Half-way There

I seem to be playing against the Blackburne Shilling Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4) a lot, lately. I'm not sure why – probably just coincidence. I'm still giving it the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) treatment, though.

perrypawnpusher - mbranimir
blitz 12 0, FICS, 2009

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4

4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Ke8

6.Qh5+ g6 7. Nxg6

Black usually plays 7...hxg6 here, although I've also faced 7...Nf6. My opponent now plays an interesting and logical move, first seen in perrypawnpusher - Iourotors, blitz FICS, 2009 (0-1, 37).

7...Nxc2+

This takes the Black Knight out of range of the White Queen. If, instead, 7...hxg6 then 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxd4 Bg7 when White has 4 pawns for his sacrificed piece, in an unclear position.

8. Kd1 Nxa1

Sometimes half of a good plan turns out to be a bad plan after all. The proper move instead of the text was 8... hxg6, when everything is pretty unclear. Of course, White would always have 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10. Qg5+ Ke8 11. Qg6+ etc, forcing the draw; or he could try 10.Kxc2 or 10.d3.

Certainly this line bears further investigation – but not today.

9. Nxh8+ Ke7 10. Qe5 checkmate