Napoleon lost a famous chess game to the Turk, which was a contraption that looked like a machine but actually hid a chess master inside. In the game, Napoleon brought his Queen out early, which is generally considered a bad idea by serious players (but often done by novices). And that’s the story behind what is now called Napoleon’s Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Qf3).
Recently I played a few games with an opponent who brings his Queen out right away. It’s not always easy punishing a violation of established principles, but it’s a treat when I do! The first diagram shows my opponent’s early aggression with the Queen.
The second diagram shows the checkmate. My opponent had to switch from offense to defense, but it wasn’t enough to stop my better-prepared assault.
