The following game reminds me of the story about two guys in the jungle who are suddenly spotted by a carnivorous beast. The first quickly changes to his running shoes. "You don't think you're going to outrun that tiger, do you?" asked the second, skeptically. "I don't have to outrun him," said the first, "I just have to outrun you."
My game was a sloppy mess, but less sloppy and less messy than my opponent. Sometimes that's how it goes.
perrypawnpusher - trunkat
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7
10.f4
Or 10.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - sarBear, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 16).
10...d6
Black kicked my Queen with 10...b6 in perrypawnpusher -blackflower, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29).
11.Qe3 h5 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc4 14.Qd3 d5
It was better to simply withdraw the Knight.
15.e5
Jumping at the chance to advance my "Jerome pawn," but 15.Nc3 was probably better.
15...Nxb2
There has to be a miscalculation somewhere... Simply 15...Bxf5 16.Rxf5+ Nxf5 17.Qxf5+ Kg8 kept White's edge small.
16.Bxb2 Bxf5 17.Rxf5+ Nxf5 18.Qxf5+ Kg8
19.Ba3 b6 20.Nd2 Qh4 21.c3 Rf8
An oversight that puts the game out of reach. Black was looking to counter my next move, instead of remembering the one a few moves ago.
22.Qxf8+ Kh7 23.Qf5+ Kh6
24.Rf1 c5 25.dxc5 Black resigned
I've been taking more time finding my moves these days, with the hope that the resulting improvement in my play will shorten the game and lessen my need for those tick-tocks anyway. There is always the risk, though, of burning time, and not finding anything special...
perrypawnpusher - blackflower
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+
This is the 32nd time that I have played this move here, and my record to date is 29-0-3, but this is the first time that I have noticed that 7.d4 might be stronger...
7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7
Adding to his development, but I think 9...d6 10.Qe3 Nf6 was the better way to do that.
10.f4
This is a bit stronger than 10.Nc3 b6 11.Qe3 Bb7 12.f4 d5 13.f5 d4 14.fxg6+ Kg8 15.Qf4 dxc3 16.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - sarBear, blitz, FICS, 2009.
10...b6 11.Qe3
Made reflexively, but the Queen was probably better placed at h5.
11...Kf7
12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Ng4
Harassing the Queen is irresistible; but going to c6 was wiser.
14.Qg3 h5 15.h3 Nf6 16.e5
16...Nxf5
Probably a miscalculation. Better was the return of the piece with 16...d5 17.exf6 gxf6 when Black is only a pawn down.
17.Rxf5 d6 18.Rf2 dxe5 19.dxe5 Qd4
Black will soon be rid of the annoying "Jerome pawns," but he also will be a piece down.
20.exf6 gxf6 21.Nc3 Rg8 22.Qf3 Be6 23.Qxh5+ Ke7
Black is now in serious trouble. Lucky for him, I was feeling some time pressure.
24.Qh7+ Bf7 25.Qd3
I figured that an exchange of Queens would simplify the position, reduce Black's counter-attacking chances, and help me think quicker. If I had been able to find the much stronger 25.Bh6, threatening Re1+ followed by Rd1, winning the Queen, that would have been a solution to my time trouble.
25...Qc5
Maintaining the pin. Exchanging was better.
26.Qe4+ Be6
27.Be3 Qh5 28.Qf3
Another crass attempt at exchanging Queens, when 28.Bd4 should not have been too hard to find. With more time, I probably would have found it.
28...f5
Well, that solves everything. Black protects his f-pawn and neglects his Queen.
29.Qxh5 Black resigned
