Slimmest of Margins

In the following Jerome Gambit game, my client responded with a defense that is usually handled well by White (68% across 75 games in The Database; 86% for me in 7 games), although the attacker has the slimmest of margins to play with.

I took up the challenge and ground my opponent down, although the game ended in severe time trouble for both of us.

perrypawnpusher - Dubnobase
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 

In a bit of psychological judo, Black has returned the sacrificed material, with interest. True, he no longer has a "won game," but he puts forth to White the proposition: win with the extra pawn, not a bashi-bazouk attack.

Fair enough.

10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Rf1 Kg7 12.Kg1 d6 13.d3 Bd7

14.Bg5 Ng4 15.h3 Ne5 16.Rxf8 Rxf8 17.Rf1 a5

Black takes it too easy, and drops the exchange.

18.Bh6+ Kxh6 19.Rxf8 Nc6 20.Nb5 Nb4 21.Nxc7 Nxc2 22.Nd5 Ne1 23.d4 Nc2 24.e5 dxe5 25.dxe5 Be6 

26.Nf6 Bxa2 27.Rh8 Nd4 28.Rxh7+ Kg5 29.Rxb7 Nc6 30.Ng4 a4 31.Kf2 Bb3 

Absent the clock, the position is promising for White.

32.Ke3 Kf5 33.Rb5 Ke6 34.g3 Ne7 35.h4 Nf5+ 36.Kf4 Nd4 37.Rb6+ Kf7 38.Ke4 Ne6 

39.Ne3 Nc5+ 40.Kd4 Ne6+ 41.Kd3 Nc5+ 42.Ke2 Ne4 43.Kf3 Nc5 44.g4 Nd3 45.e6+ Ke7 

Both my opponent and I missed the fact that the e-pawn could be captured. We did not have much time to move, less time to think. I concentrated on avoiding blunders.

46.h5 gxh5 47.gxh5 Nxb2 48.Kf4 Nd3+ 49.Kg5 Black forfeited on time

With enough time, Black could play 49...Bxe6, but after 50.h6 the Rook pawn will not be stopped: a) 50...Bg8 51.Rb7+ Ke8 52.Rg7 chasing the Bishop away and allowing the pawn to Queen; b) 50...Ne5 51.Nf5+ Kd7 52.h7 Nf7+ 53.Kf6 and Black's Knight can not hold up the pawn for long; or c) 50...Ne5 51.Nf5+ Bxf5 52.Kxf5 Nf7 53.h7 and again the pawn will get through.