THE MAD HUNGARIAN TAMES THE BOGEYMAN WITH TACTICAL WIZARDRY
https://www.chess.com/game/daily/766677875
Let's Castle associated press
March 30, 2025 — If chess is a sport of the mind, then game 1 of The Happy New Year Online Chess Tournament Finals was a heavyweight title fight that ended with LC number 2 Schevalierchess with the black pieces landing a knockout blow against LC number 1 Ydtd with the white pieces. What started as a tactical slugfest morphed into an endgame clinic. @Schevalierchess also known as “The Mad Hungarian “delivered a performance that’ll have analysts buzzing for days.
The opening saw @Ydtd also known as “The Bogeyman “ come out swinging with 1. d4 and 2. e4, met by Schevalierchess ‘ Pirc Defense (1...d6 2...Nf6 3...g6)
—a crafty setup daring Ydtd to overreach. He obliged, planting a flag in the center and uncorking a kingside pawn storm with 7. h3, 10. g4, and 13. g5
. Schevalierchess didn’t flinch, counterpunching with 10...b5 and 11...b4, turning the queenside into a battleground. By move 17, Ydtd’s bold 17. Qxb4 grabbed a pawn
, but the mad Hungarian’s 17...Rb8 jabbed back
, keeping the tension high.
The middle game was a wild brawl. Schevalierchess’s 22...Bxb2+ landed a check,
but Ydtd’s king sidestepped with 23. Kd2 and 24. Ke2
. Ydtd then ripped open the kingside with 25. h5 and 26. hxg6, scoring a point with 38. Bxh7+ to snag a pawn and expose the number 2 ranked player’s king
. For a moment, it looked like Ydtd might run away with it—but Schevalierchess had an ace up his sleeve.
The turning point came in the endgame at move 41...Rxe4.
Up to 40...Qg3, Ydtd was holding firm with a bishop on e4 and pawns at c4 and f3, dreaming of a queenside break with 41. c5. But Schevalierchess ‘rook sacrifice—41...Rxe4!—was a thunderbolt!!Trading the rook for Ydtd’s bishop, Schevalierchess unleashed their king and queen, while the a3 pawn became a ticking time bomb. After 42. Kxe4 Qg6+ 43. Ke3 Qxc2, Schevalierchess pocketed the Rook on c2, and Ydtd’s house of cards began to crumble!
From there, it was a rout. Ydtd’s 44. c6 tried to rally, but Schevalierchess ‘ a-pawn marched relentlessly—48...a3, 49...a2—while the bishop on f6 and queen on c2 boxed in the bogeyman ‘s king. After Schevalierchess promoted his pawn to get a second Queen on the board, Ydtd capitulated.
With the win Schevalierchess earns his second Let’s Castle daily title for his career!
This wasn’t just a win—it was a statement. Schevalierchess was basically saying to Ydtd you may be number 1 but I have 3 wins 1 loss and 1 draw against you lifetime. In chess, as in any sport, the final moves can rewrite the story. Take note, fans—this one was a classic! Let’s see if Ydtd can bounce back in game 2 and earn his 11th daily title!
