A16 English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...d5 (1.c4 c5 2.g3 Nc6 3.Bg2 Nf6 4.e4 g6 5.f4 d6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.Nc3 O-O)

This is one of the thousands of 5 minute games that I have played since I started playing chess. This being a blitz game, it may be more acceptable that there were some really silly mistakes from both sides. First of them was the move 6.Nf3, but as it was replied with Bg7, the mistake was not punished by me. I would like to say that I do not leave pieces hanging in my longer games, but it is something that I did last Wednesday at a club tournament, so maybe the time control alone does not remove the horrible moves. In that over the board game I lost a bishop for free on move six and a pawn on move nine, but due to very passive moves from my opponent, I was able to win that game eventually... Anyway, back to this game.

The second time that I had the opportunity to take the pawn on e4 for free, I did not hesitate to grab it. The move 10.Nd5 was the starting point for my opponent's downfall and the game was quickly completely lost for my opponent. I was not only up a pawn, but I also had a lead in development.

[Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.07.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Kojjootti"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A16"] [WhiteElo "1714"] [BlackElo "1800"] [Annotator "Stockfish 9 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. c4 c5 2. g3 Nc6 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. e4 (4. e3 e6 5. Ne2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. d4 d5 8. cxd5 exd5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. Nbc3 Bg4 11. h3 Bh5 12. Qb3 Bxe2 13. Nxe2 Qb6 14. Qxb6 axb6 15. Bd2 Ne4 16. Bc3 Rfd8 17. Rfd1 b5 18. a3 Nxc3 {Cardoso Garcia,S (2137)-Bouzo Alvarez,J (2286) Malaga 2003 1/2-1/2 (99)}) (4. a3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nc3 Nc7 7. d3 e5 8. Nf3 Rb8 9. O-O Be7 10. Nd2 Bd7 11. Nc4 f6 12. Nd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Bh3 14. Bg2 Bxg2 15. Kxg2 b5 16. Ne3 Nd4 17. Bd2 O-O 18. b4 f5 { De Lima,A (2007)-Hiramine,R (2080) Natal 2016 0-1 (45)}) 4... g6 $146 (4... e5 5. Ne2 d6 6. Nbc3 Be6 7. d3 a6 8. a3 Be7 9. f4 Bg4 10. f5 Nd4 11. h3 Bf3 12. Kf2 Bxg2 13. Kxg2 g6 14. Nxd4 cxd4 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. cxd5 gxf5 17. exf5 Bg5 18. g4 h5 19. Bxg5 {Hill,M-Hayes,P Detroit 1994 0-1}) 5. f4 (5. d3 d6 $11) 5... d6 6. Nf3 (6. d3 Bg7 $11) 6... Bg7 (6... Nxe4 $142 $5 7. Nc3 Nxc3 8. dxc3 Bg7 $17) 7. Nc3 $15 O-O {A16 English Opening: 1...Nf6 with ...d5} (7... a6 8. d3 $11) 8. O-O (8. d3 a6 $11) 8... Bg4 (8... Rb8 $142 $11) 9. Qb3 (9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Rb8 $11) 9... b6 (9... Na5 10. Qd1 Nxc4 11. h3 Bxf3 12. Rxf3 $17) 10. Nd5 $4 { White lets it slip away} (10. h3 $142 {is a viable option} Bc8 11. d3 $11) 10... Nxe4 $17 11. d3 (11. Ne3 Bxf3 12. Bxf3 Nd4 $17) 11... Nf6 12. Ng5 $4 { White falls apart} (12. Ne3 $142 $17) 12... Nxd5 $19 13. Bxd5 Nd4 14. Qa4 Rb8 15. h3 (15. Bf3 {what else?} b5 16. cxb5 Nxf3+ 17. Nxf3 $19) 15... Bd7 16. Qd1 h6 17. Ne4 (17. Nxf7 {is not the saving move} Rxf7 18. Bxf7+ Kxf7 $19) 17... Bxh3 (17... e6 {makes it even easier for Black} 18. Kh2 exd5 19. cxd5 $19) 18. Rf2 (18. Nc3 {is still a small chance} h5 19. Be4 $19) 18... e6 19. Rh2 (19. Nf6+ {does not improve anything} Qxf6 20. Bg2 Qf5 $19) 19... Bf5 (19... exd5 $5 {seems even better} 20. cxd5 Bf5 21. Be3 $19) 20. g4 (20. Bc6 {doesn't change anything anymore} Nxc6 21. g4 Bxe4 22. dxe4 Nd4 $19) 20... exd5 21. cxd5 (21. gxf5 {a fruitless try to alter the course of the game} dxe4 22. dxe4 Qe7 $19) 21... Bd7 (21... Bxe4 $5 {and Black can already relax} 22. dxe4 Qe7 23. e5 dxe5 24. f5 $19) 22. f5 gxf5 23. gxf5 Bxf5 24. Bxh6 (24. Bd2 {does not win a prize} Qe7 25. Rg2 Bg6 $19) 24... Bxe4 (24... Bxh6 $142 {might be the shorter path} 25. Rxh6 Kg7 $19) 25. Bxg7 (25. dxe4 {cannot change destiny} Bxh6 26. Qh5 Qf6 27. Qxh6 Qxh6 28. Rxh6 f5 29. exf5 Rxf5 $19) 25... Kxg7 (25... Qg5+ 26. Kf1 Qf5+ 27. Rf2 Qh3+ 28. Ke1 Nf3+ 29. Qxf3 Bxf3 30. Kd2 Kxg7 31. Raf1 Bxd5 32. Rg1+ Kh7 33. Kc2 Rg8 34. Rd1 c4 35. Rfd2 Rg2 36. Kc3 cxd3 37. b3 Rc8+ 38. Kb2 Rc2+ 39. Rxc2 Rxc2+ 40. Ka3 Qc8 41. Rh1+ Bxh1 42. b4 Qa6+ 43. Kb3 Qxa2#) 26. dxe4 Rg8 27. Kh1 (27. Rg2+ {cannot change what is in store for White} Kf6 28. Qh5 Rxg2+ 29. Kxg2 Qg8+ 30. Kf2 Qg5 31. Qxg5+ Kxg5 $19) 27... Kf8 28. Qd2 Qg5 ( 28... Qf6 $142 {keeps an even firmer grip} 29. Qh6+ Ke7 30. Qxf6+ Kxf6 $19) 29. Qf2 (29. Qxg5 {praying for a miracle} Rxg5 30. Rh8+ Rg8 31. Rh7 $19) 29... Re8 30. Rf1 Qg6 31. Qf4 Qxe4+ (31... Rxe4 32. Qh6+ Qxh6 33. Rxh6 Reg4 34. Kh2 f5 35. Rh3 f4 36. Re3 f3 37. Rexf3+ Nxf3+ 38. Rxf3+ Ke7 39. Re3+ Kf6 40. Rd3 Rh8+ 41. Rh3 Rxh3+ 42. Kxh3 Kf5 43. Kh2 Rg5 44. a3 Kf4 45. Kh3 Kf3 46. Kh2 Rg3 47. b3 Kf2 48. a4 Rxb3 49. a5 bxa5 50. Kh1 Rh3#) 32. Qxe4 Rxe4 33. Rhf2 (33. Rh5 { does not save the day} Reg4 34. Rf6 Ke7 35. Rf1 Rg3 36. Rh6 Nf3 37. Rxf3 Rxf3 38. a3 Rfg3 39. Kh2 R3g7 40. b3 f5 41. a4 f4 42. Re6+ Kd7 43. Rh6 Rg2+ 44. Kh1 f3 45. Rh7+ Ke8 46. b4 Rg1+ 47. Kh2 R8g2+ 48. Kh3 Rh1#) 33... Rh4+ (33... Nf3 $1 34. Rh2 Reg4 35. a3 Rg1+ 36. Rxg1 Rxg1#) 34. Rh2 $19 Rxh2+ 35. Kxh2 Rg5 ( 35... f5 36. Kh3 Ke7 37. b4 c4 38. Rd1 Nf3 39. Rf1 f4 40. Rxf3 Rg3+ 41. Rxg3 fxg3 42. Kxg3 c3 43. Kf3 c2 44. Ke2 c1=Q 45. Kd3 Kf6 46. Kd4 Qf4+ 47. Kc3 Ke5 48. a3 Kxd5 49. a4 Qe3+ 50. Kb2 Kc4 51. a5 Qf2+ 52. Ka1 Kc3 53. b5 Qb2#) 36. Rd1 Rxd5 37. Kg3 (37. Kg2 {doesn't change the outcome of the game} a5 $19) 37... Ke7 (37... Nf5+ 38. Kf2 Rxd1 39. Ke2 Rb1 40. b3 Rb2+ 41. Kf3 Nd4+ 42. Kg4 Rxa2 43. b4 cxb4 44. Kf4 Ke7 45. Ke3 b3 46. Kf4 b2 47. Ke3 b1=Q 48. Kf4 Qf1+ 49. Ke3 Qf3+ 50. Kxd4 Ra4#) 38. Kf4 (38. Kf2 $19 {otherwise it's curtains at once}) 38... Ne6+ 39. Ke3 (39. Ke4 {doesn't do any good} Rxd1 40. Ke3 Nd4 41. a3 Rb1 42. b3 Rxb3+ 43. Kf2 Rb2+ 44. Ke1 f5 45. a4 c4 46. a5 c3 47. a6 Re2+ 48. Kd1 f4 49. Kc1 Re1#) 39... Rxd1 (39... Rxd1 40. Ke2 Rb1 41. b3 Rb2+ 42. Kd3 Rxa2 43. b4 cxb4 44. Ke3 b3 45. Kd3 Rc2 46. Ke4 b2 47. Kf5 b1=Q 48. Kg4 Qg1+ 49. Kf3 Qg2+ 50. Ke3 Qe2#) 0-1

Another set of reference games from players that are stronger than me. While in the game notation it says that the move 4...g6 was a novelty, the first time that the game actually went away from previously played lines, was after 8...Bg4, when my opponent played 9.Qb3. Previously there have been two moves that have been tried in that position, 9.h3 (9 times in my database) and 9.d3 (2 times). The highest rated game where 9.h3 was played is included in the publishing tool below.

[Event "Dubai ol (Men)"] [Site "Dubai"] [Date "1986.11.19"] [Round "5"] [White "Tonsingh, Orrin"] [Black "Battikhi, Husein"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A16"] [WhiteElo "2200"] [BlackElo "2205"] [PlyCount "82"] [EventDate "1986.11.15"] [EventType "team-swiss"] [EventRounds "14"] [EventCountry "UAE"] [SourceTitle "TD"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "1994.03.01"] [WhiteTeam "Jamaica"] [BlackTeam "Jordan"] [WhiteTeamCountry "JAM"] [BlackTeamCountry "JOR"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. f4 c5 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. O-O a6 9. d3 Rb8 10. f5 b5 11. cxb5 axb5 12. Kh1 b4 13. Ne2 Qb6 14. h3 c4 15. Ne1 Ba6 16. Nf4 cxd3 17. Nfxd3 Ne5 18. Rg1 Qd4 19. Kh2 Bxd3 20. Bf4 Nfd7 21. Qd2 Qc4 22. a4 bxa3 23. Rxa3 Rxb2 24. Qxb2 Nf3+ 25. Bxf3 Bxb2 26. Rxd3 Ne5 27. Rg2 Nxf3+ 28. Rxf3 Bg7 29. Re3 h6 30. h4 Ra8 31. fxg6 e5 32. Rc2 Qe6 33. gxf7+ Qxf7 34. Ng2 exf4 35. Nxf4 Qf6 36. Nd5 Qf1 37. Ne7+ Kf7 38. Nc6 Ra1 39. Ne5+ dxe5 40. Rc7+ Ke6 41. g4 Ra2+ 0-1 [Event "Oberliga Ost-A 0304"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2004.01.18"] [Round "5.1"] [White "Andre, Gordon"] [Black "Schubert, Thomas"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A16"] [WhiteElo "2317"] [BlackElo "2367"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2003.10.??"] [EventType "team"] [EventRounds "11"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "EXT 2005"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.11.15"] [WhiteTeam "Magdeburg AE"] [BlackTeam "Leipzig Lok"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e4 d6 6. f4 O-O 7. Nf3 Nc6 8. O-O Ne8 9. d3 Nc7 10. Be3 Nd4 11. Qd2 f5 12. Rab1 a5 13. Nd5 Nxf3+ 14. Bxf3 Ne6 15. Bg2 Nd4 16. Rbe1 Rb8 17. b3 e6 18. Nc3 Bd7 19. Rf2 b5 20. cxb5 Bxb5 21. Nxb5 Rxb5 22. Bf3 a4 23. bxa4 Rb2 24. Qd1 Qa5 25. Kg2 Nxf3 26. Kxf3 Rfb8 27. Rxb2 Rxb2 28. Re2 Rb8 29. Qc2 fxe4+ 30. dxe4 Qa6 31. e5 Qc6+ 32. Kf2 Qh1 33. exd6 Rb1 34. Bxc5 Rf1+ 35. Ke3 Qf3+ 36. Kd2 Qd5+ 37. Qd3 Qxc5 0-1 [Event "SCO-ch 111th"] [Site "Hamilton"] [Date "2004.07.12"] [Round "3"] [White "Grant, Jonathan"] [Black "Mannion, Stephen R"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A16"] [WhiteElo "2266"] [BlackElo "2333"] [PlyCount "96"] [EventDate "2004.07.10"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "BER"] [SourceTitle "CBM 101 ext"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2004.09.01"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 c5 3. e4 Nc6 4. f4 d6 5. Nf3 g6 6. g3 Bg7 7. Bg2 O-O 8. O-O Bg4 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Ne8 11. d3 Nc7 12. Be3 Ne6 13. f5 Ned4 14. Bg2 a6 15. Qd2 b5 16. Bh6 bxc4 17. dxc4 Ne5 18. b3 a5 19. Nd5 Bxh6 20. Qxh6 f6 21. Rad1 g5 22. Rd2 Kh8 23. Qh5 a4 24. Qd1 axb3 25. axb3 Ra3 26. Rb2 Qd7 27. Rff2 Rb8 28. h4 g4 29. b4 Nxc4 30. Ra2 Ne3 31. Nxe3 Rxe3 32. bxc5 dxc5 33. Qc1 Rxg3 34. Kh2 Qd6 35. Qf4 Rgb3 36. Kh1 Rb1+ 37. Bf1 Qxf4 38. Rxf4 h5 39. Kg1 Nf3+ 40. Kf2 R1b2+ 41. Rxb2 Rxb2+ 42. Kg3 Rc2 43. Bg2 Ne1 44. Bf1 Rc3+ 45. Kf2 Nf3 46. Be2 Nd4 47. Kg2 c4 48. Rf1 Re3 0-1