It happens.

White faced a tough opponent in the following game, and was not able to score the full point.

It happens.

Philidor 1792 - Arslanov,S
casual blitz game Moscow, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 

10.0-0

A slight improvement over 10.Nc3 c6 11.0-0 Kf7 12.f4 Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qf3 Kg8 16.b3 Nb6 17.Bg5 Qe7 18.Rae1 Qf7 19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Nfd5 21.e6 Qf8 22.Ne4 Bxe6 23.fxe6 Qxf3 24.Rxf3 Rxe6 25.c4 Rae8 26.cxd5 Rxe4 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.dxc6 bxc6 29.Rc3 Re6 30.Kf2 h6 31.Bh4 Nd5 32.Rc5 g5 33.Bg3 Ne3 34.Bb8 Ng4+ 35.Kf3 Nf6 36.Bxa7 Nd5 37.Rc2 Kf7 38.Bc5 Kg6 39.a4 h5 40.a5 g4+ 41.Kf2 Nf4 42.a6 Nd3+ 43.Kg3 Kg5 44.h4+ gxh3 45.Kxh3 Nxc5 46.Rxc5+ Black resigned, Philidor 1792- guest2498, www.bereg.ru, 2014.

10.d4 is Houdini's choice. 

10...Kf7 11.Nc3 Re8 

Or 1...c6 12.f4 Rf8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 Kg8 17.g4 Nbd7 18.Rae1 Qb6 19.Na4 Qb4 20.b3 Nxg4 21.Bd2 Qa3 22.Bc3 b5 23.Bb2 Qb4 24.Bc3 Qa3 25.Bb2 Qb4 26.Bc3 Qa3 27.Bb2 drawn, perrypawnpusher - joejox, FICS, 2009.

12.f4 

Or 12.d3 Kg8 (12...d5 13.Qf3 Bg4 14.Qg3 dxe4 15.dxe4 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Rxe4 17.f3 Qd4+ 18.Kh1 Bxf3 19.Qxf3+ Kg8 20.c3 Qe5 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Bd2 Rd8 23.Rae1 Rxe1 24.Bxe1 Qe7 25.Qxe7 Nxe7 26.Bh4 Rd7 27.Bxe7 Black resigned, mrjoker - vishal-here, Internet Chess Club, 2008) 13.f4 Bd7 (13...Ng4 14.Qf3 Nf6 15.Bd2 Bg4 16.Qf2 c6 17.h3 Bd7 18.Rae1 Rf8 19.Qd4 Be8 20.g4 Bf7 21.g5 Nd7 22.Qxd6 Nb6 23.Qc5 Nd7 24.Qe3 Re8 25.f5 Nge5 26.Qg3 g6 27.h4 b5 28.Bf4 b4 29.Ne2 c5 30.c3 bxc3 31.bxc3 c4 32.d4 Nd3 33.Rb1 Nxf4 34.Qxf4 Rb8 35.Rbe1 Rf8 36.Ng3 Rb2 37.e5 Bd5 38.Rf2 Rxf2 39.Kxf2 Qb8 40.Re2 Qb1 41.f6 Qd3 42.h5 gxh5 43.Nxh5 Bf7 44.Ng3 Bg6 45.e6 Qxc3 46.f7+ Bxf7 47.exf7+ Rxf7 48.Re8+ Kg7 49.Nf5+ Rxf5 50.Qxf5 Qxd4+ 51.Kg2 Qd2+ 52.Qf2 Qxf2+ 53.Kxf2 Black forfeited on time, Petasluk - bergsteiger, FICS, 2007) 14.Qg3 Kh8 15.b3 a6 16.Bb2 Rg8 17.Rae1 Bb5 18.a4 Bc6 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 21.f5 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 dxe5 23.Qxe5 Bf7 24.f6 g6 25.Qf4 Re8 26.Qh6 Rg8 27.Re7 Qf8 28.Rfe1 Qxh6 29.Rxf7 Black forfeited on time, shugart - transitman, FICS, 2013. 

12...d5 13.e5 

A last chance to mix it up 13.f5 Ne7 14.e5 Nxf5 15.Qf4 g5 16.Qxg5 Rxe5 17.d4 Re8. 

13...d4 White resigned

Pawns 1, Piece 0

Sometimes White wins by attack in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and sometimes he has to "play out" the game and use his pawns against his opponent's extra piece. Proper defense by Black should save at least half of the point, but that doesn't always happen...

perrypawnpusher - CorH

blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5

Our earlier game, featuring 5...Kf8, was a pretty good example of Black and his extra piece out-duelling White and his extra pawns (although I had my chances)  perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2009, (0-1, 74).

6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+

A check of The Database shows that I don't always play this "nudge": 7.Qxc5 d6 8.Qe3 Nf6 9.0-0 Re8, perrypawnpusher - MoonCat, blitz, FICS, 2007, (1-0, 29).


7...Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.0-0 Kf7

Returning the extra tempo lost by the "nudge".

11.f4


Also seen: 11.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher-joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009 (½-½, 27).

I did not find Rybka's apparent "let's not risk anything else" recommendation that it made after the game to be appealing: 11.d4 Re8 12.Qb3+ Kf8 13.f3 c6 14.c4 Qb6 15.Be3 Be6 16.Nc3 Bf7 17.Rfe1 

analysis diagram








11...Re8

Of course, Black's Knight can aways kick White's Queen instead, with 11...Ng4 as in perrypawnpusher - Feestt, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19).

12.f5 Ne5


Instead, the precipitous 12...Rxe4 did not work at all after 13.fxg6+ hxg6 14.Qxe4 in perrypawnpusher - bnxr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0,29).


13.Nc3


I wanted to play 13.d4 but could not figure out how to meet 13...Neg4. The moves are from Vazquez -Carrington, Mexico, 2nd match, 1876 and I should have remembered them for historical reasons, if no others: 14.Qb3+ Kf8 15.h3 Rxe4 16.hxg4 Rxg4 17.Qf3 c6 18.Nc3 d5 19.Bf4 Kg8 20.Be5 h5 21.Rae1 Bd7 22.Re3 Qb6 23.b3 Rf8 24.Na4 Qb4 25.Nc5 Bc8 26.c3 Qb6 27.Bxf6 gxf6 28.Qh3 Rg5 29.Ne6 Bxe6 30.fxe6 Qc7 31.e7 Re8 32.Qe6+ Kh8 33.Qxf6+ Rg7 34.Qf8+ Black resigned

13...Kg8


Prudent. There was always the kick at the Queen with 13...Nc4 as an alternative, although it did not lead to much difference after 14.Qd4 Ne5 15.d3 Kg8 in perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 23).


14.d4 Neg4

Of course.

15.Qf3 Bd7


An opponent tried 15...c6 in perrypawnpusher - avgur, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 23) but the pawn probably needed to take two steps. 


16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Rae1 Kh8

19.e5 dxe5 20.dxe5 Ng8

Active defense with 20...Bc6 (followed by 21...Rg8) was more likely to be successful in holding back the pawns, reaching  a balanced game.

21.f6 Bc6 22.Qf4 Rf8 23.f7

White's "Jerome pawn" threatens to win back the sacrificed piece: 23...Qg5 24.Qxg5 hxg5 25.fxg8/Q+ Kxg8. White would be a pawn better, but the win would be far off.

Instead, Black saves his Knight and loses his King.

23...Ne7 24.Qf6 checkmate

Struggling

I have seen games where a player gives odds of pawn, Knight, Rook or Queen and then wins brilliantly. I do not know how many games where the odds-acceptor's wins have been published. Here is one I gave "Jerome Gambit odds" and lost.


 perrypawnpusher  - pblond
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

Of course, White does not have to sacrifice. He can keep a small edge with 5.c3 d6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.h3 0-0.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ke6

I have played this position a number of times. The deeper I get into the game, the more it feels like I am walking through a junkyard, and I keep expecting to see myself amongst the wrecks.

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Bxd4

The capture seems best, but has not always been played:

9...Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ (11.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - joejox, FICS 2009) 11...Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 draw, perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz, FICS, 2007 ;

9...Ne7 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - GabrielH, blitz, FICS, 2010 & perrypawnpusher - StockholmMoskva, blitz, FICS, 2010.

10.Rd1 c5

A reasonable move, but not actually necessary, as my opponent showed in perrypawnpusher - richardachatz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 71) by playing 10...Ke7. Remember, Black is two pieces up. In that game I was lucky to swindle my way to a draw.

Also good for Black is 10...Qf6 11.Rxd4+ Ke7.

11.c3 Ne7

12.Qh3

I have played this move successfully before, but I think that 12.Qh5 as in perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 26) or 12.Qf4 as in perrypawnpusher - Xasquete, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 46) might be better.

In truth, all still leave White struggling for even equality.

12...Kc7

Stepping out of the pin, although also good for Black was 12...N7g6 as in perrypawnpusher - Repunante, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 17). [Hmmm... doesn't look like I've posted this game here yet - RK]

13.cxd4 cxd4

Or 13...d6 14.Qc3 Nd7 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Bf4 b6 17.b4 Kc6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, blitz, FICS, 2010.

14.Rxd4 d6

perrypawnpusher - Jantra, blitz, FICS, 2010 continued with 14...N7c6 (1-0, 26) Black probably should have played 14...Kb8 first.

15.Qc3+ N7c6 16.Bf4

After the game Rybka recommended 16.f4, giving Black an edge after 16...Nf7 17.Be3 g5

16...Qf6

Black's defense is now solidly in place. He is even threatening to win the exchange after 17.Bg3 Nf3+ 18.gxf3 Qxd4.

17.Bxe5 Qxe5 18.Rc4 Be6

Black is ready to finish up.

19.Qxe5 dxe5 20.Rc1 Rac8 21.b4

Hope springs eternal, but Black is even able to castle-by-hand on the Queenside. White has nothing for his sacrificed piece (the extra pawn is meaningless).

21...Kb8 22.Nd2 Nd4 23.a4 Ne2+ White resigned

Whew! This was a very good game by pblond, and it certainly shows what a struggle the Jerome Gambit can sometimes deliver – for White.

Walking Through A Junkyard

Giving "Jerome Gambit odds" can feel like a walk through a junkyard. You pass wreck after wreck and your only hope is that you will find something to get you out of there.

perrypawnpusher - Jantra
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+ Ke6

8.Qf5+

The computer-recommended follow-up is 8.Qh3+ Ke7 9.Qc3 d6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Qxd4 Nf6 12.Nc3 although this leads to a position that is almost identical to a position from the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit: Black's King is on e7 instead of f7, and it is his move instead of White's.

Amusingly, at this point, until about a depth of 12 moves, Fritz8 recommends the next two moves for Black to be ...Re8 and ...Kf7, which would be identical to the Semi-Italian Four Knight's Jerome Gambit, except that the recommended move for White in the interim is Bf4, not f2-f4.

8...Kd6 9.d4

Moving the pawn directly seems better than preparing for it, as in prettyhip1 - cubs0_0, GameKnot.com, 2007: 9.Rd1 Ne7 10.Qh5 g6 11.Qh3 Bd4 12.Qa3+ Bc5 13.b4 Bd4 14.c3 Bxf2+ 15.Kxf2 Rf8+ 16.Ke3 White resigned.

9...Bxd4

The right idea. Problems came with

9...Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ (11.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11...Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 Game drawn by mutual agreement, perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz, FICS, 2007; and

9...Ne7 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - GabrielH, blitz, FICS, 2010 & perrypawnpusher - StockholmMoskva, blitz, FICS, 2010.

10.Rd1 c5

Black did better with 10...Ke7 11.Rxd4 d6 after which only an endgame swindle saved me in perrypawnpusher - richardachatz, blitz, FICS, 2010 (½-½, 71). Although the text is still good for the second player, richardachatz' King move "abandoning" the Bishop on d4 is also to be considered.

11.c3 Ne7

This is okay, but again 11...Ke7 could be considered.

12.Qh3

I was surprised, but also amused, to be a dozen moves into this offbeat line (rightly or wrongly) and still be in "book". It is sometimes very helpful to review and analyze games for this blog! 

This Queen retreat is comparable with the others that I had played previously:

12.Qh5 Qe8 (12...Kc7 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qxe5+ d6 15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qxg7+ Bd7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Qxh6 Qe7 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qxd6+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl, blitz, FICS, 2009) 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Rxd4+ Kc7 15.Qxe5+ Kd8 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Qxe8+ Rxe8 18.Rd6 b6 19.Bf4 Bb7 20.Rad1 Re7 21.e5 Nxe5 22.Bxe5 Rxe5 23.Rxd7+ Ke8 24.Rxb7 Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Kf1 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, FICS, 2010;

12.Qf4 Qf8 13.cxd4 Qxf4 14.Bxf4 cxd4 15.Rxd4+ Kc5 16.Bxe5 Nc6 17.Rd5+ Kb6 18.Na3 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 d6 20.Re7 Bg4 21.f3 Bh5 22.Rc1 Rhe8 23.Rcc7 Rxe7 24.Rxe7 Rc8 25.Rxg7 Rc1+ 26.Kf2 Ra1 27.Rh7 Rxa2 28.Kg3 a5 29.Rxh6 Bf7 30.Rxd6+ Kc5 31.Rd2 b5 32.Kf2 b4 33.Nb1 Ra1 34.Rc2+ Kd4 35.Rd2+ Kc5 36.Rc2+ Kd4 37.Nd2 Kd3 38.Rc7 Kxd2 39.Rxf7 Kc2 40.e5 b3 41.e6 Kxb2 42.e7 Kc1 43.e8Q Ra2+ 44.Kg3 b2 45.Rc7+ Kb1 46.Qe1 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Xasquete, blitz, FICS, 2010.

12...Kc7

The text is an improvement on 12...Qb6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qa3+ Ke6 15.f4 N5c6 16.f5+ Kf7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.Qf3 Ne5 22.Qg3 Kf8 23.Bf4 d6 24.Rac1 Qa5 25.f6 N7g6 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg6 Be6 28.Qxg7+ Ke8 29.Qe7 checkmate, joev6225 - liverpool, GameKnot.com, 2006.

13.cxd4 cxd4

Black is still better, despite his shaky King, because of his extra piece.

Leading only to equality was 13...d6, although things quickly deteriorated: 14.Qc3 Nd7 15.dxc5 Nxc5 16.Bf4 b6 17.b4 Kc6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - tuffmom, blitz, FICS, 2010

14.Rxd4 N7c6 15.Qc3 Qf6

16.f4

Thematic, but wrong, as it should lose the exchange. I should have retreated the Rook first.

16...Nf7

My opponent missed 16...Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Qxd4+ trading his Knight for my Rook. I think he was getting tired of all the attention that I was paying to his King.

17.e5 Qe7 18.b4 d6

Deciding to return the gambitted piece at precisely the point where his King might have begun to feel relief with 18...Kb8.

19.b5 dxe5 20.fxe5

20...Nfxe5

An unfortunate slip. After the game Rybka gave 20...Rd8 21.bxc6 Rxd4 22.Qxd4 Qd8 23.Qc3 bxc6 24.Nd2 Be6 25.Bb2 Qd5 26.Nb3 Rb8 27.Rc1 Rb6 and White is only a bit better (King safety)

analysis diagram





21.bxc6 Nxc6 22.Bf4+ Kb6 23.Qb3+ Ka6 24.Ra4+ Na5 25.Qc4+ b5 26.Qc6 checkmate

How odd that three Rooks, a Bishop and a Knight look on, uninvolved...

Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play...?

If you overlook the fact that I hung my Queen on move 13 in the following game – and you might as well, since both my opponent and I did, too – it's a pretty interesting game in a pretty interesting variation.

Even if that 13th move wasn't pretty at all.

perrypawnpusher - tuffmom
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+ Ke6

8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Bxd4

Not 9...Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ (11.Bf4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz, FICS, 2009) 11...Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 Game drawn by mutual agreement, perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz, FICS, 2007;


Nor 9...Ne7 10.Qxe5+ Kc6 11.Qxc5 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - GabrielH, blitz, FICS, 2010; and perrypawnpusher - StockholmMoskva, blitz, FICS, 2010.

10.Rd1 c5

11.c3 Ne7 12.Qh5

The Queen can go elsewhere: 12.Qf4 Qf8 13.cxd4 Qxf4 14.Bxf4 cxd4 15.Rxd4+ Kc5 16.Bxe5 Nc6 17.Rd5+ Kb6 18.Na3 Nxe5 19.Rxe5 d6 20.Re7 Bg4 21.f3 Bh5 22.Rc1 Rhe8 23.Rcc7 Rxe7 24.Rxe7 Rc8 25.Rxg7 Rc1+ 26.Kf2 Ra1 27.Rh7 Rxa2 28.Kg3 a5 29.Rxh6 Bf7 30.Rxd6+ Kc5 31.Rd2 b5 32.Kf2 b4 33.Nb1 Ra1 34.Rc2+ Kd4 35.Rd2+ Kc5 36.Rc2+ Kd4 37.Nd2 Kd3 38.Rc7 Kxd2 39.Rxf7 Kc2 40.e5 b3 41.e6 Kxb2 42.e7 Kc1 43.e8Q Ra2+ 44.Kg3 b2 45.Rc7+ Kb1 46.Qe1 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Xasquete, blitz, FICS, 2010; or

12.Qh3 Qb6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qa3+ Ke6 15.f4 N5c6 16.f5+ Kf7 17.Nd2 Re8 18.Nc4 Qc7 19.Nd6+ Kf8 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.Qf3 Ne5 22.Qg3 Kf8 23.Bf4 d6 24.Rac1 Qa5 25.f6 N7g6 26.Bxe5 Qxe5 27.Qxg6 Be6 28.Qxg7+ Ke8 29.Qe7 checkmate, joev6225 - liverpool, GameKnot.com, 2006.

12...Qe8

Stronger than: 12...Kc7 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Qxe5+ d6 15.Qxd4 Nc6 16.Qxg7+ Bd7 17.Bf4 Rg8 18.Qxh6 Qe7 19.Bxd6+ Qxd6 20.Qxd6+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Lakritzl, blitz, FICS, 2009.

13.cxd4

Ooops...

13...cxd4

Double oops...

14.Rxd4+

14...Kc7

As uncomfortable as it looks, Black's King needed to take shelter at e6 where he could protect the Knight at e5. It is not a good time for Black to return the sacrificed piece.

15.Qxe5+ Kd8 16.Nc3 Nc6 17.Qxe8+ Rxe8

18.Rd6 b6 19.Bf4 Bb7 20.Rad1 Re7 21.e5

Stronger, maintaining more of the bind, was 21.Rg6.

21...Nxe5

An oversight.

22.Bxe5 Rxe5 23.Rxd7+ Ke8 24.Rxb7 Rd8 25.Rxd8+ Kxd8 26.Kf1 Black resigned

A Simple Game (?)

I was having fun playing my most recent Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). It seemed like a simple, straight-forward game. Afterward I gave it to Rybka to look over, and I found that things are not always as simple as they seem...

perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

My first game with andrecoenen continued 6...g6 7.Qxe5 Nf6 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Re8 10.d3 d5 11.f3 dxe4 12.fxe4 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Kg7 14.0-0 Qh4 15.Qf7+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - andrecoenen, blitz FICS, 2010

7.Qd5+ Kf8 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

This is a solid position for Black, although the updated New Year's Database has 33 previous games with this position — and White scored 61%.

10.Nc3

Varying from 10.0-0, which I had played three times before: 10...b6 (10...Bd7 11.f4 Qe7 12.d3 Kf7 13.Nc3 Rhf8 14.h3 Kg8 15.g4 Bxg4 16.hxg4 Nxg4 17.Qg3 Nf6 18.f5 Ne5 19.Bg5 Qd7 20.d4 Nc4 21.b3 Nb6 22.e5 dxe5 23.dxe5 Qd4+ 24.Qe3 Qg4+ 25.Kh2 Nfd5 26.Nxd5 Nxd5 27.Qg3 Qh5+ 28.Kg2 Qe2+ 29.Rf2 Qe4+ 30.Kh3 Rxf5 31.Rxf5 Qxf5+ 32.Kh4 Qg6 33.c4 Nb4 34.a3 Nc2 35.Rf1 Nd4 36.Qf4 Ne6 37.Qe3 h6 38.Be7 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - Mences, blitz FICS, 2009; 10...Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.Nc3 Nc4 14.Qd4 Ne5 15.d3 Kg8 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Qd5+ Be6 19.fxe6 c6 20.e7+ Kg7 21.exd8Q Raxd8 22.Qd4 c5 23.Qf2 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz FICS, 2009) 11.f4 Bb7 12.d3 Qe7 13.Nc3 Re8 14.Bd2 h6 15.h3 Qd7 16.Qg3 Ne7 17.e5 Nfg8 18.Rae1 Nf5 19.Qf2 Nge7 20.g4 g6 21.gxf5 gxf5 22.Re3 Rg8+ 23.Rg3 Kf7 24.Ne2 h5 25.Kh2 Rg6 26.Rfg1 Reg8 27.Nd4 dxe5 28.Rxg6 exd4 29.Rxg8 Nxg8 30.Qg3 Ne7 31.Qg7+ Ke6 32.Re1+ Kd6 33.Qe5+ Kc6 34.Qxe7 Qxe7 35.Rxe7 Kd6 36.Re5 Bc8 37.Kg3 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hogmaster, JG3 thematic, ChessWorld, 2008.

10...c6 11.f4 Kf7 12.0-0 Re8

My game against joejox continued, instead 12...Rf8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 Kg8 17.g4 Nbd7 18.Rae1 Qb6 19.Na4 Qb4 20.b3 Nxg4 21.Bd2 Qa3 22.Bc3 b5 23.Bb2 Qb4 24.Bc3 Qa3 25.Bb2 Qb4 26.Bc3 Qa3 27.Bb2 draw perrypawnpusher - joejox, blitz FICS, 2009

13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4 15.Qg3 Qb6

Black's Queen move is a good one — which I under-estimated during the game. Now, against best play, White cannot both support his center and move it forward on the attack.

16.Be3

I was unhappy with this move (I could not think of anything better) and was even unhappier after the game when I saw what Rybka had suggested that I play instead: 16.Qd3 Ne5 17.Qd1 Ned7 18.Qd3 Kg8 19.b3 c5 20.Be3 cxd4 21.Bxd4 Qc6 22.Rf4 Ne5 and Black is better.

analysis diagram






This line needs some serious examination for White, starting with 10.Nc3

16...Nxe3 17.Qxe3 d5

This is part of the reason that the game seemed simple to me at the time: Black hits my center with his d-pawn and I advance my e-pawn to bypass it. Instead, though, Black had 17...c5 when 18.Rad1 cxd4 19.Rxd4 Bd7 and again White's pawns have been banged up and the second player is better.

18.e5 Ng4

Unnecessarily aggressive, moving the game toward equality. The cold-blooded 18...Kg8 was the right idea, as the White e-pawn is pinned to the Queen.

19.e6+

Rybka evaluated this as too early, preferring 19.Qf4.

19...Kf6

This was Black's last chance to finish castling-by-hand with 19...Kg8. Instead, he steps into the line of fire.

20.Qf4 Bxe6

It is not the time to return the piece for two pawns, although neither retreating nor protecting the Knight will help, either.

21.fxe6+ Kxe6 22.Rae1+ Kd7

The "Jerome pawns" are gone, but the files they have opened will win the day.

23.Qxg4+ Kd6 24.Qf4+ Kd7 25.Qf7+ Black resigned