New, Old, New, Old...

The following game has a funny mix of things that were "new" to me and things that were "old" friends. After yesterday's challenging loss, it was nice to return to winning ways.

perrypawnpusher - gmann
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Nc3

I've always played 4.0-0 here, as in an earlier game against my opponent, perrypawnpusher - gmann, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 39), but recent posts on this blog got me thinking about trying something new. Nothing came of it this time, however.

4...Nf6 5.0-0 Bc5

The game has transposed to the not-so-new Semi-Italian Four Knights Game, something that I have played over 45 times.

6.Bxf7+

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4

An interesting idea was 8...Ng6, which I saw in perrypawnpusher - richardachatz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 20) and later in perrypawnpusher - gmann, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 21).

9.Qxd4

9...Nc6 10.Qd3

An  old decision. The computers prefer 10.Qc4+, but I have had mixed results with the move: perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1,26),  perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 19), and perrypawnpusher - transilvania, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 12).

10...d6 11.f4 g6

This was new to me. It was hard to look at the pawn pair at g6 and h6 and think that at least one of them should have stayed on its original square. This is not a major error, nothing to upset the fact the Black is better; but one way that Black loses in the Jerome Gambit is by the accumulation of small disadvantages.

12.Bd2 Nb4

Ah, yes, an old friend again... I am almost over feeling guilty when my opponents play this kind of move (When in doubt, harass the Queen!).

13.Qc4+ Be6

After the game Houdini showed a preference for 13...d5 14.Qxb4 dxe4 followed by 15.Nb5 a6 16.Qc4+ Be6 17.Qxc7+ Qxc7 18.Nxc7 Rac8 19.Nxe6 Kxe6 when White was a bit better.

14.Qxb4 Rb8 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 Bxd5 17.Qd4

This centralizing move is okay, but after the game Houdini recommended the more aggressive 17.f5. Now Black should retreat his Bishop.

17...c6 18.c4 Bxc4 19.Qxc4+ d5 20.Qd3 Kg7

Reaching the sanctuary he prepared on move 11, but it is too late.

21.Bc3 Kh7 22.f5 Qg5 23.fxg6+ Qxg6 24.Qxg6+

An old habit: simplify to an ending (missing 24.Rf7+ Kg8 25.Qxg6 checkmate).

24...Kxg6 25.Rf6+ Kg7 26.Raf1

26...Rhf8 27.Rxf8 Rxf8 28.e6+ Kg8 29.e7 Re8 30.Re1 Kf7 31.Bb4 b6 32.Bd6 b5

33.Rf1+ Ke6 34.Rf8 Rxe7 35.Bxe7 Kxe7 36.Ra8 Black resigned