what a mess

C - K
April Match (2), 08.04.2006
C29 - Vienna Gambit

This was a funny game. I'm sure Fritz will jump all over it. 1.e4 [I decided to play 1.Nc3 , but I suspected that Kirk wouldn't transpose into something proper, so I decided to invite 1.e4 e5 and play the Vienna] 1...e5 2.Nc3!? Nf6 3.f4 The Vienna Gambit 3...d5! The strongest move at this point. I had thought about this previously and I decided to play it as a "bad" Falkbeer with Nc3 and Nf6 thrown in 4.exd5? [4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 is the mainline and is better than what happened;
4.d3 is also playable] 4...Bc5? [4...Nxd5;
4...exf4;
4...e4 were all better I think. Chessgames.com didn't have ...Bc5 listed] 5.Bb5+!? following Tchigorin's example, but it threw a real wrench into the proceedings [5.fxe5 Nxd5 6.Nf3 may have been okay] 5...c6 6.dxc6 bxc6 7.fxe5 and Fritz agreed with me. let's see what happens 7...Ng4 8.Ne4? [I had thought about 8.Qf3! , but I couldn't makee it work as I still thought that 8...Nf2 was good for Black but I guess after 9.Bxc6+ Nxc6 10.Qxc6+ Bd7 11.Qxc5 Nxh1 I'm better. That's disappointing] 8...Bxg1 and Now I'm down a piece 9.Nd6+ Ke7? [9...Kf8 was much better. Avoiding the check when I take with the knight] 10.Qf3? [10.Rxg1 was much better as the bishop could not be taken 10...cxb5 11.Qf3] 10...Nxe5 I thought I was screwed but luckily 11.Nxc8+ was there getting the queen off the d-file 11...Qxc8 12.Qa3+ Ke8 13.Rxg1 cxb5 14.d4 Nc4 I missed this move 15.Qf3 Qe6+ 16.Kd1 [16.Kf2 Qf6 and he's better] 16...Nc6?? [16...Qc6 would have been better. I was worse the whole game but missed a lot of tactics] 17.Re1= and I offered a draw but he resigned. We both missed quite a lot. I think it's good that we played an open game like this. It really showed me what I need to work on 1-0