C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 O-O 6.c3 d5 7.Bb3)

This game was originally shared in the post C50 Italian Game: Hungarian Defense. That post has been renamed to C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack (8...Bf6). The info about the team match is out of date since it was typed when I orginally shared the game. This game is taken from a team match called Art of Chess vs VIP ChessQueen. It was played between Art of Chess and VIP Paul Morphy Chess on 46 boards. I played board 5 for VIP CHESS and won both my games on time. During the same day, February 19th 2015, I won four games against this same opponent on time. It is always annoying to win these correspondence games on time as the games seem really unfinished, especially when the situation on the board does not correspond with the result. The match ended with a score 58 - 34 in favor of the home team Art of Chess. This match started December 1st 2014, finished on April 29th, 2015 and players who signed up for the match had to be rated under 2000.

This game followed the first game in the post C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack (8...Bf6) only up to the move 3...Be7. In that first game leduar played 4.c3. In this game JogadorAmador played 4.d3. There is nothing really wrong with either move, but 4.d3 is slightly better. The first position of interest can be seen below. In that position I chose to play the move 11...Bd6. It was a bad move after which I was clearly worse or at least quite close to it.

A few moves later I made an even clearer mistake by playing 15...g6 in the position below. The game continued with the moves 16.Bh6 Rfe8 17.Ng5. Then I made the worst move of the game so far, 17...Nd8?? After that I should have been in a lost position. However, there was only one move that could have taken the winning advantage and that move was 18.f4. JogadorAmador played 18.a4 instead and I was let off the hook a bit.

JogadorAmador's 18th move did keep the advantage in side of my opponent and that did not change during the remainder of the game. I only won because my opponent did not make his 23rd move and lost on time.

Game number two. This game was played in the "atadros's mini-tournament V". 11 players participated in this mini-tournament and I was 9th in the final standings. I was only able to gather 5.5 points in 20 games, so this was really bad mini-tournament from my point of view. In this game I faced atadros, the player who created this mini-tournament. Atadros was on 4th place in the final standings and my opponent was able to gather 13.5 points. The mini-tournament was won by a player called desaparicidos (2080). The winner gathered 17.5 points out of the possible 20 points.

The same moves were seen in this game as they were seen in the first game in this post up to the move 7...Bg4. Only the move order was slightly different. The move order was the same only up to the move 3...Be7, but when in game two the move order was 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nbd2 O-O 6.c3 d5 7.Bb3 Bg4, in this game the move order was 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 O-O 6.Bb3 d5 7.Nbd2 Bg4. In the first game JogadorAmador played 8.O-O and in this newer game atadros chose to play 8.Qe2. It is not really an improvement to the older move, actually it might be somewhat worse. However, there is no significant difference between the two, so 8.Qe2 is also a decent move. Atadros was the first one to make a mistake in this game. It was a bad idea for my opponent to castle long in the position below.

My reply, 13...a6, was designed to protect the advance of my b-pawn. It was a bit slow plan and it was a better idea to move my knight to a5. It is according to Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT Black's best move against 13.O-O-O and the only move that would have given me a clear advantage. The move I played in the game did not give me much. A few moves later atadros made a huge blunder that could have lost the game. In the position below atadros played 18.g5??

I had the possible line to victory in my grasp, but I let it go, because I could not see the continuation starting from 18...bxc3. I played the inaccurate move 18...hxg5 instead and my opponent was back in the game again. Atadros replied by taking the pawn on g5 with the knight and the position was about even. Then I blundered and played 19...Qc8, after which it was my turn to be on the losing side of the board. For some reason my opponent played 20.Rc1 instead of the obvious looking and winning move 20.Qc4. After both players had missed their chance to get a winning advantage, the game continued quite evenly until it was my turn to get the winning advantage again in the position below. Atadros made a huge mistake by playing 24.Ng3??

I was able to find the best move 24...Bxc3 and things looked to be going my way again. Unfortunately for me, I was not able to play accurately all the way to the end and when we reached the position below, I threw my advantage away with the move 28...Nxf3. Even after my sloppy move 28...Nxf3, I should be slightly favored, but it would be unlikely that I would actually win the game.

Only a couple of moves later I made the game losing blunder when I played 30...Qe7 in the next position. In order to keep my small advantage, I should have played 30...c5. It was perhaps my best chance to keep me on the better side of the board.

Atadros answered with the move 31.Rg1 and no matter what I do, I should be quite lost. I did my best to prevent the inevitable defeat, but I accepted my loss in the position after 37.Ka3 and resigned.

[Event "Art of Chess vs VIP ChessQueen - Board"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2014.12.01"] [Round "?"] [White "JogadorAmador"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C55"] [WhiteElo "1490"] [BlackElo "1876"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "44"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 {Italian Game: Hungarian Defense} 4. d3 (4. d4 exd4 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 {Italian Game: Hungarian Defense. Tartakower Variation }) 4... Nf6 5. Nbd2 O-O 6. c3 d5 7. Bb3 {C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack} Bg4 8. O-O (8. h3 Bh5 9. Qe2 dxe4 10. dxe4 Bg6 11. Nh4 Bxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Nf5 Nf6 14. O-O Re8 15. Qc4 Rf8 16. Qb5 Qd7 17. Nxe7+ Qxe7 18. Qxb7 Na5 19. Qf3 Nxb3 20. axb3 Rfd8 21. Ra5 Qe6 22. b4 e4 {Vardi,S (1945)-Gottfried,J (1653) Jerusalem 2015 1-0 (37)}) 8... Qd7 $146 (8... dxe4 9. dxe4 Nd7 10. h3 (10. Qe2 Nc5 11. Bc2 Qd6 12. b4 Nd7 13. h3 Bh5 14. Bb3 Nb6 15. Rd1 Rad8 16. g4 Qg6 17. Nh2 Rd6 18. Kh1 Bxg4 19. hxg4 Rfd8 20. Ndf3 Nc4 21. Rxd6 Nxd6 22. Bd5 Nc8 23. b5 Na5 24. Nxe5 Qf6 {Huynh Mai Phuong,D-Bui T Mai,T Can Tho 2001 1-0 (41)}) 10... Bh5 11. Qe2 Kh8 12. Rd1 Qe8 13. Nf1 Nc5 14. Ng3 Nxb3 15. axb3 Bg6 16. Be3 f6 17. b4 b6 18. Rd2 a5 19. b5 Na7 20. c4 Bb4 21. Rdd1 Nc8 22. Rac1 Nd6 23. Nd2 {Woolley,J (2082) -Hanley,C (2388) Halifax 2005 0-1 (42)}) (8... d4 9. h3 Bh5 10. Qe2 b5 11. g4 Nxg4 12. hxg4 Bxg4 13. Bd5 Rb8 14. Qe1 Bg5 15. Nh2 Bh3 16. Ndf3 Bxc1 17. Qxc1 Ne7 18. Bb3 Ng6 19. Qg5 Bxf1 20. Rxf1 dxc3 21. bxc3 Qxd3 22. Qf5 c5 23. Bd5 {Mamikonian,T (2283)-Pap,M (2500) Rethymno 2012 0-1 (55)}) (8... Re8 9. Re1 Bf8 10. h3 Bh5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. d4 f6 13. Qc2 Bg6 14. Qd1 exd4 15. Rxe8 Bxe8 16. cxd4 Bf7 17. Nf1 Qd7 18. Ne3 Rd8 19. Nxd5 Bxd5 20. Be3 {1/2-1/2 (20) Adamowicz, K (2131)-Olsarova,K (2192) Kemer 2009}) (8... dxe4 9. dxe4 Qd6 10. Ba4 $11) 9. Qe2 (9. h3 dxe4 10. dxe4 Bh5 $14) 9... dxe4 10. dxe4 a6 11. Nc4 Bd6 12. Bg5 Nh5 (12... Ne8 13. Rfd1 $14) 13. h3 {White threatens to win material: h3xg4} Be6 14. Rad1 Bxc4 (14... h6 15. Bc1 Nf6 16. Nfxe5 Nxe5 17. Nxe5 $14) 15. Qxc4 (15. Bxc4 h6 16. Be3 $16) 15... g6 $2 (15... Na5 16. Nxe5 {Deflection: d6} Qe8 17. Qxf7+ Rxf7 18. Bxf7+ Qxf7 19. Nxf7 Kxf7 20. Bh4 $14) 16. Bh6 (16. Qd5 Qe8 $16) 16... Rfe8 17. Ng5 Nd8 $4 {cause more grief} (17... Re7 $16) 18. a4 (18. f4 $142 {secures the point} exf4 19. g4 $18) 18... Qe7 (18... b5 19. axb5 axb5 20. Qe2 $14) 19. Rd2 Nf4 20. Rfd1 Nfe6 (20... Nde6 21. Nf3 $16) 21. Nxe6 Nxe6 22. a5 Qf6 (22... Qf6 23. Be3 Red8 $16) 0-1 [Event "atadros's mini-tournament V"] [Site "http://gameknot.com/chess.pl?"] [Date "2016.05.31"] [Round "?"] [White "atadros"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C55"] [WhiteElo "1967"] [BlackElo "1808"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s), TV"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Be7 {Italian Game: Hungarian Defense} 4. c3 (4. d4 exd4 5. c3 Nf6 6. e5 Ne4 {Italian Game: Hungarian Defense, Tartakower Variation }) 4... Nf6 5. d3 O-O 6. Bb3 d5 7. Nbd2 {C55 Two Knights: 4.d3, 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 and Max Lange Attack} Bg4 8. Qe2 (8. h3 Bh5 9. g4 (9. O-O Qd7 10. Re1 Rad8 11. Qe2 Rfe8 12. Nf1 Bg6 13. Ng3 h6 14. Nh4 Bh7 15. Nhf5 Bc5 16. Qf3 Ne7 17. Nxh6+ Kf8 18. Nh5 Qe6 19. Nxf6 Qxf6 20. Qxf6 gxf6 21. Ng4 Kg7 22. Bh6+ Kg6 23. Bc2 d4 {Nguyen,H (1640)-Rosenhain,R (1766) Willingen 2015 1-0 (42)}) 9... Bg6 10. Qe2 Bc5 11. Bc2 a5 12. Nf1 a4 13. Ng3 b5 14. a3 Re8 15. Bg5 h6 16. Bd2 Na5 17. g5 Nh5 18. Nxh5 Bxh5 19. Rg1 Nb3 20. Bxb3 axb3 21. gxh6 g6 22. Rg5 Ra6 {Grbac,B (2125)-Fercec,N (2450) Porec 2015 0-1 (32)}) 8... dxe4 9. dxe4 Bc5 $146 { Black has a king attack} (9... Kh8 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Nxf3 Nd7 12. O-O Nc5 13. Bd5 Bd6 14. Ng5 Qf6 15. Qh5 Qg6 16. Nxf7+ Rxf7 17. Qxg6 hxg6 18. Bxf7 Kh7 19. Bd5 Nd7 20. Be3 Nf6 21. Bxc6 bxc6 22. f3 a5 23. c4 c5 24. Rfd1 {Sukandar,I (2275) -Lee,W (2033) Macau 2007 1-0}) (9... Nh5 10. g3 Bc5 11. h3 Be6 12. Nc4 Qf6 13. Ne3 Bxe3 14. Bxe3 Bxb3 15. axb3 Qe7 16. b4 Rfe8 17. O-O Nf6 18. Qc2 Qe6 19. Kg2 a6 20. Nd2 Rad8 21. Rfd1 h6 22. b3 Rd7 23. Nc4 Red8 24. Rxd7 {Mucha,M (1976) -Bukowska,K (1887) Szczyrk 2014 1/2-1/2 (38)}) 10. Nf1 {Black has an active position} Qe7 {White king safety improved} 11. Bg5 h6 {Black threatens to win material: h6xg5} 12. Bd2 (12. Bh4 Rad8 $11) 12... Rad8 13. O-O-O $2 (13. Ng3 a6 $11) 13... a6 (13... Na5 $5 $17) 14. h3 Be6 15. Bxe6 Qxe6 ({Inferior is} 15... fxe6 16. g4 $14) 16. Kb1 b5 17. g4 b4 (17... Qc4 $142 18. Qxc4 bxc4 $15) 18. g5 $4 {not a good decision, because now the opponent is right back in the game} ( 18. Ng3 bxc3 19. Bxc3 Nd4 20. Bxd4 Bxd4 21. Nxd4 Rxd4 22. Rxd4 exd4 $11) 18... hxg5 (18... bxc3 $142 {and the rest is a matter of technique} 19. Rc1 Nb4 $19) 19. Nxg5 $14 Qc8 $2 (19... Qe7 20. Ng3 g6 21. h4 bxc3 22. Bxc3 Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 $11) 20. Rc1 $4 {Loses material. a transit from better to worse} (20. Qc4 $142 {White has a promising position} Bxf2 21. Qxc6 $18) 20... Qb7 $11 {Black has an active position} 21. Ng3 bxc3 22. Bxc3 Bd4 23. Nh5 (23. Nf5 Rd7 $11) 23... Rd6 $15 24. Ng3 $4 (24. Nxf6+ $142 {is just about the only chance} Rxf6 25. Nf3 $15) 24... Bxc3 $19 25. Rxc3 Nd4 26. Qe3 (26. Qc4 Rb6 27. b3 Nb5 $19) 26... Rb6 (26... Rb8 $142 {might be the shorter path} 27. b3 a5 28. Nxf7 Kxf7 $19) 27. Qc1 (27. b3 c5 28. Kc1 $19 (28. Rxc5 $4 Nxb3 29. Rc3 Nd2+ 30. Kc2 Rb2+ 31. Kd1 Rxa2 $19)) 27... c6 (27... Rb8 $142 {secures the win} 28. b3 Nxb3 29. axb3 Rxb3+ 30. Kc2 Rxc3+ 31. Kxc3 Qb4+ 32. Kd3 Qd4+ 33. Ke2 Rb2+ 34. Qxb2 Qxb2+ 35. Ke3 $19) 28. Nf3 $4 {causes further problems for White} (28. Rh2 Rb8 29. f3 Ne8 $17) 28... Nxf3 (28... Rb8 $142 {makes sure everything is clear} 29. Ka1 Rxb2 30. Nxd4 exd4 $19) 29. Rxf3 $15 Rb8 30. b3 Qe7 $4 {Black lets it slip away} ( 30... c5 $142 {was possible} 31. Rg1 Nxe4 $15) 31. Rg1 $18 Qe6 (31... Kf8 { what else?} 32. Nf5 Qb4 $18) 32. Nf5 g6 33. Qh6 Ne8 34. Rg4 Qd7 (34... Rxb3+ { doesn't change the outcome of the game} 35. axb3 Rxb3+ 36. Rxb3 Qxb3+ 37. Kc1 Qa3+ 38. Kd1 Qd3+ 39. Ke1 Qb1+ 40. Ke2 Qc2+ 41. Kf1 Qd1+ 42. Kg2 Qxg4+ 43. hxg4 gxf5 44. Qxc6 Kf8 45. Qc5+ Kg8 46. Qe7 fxe4 47. Qxe8+ Kg7 48. Qxe5+ Kg6 49. Qxe4+ Kh6 50. f4 a5 51. g5+ Kg7 52. f5 a4 53. f6+ Kh8 54. Qe8+ Kh7 55. Qxf7+ Kh8 56. Qg7#) 35. Rh4 Qd1+ (35... Rxb3+ {does not solve anything} 36. axb3 Qd1+ 37. Kb2 Qd2+ 38. Qxd2 Rb7 39. Qd8 Rb8 40. Qxb8 gxf5 41. Qxe8+ Kg7 42. Qh8+ Kg6 43. Rg3#) 36. Kb2 Qe2+ (36... Rxb3+ {cannot change destiny} 37. axb3 Qd2+ 38. Qxd2 Rb7 39. Qd8 Rb8 40. Qxb8 gxf5 41. Qxe8+ Kg7 42. Qh8+ Kg6 43. Rg3#) 37. Ka3 (37. Ka3 Qb2+ 38. Kxb2 Rxb3+ 39. axb3 Rxb3+ 40. Rxb3 f6 41. Qxg6+ Ng7 42. Qxg7# ) 1-0