One of the openings that my Houdini has as book is the inferior 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 b5 6.Bf1 h6?! Does anyone have any interesting games in this variation? So far I have been able to draw easily with 7.Nxf7 Kxf7 8.dxc6 Qd5 9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.gxf3, but Houdini holds the pawn down ending effortlessly. Does anyone have a win against 6...h6? Here is one game that came close and I will keep trying this variation until I defeat Houdini in this variation.
Request for games 4.Ng5 Two Knights Defense
Houdini plays the sharpest variation of the main line; Black's plan seems reasonable but Houdini was able to hold the pawns:
Houdini 3-Moody Match 2013
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 8.
Qf3 Be7 9. Bxc6+(Theory regards this as ambitious and double edged; Houdini comes up with an interesting plan that seems dubious. Can anyone crack Houdini's defense?) Nxc6 10. Qxc6+ Bd7 11. Qf3 Rc8 12. O-O Bc6 13. Qd1?!(If this is best I thought Houdini had real defensvie problems) e4 14. d3 exd3 15. Qxd3 O-O 16. Nc3 Bb4 17. Nge4 Nxe4 18. Nxe4 Qxd3 19. cxd3 Bb5 20. Rd1 Rc2 21. Be3 Ra8?! 22. a3 Be7 23. Rab1 a5 24. d4 a4 25. Rdc1 Rxc1+ 26. Rxc1 f5 27.Nc3 Be8 28. Nd5 Bd8 29. Bf4 Ra7 30. Be5 Bd7 31. Nb4 Be7(One last trick before resigning; if I can steer for a BOC ending there is still hope) 32. Nc6 * 1-0
Great!!! This is EXACTLY the kind of game this is book worthy! You played the refutation of the Be7 variation. Pinkus has analyzed this as a forced win for White.
Shame I messed up the continuation because I remember I had a big advantage.
Played another Ng5 game in blitz a couple of days ago, Fried Liver type line, but opponent played Ke8 rather than Ke6 so gave the piece back right away. I missed 13. Bxf4 as well too for some reason.
http://www.chess.com/livechess/game?id=558639590
Not annotated as it's not particularly special but thought I'd share.
This is a critical test of the Fried Liver; White seems to have a winning attack but Houdini was able to hold:
1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6
8. Nc3 Ncb4 9. O-O c6 10. d4 exd4! (This seems incredible risky, but it is "playable") 11. a3 (Bf4 will be addressed in a separate game) dxc3 12. Re1+ Kd6 13. Bf4+ Nxf4 14.Qxf4+ Kc5 15. axb4+ Kb6 16. Qe5 a5 17. Rxa5 Bd6 18. Qe3+ Kc7 19. Rxa8 Qh4 20.g3 Qxc4 21. Qg5 Rg8 22. Qa5+ b6 23. Rxc8+ Kxc8 24. Qa8+ Kc7 25. Qa7+ Kd8 26.Qa8+ Kc7 27. Qa7+ 1/2-1/2
I actually tried the Lolli, but thought 6...Be7 almost forced the knight sacrifice to keep the initiative.
I actually tried the Lolli, but thought 6...Be7 almost forced the knight sacrifice to keep the initiative.
The trouble with the Lolli is the Heisman variation: 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.d4 Nxd4! = Feed the starting position into your silicon beast and it will find equality. Black counters with a piece sacrifice and has full compensation for the piece. Heisman in Chess Life offers a variety of spectacular sacrifices in this line.
One of the findings of intensive analysis and games with Houdini 3 is that the main line of the 4.Ng5 variation may change. It looks like the Fried Liver may be a better try by Black; White can hardly retreat but the Lolli more or leads to a draw. This game shows just how tricky the Fried Liver is. White seems to have a winning attack, but as if by magic, Black is able to give back the piece to achieve a position I knew that Houdini could win. Resignation may be premature, but I trust Houdini's technique.
Moody-Houdini 3 Match 2013
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qf3+ Ke6 8. Nc3 Ncb4 9. O-O c6 10. d4 exd4 11. Bf4 Qf6 12. Ne4 Qf5 13. Ng3 Qf7 14. Qg4+ Ke7 15. Bg5+ Kd6 16. Ne4+ Kc7 17. Qg3+ Kd7 18. Rae1 b6 19. c3 Ba6 20. Nd2 h6 21. cxb4 hxg5 22. Bxa6 Bd6 23. Qg4+ Kc7 24. g3 Bxb4 25. Rd1 Bxd2 26. Rxd2 c5 * 0-1
In the Fried Liver White has the ability to create 3 connected passed pawns, but they start out on their original squares. By the time they are far advanced, Black uses a simple tactical trick to give back the piece and achieve a dead equal position.
Ba6 28. f6 Nxg4! 29. hxg4 Rxg4+ 30. Rg2 Rxg2+ 31. Kxg2 Bxf6 *
f you would like to see the thoughts of a correspondence master on this subject, see http://www.ebay.com/itm/Two-Knights-A-Chess-Killing-Machine-with-an-Emphasis-on-4-Ng5-/271319251507?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123
Next year I'll be publishing a book called, HOT, Houdini 3 Opening Theory, 4.Ng5 Two Knights Defense. By that time I should have at least fifty wins or draws against Houdini 3 in all major variations played with either color.
I would be grateful if post members would provide their most interesting complete annotated games in this variation for possible inclusion in the book. These could be OTB games, correspondence games, analysis/games or centaur games, but I prefer complete games as opposed to just analysis.