It Takes Two episode 58 A Game of Chess

Gopher and Tuk played a game of Chess in It Takes Two on The Gopher & Tuk Show

## The Game

1. e4 e5 2. Be2

The game begins with a classic King's Pawn Opening. Tuk expresses regret over doing that type of opening, and continues by moving his bishop in front of his king, bringing us to in opening that has only been played 12 times before in master games.

2. ... Bc5 3. 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. h3

Tuk moves his pawn to h3, preventing Gopher from going Ng4. And with this move we enter a completely new game.

4... Nxe4 5. Nxe4

Gopher takes the pawn on e4, blundering his knight. Tuk captures it and is up by 2 points of material.

5. ...h5 6. a3 Rh6 7. b3 a5 8. Kxc5

Several mistakes are made in the game, with Tuk not grabbing the free bishop with his knight for 2 moves. Now Tuk is up 5 points of material.

8. ...Kc6 9. Nxb7 Bxb7

For whatever reason Tuk sacrifices his knight to capture the pawn on b7. Even with this strange move Tuk still has an advantage, but he's now up only 3 points of material.

10. Nf3 Ra6 11. Rf1 g6 12. c3 Rb6 13. c4 Rxb3

Gopher makes a huge blunder here, since capturing the pawn on b3 allows Tuk to recapture with his Queen.

14. Nh4 f6 15. c5 Rb5 16. Rb1 Rxb1

Tuk blunders his Rook by moving it to b1, allowing Gopher to capture the free piece. Tuk comments "that rook did nothing to you." Gopher is winning here, being up 3 points of material.

17. Nxg6 Rxg6

This move is a mistake by Gopher, as it allows Bxh5, pinning the rook to the king. Although he still has the advantage, even if that move were to be played.

18. a4 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Rxg2

Capturing the pawn on g2 is a huge blunder by Gopher, as it allows Tuk to draw the game if he plays Qxh5.

20. Bc4 Nd4

Blunders by both players. But Gopher blunders the game by putting his knight on d4, as it allows Tuk a forced checkmate in 3 moves if the game continued 21. Qxh5+ Rg6 22. Qxg6+ Kf8 23. Qf7#.

21. Qe2 Rxc1+ 22. Qd1 Rxd1+ 23. Kxd1

Gopher plays his second great move according to Stockfish. Tuk moving his Queen out removed the protector of the dark squared bishop, allowing Gopher to capture it. Tuk's only move at this point is to block the check by moving his queen back to d1. When then proceed to have a capture fest on d1, which leads to Gopher having a winning endgame.

23. ...Rh2 24. Bf7+ Kxf7 25. Re1 Rxh3 26. Re2 Rh1+ 27. Re1 Rxe1+ 28. Kxe1

Gopher forces a rook trade, simplifying the position.

28. ...Nf3+ 29. Kf1 Nxd2+ 30. Kg2 d6 31. cxd6 c6 32. d7 Qxd7 33. Kg3 Qd4 34. f3 Qxa4

A very unnecessary "butcher" move from Gopher, capturing Tuk's pawn on a4 instead of continuing the attack on Tuk's king.

35. f4 exf4+ 36. Kh4 Qe4 37. Kxh5 Qh7+ 38. Kg4 Nf1 39. Kf3 Kh2+ 40. Kxf4 Qh5 41. Ke4 Nf1 42. Kd4 c5+ 43. Kc4 Nd2+ 44. Kb5 Qd5 45. Kb6 Kc4+ 46. Kc7 Ne5 47. Kc8 Nc6 48. Kc7 Na7 49. Kb8 Nc6+ 50. Kc7 Ne7 51. Kb8 Qd6+ 52. Kb7 c4

Tuk has ran his king into the top left corner of the board. Gopher has a difficult time trying to figure out how to checkmate with a queen and knight. Gopher also begins to worry about the time control, as Tuk has slightly over 4 minutes on the clock, while Gopher is down to 2 and a half minutes. Gopher decides here to push his c pawn and promote to a queen.

53. Ka7 c3 54. Kb7 c2 55. Ka8 c1=Q

Gopher learns he can promote his pawn to any piece he likes. Tuk attempts to fool Gopher into thinking that the queen was a rook, but Gopher double checks and promotes his pawn to a queen.

56. Kb7 Qcc5 57. Ka8 Qc8+ 58. Ka7 a4

Gopher misses checkmate with 58. ...Qca6#. Instead, he pushes his a pawn, leaving Tuk's king no squares to move and drawing the game.

## Portable Game Notation

1. e4 e5 2. Be2 Bc5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. h3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 h5 6. a3 Rh6 7. b3 a5 8. Nxc5 Nc6 9. Nxb7 Bxb7 10. Nf3 Ra6 11. Rf1 g6 12. c3 Rb6 13. c4 Rxb3 14. Nh4 f6 15. c5 Rb5 16. Rb1 Rxb1 17. Nxg6 Rxg6 18. a4 Ba6 19. Bxa6 Rxg2 20. Bc4 Nd4 21. Qe2 Rxc1+ 22. Qd1 Rxd1+ 23. Kxd1 Rh2 24. Bf7+ Kxf7 25. Re1 Rxh3 26. Re2 Rh1+ 27. Re1 Rxe1+ 28. Kxe1 Nf3+ 29. Kf1 Nxd2+ 30. Kg2 d6 31. cxd6 c6 32. d7 Qxd7 33. Kg3 Qd4 34. f3 Qxa4 35. f4 exf4+ 36. Kh4 Qe4 37. Kxh5 Qh7+ 38. Kg4 Nf1 39. Kf3 Nh2+ 40. Kxf4 Qh5 41. Ke4 Nf1 42. Kd4 c5+ 43. Kc4 Nd2+ 44. Kb5 Qd5 45. Kb6 Nc4+ 46. Kc7 Ne5 47. Kc8 Nc6 48. Kc7 Na7 49. Kb8 Nc6+ 50. Kc7 Ne7 51. Kb8 Qd6+ 52. Kb7 c4 53. Ka7 c3 54. Kb7 c2 55. Ka8 c1=Q 56. Kb7 Qcc5 57. Ka8 Qc8+ 58. Ka7 a4 1/2-1/2