Friday, July 15, 2011

Transplant

It can sometimes be helpful to take an idea from opening and apply it to another. This kind of "transplant" must be done carefully, however, and only upon prior examination. In the following game, both Black and White were unaware that they should have rejected the transplant.

Rijndael - krispykurtis
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6


The Semi-Italian Opening.

4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+


The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6


Black transplants an idea from the "fork trick".

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ (the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 the idea of 7...Bd6 is playable. In the current game, though, with ...h7-h6 replacing ...Nf8-g6, the idea is trouble.

8.dxe5 Bxe5

This puts the Bishop in danger, as White can follow up with 9.Qh5+ and win it. Black would do best to let the White pawn at e5 go with 8...Bb4.

9.f4

Aha! White also recognizes the transplanted "fork trick" and plays a thematic move for that line of play. The game yorgos - hartingu, FICS, 2009, continued more appropriately, 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Qxe5 with advantage to White (1-0, 30).

9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3

White's compensation for his piece is a pawn, better center control, and open lines against an uneasy enemy King. It is not enough. 

Fortunately, Black continues with ordinary moves, in this case preparing to castle-by-hand.

10...Ne7 11.0-0 Re8 12.f5 Kg8


13.f6

This move appears premature at first glance, as White has only one pieced developed (his Rook) to Black's two. However, the opportunity to break open Black's King's haven should not be missed, and the unfortunate arrangement of Black's King and Rook (available to a pawn fork from f7) is encouraging. With luck, White's open lines will help in the attack.

13...gxf6

Collapsing. After the game Rybka 3 suggested 13...Ng6 14.f7+ Kh7 15.fxe8Q Qxe8 with the edge to White. Fritz 8 suggested, instead, 13...Rf8, but this is met roughly by 14.Bxh6 Rf7 (14...gxh6 15.Qg4+ and mate follows) 15.Bxg7 and then, for example, 15...Ng6 16.Qd5 and White's attack will win material.

14.Qg4+ Kh7 15.Rxf6 Rg8 16.Rxh6 checkmate

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