Technical Difficulties (Part 5)

Just when I was certain that the recent rash of going online chess-playing "technical difficulties" had ended – I was the cause of one, myself.

Pity, it was a good game, and I was winning handily.


perrypawnpusher - Angstrem
blitz 2 12 FICS, 2010

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

The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.

 6.Bxf7+

Of course.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bb4

Fascinating.

If you look at Matt Pullin's fine "fork trick" video, which focuses upon a similar strategy in the regular Italian Four Knights Game – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nxe4 d5 5.Bb5 –you will see that Angstrem here is using an idea that Pullin refers to as "quite sharp, but bad if Black [in this case, White] knows what to do".

9.dxe5 Nxe4

Now 10.Qg4 would analagous to Pullin's suggestion in the "fork trick", but the move has little meaning with Black's King protecting g7. However, White doesn't have to go that far...

10.Qf3+ Kg8 11.Qxe4

White is now a pawn ahead, with the safer King.

11...c5

12.Nd5 Ba4 13.Be3 b6 14.Rad1

Just putting pressure on the position, although Black's next move allows for a tactical shot.

14...Bb7

15.Nf6+

This is not White's strongest move – that would be 15.c3, intending b2-b4, trapping and winning Black's Bishop in a5 – but it is the most surprising one.

15...gxf6

Better was 15...Qxf6 16.Qxb7 Qc6 17.Rxd7 and White would be a clear two pawns up.

16.Qxb7

There was a checkmate with 16.Qg6+, but I could not work it out in my head at the time:  16...Kf8 17.exf6 d6 18.Bxh6+ Rxh6 19.Qg7 (a nice move I overlooked) Ke8 20.Rfe1+ Bxe1 21.Rxe1+ Be4 22.Rxe4+ Qe7 23.Qxe7 mate.

The move that I played was also good, especially after my opponent's inaccurate reply.

16...fxe5

Here the followup move 17.Rxd7 will win Black's Queen.

However, it was not to be. My wife had gotten up to answer the telephone, and, becoming dizzy, had taken several steps before tripping over our dog, subsequently falling hard to the floor.

Neither of us are young kids any more. I needed to go to her aid, and as a result I lost this game on time. That was unfortunate, but as they say: into each life, some falls must reign...

I messaged my opponent later, to explain my sudden disappearance from the board.