The Dangers of Following Theory.

1. e4 e6 2. d4 Qf6 3. e5 Qf5 4. Bd3 {The Queen is lost. When I read this book many many years ago I scarcely believed anyone played such a game.}

1. e4 e6 2. d4 Qf6 3. e5 Qf5 4. g4 {Right idea, hitting the exposed Queen, wrong execution.} 4... Qe4+ {And instead of winning a Queen White losses a Rook.}

1. e4 e6 {The French Defence. Yet another opening that could easily have been called The (John) Cochrane Defence because in 1822 prior to him essaying the first Scotch Game he declared 1.e4 e6 gives Black a playable game. Paris played it v London winning a correspondence match in 1834 hence the name French Defence.} 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 {The Tarrasch variation of the French Defence. This protects the e-pawn and avoids the sharp Winawer Variation 3.Nc3 Bb4.} 3... dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bd3 c5 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 b6 11. Qe2 {A well known theoretical position with Black now playing 11...Bb7. Black followed theory till here and was no doubt thinking about 11...Bb7 but saw White had the Rad1 and Bxh7+ idea up his sleeve. So first he moved his Queen off the d-file.} 11... Qe7 {This move is anti-prophylactic as White now carries out his 11.Qe2 idea. } 12. Bxf6 Qxf6 13. Qe4 {Mate on h7 and eyeing the a8 Rook. Black resigned.}

1. d4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 {If 3...Nf6 I expect White was going to enter the deep waters of the Blackmar Diemar Gambit with 4.f3.} 3... e6 {Black has an opening set up in mind and wants to sail on a calmer sea.} 4. Nxe4 Be7 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bd3 O-O 7. Qe2 {Now 7....Nbd7 or 7...Nc6 and we have a different game.} 7... b6 {You can understand the why. The e6 pawn is blocking the c8 Bishop and the Queens Indian diagonal, a8-h1 is usually a good spot for a Bishop on b7 to snipe from.} 8. Nxf6+ {Removes a defender off h7 and frees the e4 square.} 8... Bxf6 9. Qe4 {Mate or play on a Rook down. 1-0.}

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Be3 {Transposing a French Defence in a form of the Blackmar Gambit.} 3... dxe4 4. Nd2 {In the Blackmar the Knight is often pinned by Bb4 and chopped if it goes to c3 so White sneaks the Knight into play on d2.} 4... Nf6 5. f3 {There is the gambit pawn offered....} 5... exf3 {...and taken. 6....Nd5 hitting the now unprotected e3 Bishop looks very good for Black. Sometimes the rule about moving a piece twice in the opening can be ignored. Don't be scared to look at breaking the rules.} 6. Ngxf3 b6 {That's OK but again Nd5 looked good.} 7. Bb5+ {Fishing for 7..c6 blocking the diagonal should the c8 Bishop settle on b7.} 7... Bd7 8. a4 a6 9. Bd3 Be7 10. O-O Nd5 {Black plays Nd5 now. Five moves earlier it would have had a stronger effect . Still it's Ok, just a bit late that's all.} 11. Qe1 Nxe3 12. Qxe3 {Now how about 12…Bc6 taking the long diagonal.} 12... O-O {Now was this an OOPS! or a trap? You decide.} 13. Qe4 g6 14. Qxa8 Bc6 {Black is trying to trap the offside Queen.} 15. Qa7 Qc8 {Black is thinking about playing Bb7 and Nc6 spearing a Queen. 16.Ne5 stops that plan but White has to tread very carefully and be prepared to tactically extract the Queen. 16.Ne5 Bb7 17.Bc4 f6 18.Bxe6+ should do it. White will pick up the b7 Bishop, free the Queen and remain the exchange up.} 16. Be4 {Not good I'm afraid. Getting a Knight to c6 was the threat. White just allowed the c6 square to be cleared with a gain of tempo.} 16... Bxe4 17. Nxe4 Nc6 {The Queen has been checkmated. 0-1.}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {The Lancelot Ivanhoe Defence. Some people call it the 'Two Knights' Defence.} 4. Ng5 {Actually there is a third Knight in play. A White Knight, Sir Galahad. I'll call this variation the Sir Galahad Attack!} 4... d5 5. exd5 {Now 5...Nxd5 6.Nxf7 is the Fried Liver (I'm not making that one up - that is what it is called.)} 5... Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Be2 {This is a main line of the Two Knight Defence and has been seen in many Grandmaster games.} 8... h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Qd4 11. f4 Bc5 12. Rf1 {Still known theory with the recommended move 12...Qd8 or 12...Qd6. Though now I wonder what book Black has been reading. What ever it is it stops at move 12.} 12... Nd5 {RHP Ideas in Action. (the title of my next book) The idea is 13...Nxf4 threatening Nxg2 mate. 14.Rxf4 Qg1+ 15.Rf1 Bf2 checkmate. That is a good idea.....one small flaw.} 13. c3 {I have the cover diagram for my next book. The Black Queen is trapped, which is how Assiac started of the weeks Blog.}