A Variation on a Theme by Morphy

Todays lesson examines the Morphy Variation of the Two Knights Defense (Fried Liver Attack.) Adi Kisieu is a talented young chess player from Oakland, California who, in this game, invented an interesting theoretical novelty on move 15 of a very frequently played opening. Unfortunately for his novelty, Adi used unfocused aggression and ended up giving his teacher a nice attack on the “g2” focal point. I am publishing this game in hopes that Adi’s “15. Nc3” is correctly attributed to him.

[Event “Chess Lesson”]

[Date “2012.06.21”]

[White “Kisieu, Adrian (Adi)”]

[Black “Torres, Chris”]

[Result “0-1”]

[ECO “C58”]

[Opening “Two Knights”]

[Variation “Morphy Variation”]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 {White tries for the Fried Liver Attack.} d5 {This is the most common defensive system.} 5. exd5 Na5 6. d3 {The Morphy Variation gets its name by being the favorite of Paul Morphy.} (6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8. Be2 h6 9. Nf3 e4 10. Ne5 Qd4 11. f4 Bc5 12. Rf1 Bb6 {Is another common continuation.}) 6. .. h6 7. Nf3 e4 {This is the best move and is rarely played in scholastic chess.} 8. Qe2 Nxc4 9. dxc4 Bc5 10. O-O O-O 11. Nfd2 (11. Ne5? Bd4 {and white’s mistake costs him a knight.}) 11. .. Bg4 12. Qe1 {White has a much better prospects for an endgame but black has better development right now.} Re8 13. Nb3 {This is a very nice move. I was expecting Nc3.} Qe7 {Black doesn’t want to trade but I was afraid of white playing h3 or c5.} 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 {So far our game is an exact copy of Stefanie Schultz vs Leonid Krugljakow, 2004.} 15. Nc3 {Adi Kisieu invents an interesting innovation. Adi is willing to give back a pawn on c4 in order to gain initiative and development.} Qxc4 16. b3 Qc5 17. Be3 {Adi develops with threats.} Qd6 18. Nb5 {A little too aggressive. The simple h3 keeps the initiative for white and is less of a commitment.} Qd7 19. Qa5 {Adi is being aggressive but lacks real purpose.} b6 20. Qa6 {Now that his queen and knight are tied up, I decide to have a go at Adi’s king.} Bf3 {“g2” is a nice focal point.} 21. gxf3 {In our game, I had calculated far enough to see if I win after this recapture by checkmate. To be honest, the line continued beyong where I could visualize.} exf3 22. Kh1 Qh3 23. Rg1 Rxe3 {It is all about analyzing checks, captures and threats.} (23. .. Ng4 24. Rxg4 Qxg4 25. Rg1 {and white survives.}) 24. fxe3 Ne4 {Threatening Nf2#.} 25. Raf1 f2 {Another easy threat to spot.} 26. Rg2 Ng3+ {Analyze checks first.} 27. Rxg3 Qxf1+ 28. Rg1 Qxg1# 0-1

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. d3 h6 7. Nf3 e4 8. Qe2 Nxc4 9. dxc4 Bc5 10. O-O O-O 11. Nfd2 11. Bg4 12. Qe1 Re8 13. Nb3 Qe7 14. Nxc5 Qxc5 15. Nc3 a new move by Adi Kisieu.