Point and click

I didn't start playing serious chess until I was 16 years old, but I've always thought this was a help rather than a hindrance. As an 'older' junior, I probably learnt a little more quickly, especially from bad losses, and was able to put those lessons into practice.
My most common losses in those early days were games where I wasted a tempo or two in the opening, and then got hit by an attack. It took me a while to become a better defensive player, but I also learnt how to hack an opponent.
Even these days these lessons stick with me, as shown by the following game. To spare my young opponent I won't give his name, but while he played the opening reasonably well, he also played it a little automatically. As a result I was able to lunch a typical BDG attack, using the open f file and a lead in development to break open the kingside. Alert readers will spot that I could have won a piece with 11.Nxg4 but I was looking for the bigger prize with a sac on f6, and idea that quickly paid off.


Press,Shaun - Other, A.N. [D00]
Canberra 2016

1. e4 d5 2. d4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. f3 exf3 5. Nxf3 Bg4 6. Bc4 e6 7. O-O Bd6 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Qe1 O-O 10. Ne5 Kh8 11. Nxd7 Qxd7 12. Rxf6 gxf6 13. Bxf6+ Kg8 14. Qh4 Bf5 15. Qh6 Bxh2+ 16. Kh1 Qd6 17. Qg7# 1-0