The Wing Gambit Strikes Again! | Road to FM

Hello all! After a long break from posting content, I'm back! I was really busy with many things such as schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Now, as I have some more time on my hands, I plan to post some blogs about tournaments and games that I've played during this two-month hiatus and share some of the things I've learned from them!

To start off, as I was trying to get back into the rhyme and rhythm of consistently practicing, studying, and playing chess, I ended up playing this crushing game where I beat my opponent in just 23 moves with some killer aggressive play! I hope you guys enjoy this game (link here if you want to check it out), and without further ado, let's jump right into it!

Analysis:

Key Takeaways:

1. 4.Nf3 develops a piece, which is better than 4.axb4, which would help black develop his bishop. When you give up material, you need to gain compensation in some form or another. Development and piece activity is one way to balance the loss of material!

2. 5...b6 from black was a bit too slow, especially paired with 6...Nf6. If 6...Bb7 had been played, white would have some issues to resolve.

3. Always think about your opponent's ideas! What would you play if you were in their shoes? 8...Ne7 failed to spot a typical idea behind the move 5...Nxa3, which is 9.Nb5! heading into the juicy d6 outpost. This was the first real mistake of the game for my opponent.

4. 9...Nec6! Is a great move from my opponent, realizing that although that same knight was just moved a move earlier, it is the best way to solve black's spatial and development issues.

5. 14...g6?? is the second big mistake from black. Don't move pawns in front of your king if you don't have to! It simply weakens your position unnecessarily, and many times, it allows your opponent to use that pawn as a hook, like I did in the game.

6. 16.d5! Prioritizing piece activity is so crucial when going for the kill. After black recaptures with 16...exd5, white can simply castle with 17.0-0!! After getting his king to safety, black will simply have nothing in response to white's beautiful bishop pair.

7. It's never too late to mess up a good position. Always think about your opponent's ideas, and refrain from taking unnecessary risks when there are easier paths to victory. 17.h5, 18.h5, and 20.Qxf3 would all throw away some or all of white's advantage.

8. Take control of the game! Don't play reactive moves all the time. After 19...Bf3, attacking my queen, I looked for tactical opportunities to attack black rather than respond to the basic threat of his bishop attacking my queen. 20.Ne7 basically ended this crushing attacking game.