Chess: Berlin Defence, Greco Gambit — the Double g3

I Played Black 👋

This is the hybrid "Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defence, Greco Gambit" opening position from my standpoint as Black:

⬆️ The taxonomy is doing its best, bless it. Like labelling a pub brawl as informal social gathering.

A game that was nominally Greco, technically Berlin, actually neither.

And the anarchy begins.

From move 3 onwards, we will witness proper chaos. The double g3 bit:

• Move 11 — White plays g3, attempting to boot my bishop off. My bishop takes it. Cheerfully. Bxg3. Cheers.
• Move 14 — White plays g3 again. My bishop takes it. Again. Cheers.

Let's have a look.

You can use your left and right arrows on your keyboard or use the mouse scroll to see the moves back and forth on the chessboard. But first, click the board.

⬆️ I've been that bloke. Different blunder, same magnificent commitment to repeating it within the very same game. The perhaps it works THIS time spirit is a powerful and deeply irrational force.

We are all, at some point —

the Double g3.

Hats off to my opponent.

Terribly sorry for being a rogue steamed eggplant, I was.

⬆️ That sentence construction? It's a British-Yoda syntax.

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The Comical Blaming

Not just in chess, any other games. You did notice that, did you not?

We never, or VERY rarely went — OH! Good game, well played! That was MY mistake. Spot on, my opponent!

I mean, genuinely. Not just on the surface — Well done, mate! — Whilst inside — You absolute [...fragment here...] I hope [...fragment here...] (Smiles. Clenching fists.)

Because honestly, admitting OUR OWN mistake? That would sound like a psychological disorder requiring immediate professional attention. 🤔 Very paradoxical, we are. Quite.

But let us consider these two paths:

1. The natural — the blaming everyone, everything else.

   The referee! — The pitch! — The lighting in this room! — The dice are LOADED! — This Monopoly board is WARPED! — That guy picks his nose! — That ABSOLUTE SWINE, how DARE 🤬💢

   ⬆️ Simply not accepting defeat. And it manifests EVERYWHERE.

   Perhaps that's simultaneously humanity's greatest flaw AND greatest strength — because that exact same refusal to accept defeat is what gets people off the floor after genuine catastrophe. Civilisations rebuilt. Comebacks made. Mm. Grand.

2. The unnatural — the blaming oneself and carrying on with proper analysis. Very unnatural.

   That was MY fault, let me understand WHY.

   ⬆️ Admitting the mistake fully and cleanly actually releases the pressure. No energy wasted on fabricating excuses, no mental gymnastics, no simmering resentment — just clear, calm, focused understanding of what went wrong.

   And the calmness — oh, the calmness that comes with it is extraordinary. Because the enemy was never the opponent. The enemy was the chaos inside our own head all along. Mm. Rather logical.

So indeed, it's fascinating!

Until next time. 👋