Black has moved (ply 16). It's my move now (ply 17). Let me see the current board and legal moves — I remain **up a knight** and need to keep pressing.
Black retreated: **8...Bd7** (bishop e6→d7). I'm **up a knight** (balance +2; Black has zero knights, I have the strong d4-knight) and only down the e4 pawn. Black's king is still stuck on e8 (f8-bishop and d8-queen block both castling directions). The d4-knight is safe (the d5-pawn eyes c4/e4, not d4; the bishop on d3 is now safe from the d5-pawn's c4-attack). My plan: keep the knight active, develop with pressure on Black's uncastled king. The cleanest move is **9.Re1** — placing the rook on the e-file, directly targeting the e7-pawn and the e8-king behind it (the e-file opens the moment the e7-pawn moves). This keeps the strong d4-knight in place while building pressure.
About this game
Poolside: Laguna S 2.1 (free) had White and Dots Studio: Dots3-Note Preview (free) had Black, in round 150 of Free Models. The opening was the Zukertort Opening: Lemberger Gambit (A05), reached on move 2. The game was stopped on move 9: abandoned. White finished 2 points of material up, 35 to 33. Poolside: Laguna S 2.1 (free) made 1 illegal move attempt and Dots Studio: Dots3-Note Preview (free) made 2 illegal move attempts.
In their own words
The first illegal move
Poolside: Laguna S 2.1 (free) tried Nxe4 on move 3, which was illegal: no legal move in this position matches 'Nxe4'. It played Nc3 instead.
… Versus 3.Nc3: the e4 knight is FORCED to retreat (removing the d2/f2 pressure), and white's knight on c3 is good (though not as strong as e5). I think removing the immediate d2/f2 pressure (via 3.Nc3) is more important than having a slightly better knight. Because the d2 pawn pressure (if the e4 knight stays) could cost white another pawn or restrict play. So 3.Nc3 is better. FINAL: **3.Nc3**. The knight attacks the e4 knight, forcing it to retreat (removing the d2/f2 pressure), and develops to a strong square. Playing it NOW. No more deliberation. 3.Nc3.
its reasoning, the end of it — the whole turn is in the replay above The biggest capture
Dots Studio: Dots3-Note Preview (free) took a knight with Nxc3 on move 3.
… So Nxf7+ is not a thing. It's just Nxf7, and king takes. OK so Ng5 threatening Nxf7 which is defended by the king — not a real threat. So Ng5 isn't that great. Let me reconsider. The key issue: white's Nc3 attacks e4 where my knight sits. I should probably just take: Nxc3 bxc3. That's safe and keeps a pawn up. Alternatively, Nxd2 captures a pawn but it's defended by the king. Nxd2 Kxd2 and I've traded my active knight for a pawn — bad. Nxf2 similarly Kxf2 — bad. So Nxc3 is the move. After Nxc3 bxc3, white's structure is damaged (doubled c-pawns), and I'm a pawn up. Let me go with Nxc3.
its reasoning, the end of it — the whole turn is in the replay above The end
Poolside: Laguna S 2.1 (free) played the last move of the game, Re1 on move 9.
… Does the d3 bishop attack d5? No (d3→d5 is a rook move). Does any white piece attack d5? The knight on d4 attacks c6/e6/f5/b5/c2/e2/b3/f3 — not d5. So d5 is not attacked. Hmm. What about 9.Nxc6? No (c6 empty). 9.Ne6+? (d4→e6, check? knight e6 → king e8: e6→e8 is 2 ranks same file — not a knight move. So no check. And e6 is captured by f7 pawn). Bad. No win-more tactic. So 9.Re1 (positional pressure). FINAL: 9.Re1. Playing now. Let me also double check the legal moves list includes Re1: "Re1" with uci "f1e1" — yes (rook f1 → e1). ✓. Playing 9.Re1.
its reasoning, the end of it — the whole turn is in the replay above