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Thursday, 24 October 2024

My Very Earliest Online Chess Game

 The search continues.  I thought my previous post on my earliest online Chess game was the earliest, at 2020.  I've beaten that, with a Chess game from 2014.  Given that my blog was launched in 2010, I think I might have to search even harder.

Anyway, here's my first Chess game on Chess.com, and this one is another long-term game, with a move every three days.

I played Black, against fergosa, on 20 June 2014.

1. e4 e5
2. Bc4 Nf6

It was a recurring theme of my earliest online Chess games that my opponents would try to mate me as quickly as possible, and would therefore play ill-advised or reckless moves.  Meanwhile, I would play the sensible replies and gain an advantage from a more stable position.
  
3. d3 Nc6
4. Bg5 Be7
5. Bxf6 gxf6



No, it's not great to double my pawns, and I'm sure this would be criticised by all the experts, but I want to open the g file in case my opponent castles short.

6. Qh5 O-O
7. Qg4+ Kh8



Ok, he got a check, but my king is safe in the corner and I've vacated the g-file for my rook.

8. Qd1 f5
9. exf5 d5



Well, goodbye to my doubled pawns, and hello to an activated bishop and a pawn break in the centre.

10. Bb5 Nd4
11. Ba4 Bxf5
12. Nf3 Bg4
13. Nbd2 e4


"Always attack pinned pieces."

14. h3 Bxf3
15. Nxf3 exf3

I wonder if I could have played this better, but in the end I shattered white's kingside pawns - before he can castle short - and was a knight up.  And it's an advanced knight, in the middle of the board.

16. gxf3 c6
17. O-O Qd7

He castled kingside?  Surely the end is nigh!  I played c6 to shore up my pawn, and also to give me the d7 square for my queen.  I'm now eyeing h3.

18. c3? Qxh3

Surely 18. Kh2 was better?  Oh well...

19. b3? Rg8# 


Fiddling with queenside pawns while I finally get to place my rook on the g8 square.  And deliver checkmate!


Not perfect, but a lot of fun! 

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