Below we look at some amazing chess games that are inspiring for their unusual openings, sacrifices, tactics, positional understanding, and more.
Sicilian Defense, Myers Attack, McDonell Attack
Below is an example game that starts out in the Sicilian Defense, and use 2. a4 and 3. f4 as its second and third moves, resulting in a win for white.
2. a4 is normally called the Myers Attack and is a very unusual second move.
3. f4 is often called the McDonell Attack and is also unusual.
This game was between Stockfish (playing white) and Komodo (playing black):
1. e4 c5 2. a4 Nc6 3. f4 e5 4. d3 d5 5. exd5 Qxd5 6. Nc3 Qe6 7. Nb5 Bd6 8. Nxd6+ Qxd6 9. fxe5 Qxe5+ 10. Qe2 Qe7 11. Bg5 Nf6 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Qxe7+ Kxe7 14. Nf3 Bg4 15. Be2 Rhe8 16. Kd2 Rad8 17. Rae1 Kf8 18. b3 b6 19. Rhf1 Bd7 20. Nh4 Kg7 21. Rf2 Nd4 22. Ref1 Be6 23. Bf3 f5 24. Bb7 Bd7 25. Rb1 Re7 26. Ba6 Be6 27. Bc4 Red7 28. g3 Kf8 29. Rbf1 Kg7 30. Re1 h6 31. Kc3 Kf6 32. Ref1 Re7 33. Kb2 Kg7 34. Re1 Kf6 35. Ba6 Rg8 36. c3 Nc6 37. Bb5 Ne5 38. d4 Ng4 39. Rfe2 cxd4 40. cxd4 Nxh2 41. d5 Rxg3 42. Bc4 Ng4 43. dxe6 fxe6 44. Nxf5 Kxf5 45. Bxe6+ Rxe6 46. Rf1+ Kg5 47. Rxe6 Re3 48. Rd6 h5 49. Rf7 Re2+ 50. Ka3 a5 51. Rxb6 Ne3 52. Ra7 Nc2+ 53. Kb2 Ne3+ 54. Kc3 Nd5+ 55. Kd3 Nf4+ 56. Kd4 Ne6+ 57. Kc3 h4 58. Rxa5+ Kg4 59. Ra8 h3 60. Rh8 Nf4 61. Rbh6 Re3+ 62. Kb4 Re4+ 63. Ka3 Re5 64. Rh4+ Kg3 65. Rxf4 Kxf4 66. Rxh3 Re1 67. Rh6 Re5 68. Kb4 Re4+ 69. Kb5 Re5+ 70. Kb6 Kg5 71. Rc6 Re4 72. Kb5 Re7 73. b4 Rb7+ 74. Kc5 Rf7 75. a5 Kf5 76. a6 Kg4 77. b5 Rf5+ 78. Kb6 Rf8 79. a7 Kf4 80. Kb7 Rf7+ 81. Rc7 Rf8 82. a8=Q Rf6 83. Rc6 Rf7+ 84. Ka6 Rf5 85. b6 Ke3 86. b7 Rf4 87. b8=Q Ra4+ 88. Kb7 Rb4+ 89. Rb6 Rxb6+ 90. Kxb6 Kd3 91. Qf3+ Kd2 92. Qh2+ Ke1 93. Qfh1# 1-0
The most fascinating part of the game is in the middlegame when black plays 37…Ne5, which enables white to play 38. d4, which sets off a chain of events that puts white up.
After 37…Ne5 38. d4!
