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Horrible theoretical novelties
Compiled by FSR
--*--

These are games where someone played a <really bad> theoretical novelty in a well-known position.

Sokolsky 3...Nc6??
P Morriss vs J McDonnell, 2006 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 4 moves, 1-0

From's Gambit 2.f5?? d5 3.g4??
NN vs F Rhine, 2021 
(A02) Bird's Opening, 3 moves, 0-1

From's Gambit 2.g3? exf4 3.gxf4??
T Rienaecker vs M Junge, 2004 
(A02) Bird's Opening, 3 moves, 0-1

From's Gambit 5.h3??
P Napetschnig vs F Rhine, 1977 
(A02) Bird's Opening, 5 moves, 0-1

Symmetrical English 8...Nxb4??
Shankland vs D Haessel, 2014 
(A37) English, Symmetrical, 11 moves, 1-0

London System 4...d5?? instead of 4...e5! winning a piece
K Hinrichs vs P Johansen, 2019 
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 15 moves, 1-0

Trompowsky 2...c6 3.e3??
Z Djordjevic vs M Kovacevic, 1984 
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 3 moves, 0-1

Black Knights Tango 6.Nd2??
Venert vs V Mechkarov, 1970 
(A50) Queen's Pawn Game, 6 moves, 0-1

Center Counter, 2...Qxd5 3.Ke2??
Lindemann vs Echtermeyer, 1893  
(B01) Scandinavian, 3 moves, 0-1

Center Counter 3...Qc6??
K D Reichwald vs G Scheuerlein, 2011 
(B01) Scandinavian, 4 moves, 1-0

Center Counter 3...Qb5??
R Antonio vs A Reprintsev, 2017 
(B01) Scandinavian, 3 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann 4...Nd7??
Rapport vs T Rogers, 2014 
(B10) Caro-Kann, 5 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann, Two Knights 4.Ng1?? Bc8??
P Rout vs N Rysbayeva, 2010 
(B11) Caro-Kann, Two Knights, 3...Bg4, 41 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann 3...c5??
E Schiller vs Skoj, 2000 
(B13) Caro-Kann, Exchange, 25 moves, 1-0

Sicilian, Wing Gambit, 5.axb4??
K Shirazi vs J Peters, 1984 
(B20) Sicilian, 5 moves, 0-1

Sicilian, Morphy Gambit, 4.Nxe5?? (but White won brilliantly!)
Shumov vs C Jaenisch, 1851 
(B21) Sicilian, 2.f4 and 2.d4, 25 moves, 1-0

Alapin Sicilian 3...Ne4?? 4.Nf3??
E Cammalleri vs J Malan, 2016 
(B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 38 moves, 1-0

Kan Sicilian 5.Bf4??
NN vs B Pandolfini, 1967 
(B28) Sicilian, O'Kelly Variation, 6 moves, 0-1

Sicilian Sveshnikov 7.Nd5 line, 9...g6??
J Waitzkin vs T Shaked, 1989 
(B33) Sicilian, 17 moves, 1-0

Sicilian, Pin Variation, 8...0-0??
A Sznapik vs J Barle, 1981 
(B40) Sicilian, 8 moves, 1-0

Classical Sicilian, 6.Bd3??
P Klein vs Myagmarsuren, 1960 
(B56) Sicilian, 6 moves, 0-1

Sicilian Richter-Rauzer 6...Qb6 7.Qd2??
J Coolen vs P Dubinin, 1962 
(B60) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, 7 moves, 0-1

Advance French 8...Qxd4??
S Noorda vs Timman, 1964 
(C02) French, Advance, 9 moves, 1-0

Winawer French 10.f4??
D C Gibbs vs M J Gunn, 2013 
(C18) French, Winawer, 10 moves, 0-1

Parham Attack, 2...Ke7??
E Schiller vs H Pack, 1969 
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 3 moves, 1-0

Falkbeer Countergambit, 3.fxe5??
O Rigaud vs J Cooper, 1974 
(C30) King's Gambit Declined, 5 moves, 0-1

King's Knight's Opening 3.Nxe5?? (but it beat Pillsbury!)
D T Phillips vs Pillsbury, 1899 
(C40) King's Knight Opening, 45 moves, 1-0

Latvian Gambit 3.Ng5??
M Tobor vs W Stamer, 1984 
(C40) King's Knight Opening, 3 moves, 0-1

Petroff Defense, 5.d3 Be7??
Tarrasch vs Alapin, 1889 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 6 moves, 1-0

Petroff's 5...Bf5?? 6.Nxe4??
Miles vs L Christiansen, 1987 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2

Petroff Defense, 6...Nc5??
Fischer vs R Chalker, 1964 
(C43) Petrov, Modern Attack, 11 moves, 1-0

Sicilian 5.Bd3??, hanging a knight
Cunat vs Casanova, 1933 
(C45) Scotch Game, 5 moves, 0-1

Scotch Four Knights 5.Bc4??
M V Odounga Elounda vs A Karyah, 2020 
(C47) Four Knights, 16 moves, 0-1

Giuoco Piano, 4.Nxe5?? (but 1-0, 11!)
R Kohoutova vs K Stodolova, 1995 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 11 moves, 1-0

Ruy Lopez, 4.Bxa6??
M F Olsen vs B Tilenbaev, 2004 
(C60) Ruy Lopez, 34 moves, 0-1

Ruy Lopez, Berlin, 4.Kf1?
Grischuk vs Giri, 2021 
(C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 52 moves, 1/2-1/2

Ruy Lopez, Riga Variation, 14...f5??
B Pandolfini vs NN, 1970 
(C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 15 moves, 1-0

Slav 3...dxc4 4.e3 Be6!? 5.Ng5?? (but White won!)
L Galojan vs A Ushenina, 2012 
(D11) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 38 moves, 1-0

Slav 13...Bg6??
R de Boer vs L Compagnie, 1987 
(D19) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch, 14 moves, 1-0

QGD Cambridge Springs 8...Qc7?? not taking free piece
D Zagorskis vs B Gasiorowski, 2006 
(D52) Queen's Gambit Declined, 22 moves, 1-0

Blumenfeld Counter-Gambit, 6.Qxd5??
O Noyer vs C Voicu-Jagodzinsky, 2001 
(E10) Queen's Pawn Game, 10 moves, 0-1

Bogo-Indian, 4...Ke7??
L Palau vs S Kalabar, 1927 
(E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 5 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian 6...d5??, losing a piece to Qa4+
Timman vs R Cosulich, 1974 
(E45) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Bronstein (Byrne) Variation, 7 moves, 1-0

From's Gambit 4.e4??
NN vs Svidler, 2020 
(A02) Bird's Opening, 7 moves, 0-1

Four Knights Rubinstein 5.Nxe5, 8.Nd3??
NN vs J van Mil, 1973 
(C48) Four Knights, 8 moves, 0-1

Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation 5.Rf1?
G Guseinov vs Tomashevsky, 2007 
(C68) Ruy Lopez, Exchange, 5 moves, 1/2-1/2

KIA 10...Bg4 for the U.S. Women's Championship!
I Krush vs J Yu, 2022 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 47 moves, 0-1

Nimzo-Indian 4.f3 b6 5.e4 d6??
J Ovezdurdyyeva vs B Hallaeva, 2016 
(E00) Queen's Pawn Game, 53 moves, 1-0

Budapest 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.e4?
U Zak vs J Mieses, 1944 
(A52) Budapest Gambit, 9 moves, 0-1

Advance French 4...Nf6??
H Hamann vs A Kubasky, 2000 
(C02) French, Advance, 5 moves, 1-0

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit 4.Nxe4??
D Moody vs S Kubiak, 1979 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 7 moves, 0-1

Dutch 2.Bg5, 5.f3??
A Thomas vs Lesley Cielo, 2020 
(A80) Dutch, 24 moves, 0-1

Grob's Opening (already terrible) 2.f3??
B Tavassoli vs S Schoknecht, 2007 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 2 moves, 0-1

Winawer French 5.Qg4 cxd4??
J O Fries-Nielsen vs H Franke, 1989 
(C17) French, Winawer, Advance, 11 moves, 1-0

Sicilian Sveshnikov 8...Qa5+??
T Gu vs Tianyuan Zhou, 2019
(B33) Sicilian, 46 moves, 1-0

Gruenfeld 4...Bf5?
E Morales de la Rosa vs J Rojas Sola, 1998 
(D80) Grunfeld, 57 moves, 1/2-1/2

Sicilian Accelerated Dragon 9.Nce2??
E Schiavone vs J Lakner, 2023 
(B32) Sicilian, 9 moves, 0-1

Symmetrical Vienna Game, 6...Bxf2+?
J Bodis vs H Gromotka, 1981 
(C23) Bishop's Opening, 14 moves, 1-0

Scotch Game 8.Nxe5??
Ganguly vs M Madaminov, 2023 
(C45) Scotch Game, 8 moves, 0-1

Sicilian Najdorf 6.h3 b5 7.a4 b4 8.Nd5 Nbd7??
A Kovacevic vs M Krivokapic, 2009 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 9 moves, 1-0

Sicilian Najdorf 6.Bc4, 10...Bd7??
M Esserman vs C Tsai, 2003 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 23 moves, 1-0

Fried Liver Attack 6...Be6??
A Just vs K Gojny, 2001 
(C57) Two Knights, 41 moves, 1-0

Caro-Kann, Advance 8...Bg4??
T Shaked vs J Heger, 1992 
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 10 moves, 1-0

Nimzowitsch Sicilian, 10...Kd8?
P Cleghorn vs C B Jones, 1973
(B29) Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein, 23 moves, 1-0

Chameleon Sicilian 4.g3??
C F Heng vs B Oh, 2017 
(B23) Sicilian, Closed, 4 moves, 0-1

Alapin Sicilian 2...d5 3.exd5 Qd6?
H Jonkman vs Karjakin, 2002 
(B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 48 moves, 1/2-1/2

Damiano Petroff 5...Qe6??
Elshalom Essayas Berhane vs Zara Abdoulaye Baba Hassane, 2024 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 27 moves, 1-0

Larsen's Opening 8...Nxd5??
B Adhiban vs Navara, 2021 
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 9 moves, 1-0

Anti-Benoni 4.e4?
R Fischer vs K Chandran, 2015
(A31) English, Symmetrical, Benoni Formation, 12 moves, 0-1

Sicilian with Qxd4, 7...g6??
W Muir vs K Schepel, 1986 
(B30) Sicilian, 8 moves, 1-0

English, Botvinnik System, 6.d3??
NN vs F Rhine, 2025 
(B20) Sicilian, 6 moves, 0-1

Nimzo-Indian 5...b6??
H Schwenk vs R Calvo, 2024
(E40) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 6 moves, 1-0

Exchange Gruenfeld 5...Bg7??
B Gonen vs H Poelvoorde, 2024
(D85) Grunfeld, 6 moves, 1-0

Slav 7...Bd6??
B Ozen vs R Tamayo Gutierrez, 2024 
(D12) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 8 moves, 1-0

Fried Liver Attack 6...Qf6??
A Temirova vs E Tweddell, 1994 
(C57) Two Knights, 24 moves, 1-0

Italian Gambit 4...d6??
J A Gutierrez Bolado vs J Jensen, 2017 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 34 moves, 1-0

Benko Gambit 5.e3, 10...g6??
R Helosmaa vs G Laforgia, 2025
(A57) Benko Gambit, 14 moves, 1-0

Nimzo-Indian 8.Be2?
I Nguepnang vs H Wakabayashi, 2014 
(E49) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Botvinnik System, 33 moves, 0-1

Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defense 5...a6?
F Birkisdottir vs B Steinthorsson, 2016 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 9 moves, 1-0

Symmetrical Queen's Gambit 4...Nc6?
F Rhine vs NN, 2025 
(D06) Queen's Gambit Declined, 20 moves, 1-0

Symmetrical Queen's Gambit, 5...Qa5+??
E Kramer vs F Madjarevic, 1923 
(D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 24 moves, 1-0

Sicilian, Hyper-Accelerated Dragon 4.Qxd4 Nc6??
H Poetsch vs Y Kraidman, 2013 
(B27) Sicilian, 4 moves, 1-0

82 games

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