Online I often play 1.h4 or 1.g4 and with black I like to meet 1.e4 with 1...g5. The Grob Attack (1.g4) has long been one of my favorite openings dating back to the days of my serious postal play, but the Grob Defense (1...g5) is a recent addition to my repertoire. I like it because it befuddles a lot of opponents.
This weird stuff is often successful because many opponents get frustrated that they can't play their favorite opening or often they try to get an immediate advantage and may end up making rash decisions in the hopes of getting an immediate mate. This is unwise because there is rarely an instant refutation and so the best results will be gotten by playing sound opening moves.
As Eric Schiller observed in his book Unorthodox Chess Openings, these weird, contentious, controversial, unconventional, arrogant and outright strange openings fly in the face of tradition, but they can be filled with tricky surprises.
As is usually the case, more often than not these openings result in games being decided by tactical means as seen the the following game. It features a pseudo-sacrifice of my Queen...I actually got sufficient compensation for it. The game was decided by the side making the last blunder.
Guest - Tartajubow
Result: 0-1
Site: Online G/10
Date: 2021.05
Grob Defense
[...] 1.e4 g5 2.d4 This is the almost universal response because it attacks the g-Pawn.
2.♗c4 was tried by one opponent and it lead to him getting a decent game after 2...e6 3.c3 ♗g7 4.d4 Here I should have tried either 4...h6 or 4...d5, but in either case white has a solid position. Instead I played 4...c5 5.dxc5 ♘a6 6.♗xa6 Unexpected, but best! 6...bxa6 7.♘e2 ♗b7 8.♘g3 White has a good game.
2.d3 This is a solid, if unambitious, try. 2...♗g7 3.c3 h6 4.h3 c5 5.♘f3 ♘c6 6.♘a3 A pointless waste of time, but after 6...d6 7.♗e2 e6 8.♗e3 ♘ge7 9.♘c2 The position is quite equal.
2...♗g7 3.♗xg5 c5 I always try to play this then bring the Q to b3. 4.♗e3 ♕b6 The assault on the b-Pawn almost always causes white to use a lot of time thinking about how to meet the threat. In reality, it is not really a serious threat at all. 5.♘f3
5.♘c3 ♕xb2 6.♘d5 ♔d8 7.♖b1 ♕xa2 8.♖a1 ♕b2 9.♗c4 White already has a winning advantage. Petrienko,V (2440)-Svatos,J (2370)/Pardubice CZE 1992
(5.c3!?5...♘f6 6.♘d2 d5+−) 5...♕xb2 6.♘bd2 cxd4 7.♖b1 This routine move meets with an unexpected reply. Either 7.Bf4 or 7.Nc4 were better. 7...dxe3
7...♕xa2 was no doubt what my opponent expected. Then after 8.♘xd4 ♘c6 9.♗c4 ♕a5 10.♘f5 with an excellent game.
8.♖xb2 exd2+ 9.♕xd2 ♗xb2 Black's R, N and B are sufficient material compensation for the Q. White does manage to work up an attack against my K however. 10.c3 A good move cutting off the B. 10...♗a3 11.♕d4 An unpleasant move to meet. 11...f6 As horrible as this move looks there seems to be no way for white to take advantage of it. The sober Komodo evaluates the position as equal and the even more optimistic Stockfish concurs.
11...♘f6 was playable, but after 12.e5 ♘g8 I was worried about either 13.e6 or 13.Qg4, but Komodo evaluates the position as equal after either move. 13.e6
12.♗c4 ♘c6 13.♕d5 e6 14.♕h5+ ♔f8 The K would have been just a tad safer on d8. 15.O-O ♘ge7 16.♕h6+ ♔f7 17.♕h5+ This tempting looking check turns out to be to white's disadvantage.
17.e5 trying to go after the K doesn't lead anywhere after 17...♘xe5 18.♘xe5+ fxe5 19.♗d3 d6 with equal chances.
17.♘h4 is another try that also results in no more than equality after 17...♖g8 18.♕xh7+ ♔e8 19.♖d1 ♘e5 20.♘f5 ♘f7 21.♘g7+ ♔f8 22.♘h5
17...♘g6 18.e5 With the N on g6 this is now a bad move. White is too anxious to attack. Best was the modest 18.Nd4 with equal chances. 18...fxe5 19.♘g5+ ♔g7 The K is quite safe here and now I get a chance to get my remaining pieces into play. At this point black must be considered to have the advantage. 20.♕g4 d5 21.♗b3 d4
21...♖f8 was best. 22.♘xe6+ ♗xe6 23.♕xe6 ♖ad8 24.♕g4 (24.♗xd5 The P is immune. 24...♖f6) 24...♗c5 Black is much better.
22.♘e4
22.♗xe6 dxc3 23.♗xc8 ♖hxc8 24.h4 and white has equalized. 24...♘d4 25.h5 c2 26.hxg6 c1=♕ 27.♖xc1 ♖xc1+ 28.♔h2
22.♘xe6+ is not good because after 22...♗xe6 23.♕xe6 dxc3 24.♕d7+ ♗e7 25.♕xb7 ♘a5 26.♕e4 ♘xb3 27.axb3 ♖ac8 and black is much better.
22...♖e8 Since the capture of the e-Pawn was not a cause for concern a better move was 22...Be7 preventing white's next move which puts him right back in the game. 23.h4 h5 24.♕xh5 ♖h8 25.♕g5 A serious mistake that leaves his Q vulnerable and allows me to consolidate my K's position.
25.♕f3 keeps the chances even after 25...♗e7 26.h5 ♘f4 27.g3 ♘d5 28.♕g4+ ♔f8 29.♕f3+ and black can accept the draw after 29...Kg7 or play on with 29...Ke8 29...♔e8 This is the most exciting! 30.♗xd5 exd5 31.♘f6+ which is unclear.
25...♗e7 26.♕g4 ♖xh4 27.♕f3 ♖f4 28.♕e2 ♗d7 The last several moves spent harassing white's Q have allowed me time to complete my development. 29.g3 ♖af8 Wrong R to f8!! What was I thinking?! 30.gxf4 ♘xf4 Fortunately my position was so good that the loss of the R does not lose the game, but now white can get good chances if he plays 31.Qb5
30...dxc3 was also worth considering. 31.♖d1 (31.♘xc3 ♘d4 32.♕e3 ♖xf4 with an excellent position.) 31...♘d4 32.♖xd4 Best. 32...exd4 33.♘g3 ♘xf4 34.♕e5+ ♔h6 35.♕xd4 ♗c6 36.♕xc3 ♘h3+ 37.♔f1 ♖xf2+ 38.♔e1 ♖f6 39.♘f5+ ♖xf5 40.♕xh3+ ♔g7 41.♗xe6 ♖e5+ With a crazy position. In a Shootout white scored +0 -0 =5
31.♕g4+ ♔f7 32.♘g3 dxc3 Now with any R move white maintains equality., but instead he commits a grave oversight. 33.f3
33.♘f5 would leave black with a won game after 33...♔e8 34.♘g7+ ♔d8 35.♘xe6+ ♗xe6 36.♗xe6 ♘d4
33...♗c5+ After a few seconds thought white, who was also short of time, realized he was lost and so resigned.
33...♗c5+ 34.♖f2 Best, but it won't save the game. (34.♔h1 ♖h8+ 35.♘h5 ♘xh5 36.♕h4 ♘g3+) 34...♖g8 35.♕h4 (35.♕xg8+ is no better. 35...♔xg8 36.♘e4 ♗xf2+ 37.♔xf2 ♘d5) 35...♖xg3+ 36.♕xg3 ♘e2+ 37.♔g2 ♘xg3 38.♖c2 ♘d4 39.♖xc3 ♗d6 Black has a won game.
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