Two guys are walking...

Two guys are walking in the savannah, when a tiger wanders into the clearing.


The first guy reaches into his backpack, takes out his running shoes and starts to put them on.


"Forget it. You'll never run faster than that tiger" says the second guy.


"I don't have to," replies the first. "I just have to run faster than you."

I remembered that joke when I played over the following game. I don't think that my play was very good. However, it turned out to be better than that of my opponent, and that was enough.


perrypawnpusher - BigKalamar
blitz, 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.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4

8.Qxd4 Qe7 9.0-0

Preparing f2-f4, which I have also played immediately, as in perrypawnpusher - HGBoone, blitz, FICS, San Jose, California US 2010 (1-0, 27).

9...Re8 10.Bg5

Because of the arrangement of Black's King Knight and Queen, I would have done better to think of 9.Bc1-g5, possibly following up with Nc3-d5, saving the f2-f4 thrust for another time.
 

 
10...Kg8
 
Castling-by-hand, a standard defensive move in the Jerome Gambit.

After the game, Rybka 3 suggested: 10...Nc6 11.Qd2 Qe5, slipping the Black Bishop's pin . With some work, White then can win a pawn, 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Nb5 Qe5 14.Qd5+ Re6 15.Rfe1 b6 16.c4 g5 17.Qxe5 Rxe5 18.Nxc7 but Black still maintains the advantage (piece vs 2 pawns).

10...c6 was seen in HauntedKnight - greeneel, FICS, 2010 (1-0,35), when 11.f4 would have led to an even game.

11.f4

Missing the opportunity for 11.Nd5, as after 11...Qd6 12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.f4 Nf7 White can win the exchange with 14.Nxf6+. That will leave the first player with a Rook and two pawns against two pieces, a small advantage in an endgame (if he plays 14...Kf8 15.Qxd6+ Nxd6; and he can add to his positional advantage with the further 16.e5 Nc4 17.b3 Ne3 18.Nxe8 Kxe8 19.Rf2; thank you, Rybka).

11...Nc6 12.Qd3

White's routine play of the position (with one exception, which will show up, shortly) has given him his usual situation: Black is better.

12...Qf7 13.e5 Nh5

It was time to play "kick the Queen" with 13...Nb4 14.Qd2 Nfd5, letting Black's King Knight escape toward the center.

14.g4

Prelude to a Kingside traffic jam that I somehow survive.

14...h6 15.Bxh6 gxh6 16.gxh5 Qxh5

Rybka 3 now sees the game as about even, based on the strength of White's next possible move, 17.Nd5, which will allow him to either win the c7 pawn or play the annoying Nf6...

17.Kh1 Kh8 18.Nd5 Rg8

This is a critical error, if it is caught.

19.Nf6 Qg6

Compounding the problem.

20.Nxg8

Clueless.

Instead, 20.Rg1 Ne7 21.Rxg6 and White mates.

20...Qxg8

Fortunately, my opponent was keeping pace with me. Instead, 20...Qxd3 21.cxd3 Kxg8 produced a safer (and better) position for Black.

21.Rg1 Qf7 22.Qg6

Wrong piece! Instead, 22.Rg6 is crushing.

22...Qxg6

In turn, Black did better to leave the Queens on the board.

Can you tell that this is a blitz game between club players??

23.Rxg6 d6

Offering a pawn to distract me from doubling Rooks. It works.

24.exd6 cxd6

Black needs development: 24...Bf5 would be about equal.

25.Rxd6

Ouch. I could at least have taken the h-pawn first.

25...Kh7 26.Rf1 Bf5 27.c3 Rg8

We have reached an interesting endgame, where Black's Knight and Bishop are at least the equal of White's Rook and two pawns.

I win because at a critical moment my opponent is unable to counter my evil plan... Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

28.h4 Be4+ 29.Kh2 Rg2+ 30.Kh3 Rxb2 31.Re1 Bg2+

Instead, the Bishop should check from f5, leaving the g-file open for the Rook.

32.Kg4 a6

Missing the point of White's King advance.

33.Ree6

Heh, heh, heh... Me too: 33.Rd7+ Ne7 34.Rexe7+ Kg8 35.Rd8# 

33...Rxa2 34.Rxh6+ Kg7 35.Rhg6+ Kf7 36.h5

This is my idea. I was convinced that it would be successful, so I was blind to faster solutions, like checkmate.

36...Be4 37.Rgf6+ Kg7 38.f5 Rg2+ 39.Kf4 Bc2 40.h6+ Kg8

41.Rg6+ Rxg6 42.fxg6 a5 43.h7+ Kh8 44.Kg5 a4

Black had one last chance, a swindle: 44...Bxg6 45.Kxg6 Ne5+, as White can reflexively, but erroneously, protect his passer with 46.Kh6?, losing his Rook to 46...Nf2+. Instead, 46.Kf5, attacking the Knight, gives White time, after 46...Nc6, to protect the pawn with 47.Rd7.

45.Kh6 Bxg6 46.Rxg6 Ne7 47.Rf6 Ng8+ 48.hxg8Q+ Kxg8 49.Rb6 Black resigned