Platinum Mind Tricks

I had another encounter with what I have called a Blackburne Shilling Gambit "Jedi Mind Trick". My opponent was PlatinumKnight, so perhaps I should refer to it as a "Platinum Mind Trick".


perrypawnpusher - PlatinumKnight
blitz, 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 60 examples of games by my opponent in this line: 58 with Black, 2 with White. Two have already appeared on this blog, one against darrenshome and another against richiehill.

4...Ke7

Messing with my mind (4...Kxf7 was just fine)...

After our game I learned that PlatinumKnight is a bit of a specialist with this strategy, as the Database has 30 of his games with 4...Ke7, starting in 2005. 

5.Bc4

Also possible, of course, are 5.Bxg8 or  5.Bb3.

5...Ke8

A striking move, played, I imagine, to allow Black's Queen to regain access to the d8-h4 diagonal. Indeed, we have the original Blackburne Shilling Gambit position, except that Black's f-pawn is missing and Black's King cannot castle – neither will be important if he can pull off the usual BSG shenanigans.

6.Nxd4

I suspect that PlatinumKnight was hoping for 6.Nxe5, which he could answer with 6...Qg5 (and a roughly equal position) but I've learned my lesson from Master zadox.

I don't think that my opponent has faced 6.Nxd4 in this position before. Perhaps it will help him give up attempts at "mind tricks".

6...exd4

It is sad that after the game all Rybka had to recommend instead of this recapture was: 6...Qh4 7.Nf3 Qxe4+ 8.Be2 Qf5 when White is much better.

7.Qh5+

7...g6 8.Qe5+ Ne7

Or 8...Qe7, as in perrypawnpusher - zadox, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 14).

9.Qxh8 Black resigned