Does the word "poison" need to be marked with the skull and crossbones???   Probably, yes. So, I agree with the annotator's last comment.

I'm not sure this is really helping your game, Joanne...

Despite the comments, this rare opening does not actually have results that bad at the expert/master level. It is objectively ?!, playable if risky and should draw but throws away White's initiative in the hope that Black will get overconfident. There is no point in playing it against a much higher rated expert who will not make that mistake, particularly when you are using the DB rather than extensive personal analysis of the line. This shows from some of the weaker early move choices when White could have obtained a fairly decent game even at the 6th move. The real issue here is that this does nothing to improve your game.

I played it the game before this game with joanne but whiteout the king move.   I looked at it and i love trouble on the board, but i found it a bit to much.

White is not lost at this point. Psychologically this opening rates ?? against such a high rated player, but objectively, ?! is more accurate.

Once, just to annoy a friend in a casual game, I played 1.f3, 2.c3, then Kf2-e3-d3-c2, and soon after Kb1.   I won that game. My friend never really forgave me...

Ye gods...

Joanne, I hope you know that this is already painful to watch! ...and I have not reviewed any other move yet. **** The move probably deserves three or four ????

Since Black gave you a free move, in which you did not have to defend immediately, you should have played a more logical developing move, such as 4.Ne2.

Hi Fatcat, Thanks for that. I think I had better add that I selected that move because according to the GK database that was the most popular move and supposed to be favourable to white. So I was all too guilty of TRUSTING THE DATABASE!!!

Favourable to White, forsooth! The thing is, Jo: you knew this was a poor line for White before you played it. So: why did you play this opening? It has all the earmarks of one who is getting a bit jaded.

Frankly, I don't think it makes much difference at this point. Any way you look at it, this game should be lost.

This move is a classic example of how to obstruct your own pieces. **** Since you have already thrown out basic opening principles, why not 6. d4 instead? It gets your Queen involved, it counter-strikes the center, and it still allows the light squared bishop mobility. A possible future Bb5 might have been useful. At least this would have been playing more actively. The sin in this opening is not merely the throwing out of opening principles, but also the lack of active play on White's part.

Development to a bad square is not progress. White needs to seal the center with 6 d4!

Learn from easy19 here. Opening principles suggest 6. ... O-O is the proper move on Black's part. But 6. ... e4 instead is far more active play. If you are going to break opening principles, you should do it actively, with gusto, and with purpose. Here 6. ... e4 was necessary to quickly take advantage of White's missteps. Castling was simply too slow.

Bit late to start worrying about wasted tempi. Quite a few have have vanished beyond recall already...

This position has been screaming for d4 for several moves now. First of all, the white pawn is backwards. Any backwards d pawn is notoriously weak. White needed to improve the pawn position. Getting rid of it after Black's possible e.p. move would still have been better for White than it was in the game. Black would still be winning by a healthy margin regardless what White played. Anywho 6. d4 was proper, 7. d4 was proper, and now 8. d4 is proper.

This is never a good sign! And quite frankly, it is a bit humorous. An earlier d4 on White's part could have prevented this maneuver.

With the Knight at e2, I don't think you had to worry about that immediately. You just needed to keep the possibility in mind. More immediate was the rook. If you're down a rook, then it is still usually a lost game no mater what you do. **** 11. Kf2 at least gets the bishop in the exchange. Yet, it kind of still admits defeat.

13.d3 might have given you an extra few moves in the game, but White would still be losing significantly, regardless. 13.d3 Qf5+ 14.Nf4 g5 and there goes the show!! 14.... Qg4 instead and White is still not a happy camper.

Black just had too many threats. How to defend against 15...Qf3 followed by 16...Qg2#, then? White has been lost since move 8 at least.

16.Nxh3 would at least get rid of one of the attackers. Your main problem is that your Queen is out of place and cannot help defend.

I could have blocked the check with Ng2 allowing Qxg2#.

I fail to see how can choose which piece will mate when your only choice is resigns or 17. Kh1 Nf2# This is not a smother mate. It is some other mate. edit added: 17. Ng2 Qxg2# loses the knight & the game. !7. Kh1 Nf2# saves the knight & loses only the game. Therefore it is the better move.

An object lesson how to exploit bad opening lines - and why one ought to avoid them.

One of white's big problems is that their literally playing 3 pieces down (3+3+5=11) queen side development is horrific not so sure 5.c3 was objectively the best move. Gives a little king safety but sacrifices the whole queen side.

I think i wil try and play this opening against Joanne soon. My winning chances wil be below 20% if played well but i am not afraid.   Pherhaps we can learn a bit

i just got worked by this opening, never seen it before , and truthfully when king moved to f2 i thought wtf was that and started checking just to find all my pieces being blocked by pawns... thx for helping me see another line in this interesting opening

Yeah your position was very playable through most of it but you consistently found bad moves. g3, c3, Ne2, Rf1, Re1, Kf2. I don't think black did a great job exploiting your position actually.