Speed Chess Game

Speed chess is a very exciting form of chess. In speed chess you have to beat both your opponent and the clock. It is possible to have a winning position and lose on time. Though many enjoy speed chess, many more blunders and inaccurate moves occur than in regular play. I recently played an eight-minute game against Jackate of Canada at chess.com. In this game I played white. Here are the moves of the game along with my commentary:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nf6

This is known as Petroff's Defence. White's next move is usually Nxe5.

3. Bc4 d5

I encourage white to take my pawn. I want to target the f7 pawn with my bishop and knight.

4. exd Nxd5
5. 0-0 e4

I castle because it is dangerous for my knight to take the e-pawn with my king in the centre.

6. Ne5 Bd6

Black has not castled. I decide to take advantage.

7. Nxf7 Kxf7
8. Bxd5+ Kf8

My knight sacrifice has given me an extra pawn and an exposed black king.

9. Re1 c6
10. Bxe4 g6
11. Qf3+ Kg7
12. Nc3 Rf8

I anticipate black's move and prepare to put my queen on the same diagonal as my dark-squared bishop.

13. Qe3 Qe8

Black pins my bishop.

14. d3 Bb4

My bishop and queen are poised to strike.

15. Qh6+ Kh8
16. Bd2 Bc5

Black cannot capture my knight because then I can recapture with Bc3+.

17. Be3 Bb4

I want to exchange bishops and bring my e1 rook into the game. Black declines the exchange but now I can check with my dark-squared bishop.

18. Bd4+

Black resigns here because I have mate in one. If he plays Kg8, I play Qg7#.

In this game, I use a knight sacrifice to prevent black from castling, expose the black king and gain a pawn. It is truly the highlight of the game. Since I suspect that black plans to castle on his next move, I must sacrifice as soon as possible.