Charlatan

After studying the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) for over a decade, I sometimes like to think that I know something about the opening. Then, I play a game like the following one, and I am unmasked as much of a charlatan.

perrypawnpusher - Ondras
blitz, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Nh6

Black's move is a rare one, yet I have seen it twice before and should have been more prepared to face it.

9.Qxe5+ Kc6

Here, perrypawnpusher - GPP, blitz, FICS, 2010, ended as a win for White by ajudication

10.Qd5+ Kb6 11.Nc3

So far, so good. The text is actually an improvement over 11.d4 Bxd4 (11...Ng4 12.Qxc5 checkmate, UNPREDICTABLE - acuriel, blitz, FICS, 2009) 12.Qxd4+ as in perrypawnpusher - hotintheshade, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 46)

11...d6

Compartively better were 11...c6, 11...a6 and 11...a5, all of which would give Black's King a retreat square in return for his Bishop after 12.Na4+ and 13.Qxc5.

12.Na4+

After the game, Rybka pointed out the checkmate that I "knew" was there, but could not find: 12.Qb3+ Bb4 13.Qxb4+ Kc6 14.Qb5#.

12...Ka6 13.Nxc5+

Players in tune with the spirit of the Jerome Gambit would have tried 13.b4!? instead, knowing that open lines against the Black King were well worth a pawn.

13...dxc5 14.Qxc5 b6

At this point it was becoming clear to my opponent (and me) that my attack was nothing more than a paper tiger. I could withdraw my Queen and take "satisfaction" in the fact that I had three pawns for my sacrificed piece, with roughly equal game – but we both knew that I had misplayed.

15.Qe3 Kb7 16.d4

Black has castled-by-hand on the Queenside, and I thought I would make a show of my pawns with this move. Wiser was 16.0-0.

16...Kb8

Black's King is not cowering: he visualizes his light-squared Bishop on the long diagonal, as part of a counter-attack on my King! Perhaps I was fortunate that my opponent felt so emboldened, as after the game Rybka suggested that center play, instead, could have crippled my pawns: 16...Re8 17.e5 Qd5 18.Qf3 Qxf3 19.gxf3 Nf5 and Black would be better.

17.0-0 Bb7

18.c4

Figuring, I guess, that if three central pawns did not scare my opponent, four might. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. The Great Oz has spoken...

18...Ng4 19.Qd3 c5

Black strikes back, with a plan.

20.d5 Re8 21.h3 Nf6 22.e5 Nxd5

I was impressed at my opponent's willingness to return a piece for a couple of pawns. Had he also calculated a transition into a drawn Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame?

23.cxd5

Sadly, I had looked at, and then rejected, the much better 23.Rd1.

23...Bxd5 24.Be3

Once again, 24.Rd1 was stronger. 

24...Kb7 25.b3 h6

Black casually goes about preparing the pawn break ...g7-g5!? with plans to attack my King. Although I was almost certain that my position was better, I began to feel a bit like the cowardly lion...

26.Rae1

The tactical shot 26.Bxc5 would have led to some reassuring simplification, e.g. 26...Bxg2 27.Qxd8 Raxd8 28.Kxg2 bxc5.

26...g5 27.fxg5 Rxe5 28.gxh6 Qg8 29.Rf2

29...Rf8 30.Ree2 Ref5

A lucky break for me, based on an optical illusion. If I did not have a Rook on e2, hiding behind my Bishop, I would be unable to capture twice at f5. 

31.Rxf5 Rxf5 Black resigned