Not Having A Good Day

By checking the New Year's Database after this game was played, I learned that my opponent and I had clashed four times before, with two wins for me plus a couple of draws. That doesn't help explain what happened the 5th time.

Maybe he was not having a good day.

perrypawnpusher - frencheng
7 5 blitz, FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

An interesting choice. frencheng has played 6...Kf8 twice against me, scoring a draw and a loss. He has drawn with 6...Ng6.

7.Qxe5

I was wondering: will I see the Blackburne Defense (7...d6) or the Whistler Defense (7...Qe7)?

Previously my opponent had tried the unnamed 7...Qf6 against me.

7...Bd6

Hmm... Neither.

Including this game, according to the New Year's Database, 7...Bd6 has scored only 10% for Black in 30 games.

8.Qxh8 Qf6

If Black is going to have any chance at justifying giving up the Rook he has to try to complicate the game with something like 8...Qh4 and after 9.d3 then 9...Nf6, to trap the White Queen.

Of course, that's why the first time I met 8...Qh4 I responded with 9.Qd4, retrieving the Queen. The second time I varied with 9.Nc3 and got away with it when my opponent's game promptly exploded.

9.Qxh7+ Qg7 10.Qxg7+ Kxg7

Black has little for his exchange and three pawns.

11.d4 c5 12.Be3 Nf6 13.e5 cxd4

A tactic that doesn't work. It was just not frencheng's day.

14.exf6+ Kxf6 15.Bxd4+ Be5 16.Bxe5+ Kxe5 17.Nc3 Black resigned