Getting Away With Something

The following game is yet another example of why I have taken a vacation from the Jerome Gambit (see "Busted") for a while, to analyze, study, and steady my nerves. It reminds me of the saying that "getting away with something is not the same thing as having permission to do it."

perrypawnpusher  - anomis
blitz, FICS, 2010

This position arose from a Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit where my opponent had defended well, and only his approaching time trouble had allowed me to snatch back the gambitted piece.

A draw would be a reasonable outcome here, and I thought that was my opponent's intention when he began a series of checks.

30...Qe1+ 31.Kg2 Qe6 32.a3 Qd5+ 33.Kg1 Qd4+ 34.Qf2 Qd1+ 35.Kg2 Qd5+ 36.Qf3 Qc5 37.Qf2 Qd5+ 38.Qf3 Qd2+ 39.Qf2 Qa5 40.Qd2

An unbelieveable unforced error. Time was not that short.

I was aiming my mouse toward the Resign button when anomis continued the checks.

40...Qd5+ 41.Qxd5+ cxd5

A miracle! White is no longer losing: he is winning.

42.Kf3 Kf7 43.Ke3 Ke6 44.Kd4 g6 45.b4 a6 46.a4 Kd6 47.b5 axb5 48.axb5 h5 49.g5 h4 50.b6 Kc6 51.b7 Kxb7 52.Kxd5 Kc7 53.Ke6 Kc6 54.Kf6 Kd5 55.Kxg6 Ke4 56.Kf7 Kf4 57.g6 Kg3 58.g7 Kxh3 59.g8Q Black resigned

I think that my opponent should have played on for a few moves, at least to see if I had one more blunder in me. It would have been a sweet swindle for him to have continued: 59...Kh2 60.Kf6 Kh1 61. Kf5 h3 62.Kf4 h2 63.Kf3

analysis diagram







Here it would be "mate in 1" for White if it were his turn to move, but as it is Black's turn, it is stalemate.