Lessons From Kenilworth V

MY round-six game featured the Exchange Variation of the French Defence, quickly reaching the following position.

White has just played 9.Rf1-e1

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My opponent, without much thought, played 9...0-0?

As he admitted later, as soon as he had played the move he realised White had the chance to play a Greek Gift Sacrifice.

In some ways he was unlucky - of the four games to reach the position in ChessBase's 2024 Mega database, only one continued with the move I played, 10.Bxh7+!

LESSON: it is easy to let one's guard down during a game, for example when up a lot of material, or, as here, when the opponent plays a 'boring' opening such as the Exchange Variation of the French. But failing to concentrate throughout is a recipe for mistakes.