The World Of Championship Chess

During the meeting of the Ironman Chess Club Tuesday, July 16, 2019 I was able to question the owner of Championship Chess, (https://www.championshipchess.net/) Steve Schneider,

a man I have known since the 1970’s, and for whom I once worked teaching Chess to children in an after school program. Our ‘conversation’ turned into an interview. There were others listening to our discussion. Without those witnesses I would be unable to publish this interview. It began after Steve, who is elderly, and like many older people, battling myriad health issues, including life threatening blood clots in his legs, stated, “I spend eighteen hours a day on Chess.” I did not question this because it is common knowledge Steve ‘burns the midnight oil’, sending emails into the wee hours of the night. I was holding a Championship Chess flyer for the 8th annual K-12 Summer Scorcher Chess tournament, which includes, on the back, the first twenty moves of the game between World Human Chess Co-Champion (at classical Chess) Magnus Carlsen and Sharsidden Vokhidov from the 2018 World Rapid Championship, titled “The Queen’s Raid.”

Me: “I see you are still teaching the Queen’s Raid.”

Steve: “There is nothing wrong with teaching the Queen’s Raid. It’s a good opening. Look at who plays it!”

Me: “Come on, Steve.”

Steve: “All the computers say it’s a playable opening!”

Me: “Which computers?”

Steve: “Stockfish, and all the top programs! Stockfish says white is better in the game!” (Referring to the aforementioned game printed on the back of the flyer. For years a Championship Chess flyer contained Chess puzzles chosen by NM Tim Brookshear. The Queen’s Raid game appears because Tim, for various reasons, decided to no longer produce the puzzles, allowing Steve’s atavistic tendencies to rear their ugly head. Hence the Queen’s Raid, something near and dear to the heart of the owner of Championship Chess. A case can be made that Championship Chess was predicated upon the Queen’s Raid, which has become synonymous with Championship Chess. The Queen’s Raid is the foundation of Championship Chess. Steve Schneider will invariably be known as the “Queen’s Raid guy.”)

Me: “When, exactly, is white better according to Stockfish, Steve?”

Steve: “In all the diagrams!”

Me: “Come on, Steve.”

Steve: Except where Magnus missed the best move in the last diagram.”

Me: “But the diagram is before Carlsen, as you say, ‘…missed the best move.'”

Steve: “Then he’s better there, too!”

(All I could do was shake my head as I muttered “unbelievable.” I then decided to move to a different subject. Granted, Magnus was better but only after his opponent played a theoretical novelty that was an extremely weak move, 4…Qe7. The Patzer is so bad that even with the inclusion of the weak move Qe7 the game is considered about even by “all of the programs.”)

Me: “What’s the deal with the World of Chess?” (Steve has spent much money having someone develop a program for beginners to which he sells access to unknowing parents of children who are in Championship Chess after school programs. I had previously seen a flyer for The World of Chess at the Ironman CC)

Steve: “What do you mean?”

Me: “Is it operational?”

Steve: “Yes.”

Me: “I looked for it on the internet but could not locate it.”

Steve: “Not just anyone can get to it.”

Me: “I would like to review it, Steve.”

Steve: “I DO NOT WANT IT REVIEWED!”

Me: “You don’t want it reviewed?” (Asked with incredulity)

Steve: “Why would I want others to see it?”

Me: “When a new product is developed it is usually reviewed…”

Steve: “You have to pay first.”

Me: “You must pay before even checking it out?”

Steve: “Yes.”

Me: “I understand it is similar to Mike Klein’s ChessKid, (https://www.chesskid.com/) which is free.”

Steve: “It’s NOT free. You must pay!”

Me: “I checked out ChessKid and there is much free content for anyone to see and use…”

Steve: “ChessKid really took off after he came to one of my lectures and stole my ideas.”

Me: “Who came to your lecture?”

Steve: “Mike Klein came to a lecture in Alabama. Most of what’s on ChessKid he took from me!”

Me: “But Steve, ChessKid has been around since long before you developed The World of Chess.”

Steve: “And you have to pay.”

Me: “But you can check it out before paying.”

Steve: “I’m not giving anything away. You must pay first!”

At this point Steve’s face was beet red and he was in a highly agitated state, so there were no further questions as others began to query “Coach Steve.”

This is my attempt to reproduce the Championship Chess flyer:

ECO20 The Queen’s Raid (At the 365Chess.com website you will find this-C20 KP, Patzer opening) (https://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=4&n=332&ms=e4.e5.Qh5&ns=3.5.332)

Carlsen, Magnus (2835)
Vokhidov, Shamsiddin (2480)
World Rapid Championship 12.2018

1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 Qe7 5.Ne2 Nf6 6.d3 Bg7 7.Nbc3

Typical opening moves where the players are even. h6 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.exd5 Na5 10.d6

Carlsen prevents Black from trading his Bishop. He sacrifices a Pawn for better development.cxd6 11.Bd5 Nc6 12.Bd2 Qf6 13.Qe4 O-O 14.O-O Ne7 15.Nc3 Qf5 16.Qb4 Nxd5

Black trades a Knight for a Bishop. 17.Nxd5 Kh7 18.Nc7 Rb8 19.Qxd6

White is better. b6 20.f3 Here Carlsen missed the best move Ne8! 0-1

I went to 365Chess and the “Big Database” contains 281 games with white winning 36.3% while losing 50.9%. The ChessBaseDataBase contains only 35 games because it is more selective, containing mostly games by titled players. It shows white scoring only 44%.

The CBDB shows what the engines ‘thought’ of the opening moves played in the Carlsen v Vokhidov game.

1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 (After this move SF 10 at D43 shows an evaluation of -0.50 for white after black plays 2…Nc6 ; Komodo 12 has it -0.20)

Nc6 3.Bc4 g6 4.Qf3 (Although Stockfish at Depth 43 plays the game move Komodo 12 at D42 prefers 4 Qd1)

4…Qe7? (There is only one game with this move in the CBDB. Komodo has it -0.02 after 5 Ne2. There are 25 games with 4…Nf6, SF has it -0.56. Vokhidov did not know the opening, which may have contributed to the thinking of Magnus Carlsen before playing The Patzer. Magnus has never played it again. There is a reason…) 5.Ne2 Nf6 (The Fish and the Dragon both play 5…Na5) 6.d3 (SF 10 plays 6 Nbc3) 6…Bg7 (Komodo and Houdini play the game move but Stockfish plays 6…h6, which will be a Theoretical Novelty if and when a titled human player makes the move on a board) 7.Nbc3 (SF 10 shows an advantage of -0.39 after 7…Nd4) 7…h6 8.Nd5 (SF 8 h3; Houdini 8 Be3) 8…Nxd5 9.exd5 Na5 ( According to both SF and Houdini 9…Nb4 is better) 10.d6 cxd6 11.Bd5 Nc6 (SF 11…Rb8) 12.Bd2 (This is Komodo’s move; Houdini plays 12 Qe4) 12…Qf6 (SF 10 castles)

The Championship Chess Method

After publishing the post, Chess Grit (https://xpertchesslessons.wordpress.com/2019/06/22/chess-grit/), I asked SM Brian McCarthy for feedback. A few days later Brian visited before returning to south Georgia where he is a High School teacher. I was shocked upon hearing, “You were too hard on Steve. I have worked for Championship Chess. There is nothing wrong with his method because he is an educator.” I was at a loss for words. It took a few seconds for me to get over the shock before responding, “Brian, I have a problem with anyone who teaches the Queen’s Raid.” Brian replied, “There is nothing wrong with teaching the Queen’s Raid; every player needs to know how to defend against it.”
“Brian, there is a world of difference between teaching a beginner how to defend against the Queen’s raid and teaching a beginner how to play it in order to win a game quickly.” After his retort I cut the conversation short because Brian has been having major health issues. Still, his reaction stung, and left an impression.

Brian’s picture can be found at the Championship Chess website:

I, too, have previously worked for Championship Chess(https://www.championshipchess.net/), because money was needed. Before heading to the first school as a member of the Championship “team” I was given a quick course in the Championship “method” of teaching Chess to children by Steve Schneider, one of the owners of CC, who indoctrinated me in the Championship Chess way, which included how to teach the Queen’s Raid, aka the Patzer, and pawn games, before being driven by the co-owner, Dennis Jones, to a school, where Dennis was to observe how I followed the CC “method.” On the way I asked Dennis if the other “coaches” followed the CC method. “Some do,” he replied, “But the stronger players do what they want. Are you a stronger player?” he asked. Dennis had given me all the information needed. While Dennis watched I gave lip service to “pawn games” and the “Queen’s raid,” but only to teach the children how to avoid the pitfall of being checkmated with the early raid of the Queen. It was the last time I used even part of the Championship Chess “method.”

Steve Schneider

was a school teacher “back in the day.” At the CC website one finds: “Coach Steve Schneider began working with children and chess when he taught his 6-year-old son to play.” https://www.championshipchess.net/about-steve-schneider/#

I previously mentioned on this blog the time the Ol’ Swindler said about me, “Ummm… You’re a nineteen hundred.” Although I crossed the expert threshold he, and others I suppose, will always think of me as a “1900.” I’m OK with that, because “back in the day” the highest rated player who actually played regularly in Atlanta was Tom Pate, rated in the upper 1900’s. I think of Steve as a “Fourteen hundred.” USCF shows a current rating of 1379. The co-owner, Dennis Jones, is listed at the USCF MSA page as a “one thousand” player, albeit in limited action as he is still a “provisionally rated” player.

At one time Championship Chess could boast of having many higher rated “coaches” but that was in the past. For various reasons, including low wages and being forced to teach the Championship Chess “method,” the higher rated teachers left CC and were replaced by teachers rated, if they were rated, even lower than the owners. The Championship Chess brain trust wanted employees who would “toe the line” and “teach the Championship Chess way.”

The Legendary Georgia Ironman, Tim Brookshear relates a story concerning a game Steve played with one of his “coaches,” a fellow named Lynwood, at the Ironman Chess Club.

Lynwood playing at the Ironman Chess Club recently

As the story goes Lynwood was called over by “Coach Steve” for “training.” It seems Lynwood had been “called into the principal’s office” earlier because he had not been following the CC “method.” Lynwood was assisting “Coach Tim” and the Ironman was not one to teach any way other than his way, which happens to be the way most “approved” Chess teachers go about teaching Chess, which most definitely does not include teaching children to play the “Queen’s Raid” in order to gain a quick victory. “Lynwood was great,” said the Ironman, “He would do whatever asked of him, and was great with the children because of his demeanor.” Poor Lynwood was caught between a rock and a hard place. Should he do what the General back at HQ said and stick his head up out of the foxhole to gather much needed information, or do what the Sargent in the foxhole said and keep his head down?

Lynwood vs Coach Steve

1 e4 e5 2 Qh5

(It all begins with the Queen’s Raid at Championship Chess! If there is any Chess player who should be able to defend against the Queen’s Raid that man was sitting across from Lynwood as General of the black pieces) 2…Nc6 3 Bc4 g6 4 Qf3 Nf6 5 Ne2 d6

(Stockfish plays this move but the Championship Chess “main line” in the Patzer is 5…Bg7. Therefore it would appear Coach Steve was the first to vary from the Championship Chess approved method of playing The Patzer) 6 0-0

(This move is not in the CBDB) Bg4 7 Qb3 Be2 8 Bf7+ Ke7 9 Qe6 mate

In lieu of a resignation coach Steve erupted, “NO, NO, NO Lynwood, you’re not using the patterns!” After Tim pointed out to Steve that Lynwood had not been the one to break the “pattern” coach Steve blurted, “Once he broke the pattern I stopped paying attention!”

Don’t you just hate it when that happens?!

Steve, with much help from others, has written several Chess books for beginners, most, if not all, of which are laughable. I say this because while recalling being regaled with stories of laughable previous editions before being corrected. Tim mentioned going to a school and having his young students “correct” some of the many errors in the books. The mistakes were a riot, causing much laughter by the students.

During a conversation with Steve he expressed displeasure with the way I was teaching the Royal game, which was definitely NOT using the Championship Chess method. I had been teaching how to checkmate using only a few pieces when Steve had rather my time be spent teaching pawn games. “But Steve, I began, “Bobby Fischer wrote a book for beginners which was all about how to checkmate.” (Which is what Chess was all about before it became how to draw quickly)
“What did Bobby Fischer know about teaching Chess to children?” he asked. I was incredulous, and frankly, cannot recall exactly what was said after hearing his ridiculous question. I do, though, recall posing the question, “You mean you know more about teaching Chess than the greatest Chess player of all-time?” To which Steve responded, “Yes. I know more about teaching than he did.” Granted, Steve graduated from a college where he was taught how to teach, whereas Bobby was basically self-taught, but still…
I will never forget the first time attending a scholastic tournament. The memory of where it was being held has vanished. I do recall Steve and Lew Martin escorting some of the youngest children into the playing room. Anyone who has ever attended a Chess tournament, especially if one has worked at a Chess tournament, knows the feeling when the round begins and all is quiet for at least a brief period of time. That was not the case at this tournament because about a minute later the first children began returning from the playing hall, some elated, some crying. The Queen’s Raid had done its work as some beginners had yet to be taught how to defend against the The Patzer. Parents of the winners were pleased as punch while the losing parents were mortified to see their child in tears. When the first little children began returning I asked with incredulity, “You mean the games have already finished?” A smiling and proudly pleased Lew Martin said, “That’s how it is in scholastic Chess.”
“This is not Chess,” was my response. It was more than a little obvious that teaching Chess to children to some could be distilled to, “Show me the money!”

This is part one of a two part series, which will follow with the next post.

The American Variation

This game was played in the 13th Bergamo Open July 19:

Giulio Lagumina (2337) – Gerhard Spiesburger (2102)
13th Bergamo Open 2014.07.19
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qe5+ 4. Be2 Bg4 5. d4 Bxe2 6. Ngxe2 Qh5 7. Bf4 c6 8. Qd3 Nf6 9. O-O-O e6 10. Be5 Nbd7 11. f4 O-O-O 12. Ng3 Qg6 13. Qf3 Be7 14. Kb1 Nxe5 15. dxe5 Nd5 16. Nce4 f5 17. exf6 Bxf6 18. Nc5 Be7 19. Nd3 Rhf8 20. Ne4 Qh6 21. g3 g5 22. c4 Nc7 23. Qe3 gxf4 24. Qxa7 Qg6 25. Rhe1 f3 26. Ka1 Rxd3 27. Rxd3 f2 28. Nxf2 Rxf2 29. Qxf2 Qxd3 30. a3 Qxc4 31. Qf7 Kd7 32. Qxh7 b5 33. Qe4 Qb3 34. Re3 Qd1+ 35. Ka2 Qh5 36. h4 b4 37. axb4 Qb5 38. Kb3 Nd5 39. Qxe6+ Kc7 40. Qe5+ Kb7 41. Rf3 Qxb4+ 42. Kc2 Qc5+ 43. Kd1 Qg1+ 44. Ke2 Bb4 45. Rf7+ Ka6 46. Rf1 Qg2+ 47. Rf2 Qg1 48. Rf1 Qg2+ 49. Rf2 Qg1 1/2-1/2
The standard move is 4…c6. After reading an article about the move in Chess Monthly I tried 3…Qe5+ at the House and it caused me Pain. My Knights were developed in reverse order and I was punished. My opponent played d5 and opened my position like a can of sardines. As you can imagine, after an early round knockout I was not in the best of moods when the Legendary Georgia Ironman asked, “What’s the name of that opening?” I replied, “The Patzer.” A big grin came over Tim’s face as he said, “There’s a reason.”
The name of the article was “The Patzer.” Most would have passed it over after skimming, but I was drawn to the move; more so to the position after 4 Be2 c6 5 d4 Qc7.
I do not think “The Patzer” is a good name for this opening because it is the the name of another, discredited opening which begins, 1e4 e5 2 Qh5 (http://www.killegarchess.com/forum/3-chess-openings/1206-re-the-patzers-opening-wayward-queen-attackparham-attack.html). There are those who teach this opening to youngsters as part of their curriculum and when the little Spud defeats his opponent in four moves tell the parent it is proof that their “Spud” has learned how to play chess and has the potential to become a “champion.” This is a disservice to the Royal game. It also begs the question of why anyone who cannot defend against “The Patzer” is playing in an organized chess tournament. Granted, IM Boris Kogan said, “One can play any opening.” but he also said, when I opened with 1 g4 against him and reminded him of what he said earlier, “But not that opening.” Playing “The Patzer” falls into the category of moves not to be played.

Preston Ware played the move seven times at Vienna, 1882, winning against Weiss, but losing the other six games against Winawer; Zukertort; Steinitz; Meitner; Paulsen; and the man called “Black death.”

Blackburne, Joseph Henry – Ware, Preston
Vienna 1st 1882
ECO: B01
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qe5+ 4. Be2 c6 5. Nf3 Qc7 6. O-O Bf5 7. d4 e6 8. Re1 Be7 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nf6 11. Ne4 Nbd7 12. Neg5 Rd8 13. Nxf7 O-O 14. Nxd8 Rxd8 15. Ng5 Nf8 16. g3 Qd7 17. Qb3 Nd5 18. c4 Nf6 19. Nf3 b6 20. Ne5 Qb7 21. Be3 Bd6 22. Bg5 Be7 23. Rad1 h6 24. Bxf6 Bxf6 25. c5 b5 26. Qf3 Rd5 27. Qg4 Qc8 28. Nf3 Qd7 29. Ne5 Qc8 30. h4 Qe8 31. h5 Bxe5 32. Rxe5 Qd7 33. b3 a5 34. Rxd5 Qxd5 35. Re1 a4 36. Re5 Qd7 37. b4 Qf7 38. f4 Qd7 39. f5 exf5 40. Rxf5 Nh7 41. Qe4 Nf6 42. Rxf6 gxf6 43. Qg6+ Qg7 44. d5 1-0
http://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?search=1&m=6&n=4796&ms=e4.d5.exd5.Qxd5.Nc3.Qe5&bid=162238

“Preston Ware Jr. (August 12, 1821 – January 29, 1890) was a US chess player. He is best known today for playing unorthodox chess openings. Ware was born in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and died in Boston, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Boston Mandarins, a group of chess players in the late 19th century.
Ware was an avid tournament player and played in the Second International Chess Tournament, Vienna 1882, the finest chess tournament of its time. He finished in sixteenth place of eighteen scoring a total of 11 points out of 34, but he did beat Max Weiss and the winner of the tournament, Wilhelm Steinitz in a game lasting 113 moves. At the time, Steinitz had not lost or drawn a game for nine years prior to this tournament and was the unofficial World Champion. Ware also competed in the first, second, fourth and fifth American Chess Congresses.
Ware’s other claim to fame was his eccentric opening play. He used the Ware Opening (then known as the Meadow Hay Opening), the Corn Stalk Defence (sometimes known as the Ware Defence), and the Stonewall Attack. Around 1888 he reintroduced the Stone-Ware Defence to the Evans Gambit, named also for Henry Nathan Stone (1823–1909). (It had originally been played by McDonnell against La Bourdonais in 1843.)”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preston_Ware

I would be remiss in my duties if I did not give the game in which an American bested the acknowledged World Champion:

Ware, Preston – Steinitz, William
Vienna 1882
ECO: A40 Queen’s pawn
1. d4 e6 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Bd2 c4 9. Bc2 b5 10. Be1 a5 11. Bh4 b4 12. Nbd2 Rb8 13. Ne5 Na7 14. e4 Be7 15. exd5 exd5 16. f5 Rb6 17. Qf3 Nb5 18. Rae1 bxc3 19. bxc3 Nd6 20. Rb1 Nde8 21. g4 h6 22. Qe2 Ba3 23. Rxb6 Qxb6 24. Rb1 Qc7 25. Ndf3 Nd6 26. Nd2 Nd7 27. Qf3 Re8 28. Bg3 Nf6 29. h4 Bb7 30. g5 Nfe4 31. Nxe4 dxe4 32. Qf4 hxg5 33. hxg5 Bd5 34. g6 f6 35. Ng4 Rb8 36. Rf1 Rb2 37. Ne3 Qb7 38. Qh4 Kf8 39. Bxd6+ Bxd6 40. Nxd5 Qxd5 41. Bxe4 Rh2 42. Bxd5 Rxh4 43. Bxc4 Rh3 44. Rc1 Rf3 45. Be6 Ke7 46. Kg2 Rd3 47. Bc4 Rg3+ 48. Kf2 Bf4 49. Rc2 Kd8 50. Bf1 Re3 51. Be2 Kd7 52. Bf3 Rd3 53. a4 Kd8 54. Bg2 Kd7 55. Bf3 Kd6 56. Be2 Rh3 57. Bf1 Re3 58. Bb5 Bh6 59. Be2 Bf4 60. Bf3 Kd7 61. Bd5 Kd6 62. Bf3 Kd7 63. Be2 Kd8 64. Bb5 Bh6 65. Kg2 Kc7 66. Kf2 Kd8 67. Bc4 Kc7 68. Bg8 Rh3 69. Bb3 Rh5 70. Ke2 Rxf5 71. Kd3 Kd6 72. Bf7 Rf3+ 73. Kc4 f5 74. Kb5 Rf1 75. Kxa5 Rb1 76. Rh2 Bg5 77. Ka6 f4 78. Rh5 Bd8 79. Rb5 Rc1 80. c4 Ra1 81. a5 f3 82. Rf5 Ra3 83. Bd5 Bxa5 84. c5+ Kc7 85. Rf7+ Kb8 86. Kb5 Bc3 87. Rxf3 Ra5+ 88. Kc4 Ba1 89. Bc6 Ra2 90. Rb3+ Kc7 91. Be8 Rc2+ 92. Kd3 Rc1 93. Ra3 Rd1+ 94. Kc2 Re1 95. d5 Be5 96. d6+ Bxd6 97. cxd6+ Kxd6 98. Rd3+ Ke7 99. Kd2 Re5 100. Bf7 Re4 101. Ra3 Re5 102. Kd3 Kf6 103. Kd4 Re1 104. Ra6+ Kf5 105. Bc4 Re4+ 106. Kc5 Re3 107. Rd6 Re7 108. Kc6 Re1 109. Kd7 Re3 110. Kd8 Kg5 111. Bf7 Kf5 112. Be8 Re1 113. Rd7 1-0
http://www.365chess.com/game.php?gid=2692406

Because Preston Ware was the first player to adopt the move and play it against the best players in the world at the time, and since there are other moves named “Ware,” I hereby name the move 3…Qe5+ the “American” opening. I would rather tell my friend I lost with the “American” than the “Patzer.” How about you?

Alexandre Drozdov has played 3…Qe5+ seven times, losing four while winning only three, but two of the wins were against a strong Grandmaster.

Timofeev, Artyom (2675) – Drozdov, Alexandre (2305)
Event: EU-ch Internet qual
Site: playchess.com Date: 11/08/2003
Round: 2
ECO: B01 Scandinavian (centre counter) defence
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qe5+ 4. Be2 c6 5. d4 Qc7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. O-O Bg4 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Qd2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 e6 11. Rfe1 Be7 12. Bf4 Bd6 13. Bg3 O-O 14. Rad1 Rad8 15. a3 Nb6 16. Qe2 Bxg3 17. hxg3 Nbd5 18. Nb1 Qb6 19. c4 Ne7 20. c5 Qc7 21. b4 Nf5 22. Qc4 Rd7 23. g4 Nh4 24. Be2 Rfd8 25. g3 Ng6 26. Nc3 Ne7 27. Bf3 Ned5 28. Ne2 h6 29. Kg2 Nh7 30. Be4 Ng5 31. Bc2 Nf6 32. f3 a6 33. Nc3 h5 34. f4 Ngh7 35. g5 Ng4 36. Ne4 Nf8 37. Nd6 b5 38. Qd3 g6 39. Qe4 Rxd6 40. cxd6 Qxd6 41. Bb3 a5 42. Rc1 axb4 43. Rxc6 Qxd4 44. Qxd4 Rxd4 45. axb4 Rxb4 46. Rb1 Ne3+ 47. Kf2 Nf5 48. Bc2 Rd4 49. Bxf5 gxf5 50. Rxb5 h4 51. Rb7 hxg3+ 52. Kxg3 Rd3+ 53. Kf2 Rd4 54. Ke3 Re4+ 55. Kf3 Ng6 56. Rc8+ Kg7 57. Rcc7 Rxf4+ 58. Kg3 Rg4+ 59. Kf2 Ne5 60. Rb5 Re4 61. Ra7 Kg6 62. Raa5 Ng4+ 63. Kg3 Kxg5 64. Ra7 Re3+ 65. Kg2 Kf6 66. Rbb7 Ne5 67. Rb4 Re4 68. Rb8 f4 69. Rh8 f3+ 70. Kf2 Re2+ 71. Kg3 Rg2+ 72. Kh3 Rg1 73. Ra2 Rh1+ 74. Rh2 Rxh2+ 75. Kxh2 Kf5 76. Kg3 Ke4 77. Ra8 f5 78. Ra4+ Ke3 79. Ra3+ Nd3 80. Kh2 f2 81. Kg2 e5 82. Kf1 e4 83. Ra2 Kf3 84. Rd2 Ke3 85. Re2+ Kd4 86. Rd2 f4 87. Ra2 Ne5 88. Rd2+ Ke3 89. Re2+ Kd4 90. Rxf2 f3 91. Rd2+ Ke3 92. Ra2 Kf4 93. Ra4 Ng4 94. Rb4 Ne3+ 95. Kf2 Ng4+ 96. Kf1 Nf6 97. Kf2 Nd5 98. Ra4 Nc3 99. Rc4 Nd1+ 100. Ke1 Ne3 101. Rc3 Ng2+ 102. Kf1 e3 103. Rxe3 Nxe3+ 104. Kf2 Nf5 105. Ke1 Nd6 106. Kf2 Ne4+ 107. Ke1 f2+ 108. Ke2 Kg3 109. Ke3 Ng5 110. Kd4 Kg2 111. Ke5 f1=Q 112. Kd5 Qf2 113. Ke5 Qf3 114. Kd4 Kf2 115. Ke5 Qe4+ 116. Kd6 Kf3 117. Kc5 Qe6 118. Kd4 Kf4 119. Kd3 Qe5 120. Kc4 Qe4+ 121. Kc5 Ke3 122. Kd6 Qd4+ 123. Kc7 Ke4 124. Kc6 Qd5+ 125. Kb6 Ke5 126. Kc7 Ke6 0-1

Timofeev, Artyom (2575) – Drozdov, Alexandre (2313)
Event: EU-ch Internet qual
Site: playchess.com INT Date: 11/08/2003
Round: 2
ECO: B01 Scandinavian (centre counter) defence
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qe5+ 4. Be2 c6 5. d4 Qc7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. O-O Bg4 8. Bg5 Nbd7 9. Qd2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 e6 11. Rfe1 Be7 12. Bf4 Bd6 13. Bg3 O-O 14. Rad1 Rad8 15. a3 Nb6 16. Qe2 Bxg3 17. hxg3 Nbd5 18. Nb1 Qb6 19. c4 Ne7 20. c5 Qc7 21. b4 Nf5 22. Qc4 Rd7 23. g4 Nh4 24. Be2 Rfd8 25. g3 Ng6 26. Nc3 Ne7 27. Bf3 Ned5 28. Ne2 h6 29. Kg2 Nh7 30. Be4 Ng5 31. Bc2 Nf6 32. f3 a6 33. Nc3 h5 34. f4 Ngh7 35. g5 Ng4 36. Ne4 Nf8 37. Nd6 b5 38. Qd3 g6 39. Qe4 Rxd6 40. cxd6 Qxd6 41. Bb3 a5 42. Rc1 axb4 43. Rxc6 Qxd4 44. Qxd4 Rxd4 45. axb4 Rxb4 46. Rb1 Ne3+ 47. Kf2 Nf5 48. Bc2 Rd4 49. Bxf5 gxf5 50. Rxb5 h4 51. Rb7 hxg3+ 52. Kxg3 Rd3+ 53. Kf2 Rd4 54. Ke3 Re4+ 55. Kf3 Ng6 56. Rc8+ Kg7 57. Rcc7 Rxf4+ 58. Kg3 Rg4+ 59. Kf2 Ne5 60. Rb5 Re4 61. Ra7 Kg6 62. Raa5 Ng4+ 63. Kg3 Kxg5 64. Ra7 Re3+ 65. Kg2 Kf6 66. Rbb7 Ne5 67. Rb4 Re4 68. Rb8 f4 69. Rh8 f3+ 70. Kf2 Re2+ 71. Kg3 Rg2+ 72. Kh3 Rg1 73. Ra2 Rh1+ 74. Rh2 Rxh2+ 75. Kxh2 Kf5 76. Kg3 Ke4 77. Ra8 f5 78. Ra4+ Ke3 79. Ra3+ Nd3 80. Kh2 f2 81. Kg2 e5 82. Kf1 e4 83. Ra2 Kf3 84. Rd2 Ke3 85. Re2+ Kd4 86. Rd2 f4 87. Ra2 Ne5 88. Rd2+ Ke3 89. Re2+ Kd4 90. Rxf2 f3 91. Rd2+ Ke3 92. Ra2 Kf4 93. Ra4 Ng4 94. Rb4 Ne3+ 95. Kf2 Ng4+ 96. Kf1 Nf6 97. Kf2 Nd5 98. Ra4 Nc3 99. Rc4 Nd1+ 100. Ke1 Ne3 101. Rc3 Ng2+ 102. Kf1 e3 103. Rxe3 Nxe3+ 104. Kf2 Nf5 105. Ke1 Nd6 106. Kf2 Ne4+ 107. Ke1 f2+ 108. Ke2 Kg3 109. Ke3 Ng5 110. Kd4 Kg2 111. Ke5 f1=Q 112. Kd5 Qf2 113. Ke5 Qf3 114. Kd4 Kf2 115. Ke5 Qe4+ 116. Kd6 Kf3 117. Kc5 Qe6 118. Kd4 Kf4 119. Kd3 Qe5 120. Kc4 Qe4+ 121. Kc5 Ke3 122. Kd6 Qd4+ 123. Kc7 Ke4 124. Kc6 Qd5+ 125. Kb6 Ke5 126. Kc7 Ke6 0-1
http://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?search=1&m=6&n=4796&ms=e4.d5.exd5.Qxd5.Nc3.Qe5&bid=21348

365Chess.com shows Expert Daniele Sautto has played the move thirteen times, winning six, drawing four, while losing three.

Godena, Michele (2505) – Sautto, Daniele (2166)
Event: ITA-ch final g/5′ 1st
Site: playchess.com INT Date: 03/01/2006
Round: 2
ECO: B01 Scandinavian (centre counter) defence
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qe5+ 4. Nge2 c6 5. d4 Qa5 6. g3 Bg4 7. Bg2 e6 8. h3 Bf5 9. O-O Nf6 10. Re1 Bd6 11. Bd2 Qc7 12. Nf4 O-O 13. Rc1 Nbd7 14. Qf3 Nb6 15. g4 Bg6 16. h4 Nc4 17. Be3 Nxe3 18. fxe3 Bxf4 19. exf4 h5 20. g5 Nd5 21. Nxd5 cxd5 22. c3 Be4 23. Qg3 Bxg2 24. Kxg2 g6 25. Re5 Qd6 26. Rce1 b5 27. Qd3 Rab8 28. Rxe6 Qxf4 29. Rxg6+ fxg6 30. Qxg6+ Kh8 31. Qh6+ Kg8 32. Qg6+ Kh8 33. Qxh5+ Kg8 34. Qg6+ Kh8 35. Qh6+ Kg8 36. Qg6+ Kh8 37. Qh6+ Kg8 38. Qg6+ 1/2-1/2
http://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?search=1&m=6&n=4796&ms=e4.d5.exd5.Qxd5.Nc3.Qe5&bid=22329

Check out this video: “The Patzer Variation survives,” by YMChessMaster: