Luck and the Duck + Drunken Knights

[Event "?"]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 {If White plays this move we have what we call an Open Sicilian leading to many differently named variations, if White refrains from playing 3.d4 it is termed a Closed Sicilian. The current OTB fashion is to play a Closed Sicilian to avoid Black's pet variation.} 3... cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 {The Sicilian Dragon. White will 0-0-0 and throw up his h-pawn and tear in the Black King. Black will use the ½ open c-file, the g7 Bishop to tear into the White King. That is the strategy for both sides of this opening, but first both sides must develop.} 6. Be3 Bg7 7. f3 {This wee pawn move has three reasons, Extra protection for e-pawn to take the burden off the c3 Knight, stops Black from play Ng4 hitting the e3 Bishop and prepares in most lines g4.} 7... O-O 8. Qd2 Nc6 9. Bc4 Bd7 10. O-O-O Rc8 11. Bb3 {OK the developing bit is over. Let's Rock and Roll.} 11... Ne5 12. h4 Nc4 13. Bxc4 Rxc4 14. g4 Qa5 15. Nb3 Qa6 16. h5 Rxc3 {Still theory, this exchange sac is always on in any Open Sicilian, especially when White has 0-0-0. Often, without theory to back you up, it is not possible to analyse all the ramifications over the board. Rule of thumb. If White's attack is looking very threatening, then just do it. Don't wait till it's too late.} 17. Qxc3 {At last we are out of the book. 17.bxc3 is the move. White no doubt could see the discovered attack on his Queen coming but perhaps intended to answer 17...Nxe4 with Qd3 getting the Queens off and being the exchange up.} 17... Nd5 {Good move. White missed this. Now he does not have 18. Qd3 as a Queen swap idea, it will only transpose into the game.} 18. Qd2 Nxe3 19. Qxe3 Qxa2 {And Black is in first. Not only are pawns dropping like Autumn leaves the White King is on the run. The mere loss of the exchange is not going to be a factor in this game.} 20. Nd4 Qa1+ 21. Kd2 Qxb2 22. Ke2 Rc8 {White shaken up by the turn of events and no doubt still stunned he missed 17...Nd5 now blunders big time. He now had to play 23.hxg6 and hope Black screws up his win.} 23. Rc1 {That drops the d4 Knight and taking it right away (23...Bxd4) was good. But Black calmly squeezes the position just that little bit more.} 23... Rc3 {Obviously Black is being influenced by The Duck and showing he is alert to all the wee tactical trick on a chessboard. This move stops the double attack on the d4 Knight but sets a snare.} 24. Qf2 Bxd4 25. Qxd4 Rxc2+ {See it now. Instead of winning the d4 Knight Black now pockets the White Queen.} 26. Rxc2 {If 26.Ke3 Re2+} 26... Qxd4 {And White resigned a few moves later. Good game.}

1. Na3 e5 2. Nc4 Nc6 3. e4 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nfxe5 Nxe5 6. Nxe5 {Looks like a line from the Petroff except in this case then b1 and b8 Knights are missing. This makes a difference.} 6... d5 7. Qf3 Be6 8. Bb5+ {And there it is. With a Knight on b8 Black could play 8...c6. Notice White has refrained from playing d4, so he may know how serious a check on b4 or b5 is from a previous game.} 8... Ke7 9. O-O f6 10. d3 {White offers this trade as it will lead to an opening up of the board allowing him to get at the uncastled Black King.} 10... Nd6 {Black naturally tries to keep the lines closed. What follows is instructive punishment as White pulls out of the bag a few alert tricks based around the exposed Black King.} 11. Ba4 {Black cannot play 11...fxe5 as 12.Bg5+ wins the Queen.} 11... c6 {Looks natural but...} 12. Bxc6 {And 12...bxc6 picks up the Queen with 13.Nxc6+} 12... Qc7 13. Bxd5 {Back to the plan of opening up the position.} 13... Bxd5 14. Qxd5 {With the Black King now opened up White is not afraid to let a piece go. The e5 Knight is actually the Knight that started all of this with 1.Na3.} 14... fxe5 15. Qxe5+ Kd8 16. Bf4 {White has three pawns and an attack for the 1.Na3 Knight. Black, who survived two trick attempts on his Queen, tries to stifle the attack with a Queen swap.} 16... Qe7 17. Bg5 {Well the Queen swap idea to certain extent worked.. Black has swapped his Queen for a Bishop. Black resigned.}

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. f3 {Quite a common reply (check out the RHP DB.) Black can now get a good game with 3...dxe4 4.fxe4 Qh5+ as has happened quite a few times on here.} 3... Na6 {The first of the Drunken Knights.} 4. Nc3 Nh6 {That is both drunken Knights developed.} 5. Qe2 f5 6. exd5 b6 7. dxe6 Qxd4 8. Bg5 Bc5 9. Qb5+ c6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 {OK here we go....} 11. Qxa8+ {One....} 11... Nb8 12. Qxb8+ {Two....} 12... Bc8 13. Qxc8+ {Three.....} 13... Qd8 14. Qxd8# {Four....and Checkmate.}