Improve Your Chess: Riga Variation Fun

Improve Your Chess: Riga Variation Fun

Opening: C80: Ruy Lopez: Riga Variation

Player(s):

Black chooses the fun Riga Variation of the Open Ruy Lopez. White goes the wrong way with his king on move 10, setting off a series of mistakes from both sides in a very complicated tactical position. But after Black mistakenly trades queens, he completely overlooks a pin of his bishop to his king, losing a piece. He does end up with three connected passed pawns, but White has a similar majority on the other side. White wisely first restricts the pawns and, once so, is well on his way to an easy victory. Long after the game is decided, White blunders a rook, but his lead is so large that even if Black took it (which he didn't), it was still an easy win.