--- title: The Most Embarassing Loss Of My Life description: Literally lost in 6 moves image: https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=xwgGGDFyPsnG.webp&w=880&sig=f09b742572f22d741b8ad9988e5753bb6e4dec42 --- Let me paint the picture. Recently I was playing a **3-day 7-round** classical tournament. On **Day 1** I played **2 rounds**, in the first one I got matched against a **2166** with Black. He opened with the *English*, and I went for a gambit I havent reviewed (or frankly played) in quite some time. Basically I was defending a queenless middlegame down a pawn, and doing so pretty well until I miscalculated on the critical **26th move**. Even though I felt like I played really well I still lost, so I was annoyed at a bad start to the event. I won the second game with White as the favourite, so I finished the day on **1/2**. Not what I imagined or wanted. But the day wasn't over, There were more chess to be played. There was a side **9-round** blitz tournament, which went more my way. And that's what I want to show you today. ## Round 0 The goal for this event was to win a prize. Make back some money for the accomodation costs and the entry fees, but that changed, when just before the start a grandmaster decided to participate aswell. I don't get many chances to play with GM's, so I had to perform well to get matched. There were **50 players** and I was seeded **10th**. The pairings system was [accelerated baku](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss-system_tournament#Accelerated_pairings), meaning I'll get paired against stronger players faster. In the first game I blundered a pawn on the **13th move**. but my opponent gave me the present back **2 moves** later. ## Round 2 — Blunderfest In the second round I'm already playing a higher-rated opponent. The game was... filled with opportunities to improve upon. https://lichess.org/study/zyykyTTW/cKO3PgD3#0 I'm not sure why, but during this game I was so stressed it felt like standing on top of a skyscraper with a fear of height. Like it literally hurt. And it was only during this one game, kinda weird. A draw on the high board was a nice score (if we don't talk about the fact I was up a knight), but since I'm lower-rated I fell down in the pairings. **Round 3** was a fun miniature with White, but that means I will play a strong player with Black again. ## Round 4 — Color swap Turns out I won't be playing with Black! I got lucky with a double white, which is great since I was playing up. https://lichess.org/study/zyykyTTW/IOo5l5yj#0 I want to say the win was undeserved, but considering my opponent fell for a trap i deliberatery set up I have to give myself some credit. That win landed me at **3.5/4**, so I can finally play the Grandmaster! ## Round 5 This round doesn't even deserve a title. https://lichess.org/study/zyykyTTW/cDKFmzUv#0 Such an embarassing loss. Honestly I'm not a fan of the lines after **5.e3**, I have to either play a weird reverse *QGE*, or let White take on **c5** and play against a *Janowski--Larsen QGA*, which I used to play with colors reversed. A much more interesting alternative might be **3...g6**, but there **4.e3** looks dry aswell. But it's much less common. Another thing might me combining both with **4...g6**, but I think I'll settle on **3...g6** provoking white to go for **f3–e4**, **Qd2–Bh6** or **Qd2–O-O-O**. Overall this is one of my best events ever, I finished **2nd** (behind the GM obviously) with **7/9** with performance **over** **2200** and **+73 FIDE** gain. Last game I offered a draw up a pawn knowing it will guarantee me **2nd** **place**, I played **7** **games** against higher-rated opposition (scoring 5 in those). Despite this I lost a game in **6 moves**, it still doesn't feel real, like how is that even possible. If you are interested in seeing all the games, here's the [transmission link](https://lichess.org/broadcast/swietokrzyskie-chess-festival-2026-blitz/round-1/n4YUE4ub#players/21894914) and here are the [standings](https://www.chessmanager.com/en-us/tournaments/6427189993799680/results/9). I didn't include more games, because I don't find them that interesting. So that's all I have for you today, thanks for reading and I'm going back to studying!