Pathbreaking

Exploring an opening variation has its excitements and its drawbacks. Often it is best, once the end of the trail is reached, to reflect on the path travelled – in case you go that way again.


AMITAF - aditikalpesh
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.f4

Common, but perhaps not best. This move allows Black chances that he does not take advantage of in this game.

6...Bd6

An odd sideline that puts Black at great risk. He needed to play 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh3 with possibilities of infiltrating on the Kingside.

7.c3

Solid.

Next time White can come armed with 7.Qg4+ Kf6 (or 7...Ke7, jamci - tpg, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 26]; Handlangari - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2007 [1-0, 9] and bushytail - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 9]; or 7...Nf5 8.Qxf5+ Cyberkid - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 8]) 8.Qg5+ wayaut - tomcatx, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 8] and Pandolfl - screaminghead, FICS, 2005 [1-0, 15]

7...Nc6

Lost.

Better: 7...Bxe5 while he has the chance. (Hint: White's best response would be 8.0-0, and he would be worse.)

8.d4

Again, the short cut next time would be 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.Qf7 checkmate 

8...Nb8

Danger.

Again, 8...Bxe5 was the choice, with White only slightly better.

9.f5+

This leads to White's advantage. 

So, too, would 9.Qb3+ Kf6 10.Qf7 checkmate. 

9...Ke7 10.Bg5+ Nf6

The brutal pin on the Black Knight at f6 and the possibility of forking the Knight and Bishop with a pawn (once White's Knight is out of the way after 11.Ng4) give White a clear advantage.

11.Nd2 h6

Certainly Black should have tried to remedy the ills mentioned above with 11...Kf8 12.Nd3 Be7 13.e5 h6 14.Bh4 Nd5 15.Bxe7+ Qxe7 16.Qf3 Qf7 17.0-0 Nc6 18.Rae1 Kg8, although White would still be for choice.

Now the wilderness swallows him up.

12.Ng6+ Kf7 13.Qb3+

13...Ke8 14.Nxh8 hxg5 15.Qf7 checkmate