Wartime streak, Day 7: Loss (1569-1542)

Amir Afsai Chess in Israel 2026-03-20

The frequency of air raid sirens today was higher than usual. A couple hours after this afternoon's game, a submunition from an intercepted Iranian missile bearing a cluster warhead exploded around the corner from my school. This is a war that should have been fought years ago, when it was clear Iran was on course to becoming the next North Korea and before it acquired the capabilities it has now.

For today's game Chess.com matched me with one msjikon, rated 1547 out of Indonesia. Already on move 6 I was up a pawn, and on move 11 two pawns. On move 17 my advantage flipped from a winning -3.83 to +M3, and on move 20 opponent back-rank checkmated me. The loss brings my wartime record to 3-1-3, and it was the first time I felt the urge to tilt. I'm in it for the long haul, though, and the commitment to learning is stronger than the urge to win back rating points.

msjikom v. physics2112 Chess.com Rapid 2026-03-20
Position 1: Black to move

Assigned the Black pieces, I replied to White's 1.e4 with the French 1...e6. After 2.f4 we were in the LaBourdonnais Variation, to which I replied 2...d5. We traded off the e-pawns with 3.exd5 exd5 and developed with 4.Nf3 Bd6. I knew 5.Bb5+ to be a mistake because of 5...c6, and 6.Bb5 was a free tempo to chop with 6...Bxf4. White castled with 7.0-0, and I set up a queen-and-bish battery toward a7 with 7...Qc7. White checked with 8.Qe2, and and I blocked with 8...Ne7. White continued 9.Nc3, and the eval bar went from -1.98 to +2.84 after I played 9...Bg4.

1. Why did I choose 9...Bg4?
With my queen-and-bish battery targeting White's h2-pawn, I had only to eliminate White's knight on f3 for that pawn to hang.

2. Why is my move not ideal?
My e7-knight was in an absolute pin, but so was my c6-pawn. That meant neither was defending my pawn on d5. White had 10.Nxd5, which not only would recover a pawn but would fork my queen and my powerful dark-square bish.

3. Why is the better move better than my chosen move?
9...0-0 would have broken both pins and been a natural developing move.

Amir Afsai msjikom v. physics2112 Chess.com Rapid 2026-03-20 move 14
Position 2: Black to move

9...Bg4 overlooked 10.Nxd5, but White missed it as well and continued 10.d4. I overlooked that White's knight was pinned to the queen and instead of the immediate 10...Bxh2+ I exchanged with 10...Bxf3, and only after 11.Qxf3 did I play 11...Bxh2+. After 12.Kh1 I finally castled with 12...0-0, whereupon White invaded my kingside with 13.Bg5. I replied 13...Ng6, and White brought his queenside rook into the attack with 14.Rae1. My advantage of -2.53 flipped to +1.79 after 14...Qg3.

1. Why did I play 14...Qg3?
I was up two pawns and felt that exchanging for White's more active queen would redound to my benefit.

2. Why is my move not ideal?
My move overlooked 15.Qh5 from White, easily winning my bish.

3. Why is the better move better than my chosen move?
Having left White's king with only a single pawn behind which to hide, my bish on h2 was no longer threatening anything. White, meanwhile, was prepping for a major attack. Rocking my bish back with 14...Bd6 would have increased its scope and involved it in the defensive effort around my king.

Amir Afsai msjikom v. physics2112 Chess.com Rapid 2026-03-20 move 17
Position 3: Black to move

White missed 15.Qh5 and instead continued 15.Qf5. My reply of 15...f6 was the top move, and after 16.Qe6+ so was 16...Kh8. Then came 17.Bxf6. I thought for thirty seconds and lost the game with 17...Rxf6.

1. Why did I choose 17...Rxf6?
It seemed to me at the time that White couldn't recapture with 18.Rxf6 because I would have 18...Qxe1+, nor with 18.Qxf6 because after 18...gxf6 my king would be safe thanks to the availability of the g7-square.

2. Why is my move not ideal?
Nevermind that my geometry was all off, I had failed to consider White's next move, 18.Qe8+ -- or maybe I had considered it but thought my two pieces guarding f8 were sufficient to fend off back rank mate.

3. Why is the better move better than my chosen move?
The correct way to chop was 17...gxf6. Then back rank mate wouldn't work because, for example, 18.Rxf6 Nd7 and everything would be held together thanks to my rooks being connected and my threat of 19...Qxe1+.

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