Psychology Rather Than Chessology

Not long after assembling "BSG Talk: Hmmmm..." I ran into the following game which touches on the same theme.


xcaliberpeng - wowgirl
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7

More "Jedi Mind Tricks"? Is the Declined becoming more accepted? Or is this in the spirit of the "Anti-Bill Wall Gambit", that If-you-want-me-to-take-the-Bishop-then-I-won't-take-the-Bishop? In any case, the explanation for the move can more likely be found in psychology rather than chessology.

5.Nxd4 exd4 6.Qh5

Exchanging Knights on the 5th move was a good way to deal with Black's declining the Bishop, but now it is time for White to deal with the Bishop himself. Either 6.Bb3, 6.Bc4 or 6.Bxg8 preserve White's advantage (extra pawn, safer King, easier development).

The text does not.

6...Nf6

The fly in the ointment.

White can now try 7.Qc5+ Kxf7 8.Qxd4 and have two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but his attacking chances have been dulled by Black's Knight on f6.

Instead, White seems to whip up a "mind trick" of his own. In blitz chess, that is relatively easy to do.

7.Qg5 Kxf7 8.e5

Black's King has escaped the pin on his Knight, but the Queen has not. But – wait a minute – Black has a pin of his own that he can use.

8...Nd5

Ouch!

After 8...Qe7 first, then 9.0-0 Nd5 the Knight would have escaped. Now the Queen falls.

9.Qxd8 Nf4 10.0-0 Ne2+ 11.Kh1 Rg8 12.Qxc7 b6 13.Qc4+ Black resigned