After 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 I had previously faced and/or played what I thought was every reasonable move: f4, g3, Bc4, a3!? and Nf3.
However my opponent surprised me when she played 3.d4!?, explaining afterwards that, although the move might not be found in books, there has been quite a lot posted about it online.
ChessBase's 2026 Mega database shows the move goes back to at least a simul given by Isidor Gunsberg in Leeds in 1887.
Not only that, but the move's score in Mega26 of 59% is very good, although in games between rated players White only performs seven elo above White's average rating for those games.
Part of the move's success must be due to its surprise value.
The day after our game I was having breakfast in the same cafe as another U2000 competitor, Matthew Wilson.
Naturally we got to talking about our upcoming pairings and, when he learnt I had already faced his opponent, and that I had written the game up at my blog, he spent the next 30 minutes feverishly preparing.
Here is the result.
Ran Li (1701 ECF/1699 Fide) - Matthew Wilson (1858 ECF/1810 Fide)
Vienna Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d4!? exd4 4.Qxd4 Nc6 5.Qc4!?
This keeps play in independent Vienna lines, whereas 5.Qe3 transposes to the Centre Game.
5...Bb4
I played 5...Be7, which was also Alexei Shirov's choice in the position in a blitz game, but the text is most popular, and is recommended by Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1.
6.Bd2 d6 7.0-0-0 0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
*****
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White has more space in the centre, but the queen will likely be harassed by the black light-square bishop. Stockfish17.1 gives Black a slight edge, although Dragon1 reckons the game is equal.
The same position was reached in my game, except that the black dark-square bishop was on e7 rather than b4. In that case both engines call chances equal.
8.f3 Be6 9.Qe2 a5 10.g4?!
The engines strongly dislike this, suggesting the paradoxical 10.a3!?
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| Can you see how Black takes advantage of White's last move? |
*****
*****
*****
*****
10...Ne5
10...Ne5
The engines give 10...Bxc3! 11.Bxc3 Nb4, reckoning White has nothing better than giving up the a2 pawn as 12.a3 Na2+ 13.Kd2 Nxc3 is deeply unpleasant whichever way White captures on c3, eg 14.Kxc3 d5!? 15.g5 Nh5!? 16.Qe3 c5 17.exd5 Bxd5 18.Bc4 Re8! 19.Qxc5 Nf4 20.Rxd5!? Nxd5+ 21.Qxd5 Qc7 22.Nh3 Rac8 23..Rd1 Re5 24.Qd4 b5, or 14.bxc3 Nd7 15.Qe3 d5 16.e5 f6!? 17.exf6 Qxf6!? with a very strong attack.
11.g5 Nfd7 12.f4?!
This looks like an oversight, but the engines are not too unhappy with it.
12...Bg4 13.Qg2 Bxd1 14.Nxd1 Bxd2+ 15.Qxd2 Nc6
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| White has lost/sacrificed the exchange, but White's kingside attack is probably ahead of Black's on the queenside |
*****
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16.h4 Nc5 17.Nc3 Qd7
The engines prefer 17...Re8.
18.h5 f5?
Opening a diagonal to the black king can hardly be right. However, the engines agree Black needs to do something about White's attack, suggesting 18...Rae8!?
19.Bh3?
White is winning, according to the engines, after 19.Bc4+ Kh8 20.Nf3.
19...Ne7 20.Nge2 Qc6?
The queen is a target on c6. Perhaps ...Rae8 is still best, although the engines prefer White.
21.Nd4 Nxe4?
The queen should be moved, albeit White is winning, according to the engines.
22.Nxc6 Nxd2 23.Nxe7+ Kf7 24.Nxf5 Nc4
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| Instead of having bishop for rook, White has emerged with bishop and knight for rook |
*****
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25.Nd5 c6 26.g6+! hxg6 27.hxg6+ Kxg6 28.Kg5?
Black has to play 28.Kh7, but would be the equivalent of more than a rook down, according to the engines.
28...Rg5#
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