Not So Fast There...

Knowing your opening can be a great tool in quick games: you fire out your moves, rat-a-tat-tat while your opponent tries to think... 

Move too quickly yourself, though, or overlook thinking when it is time to do so, and disaster strikes!

Sometimes, that is...

kkjfin  - AdrianJP
standard game, FICS, 2011

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Ng5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+

Wow! This is way too fast! White confuses variations – or something.

Now...

7...Nxh5

White resigned, as he lost his Queen. 

But – a trip to The Database shows that a total of 5 games reached the position of the second diagram – and White actually has a winning record!

Let's see...

7...g6 8.Qh6 d5 (8...Bf8 9.Qh3 d5 10.Qf3 Bg4 11.Qg3 Nd4 12.Qxe5+ Black resigned, Vetehinen - KlassAct, FICS, 2007) 9.Nxh7 Nxh7 10.Qxg6+ Kf8 11.d3 Nf6 12.Bh6+ Ke7 13.Qg7+ Ke6 14.Bg5 Rf8 15.0-0-0 Nd4 16.exd5+ Kf5 17.g4+ Kxg4 18.Bxf6+ Kf4 19.Bxd8 Rxd8 20.Qf6+ Kg4 21.Rhg1+ Kh3 22.Qh6 checkmate, langlaiss - DeltaRomeo, FICS, 2003;


7...Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Nb5 checkmate, vigsep - jetix, FICS, 2009

8.d3 Nd4 9.0-0 Nxc2 10.Rb1 d6 11.Nd5 c6 12.Ne3 Nxe3 13.Bxe3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Qxg5 15.Rf2 Qxe3 16.Rbf1 Rf8 17.d4 Rxf2 18.Rxf2 Nf4 19.Kf1 Qc1 checkmate, tinkie - SiliconC, blitz, FICS, 2006.

Remember the old saying: Act in haste, repent at leisure