Starting Over

This is my first post-break game (see "Busted!"), and except for a missed shot on move 16, it looks like the rest has helped my game. Time will tell.

 perrypawnpusher  - ozypawnstar
blitz, 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+

Oddly, the online FICS games database has yeabro- ozypawnstar, FICS, 2010, which continued 5.Ng5+ Qxg5 listed as a win for White...

5...Ke6

Taking up the challenge.

Previously ozypawnstar played 5...Ke8: 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qg4 Nf6 8.Qf4 Nxc2+ 9.Ke2 Nxa1 10.Nc3 Bd6 11.Nd5 Bxe5 12.Qxe5+ Kf7 13.Nxf6 Qxf6 14.Qxc7 Re8 15.d3 Kg8 16.Qc4+ Kg7 17.Be3 d6 18.d4 Rxe4 19.Rxa1 Be6 20.Qc7+ Kh8 21.Qxb7 Rf8 22.Qxe4 Bc4+ 23.Ke1 d5 24.Qc2 a6 25.b3 Bb5 26.a4 Bd7 27.b4 Qh4 28.h3 Re8 29.b5 Qxd4 30.Rd1 Qb4+ 31.Kf1 axb5 32.Rxd5 Rc8 33.Bd4+ Kg8 34.Qd2 Qc4+ 35.Kg1 Qxd5 36.axb5 Bxb5 37.Qh6 Qxd4 38.g3 Bc6 White resiged, GuyEtienne - ozypawnstar, FICS, 2008.

6.c3

Best.

My opponent has also faced: 6.Qh5 Nf6 7.Nf7 Qe7 8.Qh3+ Kxf7 9.0-0 Nxc2 10.Qb3+ Qe6 11.Qxc2 Qxe4 12.Qxc7 Qc6 13.Qf4 Bd6 14.Qd4 b6 15.Nc3 Bb7 16.f3 Rhe8 17.d3 Be5 18.Qh4 Kg8 19.Bg5 a6 20.Rac1 Bd4+ 21.Kh1 h6 22.Ne2 Qd6 23.Bf4 Qe6 24.Nxd4 Qxa2 25.Nf5 Qxb2 26.Nd6 Re2 27.Nxb7 Rxg2 28.Be5 Qxe5 29.Kxg2 Re8 30.Rce1 Qb2+ 31.Kg1 Rf8 32.Qc4+ Kh8 33.Nd6 b5 34.Nf7+ Kh7 35.Ng5+ hxg5 36.Qc5 Rg8 37.Qxg5 Rf8 38.Kh1 Qd4 39.Rg1 Rf7 40.Rg3 Qxd3 41.Rh3+ Kg8 42.Qh4 Qf5 43.Qh8 checkmate, fmarius - ozypawnstar, FICS, 2010.

6...d6

Varying from the main line, which features a King's walk and which did not serve him well in the past: 6...Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxe4 8.0-0 Kxd4 9.d3 d5 10.Qh5 Nf6 11.Be3+ Kxd3 12.Rd1+ Kc2 13.Na3+ Bxa3 14.Rac1+ Kxb2 15.Qe5+ Kxa2 16.Rd2+ Kb3 17.Qc3+ Ka4 18.Rd4+ Kb5 19.Rb1+ Bb4 20.Rdxb4+ Ka5 21.Qa3 checkmate, icefive - ozypawnstar, FICS, 2009.

7.cxd4 dxe5 8.d5+

I used up a third of my thinking time on this move, only to learn after the game that Rybka preferred 8.dxe5, which I had rejected because of the cramping response 8...Qd3.

My goal in this (and later) games was to use more time on early critical positions than I usually allowed myself, with the hope that finding the right move or plan would shorten the game (with a win) and the time wouldn't be needed later. So even though I didn't find the "best" move, what I understood about the position was helpful and worth the time.

8...Kd6

The King was safer on f7.

9.d4

Open the center, develop pieces.

9...Qf6

Black reverses moves. He should have played 9...exd4 10.Qxd4 Qf6, although White would still be better.

10.dxe5+

Missing the great move 10.f4 (I had a similar plan in mind), which  floods the center with "Jerome pawns." Then 10...Ke7 11.dxe5 looks very uncomfortable for Black.

10...Qxe5 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.f4 Qe8

13.e5+ Kd7 14.0-0 Ng8

15.Be3

I was very happy with this patient move. It was not time to fling pawns further forward.

15...Bb4

This should cost a piece.

16.Qd4

Leading to an advantage, but 16.Qa4+ probably would have lead to my opponent's resignation. (Note to self: once you find a good move, sit on your hands...etc.)

16...Bxc3 17.bxc3 Ne7

18.e6+ Kd8 19.f5 Qb5 20.c4 Qb4 21.f6

This works, but 21.Qxg7 was better, as after 21...Rg8 22.Qf7 the White f-pawn advances with greater impact.

21...Nxd5

An oversight. I think my opponent saw that the c-pawn was pinned, but a pawn capture wasn't my only possible response.

22.Qxd5+ Qd6 23.fxg7 Rg8 24.Qxd6+

I saw a win and went for it, missing the quicker 24.Rf8+ Ke7 25.Bg5 checkmate. 

24...cxd6 25.Rf8+ Ke7 26.Rxg8 Kxe6 27.Rf8 b6 28.g8Q+ Ke7 29.Qf7 checkmate