Clash

The following Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit re-visits an interesting defensive idea first touched upon in "Starting Over". Black's King does not greedily wander to d4 (or e4) grabbing material; instead, an interesting pawn clash takes center stage.


 bartab - JackalDeOur
standard game, 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.c3 d6

An interesting alternative to the recommended 6...Kxe5.

7.cxd4 dxe5

In my game vs ozypawnstar, I mentioned Rybka's recommendation of 8.dxe5 Qd3 here. Given more time to think, the computer also likes 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.dxe5, which is answered by the similar 9...Qd4; after 10.Nc3 c6 the game is about even. (There is trouble ahead for Black with 10...Qxe5 11.d4 Qxd4 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.0-0.)

8.d5+ Ke7

A bit better is 8...Kf7 as in Jefersondsouza - Zeddyzeddy, FICS 2011 (0-1, 51).

After ozypawnstar's 8...Kd6 I continued similarly to bartab with 9.d4, in perrypawnpusher - ozypawnstar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 29)

9.d4 Qd6

10.dxe5 Qxe5 11.Nd2 Nf6 12.0-0 Bg4

Black is developing quickly and pressuring White's pawn center. White's response is natural, but Rybka prefers 13.Qb3.

13.f3 Bh5

Played too quickly. With 13...Qd4+ the second player could have shifted his Queen out of danger; and then retreated his Bishop to d7.

14.Nc4

Black's Queen is trapped in the middle of the board.

14...Bxf3

A little bit "better" (but still losing) was 14...Qxe4 15.Re1 Qxe1+.

15.Rxf3 Qh5 16.d6+

Crashing through in the center.

16...Kd7 17.dxc7+ Kxc7

18.e5

This works, but adding a couple of pieces to the attack with 18.Bf4+ Kc8 19.Rc1 was more ferocious.

18...Ng4 19.Rh3 Bc5+ 20.Be3 Bxe3+ 21.Nxe3 Nxe3

A slip, but 21...Qxe5 22.Nxg4 would still leave him a piece down.

22.Qc1+ Kb8 23.Rxh5 Black resigned