Running Into A Wall

Here's the latest Jerome Gambit game from Bill Wall, reminding us all that our opponents may often be unwilling or unable to understand what is happening and thus find preparing a defense to be too much of a challenge.

Wall,B - ChrSav
FICS, 2010

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

6...Bb4+

I was surprised to see over 100 examples of this move in The Database. Most adventurous is 6...Qh4.

7.c3 Be7 8.dxe5 Nh6

Fritz8 now happily informs me that White can force a draw by repetition with 9.Qh5+ Kg8 (or 9...Kf8) 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qxh6 followed by a lot of Queen checks.

Not surprisingly, Bill wants more.

9.Qf3+ Ke6

Wow.

White pretty much has the same drawing chances after 9...Kg8 and 9...Ke8, but all other responses – including the text – lose for Black.

10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qf5 checkmate

It is fun to point out that Black's last chance at defense, 10...Qf8, is met with 11.Qd3 and the Bishop is still poison as 11...gxh6 allows the mirror mate 12.Qd5. Of course, after something rational like 11...d6 12.exd6 Bxd6 White retreats his Bishop with 13.Be3 and remains two pawns ahead with a much safer King.