🔥 ChessUp 2 | After Dinner Chess in Marrickville | Vienna Gambit Accepted
#chessup2 #otb #viennagambit
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Hi everybody! I've been rather busy since mid-January 2026 as I've started a new job, and haven't had much time for chess. However, I've mostly settled in now, and I've some content that I would very much like to work on! 🤩
One of those things is to continue my hands-on exploration and use of the ChessUp 2. This has become my favourite electronic chess board to use for real-life OTB chess out-and-about, when I'm planning on meeting someone specifically for a game. Why?
- The board and pieces are a nice size, while still reasonably portable with the custom carry bag. For instance, it very nicely carries the board and pieces, and also a notebook that I had for my meeting, and the camera (DJI Osmo Pocket 3) I used for this video!
- Touch sense allows for the most natural movement of chess pieces, especially for an opponent who has no familiarity with electronic chess boards. Specifically, sliding pieces, which can be an issue on some other boards, works completely seamlessly.
- The display works really well as a built-in chess clock, saving the need to bring along a separate clock, or using an app on my phone.
- The board records the games played (without the need of a companion device or network access), and this works flawlessly.
Where playing a game of chess out-and-about is more opportunistic, or if I'm carrying other items (e.g., a laptop and other work equipment), my preference is still to bring a more portable set - e.g., a roll-up silicone or mouse-mat material board and wooden pieces, or the Chessnut Go. However going to a chess club? The ChessUp 2 is amazing!
Last week, I had a meeting with my mentee over dinner, and then an after-dinner game of chess! We met at a fantastically relaxed and low-key Malaysian restaurant, Ipoh Hawker at Marrickville - check it out if you're a Sydney-sider!
I'd been having a glass of pinot noir and if you follow my channel and blog, you'd know that alcohol and chess, insofar as good chess performance, don't go together! I'd already lost the first game from blundering my queen, but I managed to preserve my dignity with the second... 😅
With White, I managed to play the Vienna Gambit, Accepted, which almost always goes well!
On turn 7, I played a tricky move (7. Bc4!?) which is suboptimal, but sets up a delicious trap where I potentially sacrifice a second pawn (my d4-pawn) and a full knight (my c3-knight)! 🤪
If Black plays into our trap, let's see whether you can exploit the position to its full potential!
My mate's intuition was that there was something very wrong with their f7 square, and so immediately played 7... Be6. Stockfish calls this inaccurate, but tactically, it was a great move as it allowed him to avoid the attack!
We don't necessarily play that well (me with the wine onboard!), but it was a fun game and I managed to capture the win at the end. Good game, GG!
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Learn how to play the best chess opening attacks in the Romantic style with my new book, “Become a Chess Assassin!” available now on your local Amazon store!
