Technical Difficulties (Part 4)

It seems that I have had a bad run of "technical difficulties" in my online play lately. I hope that today's game is the last one, for a long, long time.

If a chess player makes a poor move, it is no surprise that he or she might get frustrated. How about "Win with grace, lose with dignity," as Susan Polgar suggests?

perrypawnpusher  - foreverblackman
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. The updated New Year's Database has 2,365 games with this position, with White scoring 56%.  (I have scored 88%. Remember: when it comes to statistics, Your Mileage May Vary.)

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6

7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

This is a safer capture for White than 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxh8 Qg5, when Black grabs the initiative.

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Nf6 10.Qc5+ d6 11.Qxd4

White has four pawns for his sacrificed piece, and a lot of practical chances for advantage.

11...c5 12.Qe3 Bh6 13.Qe2

I didn't like having my Queen pushed around like this, but White has to come up with a way to keep his King safe before he can think about advancing his "Jerome pawns" against Black's King.

13...Bg4 14.f3 Bh5 15.Nc3 a6

After the game Rybka suggested play that also kept the game even: 15...Bf7 16.g4 d5 17.e5 Nd7 18.0-0 d4 19.Ne4 Bf4 20.d3 Rxh2 21.Rf2 Rxf2 22.Qxf2 Bxc1 23.Rxc1 Qh8 24.Re1 Be6 25.Qg3 Rg8 .

analysis diagram







I like Black's position a bit better, but what do I know?

16.d3 Bxc1 17.Rxc1 Qb6

18.Rb1

Still keeping the position closed.

18...Rag8 19.g3

After the game Rybka suggested blowing the game open for a slight advantage for White, but too much of the recommendation felt like "computer chess": 19.g4 Bf7 20.h4 d5 21.g5 Rxg5 22.hxg5 Rxh1+ 23.Kd2 Rxb1 24.Nxb1 Nd7 25.exd5+ Kf8 26.Qh2 Bxd5 27.Nc3 Be6 28.Qh6+ Kg8 29.Qg6+ Kf8 30.Qe4 Bf7 31.Kc1.

analysis diagram







19...Qc6

Rybka's sound-and-fury-signifying-nothing suggestion was that Black go, instead, for the draw by sacrificing his Queen with: 19...Bf7 20.Qf2 Qa5 21.Qd2 Qc7 22.g4 d5 23.g5 Qg3+ 24.hxg3 Rxh1+ 25.Ke2 Rh2+ 26.Ke1 Rh1+ etc

analysis diagram







20.Nd5+ Nxd5

Oops. 

Of course, 20...Kf7 keeps the position balanced and the game uncertain.

21.exd5+

Here, seeing that his Queen was destined to leave the board, Black disconnected.

Best was 21...Kf6 22.dxc6 Re8 when Black can win White's Queen – at the cost of a Rook. White will be the exchange and several pawns ahead.

White was later awarded the win by adjudication