Even is Only Half-Way There

When you have invested a lot of material in an unsound sacrificial opening, it is a treat to get some of it back quickly. That does not mean that the battle is over, however.

perrypawnpusher - abczyx
blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

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

7...Bxd4

Popular, but the best response remains 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5

8.Qxd4 d6 9.f4

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome had this position (by transposition) twice in correspondence games against S.A. Charles and both times played 9.Bg5. I never remember that.

9...Nc6 10.Qd3 Re8 11.0-0 Nb4

Oh, dear, not again... The New Year's Database has six of my games with this Knight strike when Black's King is at g8, and one when it is at f7.

12.Qc4+ d5

The right response, found by pwr and mjmonday in similar positions, although I admit I prefer to face susant's response, even though it is a bit over-the-top: Resigns.

13.Qxb4 Nxe4

The fact is that although White has recovered his sacrificed piece, the position is still roughly equal – and in this case White's Kingside seems a bit unprotected and his Queen, out of place.

14.Qd4 Nxc3 15.Qxc3 d4 16.Qd3 Qd6 17.Qxh7

This pawn-grab is a bit risky, opening a line to White's King.

17...Bd7 18.Bd2 Rh8 19.Qd3 a6

Perhaps Black could have considered doubling Rooks here, but he had something else on his mind.

20.Rae1 Bb5

What exactly is going on here?

a) Black will win the exchange with his "x-ray attack" along the a6-f1 diagonal
b) Black threatens to win the exchange with his "x-ray attack" along the a6-f1 diagonal, but White has tactical resources to escape
c) Black has blundered and will have to give up a piece to stay in the game

21.Qf5+

Well, obviously vladchess chose "a" as his answer, and this move shows that I believed in "b".

Only after the game did Rybka show its preference for "c". With 21.Qb3+ Black's King is shown to be in a world of danger. His best response is 21...Kf6, but after 22.Bb4 White has too many lines of attack. If 22...Qd7, then 23.Re7 Qxe7 24.Bxe7+ Kxe7. If 22...c5 then 23.Bxc5 Qd7 24.Re7 Qxe7 25.Bxe7+ Kxe7. Black can try 22...Ba4, but White can swap Queens and then grab the piece with 23.Bxd6 Bxb3 24.Be5+ Kf7 25.axb3.

21...Kg8 22.Rf3 d3

The idea behind this is unclear. Black did best with 22...Rf8, as after 23.Qe5 Qxe5 24.Rxe5 White's advantage is small.

23.cxd3 Bd7 24.Qe5 Qb6+

Exchanging Queens was more prudent. 

25.Kh1 Re8

Black still wants to battle it out.

26.Qc3

I overlooked the fact that White not only can win a Rook and a Bishop for his Queen, he can also add an additional Rook: 26.Qxe8+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kf7 (or 27...Kh7 28.Rh3+) 28.Rxh8

26...Qh6

Finally doubling up on the file that I so graciously opened earlier.

27.Rxe8+ Bxe8 28.Rh3

Forcing another exchange of Rooks.

28...Qb6

An ill-considered retreat, as White immediately shows.

29.Qc4+ Bf7 30.Rxh8+ Kxh8 31.Qxf7 Qxb2

Black is still ready to make a battle of it: his Queenside pawns vs my extra Bishop. It will come down to whose King is more at risk.

32.Qe8+

At around this point my opponent offered me a draw. I found this encouraging, as most of the time when someone offers me a draw it is because they want to distract me from a win...

32...Kh7 33.Qe1 Qxa2 34.f5 b5 35.g4

Giving my King some luft and planning to limit Black's King.

Here Black had a chance to reduce his pawns vs Bishop scenario to simpler terms with 35...Qd5+ 36.Qe4 Qxe4 37.dxe4 b4. However, White's Bishop can hold back the enemy pawns from c1, until it needs to leap forward at the right moment to h6 to allow it's own  pawn to Queen.

35...c5 36.g5 b4

In the end, the pawns on the Kingside rule.

37.g6+ Kh8 38.Qh4+ Kg8 39.Qd8 checkmate