C44 Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 Ba5 7.O-O)

The reason for this post is to correct a mistake of the past and therefore it does not bring new content to this blog. I went through some of my games that have recently ended and noticed a new opening variation. That in itself would not have broken the posting schedule I have. The problem with this one was that it resembled a line that I had already posted in the blog, so I looked through those games and noticed that the game below did not belong there, but instead under this new opening variation. Well, new to me that is. I have noticed similar things in the past and when I have run into them, I have corrected them as soon as I can. The reason why these mistakes even occur is that not all the sources where I look openings from have the same openings listed. The openings explorer at the new version of Chess.com helps a lot because it recognizes the openings even if you go through the moves in untheoretical order, which is a really helpful thing because my games almost never follow theoretical move orders.

This was played in a tournament called 2014 September Grand Seven Fourteen III at Red Hot Pawn. This is one of the tournaments there that I have chances to win still. Four other players are still in the fight with me, so it is still uclear who is going to win. I have only the fourth highest maximum possible score, so my chances are not as good for the top spot but as long as no one exceeds my maximum possible score, I still have some chances. With this game, I was able to tie my score against Luft. For a brief moment, I did give chances to my opponent to take the win but as he did not take advantage of my blunder, I was able to not only get back into the game but maintain my advantage to the end.

Game number two. The game below is the reason why this post was created in the first place. While I looked for the opening used in this game, it was similar enough to a variation I had previosly published, so I had to make sure there were no errors there and unfortunately there was one, so I corrected it as soon as I could. This game was played in a team match called GREECE_LOVERS vs Alexander Grischuk Chess Club. It was played on 25 boards and I played on board 3 for GREECE_LOVERS. In addition to this confidence boost of a win, I lost my other game against celeron. The match ended with a score of 17.5 - 32.5 in victory of Alexander Grischuk Chess Club. They were able to have higher higher rated players on most boards, so the result was not a huge surprise.

The first mistake of the game was played by Celeron on move 8, while Bg5 seems like a good move, it develops a piece with a tempo, it does not really suit into White's plan. It was better to play 8.Qb3 and increase pressure on f7. The starting point for celeron's downfall was this 8th move. The game did last a long time after that move, but I was always on the better side even though I did play some inaccuracies that could have cost me the win and I would have been forced to accept more drawish result. I think that it was a good idea by celeron to double my pawns on move 13, because it might have given him some counterplay. He decided to undouble those pawns immediately after that which I was happy to see, so that I do not have one less pawn weakness to worry about. He does end up getting my pawns doubled on the queenside, but that is not as bad of a weakness that the doubled pawns on the f-file would have been. I played well enough to keep the advantage on my side until I went a bit astray with the move 38...Kd6, which was maybe the only chance given to celeron to draw the game after the early blunder was made that enabled me to be on the better side of the board. Celeron was not able to take advantage of his chance, and I was able to play the rest of the game without any huge mistakes, enabling me to win the game on move 79 when my opponent decided it was pointless to carry on with the game.

[Event "Grand Seven Fourteen"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.09.11"] [Round "1"] [White "Luft"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "1936"] [BlackElo "1914"] [Annotator "Stockfish 6 64 BMI2 (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "60"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 {Scotch Gambit} Ba5 7. O-O {C44 Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit} Qf6 {The isolated pawn on c3 becomes a target} (7... Nge7 8. Ng5 Ne5 9. Bb3 h6 10. f4 Bb6+ 11. Kh1 hxg5 12. fxe5 O-O 13. Bxg5 d6 14. exd6 cxd6 15. Qh5 Be6 16. Qh4 Re8 17. Bxe6 fxe6 18. Rf3 Qd7 19. Rh3 Qa4 20. Nd2 Nf5 21. Qh7+ Kf8 22. exf5 {Loiterstein,M (2275) -Lopez Paz,N Mar del Plata 1992 1-0}) 8. e5 Qg6 9. Ng5 {N} (9. Re1 Nh6 10. Bd3 Qh5 11. Ba3 Bb6 12. h3 g5 13. Nbd2 g4 14. Ne4 Ng8 15. Ng3 Qh6 16. hxg4 Qf4 17. Ne4 h6 18. Qe2 Nce7 19. Bc1 Qxg4 20. Nf6+ Nxf6 21. exf6 Qe6 22. fxe7 Qxe2 23. Rxe2 d6 {Rodriguez Sanchez,A (2001) -Morales Rosales,J Malaga 2003 1-0 (40)}) 9... Nh6 10. f4 $4 {White has a king attack. with this move White loses his initiative} (10. Bd3 Nf5 11. g4 {+/-}) 10... Bb6+ {=/+} 11. Kh1 Na5 $4 { instead of simply winning the game} (11... d6 12. exd6 Bf5 13. Qe2+ Kd7 14. Na3 {+/-}) 12. Bd5 (12. f5 {and White has triumphed} Qxg5 13. Bxg5 Nxc4 14. f6 {+-} ) 12... d6 {=/+} 13. Be4 (13. Nd2 O-O 14. Ndf3 Qh5 {=/+}) 13... Bf5 {+/-} 14. exd6 $2 (14. Qa4+ c6 15. Nd2 O-O-O {+/-}) 14... Qxd6 (14... O-O-O $5 15. Nd2 Rxd6 {-+}) 15. Qxd6 cxd6 16. Bb2 (16. Nd2 {+/-}) 16... O-O $5 17. Nd2 Rad8 ( 17... Bxe4 18. Ngxe4 d5 19. Ng3 {-+}) 18. Bd5 $2 (18. Ba3 {-+}) 18... Ng4 19. c4 Nf2+ (19... Bd3 {keeps an even firmer grip} 20. Ne6 Bxf1 21. Rxf1 fxe6 22. Bxe6+ Kh8 23. Bxg4 {-+}) 20. Rxf2 Bxf2 21. Bc3 Nc6 22. g3 h6 23. Ngf3 (23. Nge4 {doesn't improve anything} Bd4 {-+}) 23... Rfe8 24. Rd1 (24. Nh4 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} Bd3 {-+}) 24... Be6 (24... Re2 {seems even better} 25. Nh4 Bg4 26. Bf3 Bxf3+ 27. Ndxf3 {-+}) 25. Bxc6 (25. Nb3 {doesn't change the outcome of the game} Rc8 {-+}) 25... bxc6 26. Ne4 (26. Kg2 {doesn't get the bull off the ice} Bb6 27. Bd4 c5 {-+}) 26... Bc5 (26... Bg4 $5 {keeps an even firmer grip} 27. Kg2 Rxe4 28. Kxf2 {-+}) 27. Ned2 (27. Nxc5 {cannot undo what has already been done} dxc5 28. Rxd8 Rxd8 {-+}) 27... d5 (27... Bg4 {makes it even easier for Black} 28. Rf1 Re3 {-+}) 28. Nd4 (28. Nb3 {does not help much} Bg4 29. Rf1 Bb6 {-+}) 28... Bd7 (28... Bxd4 {and the rest is a matter of technique} 29. Bxd4 dxc4 30. Bc3 {-+}) 29. cxd5 (29. N4b3 {doesn't do any good} Bg4 30. Rb1 Bf5 {-+}) 29... cxd5 (29... Bg4 {makes sure everything is clear} 30. Rc1 Rxd5 31. N2b3 {-+}) 30. Kg2 (30. N2b3 {no good, but what else?} Bf8 31. Kg2 {-+}) 30... Re3 (30... Re3 31. Bb2 Bxd4 32. Bxd4 Rd3 {-+}) 0-1 [Event "GREECE_LOVERS vs Alexander Grischuk Ches"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2015.12.27"] [Round "?"] [White "celeron"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C44"] [WhiteElo "2042"] [BlackElo "1844"] [Annotator "Stockfish 7 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "158"] [EventDate "2015.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 {Scotch Gambit} Ba5 7. O-O {C44 Ponziani Opening and Scotch Gambit} d6 8. Bg5 (8. Qb3 Qf6 (8... Qe7 9. e5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Qxe5 11. Bxf7+ Kf8 12. Bxg8 Rxg8 13. Bb2 Be6 14. c4 Qe4 15. Nc3 Bxc3 16. Qxc3 Re8 17. Rfe1 Qxc4 18. Qf3+ Bf7 19. Rxe8+ Kxe8 20. Qxb7 Kd7 21. Rc1 Bd5 22. Qxa7 Ra8 23. Qe3 {Winter,L (1954) -Sevall,J (1883) Hofheim 2015 0-1}) 9. e5 dxe5 10. Re1 Bb6 11. Nbd2 Bf5 12. Nxe5 Nxe5 13. Qb5+ c6 14. Qxe5+ Be6 15. Qg3 O-O-O 16. Ne4 Qf5 17. Bxe6+ fxe6 18. Bg5 Nf6 19. Bxf6 gxf6 20. Re2 Bc7 21. Qe3 Bb6 22. Qg3 e5 {Kwiecien,Z (2225) -Waniek,P Bytom 1995 0-1} ) 8... Nf6 9. e5 {N} (9. h3 Bd7 10. Re1 Qe7 11. Qd3 Ne5 12. Nxe5 dxe5 13. Nd2 O-O 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qxd7 Rad8 16. Qa4 Rxd2 17. Rf1 Bxc3 18. Rac1 Bd4 19. Rc2 Rxc2 20. Qxc2 Qc6 21. Rd1 b5 22. Bxf7+ Rxf7 23. Qxc6 Rxf2 {Lo,M (52)-Hartman,J Aberystwyth 2014 1-0 (33)}) 9... dxe5 10. Qxd8+ Nxd8 11. Nxe5 Be6 12. Re1 O-O 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Bxe6 fxe6 (14... Nxe6 15. Nc4 Bb6 16. Nba3 {+/-}) 15. Nc4 Bb6 16. Nxb6 (16. Nbd2 $5 {=/+ deserves consideration}) 16... axb6 {+/-} (16... cxb6 $6 17. Nd2 {=/+}) 17. Nd2 Kf7 18. a4 Nc6 19. Nf3 (19. Nc4 h5 {-+}) 19... Ra5 20. Red1 Ke7 21. Nd4 Nxd4 (21... Rd8 22. Nb5 Rxa4 23. Nxc7 {-+}) 22. Rxd4 { +/-} Rd8 23. Rh4 h5 24. h3 Rdd5 (24... Rd3 25. Rc1 {-+}) 25. Re1 b5 26. axb5 Rdxb5 27. Rhe4 Rb6 28. R1e3 (28. Rc4 Kd7 {+/-}) 28... Rc6 29. Rb4 b6 30. Rb3 ( 30. Rh4 Kf7 {+/-}) 30... Rac5 (30... Ra1+ $5 31. Kh2 {-+}) 31. Kf1 Kd6 32. Ke2 Rd5 (32... e5 33. Kd3 {+/-}) 33. f3 Kc5 (33... Ra5 34. Kd3 {+/-}) 34. h4 (34. Rb4 Rcd6 35. Rh4 b5 {+/-}) 34... b5 (34... Kd6 {+/-}) 35. Rb4 (35. g4 Rcd6 36. Kf2 e5 {+/-}) 35... Rcd6 (35... Ra6 36. Rb2 {+/-}) 36. Rbe4 (36. Rb2 e5 {+/-}) 36... e5 (36... Rd2+ $5 37. Kf1 e5 38. f4 Rd1+ 39. Kf2 R6d2+ 40. Re2 {-+}) 37. f4 {+/-} Re6 38. Kf3 Kd6 (38... exf4 39. Kxf4 Rxe4+ 40. Rxe4 {+/-}) 39. f5 $2 ( 39. g4 $5 {= and White could well hope to play on}) 39... Re7 {+/-} 40. g4 hxg4+ 41. Kxg4 (41. Rxg4 Rh7 {+/-}) 41... Rh7 (41... Rg7+ 42. Kf3 Rd1 43. Re1 Rd3+ 44. R1e3 Rxe3+ 45. Rxe3 {-+}) 42. Rh3 (42. h5 {-+}) 42... Rd1 43. Ree3 ( 43. h5 Rg1+ 44. Kf3 Rf1+ 45. Ke2 Rxf5 {-+}) 43... Rg1+ 44. Rhg3 (44. Kf3 Rf1+ 45. Ke2 Rxf5 {-+}) 44... Rxg3+ (44... Rg7+ {nails it down} 45. Kh3 R1xg3+ 46. Rxg3 Rxg3+ 47. Kxg3 Ke7 {-+}) 45. Kxg3 (45. Rxg3 Rg7+ 46. Kh3 Rxg3+ 47. Kxg3 { -+}) 45... Kd5 46. Kg4 (46. Re1 {is no salvation} Kc4 {-+}) 46... Kc4 47. h5 c5 {Black plans b4} 48. Kh4 (48. Re1 {-+ the only chance to get some counterplay}) 48... b4 49. cxb4 cxb4 50. Re4+ Kc5 51. Re3 Kd4 (51... Rb7 {and Black can celebrate victory} 52. Rb3 Kc4 {-+}) 52. Rg3 Ke4 53. Rb3 Kxf5 54. Rxb4 (54. Rf3+ {is one last hope} Ke6 55. Rf2 {-+}) 54... Rd7 55. Rb8 Rd4+ 56. Kg3 Kg5 57. Rh8 Rf4 (57... Rg4+ 58. Kf3 Rh4 59. Rf8 Rxh5 60. Ke4 Rh4+ 61. Kd5 {-+}) 58. h6 Kg6 59. h7 (59. Kh3 {-+ the last chance for counterplay}) 59... Kg7 60. Ra8 Kxh7 61. Ra6 Kg6 62. Rb6 Kf5 63. Rb3 Rd4 64. Rf3+ Ke6 (64... Kg5 {and Black takes home the point} 65. Rb3 {-+}) 65. Ra3 f5 66. Ra8 Rd3+ 67. Kf2 Kd5 68. Ra5+ Ke4 69. Ra4+ (69. Ra2 {hardly improves anything} Rd4 70. Re2+ Kf4 71. Kf1 Rd1+ 72. Kg2 e4 73. Rb2 Rd4 74. Rf2+ Kg4 75. Kf1 e3 76. Rg2+ Kf3 77. Rf2+ Ke4 78. Ra2 f4 79. Ra8 Kf3 80. Ke1 Rc4 81. Ra1 Rc2 82. Rb1 Rh2 83. Kd1 Rh1+ 84. Kc2 Rxb1 85. Kxb1 e2 86. Kb2 e1=Q 87. Kb3 Ke3 88. Ka4 Qb1 89. Ka5 f3 90. Ka4 f2 91. Ka3 f1=Q 92. Ka4 Qa6#) 69... Rd4 70. Ra2 (70. Ra5 {does not solve anything} f4 71. Ra1 f3 72. Kg3 Rd2 73. Ra4+ Ke3 74. Ra3+ Ke2 75. Rxf3 Rd3 76. Rxd3 Kxd3 77. Kf2 e4 78. Ke1 Ke3 79. Kd1 Kf2 80. Kc2 e3 81. Kc3 e2 82. Kc4 e1=Q 83. Kd5 Ke3 84. Kc5 Ke4 85. Kd6 Kd4 86. Kc6 Qe6+ 87. Kb5 Qh6 88. Ka4 Qb6 89. Ka3 Kc3 90. Ka2 Qb2#) 70... f4 {-+} 71. Re2+ Kf5 {Black intends e4} 72. Ra2 e4 73. Ra8 (73. Ra5+ {doesn't change anything anymore} Kg4 74. Ke2 e3 75. Ra2 Rd2+ 76. Rxd2 exd2 77. Kd1 Kg3 78. Kxd2 f3 79. Ke1 Kg2 80. Kd2 f2 81. Kc3 f1=Q 82. Kb4 Kf3 83. Kc5 Ke4 84. Kc6 Qc4+ 85. Kd6 Kf5 86. Kd7 Qc5 87. Ke8 Ke6 88. Kd8 Qc1 89. Ke8 Qc8#) 73... Rd2+ 74. Ke1 (74. Kg1 {does not save the day} e3 75. Re8 Kg4 76. Kf1 Kf3 77. Ke1 Re2+ 78. Kd1 Ra2 79. Kc1 e2 80. Kb1 Ra3 81. Kb2 Re3 82. Rxe3+ Kxe3 83. Kb3 e1=Q 84. Ka4 Qb1 85. Ka5 f3 86. Ka4 f2 87. Ka3 f1=Q 88. Ka4 Qa6#) 74... e3 75. Rg8 (75. Ra3 {doesn't get the cat off the tree} Kg4 76. Kf1 Kf3 77. Ke1 Rb2 78. Kd1 Kf2 79. Kc1 Rd2 80. Rc3 f3 81. Rc2 Rxc2+ 82. Kxc2 e2 83. Kc3 e1=Q+ 84. Kb3 Kg3 85. Kc2 f2 86. Kd3 f1=Q+ 87. Kd4 Qb4+ 88. Ke5 Qc5+ 89. Ke6 Qff5#) 75... Ke4 (75... Ra2 76. Kf1 Ke4 77. Rh8 Ra1+ 78. Kg2 f3+ 79. Kh2 e2 80. Re8+ Kf4 81. Rf8+ Ke3 82. Kh3 Rg1 83. Rb8 e1=Q 84. Re8+ Kf2 85. Rxe1 Kxe1 86. Kh4 f2 87. Kh5 f1=Q 88. Kh4 Qg2 89. Kh5 Qh1#) 76. Rh8 (76. Ra8 { doesn't improve anything} Rh2 77. Kd1 Rh1+ 78. Kc2 e2 79. Re8+ Kf3 80. Kd2 Rd1+ 81. Kc3 e1=Q+ 82. Rxe1 Rxe1 83. Kb3 Ke4 84. Kb4 f3 85. Kc5 Rb1 86. Kd6 f2 87. Kc5 f1=Q 88. Kd6 Qa6+ 89. Kc5 Rb5+ 90. Kc4 Qc6#) 76... Rg2 (76... Ra2 77. Re8+ Kf3 78. Rd8 Ra1+ 79. Rd1 Rxd1+ 80. Kxd1 Kf2 81. Kc2 e2 82. Kb3 e1=Q 83. Kc4 f3 84. Kb3 Kg3 85. Ka4 f2 86. Kb5 f1=Q+ 87. Kc5 Qc3+ 88. Kd6 Qff6+ 89. Kd7 Qcc6#) 77. Kf1 (77. Kd1 {doesn't get the bull off the ice} Ra2 78. Rd8 f3 79. Re8+ Kf4 80. Kc1 f2 81. Rf8+ Ke4 82. Kb1 Rd2 83. Kc1 Kd3 84. Rd8+ Ke2 85. Rxd2+ exd2+ 86. Kb2 d1=Q 87. Ka3 f1=Q 88. Kb4 Qd4+ 89. Ka3 Qfa1+ 90. Kb3 Qaa4#) 77... Kf3 { Black prepares the advance e2} (77... Ra2 78. Rd8 Kf3 79. Ke1 Ra1+ 80. Rd1 Rxd1+ 81. Kxd1 Kf2 82. Kc2 e2 83. Kb3 e1=Q 84. Kc4 f3 85. Kb3 Kg3 86. Ka4 f2 87. Kb5 f1=Q+ 88. Kc5 Qc3+ 89. Kd6 Qff6+ 90. Kd7 Qcc6#) 78. Rh3+ Rg3 79. Rh8 ( 79. Rh1 {does not win a prize} Rg5 80. Rh3+ Kg4 81. Rh1 f3 82. Rh8 Ra5 83. Rg8+ Kh5 84. Rh8+ Kg6 85. Kg1 f2+ 86. Kf1 Ra1+ 87. Ke2 f1=Q+ 88. Kxe3 Qc1+ 89. Kd4 Qd2+ 90. Kc4 Qc2+ 91. Kd4 Rd1+ 92. Ke3 Qc3+ 93. Kf4 Rd4+ 94. Ke5 Qe3#) 79... e2+ (79... e2+ 80. Ke1 Rg1+ 81. Kd2 e1=Q+ 82. Kd3 Qe4+ 83. Kc3 Rc1+ 84. Kb2 Qc2+ 85. Ka3 Ra1+ 86. Kb4 Rb1+ 87. Ka3 Qb3#) 0-1