Echoes

After a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, I like to consult my database and see if' I've seen that line of play before and see if I've crossed swords with my opponent previously.

The following game contains two strange "echoes".

perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka
blitz FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

I know that objectively this move keeps Black's advantage, but I'm always glad to see it because it allows me to capture the Bishop on c5, giving my f-pawn a faster chance to get moving.

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

10.0-0 Ne5

After the game I discovered that Kotimatka and I had played a game last year. Even more interesting was how the game went. The opening was a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit: 3...h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qe3 Ne5

analysis diagram






11.d4 Ng4 12.Qg3 N8f6 13.Nc3 Be6 14.h3 Bc4 15.Re1 Qd7 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.f3 Nf6 18.e5 Nh5 19.exd6+ Kf7 20.Qh2 g6 21.Re7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Kotimatka, blitz FICS, 2009.

In the current game, Black is a tempo ahead of last time, having not played ...h7-h6.

11.f4

Better was 11.d4 Neg4 12.Qb3 b6 13.h3 Nh6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nfg8 16.Qf3 Be6 17.Rd1 Qc8 18.Nc3 Ne7 19.Nb5 Rf8 20.Qxa8 Kf7 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Bxh6 gxh6 23.Nxa7 Rg8 24.Kh2 Nf5 25.g4 Ne7 26.Nb5 h5 27.Nxc7 hxg4 28.Rd6 Bf5 29.Rf6+ Kg7 30.hxg4 Bg6 31.Rd1 Bxc2 32.Rd7 Black resigned, Gandybh - Noel1942, Chess.com, 2009

11...Nfg4

12.Qg3 Ng6 13.f5 N6e5

The Knights are begining to trip over each other. Black could have brought about a roughly even game with 13...Qh4, e.g. 14.Qxh4 Nxh4. Perhaps my opponent couldn't tolerate the notion of losing a half-point to the Jerome Gambit.

14.d4 c6

Black gives back the piece and prepares for his Queen to enter the combat.

15.dxe5 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Nxe5

17.Qxg7 Rf8

18.f6

I looked at 18.Bh6, a better move, but I didn't look deep enough to be comfortable with it. Too bad: 18...Rf7 19.Qg8+ Kd7 20.Bg5 is strong. I missed the Bishop move. 

18...Be6

Okay, so I wasn't the only player to overlook something.

19.Qe7 checkmate