Done in by Greed

The following game was a tense, balanced affair, travelling through known territory for a dozen moves and on into a balanced middle game. When I went pawn-grabbing with my Queen, however, my opponent struck back hard, eventually checkmating me.

Lesson?

perrypawnpusher - ZhekaR
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 Nf6

The Database shows that mrjoker has a win, a loss, and a draw against 8...Qe7.

9.Nc3

Or 9.d3, which can traspose to the game.

9...Qe7 10.Qe3 d6

11.0-0 Be6

Black has many alternatives, including: 11...b6 as in perrypawnpusher - Navarrra, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24) [Hmmm, I don't think that I have posted this game yet - RK]; 11...Rf8 as in mrjoker - rex3, CC, 2009 (1-0, 50), perrypawnpusher - MRBarupal, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31), perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 20) and perrypawnpusher - chingching, blitz, FICS, 2011 (½-½, 36); 11...Ne5 as in perrypawnpusher - mikelars, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 50); and 11...Kd7 as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 22).

12.f4 Bc4

Earlier this year I faced 12...Kd7 in perrypawnpusher - Solaar, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 33).

13.d3 Ba6

14.Bd2 b6 15.Rae1 Kd7 16.Qh3+ Kd8 17.Nd5

Planning to use the opened e-file for my Rook, but 17.e5 was probably a better idea.

17...Nxd5 18.exd5 Qd7 19.Qg3 Qf5

The game is about even, as White has two pawns, better development, and a safer King as compensation for his sacrificed piece.

20.c4 Re8 21.Rxe8+ Kxe8 22.Re1+ Kd7 23.Qe3 Rf8 24.g3 c5 25.dxc6+

After the game Rybka 3 suggested instead 25.b4 cxb4 26.Bxb4.

25...Kxc6 26.Bc3 Rf7 27.Qe8+ Qd7 28.Qe4+ Kc7 29.Qa8

A fool's errand. That pawn on a7 will turn out to be very, very expensive.

29...Bb7

This is good enough for advantage, but 29...Nxf4 was already crushing (i.e. 30.gxf4 Qg4+, etc.).

30.Qxa7

The only chance to keep on playing lay with 30.Qe8.

30...Qc6

Again, good; but, again 30...Nxf4 was much stronger.

31.Re4 Re7 32.Bd4 Rxe4 33.dxe4 Ne7 34.b4 Nc8 35.Qa3 Qxe4 36.Qb2 Qe1 checkmated

Wow. Nice work by ZhekaR to punish my pawn-grabbing!