Ghosts

We are approaching Halloween, that day for ghosts and ghouls and all things scary. Maybe my opponent in the following game got into the spirit of the day early, as he seems to have seen some kind of a ghost...

perrypawnpusher - hklett
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights Game.

5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4

7...Bxd4

Often played, although 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 is best.

8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4 Nc6 10.Qd3 Be6

Perhaps not the best move here, but at least it prevents Black from falling into the "optical illusion" variation. 

11.0-0 Rf8 12.f5 Bd7 13.Qc4+ d5

The alternative, 13...Ke8, the move I was trying to force (to prevent castling-by-hand) was actually better.

14.exd5

Rybka prefers the Knight to capture here, but I am not sure that I understand why.

14...Ne5 15.Qd4 Re8 16.Bf4 c5

Planning 17.dxc6 Nxc6, safeguarding the Knight. 

17.Qxc5 b6

Rybka says that the Queen should go to that square.

18.Qd4 Black resigned

This is somewhat reminiscent of my recent game against molerat, in that I cannot see why my opponent resigned.

Perhaps he thought he was losing his Knight on e5, but 18...Neg4 19.h3 Nh6 20.Bxh6 gxh6 led to a relatively even game, where White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece.

In any event, this game squared us with one win apiece. Rather, one loss apiece, as we have now each given away a game to the other (as I did in our earlier match).