Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 3)

After my first game against xenoglot (see "Shillings: One Found, Two Lost (Part 2)") my opponent challenged me to another game. I quickly agreed, figuring One game with White, one game with Black, makes sense and seems fair to me...

When the board popped up on the monitor in front of me, however, I saw that I had the White pieces again. Oh, he wanted that kind of re-match.

perrypawnpusher - xenoglot
blitz 2 12, FICS, 2010

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

As in my first game with xenoglot.

6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nxc2+

 My opponent's improvement over his previous 7...Nf6. Better yet was 7...hxg6.

8.Kd1 Nf6

It is ironic that in developing this Knight now, xenoglot makes the same mis-play as in our previous game. Of course, there are 25 other games with this move in the New Year's Database.

After 8...hxg6 White doesn't have anything "objectively" better than 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qg5+ Ke8 11.Qg6+ repeating the position for a draw, although he does have alternatives.

9.Qe5+ Kf7

Forcing my hand, but things will not turn out right.

10.Nxh8+ Kg8 11.Kxc2 Kxh8

White is ahead two pawns and the exchange, but he lags in development and his King is not yet safe.

12.d4 d6 13.Qg5 Bg7 14.Nc3 c5

We've seen a hyper-modern touch in the Jerome Gambit before.

My plan is to work on development and use my advantages later.

15.Be3 Qe8 16.f3 Nd7

The tactical shot 16...Ng4 17.fxg4 cxd4 18.Bxd4 Bxd4 was stronger and had the benefit of busting up White's center.

17.Rad1 Bf6 18.Qg3 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Ne5

Fighting until the end.

20.f4 Nf7

The end: the Knight had to go to d7 or g4.

 21.Bxf6 checkmate