Play the Fred?!

    Jalo Aatos Fred (1917-2003) was a Finnish player, two-time Finnish Champion (1947 & 1955) and the Olympiad individual bronze medal winner in 1964. His main claim to fame is the Fred Defense, a questionable (some prefer the term aggressive) response to 1.e4 where black plays 1...f5 with the aim of surprising white. 

    The Fred is most often seen in online Blitz games where even a few very strong players have given it a try. In the following over the board game black never even got a sniff of equality. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Event "Challengers Tmt, Hastings"] [Site ""] [Date "2004.01.05"] [Round "9"] [White "Arne Hagesaether"] [Black "Charles Linford"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B00"] [WhiteElo "2058"] [BlackElo "2179"] [Annotator "Stockfish 18"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate ""] [EventType ""] [EventRounds ""] [EventCountry ""] [Source ""] [SourceVersion ""] [SourceVersionDate ""] [SourceQuality ""] {Fred Defense} 1. e4 f5 {My database has ober 2.000 games, most in Blitz events, where the Fred was played and it’s surprising that by far white’s most popular move is 2.d4 whicj only gives him a 50-50 chance of winning! The next most popular move is 2.Nf6 which produces about the same results.} 2. exf5 {This is white's best reply (58% wins, 42% losses).} Nf6 {Best.} (2... Nh6 { This is not a good idea. After} 3. Qh5+ Nf7 4. Nf3 e6 5. Ne5 Qf6 6. Qxf7+ Qxf7 7. Nxf7 Kxf7 8. fxe6+ dxe6 {It's probably going to be a long game, but wjite is a P up and black has no winning chances.}) 3. Be2 {The threat is 4.Bh5+} (3. g4 {is interesting.} h6 4. Nf3 d5 5. Ne5 e6 6. Ng6 {White is a bit better.}) ( 3. d4 {This is probably white's best reply. Engine analysis runs} d5 4. Bd3 c5 5. c3 {With a solid centerand a P up.}) 3... h5 (3... d6 4. Bh5+ Nxh5 5. Qxh5+ Kd7 {White does not have a forced win, but nobody would want to play black's position.}) 4. Nf3 d5 5. Nh4 Bd7 6. d4 {Black has not made any glaring errors, but white already has a strategically won positio.} Qc8 {A feeble attempt at getting the ( back.} 7. Bd3 c5 8. c3 cxd4 9. cxd4 Nc6 10. Be3 {White need not be in any hurry to play Ng6. He first completes hi development.} Qc7 11. Nc3 Qb6 12. Qd2 Nb4 13. O-O Nxd3 14. Qxd3 Rc8 15. Rfc1 {One is tempted to say wrong R, but it really doesn't matter which one he places pn c1.} Kf7 {Black has little choice. He either has to move something or resign. White is now ready to proceed with the gutting of his opponent.} 16. Ng6 Rg8 17. Ne5+ Ke8 18. Nxd7 Kxd7 19. Na4 {[%mdl 32] A piece with a future!} Qb4 20. Nc5+ Ke8 21. Ne6 Rxc1+ 22. Rxc1 Rh8 {To repeat... he either has to move something or resign. } 23. Qc2 Kf7 24. Ng5+ Kg8 25. Qc8 {Threatening Qe6#} Qb6 26. Rc7 {Black resigned. There is no point in cntinuing.} Nh7 27. Ne6 Qxb2 28. Rxe7 Qa1+ 29. Bc1 Qxc1+ (29... Qxa2 30. Rxg7#) 30. Qxc1 Bxe7 31. Qc8+ Nf8 32. Qxb7 {and so forth.} 1-0