Marcel Duchamp and Spiderman

1. c4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 {Black has a choice here Bxc3+ or Castles. Infact they will both most likely transpose. (I know it's a pointless note but I had to write something.)} 7... Ne4 {This is the Marcel blunder. On the surface it does appear at the very least that Black will get the three developed White pieces for his Queen. This is usually a good trade for Queen sac player. However White is fully alert....} 8. Bxd8 Nxc3 9. Nxc6 {The move Marcel missed. When the tactics start (and they can come at anytime) then you must consider all captures forgetting the value of any piece. You have to spot the key tactical stroke. The move by which the whole combination hangs.} 9... Nxd1+ 10. Nxb4 {Obviously missed by Duchamp but spotted by Muller. Black slapped his forehead and resigned. Now matter how you work it, Black ends up a piece down.}

1. c4 Nf6 2. d3 e5 3. Nc3 d5 {Accepting, or going for, a pure Sicilian in reverse. If White was Black then he would without a doubt he would have played one of the most automatic captures in chess history (3.cxd4)} 4. Bg5 {As I said cxd5 was the best move. Not doing so White sets himself up for a sound Duchamp.} 4... d4 {Now 4.Nd5, 4.Ne4 or Nb1.} 5. Ne4 {The worst choice of all.} 5... Nxe4 6. Bxd8 Bb4+ {White resigned. He comes out this a piece down.}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 {This move is a genuine gambit. (or blatant trap...take your pick) Black gives up a pawn for an open position and trades off an active White piece. Worth a try in blitz, infact it's worth a try OTB. I went for it once v an IM OTB...and lost....badly....very badly.....I'm still having counselling.} 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 {Now 6.Be2 then 7.0-0 and Black with no central control will be asking a lot of himself to create something from this. Note here the tempting 6.e5 meets the unexpected 6...Ne4! work it out for yourself, that is the most common blunder in this trap.} 6. Bg5 {This meets a common yet still neat refutation.} 6... Nxe4 7. Bxd8 Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4 {White has been checkmated.}

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d5 {Transposing to Marshall’s Defence in the QGD. This defence has it's ardent followers but not amongst the top players. There is one move to avoid...} 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 {That move, although it is perfectly natural and playable (it is not a blunder) it should give Black a playable game. 4.Nf3 first is the top choice.} 4... Nf6 5. Nc3 {Now Black can get an OK game with 5...e5. (that is why 4.Nf3 is the choice move.)} 5... b6 {Black's opening plan is to lay siege to the -pawn. OK it's good to have a plan but White holds e4 with perfectly natural developing moves.} 6. Nf3 Bb7 {All part of the plan. This was 2008. In 2010 Zaibo9 tried the same plan and come unstuck (we will that game next).} 7. Bd3 e6 8. O-O a6 9. Bg5 Nbd7 {I like White, more space, fully developed. Black has a non-castling idea in mind. Not a bad idea. Infact I like to see players use ideas. It's better than making random moves. Read on.} 10. e5 {You could say not yet, bring in the Rooks to e1 and c1. consider d5 with the King uncastled. But 10.e5 is OK maybe just a tad too early.} 10... h6 {The standard defence when faced with a pinned Knight on f6 getting hit by e5.} 11. Bh4 g5 12. Nxg5 {That's fine. Yes it opens up the files v the White castled King but there is no danger yet.} 12... Rg8 {That is wrong. Black should have taken the g5 Knight. Now with 13.Nf3 White can pick up the f6 Knight. Black has no attack down the g-file.} 13. Nge4 {But this move returns the blunder favour. White has missed....} 13... Nxe4 {And now there is an attack, combined with that b7 Bishop down the g-file .} 14. Bxd8 Nxc3 {And White resigned! He is totally busted. The continuation White saw coming is.} 15. bxc3 Rxg2+ 16. Kh1 Rxf2+ 17. Kg1 Rg2+ 18. Kh1 Rg3+ 19. Rf3 Bxf3+ 20. Qxf3 Rxf3 {Let’s keep going, there is a Bishop fork in the position.} 21. Be4 Rxc3 22. Bxa8 Kxd8 {White is a piece and two pawns down.}

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 Nf6 5. Nc3 b6 {The Zaibo9 plan.} 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 g5 8. Bg3 Bb7 9. Bd3 e6 10. Be5 {Not liking that. White was perhaps worried about encouraging the Black pawns to throw themselves at the future castled position. But that is ages away. Weaker players worry about all the wrong things at all the wrong times. Just develop that g1 Knight.} 10... Bg7 {Why not the simple 10..Nbd7.} 11. Nh3 Na6 {OOPS! that's a slack one.} 12. O-O {OOPS! 12.Bxa6 Bxa6. 13.Qa4+ (Check all Checks) wins a piece.} 12... Rg8 13. Bxf6 {It's still on. But White has played a forcing move so no OOPS!} 13... Qxf6 14. Bxa6 {Hooray!} 14... Bxa6 15. Qa4+ {Black resigned.}