4 exf3 20. Bxf3 Bg6 21. Re1 h6 {Stojiljkovic,Z-Majstorovic,D Serbia 2010 0-1 (53)})) 6... Qa5 $2 {0.16/20 [#]} (6... Qd6 $1 $19 {-1.90/19} 7. Nc3 Nc6) 7. b3 $2 {-2.20/18} (7. Nc3 $11 {0.16/20 and White is okay.}) 7... O-O 8. f3 $2 {-3.33/18} (8. a3 $17 {-1.46/22 was necessary.} c5 9. Nf3) 8... Bf5 9. h4 { -3.99/19} (9. Bxb4 {-2.52/23 keeps fighting.} Qxb4+ 10. Qd2) 9... h5 {-2.17/22} (9... Nc6 $142 {-3.99/19 Threatens to win with ...e4!} 10. a3 Rad8) 10. a3 Bxd2+ 11. Nxd2 {-3.88/20} (11. Qxd2 $142 {-2.43/20} Qb6 12. Nc3) 11... c5 { -2.11/21} (11... Rd8 $142 {-3.88/20} 12. Nh3 Bxd3) 12. Nh3 $19 Rd8 13. Be2 $2 { -3.33/21} (13. Nf2 {-1.82/22 only move.}) 13... Bxd3 14. Ng5 {-4.78/20} (14. Ra2 $142 {-3.00/24}) 14... Nc6 15. g4 {-8.71/19} (15. Qc1 $142 {-4.31/20} Rd7 16. b4 cxb4 17. Bxd3 Rxd3 18. axb4 Qxb4 19. Rb1) 15... Bxe2 16. Qxe2 Rd7 { [#] ...Qc3 is the strong threat.} 17. O-O Qxd2 18. gxh5 Qxe2 19. Rae1 Qc2 { ( -> ...Rd2)} 20. Rf2 Qxb3 21. Rg2 Nxh5 22. Re4 Rd1+ {Black mates.} 23. Kh2 Qb1 24. Kh3 Rh1+ 25. Kg4 g6 26. Nh3 f5+ 27. Kg5 Kg7 28. Ree2 Nd8 29. Nf2 Nf7# { Accuracy: White = 9%, Black = 18%.} 0-1 [Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.08.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Arayn"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C20"] [WhiteElo "1168"] [BlackElo "1871"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. c3 {C20 King Pawn Game: Macleod Attack} Nf6 {C20 1.e4 e5: Unusual White second moves} 3. d3 d5 4. exd5 (4. Nd2 Bc5 5. Be2 O-O 6. Ngf3 Qe7 7. O-O a5 8. b3 Rd8 9. Qc2 Nbd7 10. a3 Nf8 11. Bb2 Ng6 12. b4 axb4 13. cxb4 Bd6 14. Rfe1 Bd7 15. Bd1 dxe4 16. dxe4 c5 17. Nc4 cxb4 18. Nxd6 Qxd6 {Zach,A (2280) -Schlosser,A Bayern 1999 0-1 (47)}) 4... Qxd5 5. c4 (5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Nbd2 Bf5 7. Qb3 O-O-O 8. d4 exd4 9. Bc4 Re8+ 10. Kf1 Qa5 11. Bxf7 Bd3+ 12. Kg1 Bc5 13. Be6+ Kb8 14. Nc4 Qa6 15. Nce5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Rxe6 17. Nxd3 Qxd3 18. Bf4 Rhe8 19. h3 Ne4 {Sebek,P (1487)-Stork,R (1764) Trebic 2017 0-1}) 5... Bb4+ {-0.53/22} (5... Qd6 $17 {-1.60/18} 6. Nf3 Nc6) 6. Bd2 $146 {-1.41/18} (6. Nc3 $15 {-0.53/22} Qd6 7. Nge2 (7. a3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 O-O 9. Be2 c5 10. Be3 Nc6 11. Nf3 Bg4 12. O-O Rad8 13. h3 Bh5 14. Qb3 Rd7 15. Rad1 Rfd8 16. d4 e4 17. dxc5 Qc7 18. Rxd7 Rxd7 19. g4 exf3 20. Bxf3 Bg6 21. Re1 h6 {Stojiljkovic,Z-Majstorovic,D Serbia 2010 0-1 (53)})) 6... Qa5 {0.00/21} (6... Qd6 $17 {-1.41/18} 7. Nf3 Nc6) 7. Bxb4 $2 {-1.99/19 [#]} (7. Nc3 $11 {0.00/21}) 7... Qxb4+ $19 8. Qd2 {Black is clearly better.} Qd6 {-0.67/21} (8... Nc6 $19 {-2.07/17} 9. Nf3 Bf5) 9. Nf3 {-1.21/20} (9. Nc3 $15 {-0.67/21}) 9... Nc6 10. a3 {-1.73/19} (10. Be2 $17 {-0.88/20 keeps fighting.}) 10... O-O {-1.30/22} (10... Bg4 $19 {-1.73/19} 11. Be2 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Nd4) 11. Nc3 {-2.10/19} (11. h3 $17 {-1.30/22 is a better defense.}) 11... a6 {-0.67/21} ({Better is} 11... Bg4 $19 {-2.10/19 Threatens to win with ...Bxf3.} 12. Be2 Nd4) 12. O-O-O {-2.16/18} (12. Rd1 $15 {-0.67/21}) 12... Bg4 13. Be2 Rab8 14. h3 {-2.80/18} (14. Kb1 $142 {-1.65/21}) 14... Be6 $2 {0.00/20} ({Black should play} 14... Bxf3 $19 {-2.80/18} 15. Bxf3 Nd4) 15. b4 $2 { -1.78/19} (15. d4 $1 $11 {0.00/20 and White is okay.}) 15... b5 {-0.71/22} ( 15... Rfd8 $19 {-1.78/19} 16. Qe3 a5) 16. c5 {-2.10/20} (16. d4 $17 {-0.71/22} exd4 17. Nxd4) 16... Qd7 $2 {0.48/21} (16... Qe7 $1 $19 {-2.10/20} 17. d4 Rbd8) 17. g4 $2 {-4.10/18} (17. d4 $1 $14 {0.48/21 is the one way to stay ahead.}) 17... a5 18. bxa5 $2 {-7.38/21} (18. d4 {-3.06/22} axb4 19. axb4 exd4 20. Nxd4 Nxb4 21. Rhg1) 18... Nxa5 {[#] ...Nb3+ is the strong threat.} 19. d4 Nb3+ 20. Kc2 Nxd2 21. Rxd2 exd4 22. Rxd4 Qc6 23. Rhd1 Qxc5 24. Kb2 b4 {Black mates.} 25. Rxb4 Rxb4+ 26. axb4 Qxb4+ 27. Kc2 Bb3+ 28. Kc1 Qxc3+ 29. Kb1 Qc2+ 30. Ka1 Qa2# {Accuracy: White = 3%, Black = 14%.} 0-1 [Event "Feb. 2015 Challenge(WL): 1701-1900 - Bo"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.02.24"] [Round "?"] [White "ichimary"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C20"] [WhiteElo "1818"] [BlackElo "1853"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "33"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 (1. c3 e5 {0-1 (75) Stanka,W (2220)-Brandstaetter,F (2115) Austria 1996}) 1... e5 2. c3 {C20 King Pawn Game: Macleod Attack} Nf6 {C20 1.e4 e5: Unusual White second moves} 3. Qc2 (3. d3 d5 {0-1 (30) Kowacz,A (1366)-Kasianczuk,K (1560) Rewal 2013}) 3... d5 (3... Bc5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Bb5 d6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d3 Bg4 8. Qe2 Qe7 9. Be3 Bxe3 10. Qxe3 Rb8 11. b3 Bxf3 12. Qxf3 O-O 13. Nd2 Rfe8 14. Qe3 a6 15. O-O d5 16. h3 c5 17. c4 d4 18. Qe1 {Kocman,A (1500)-Marn,J (1810) Kozje 2015 0-1}) 4. d3 Be7 $146 (4... Nc6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Bxf6 (6. Nd2 h6 (6... O-O 7. g3 Be6 8. Bg2 Qd7 9. Bxf6 Bxf6 10. Nb3 Be7 11. h3 f5 12. exf5 Bxf5 13. Ne2 Kh8 14. g4 Bg6 15. Ng3 a5 16. Nd2 Bc5 17. O-O Rad8 18. a3 Qe7 19. Rae1 Qh4 20. Nf5 Bxf5 21. gxf5 {Kowacz,A (1366)-Kasianczuk,K (1560) Rewal 2013 0-1}) 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Be6 9. h4 Nh5 10. Ngf3 Nxg3 11. fxg3 g4 12. Ng1 h5 13. Nb3 f5 14. exd5 Bxd5 15. O-O-O Qd7 16. d4 exd4 17. Nxd4 Nxd4 18. Rxd4 Qe6 19. Ne2 O-O-O 20. Nf4 Qe3+ {Schlag,F (2158)-Michalak,G (1877) Bad Bevensen 2003 1-0 (43)}) 6... Bxf6 7. Be2 Qd6 8. Nd2 Be6 9. exd5 Bxd5 10. Ne4 Qe7 11. Nxf6+ Qxf6 12. Bf3 O-O-O 13. Bxd5 Rxd5 14. Ne2 Rhd8 15. Rd1 Qg6 16. Ng3 Rxd3 17. Rxd3 Qxd3 18. Qxd3 Rxd3 19. Ke2 {Smodlaka,A (1791)-Kacunko,J (1943) Sveti Vid 2014 0-1 (75)}) (4... c6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. g3 Bc5 7. Bg2 O-O 8. O-O Bb6 9. Nbd2 Re8 10. Nh4 a5 11. Kh1 dxe4 12. dxe4 Nc5 13. Nc4 Bc7 14. Be3 Qd3 15. Qxd3 Nxd3 16. Rfd1 Be6 17. Nd6 Bxd6 18. Rxd3 Bc7 19. h3 {Stanka,W (2220)-Brandstaetter,F (2115) Austria 1996 0-1 (75)}) 5. Nf3 Nc6 {0.32/22} (5... Qd6 $17 {-0.78/19}) 6. Bg5 { -0.81/18} (6. b4 $14 {0.32/22 keeps the upper hand.}) 6... O-O {-0.36/20} (6... h6 $17 {-0.81/18} 7. Bxf6 Bxf6) 7. Nbd2 {-0.87/20} (7. Be2 $15 {-0.36/20}) 7... Be6 {-0.26/22} (7... a5 $17 {-0.87/20}) 8. Be2 {-0.91/20} (8. b4 $11 {-0.26/22} ) 8... Qd6 {0.12/22} (8... a5 $17 {-0.91/20}) 9. O-O {-0.41/18} (9. b4 $11 { 0.12/22}) 9... h6 {0.00/22} (9... a5 $15 {-0.41/18}) 10. Bh4 {-0.82/21} (10. Bxf6 $11 {0.00/22 remains equal.} Bxf6 11. b4) 10... dxe4 {0.35/22} ({Better is } 10... g5 $1 $17 {-0.82/21} 11. Bg3 Nh5) 11. dxe4 $14 Qc5 {0.69/19} (11... a5 $11 {0.07/24}) 12. a3 {-0.07/23} (12. Nb3 $14 {0.69/19} Qb6 13. Bg3) 12... a5 $1 $11 13. h3 {-0.51/22} (13. Ne1 $11 {0.00/25}) 13... b5 {0.34/22} (13... a4 $15 {-0.51/22}) 14. Bg3 {-0.61/21} (14. a4 $14 {0.34/22}) 14... Bd6 {0.68/21} ( {Black should play} 14... a4 $1 $15 {-0.61/21}) 15. Rfc1 $2 {-0.94/22 [#]} (15. a4 $1 $14 {0.68/21 stays ahead.}) 15... Rfb8 {0.47/23} (15... a4 $17 {-0.94/22} ) 16. b4 {0.00/23} (16. a4 $14 {0.47/23}) 16... Qb6 $2 {1.59/23} ({Black should try} 16... axb4 $11 {0.00/23} 17. axb4 Qb6) 17. Kf1 $2 {-0.52/21 Accuracy: White = 7%, Black = 7%.} (17. c4 $1 $16 {1.59/23} bxc4 18. Nxc4) 1/2-1/2