Having A Bad Day

I am sure that the following game does not show my opponent at his best. He was probably just having a bad day, maybe experiencing some kind of an attack... Perhaps a bad case of Jerome Gambit-itis?


perrypawnpusher  - Valseg
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

The Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6

This move transposes to the 6...Ng6 line, although a comparison, i.e. 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3, will show that in the current game White picks up the extra move f2-f4.

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3

Although Rybka 3 and Fritz 8 still see Black as better (i.e. the extra piece outweighs the extra pawns) my opponent was uncomfortable enough with his King's placement to now move it off of the e-file.

11...Kf8 12.0-0 Nf6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4

While this position seems to be unique in The Database, there are 20 games with the particular arrangement of Black Knights and White Queen with her d-, e- and f-pawns. White scores 78%.

Instead of kicking the Queen, the Knight should have retired to c6.

15.Qg3 Kf7

Still nervous about the placement of his King. After the game, Rybka 3 suggested 15...h5.

16.e5

This is premature, as after 16...dxe5 17.dxe5 Black has the simple 17...Qd4+ followed by 18...Qxe5. 

16...Bxf5

Probably an oversight. Black's game now falls apart, despite strong effort on his part.

17.Rxf5 Rg8 18.exf6

Relying on the pin, 18.Qxg4 first was stronger. 

18...gxf6

19.Qf3 c6 20.Nc3 d5 21.h3 Qe7 22.hxg4 Qe1+ 23.Qf1 Qh4 24.Be3 Rae8

25.Re1 Rxg4 26.Bf2 Qh6 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.Qe2+ Re4 29.Nxe4 Qc1+

30.Be1 Kd8 31.Nxf6 Qxb2 32.Qe8+ Kc7 33.Bg3+ Kb6 34.Nd7+ Ka6 35.Qe2+ b5 36.Nc5+ Kb6 37.Qd2 Qxa2 38.Rf7 Qa3 39.Rb7 checkmate