Radioactive

Black does not want to touch White's light-squared Bishop; no, not at all. You would think that the piece was radioctive or something...






sTpny - monacan
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kf8

The Jerome Gambit Declined, a rare, contrarian beast: Black declines a won game for a worse game, instead. One of the reason that we Jerome Gambiteers do not lose more painful, ugly games is that our opponents will not cooperate.

5.c3

The Database has 12 games with this move, before this one, with White scoring 50%. stpny has played the line once before, and a win in this game gives him an even score.

More usual is evacuating the White Bishop to a safer location. Instead, the game develops a curious series of imaginary exchanges

Take the Bishop!
I don't want the Bishop!
Take the Bishop!!
I don't want the Bishop!!

5...Nf6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Nxe4

If you ignore White's light-squared Bishop and Black's King (and the missing f-pawn), it almost looks like a regular Giuoco Piano.

9.d5 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Ne7 11.Ne5 d6 12.f4 Nf6

13.0-0 Bf5 14.Be6

It moves!

14...g6 15.Nf7 Kg7 16.Qd4 Qf8 17.Ng5 h6 18.Bxf5 hxg5 19.fxg5 gxf5

20.Rxf5 Kg6 21.Rxf6+ Qxf6 22.Qxf6+ Black resigned

Okay. Can anyone explain that game to me?