Chess Brawl

When Black plays a new attacking idea in an old defense, it shouldn't work, but it does. White shouldn't have any chance to escape from the ensuing fury, but he does. Black should then perish in the counter-attack, but he doesn't. We're talking serious chess brawl.


GeniusPawn - pulsefrequency
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0

Facing the Two Knights Defence, White offers his opponent the chance to play the Boden Kieseritzky Gambit with 4...Nxe4 5.Nc3 Nxc3 6.dxc3, etc. The Database has games with GeniusPawn playing this line, going back to 2000.

4...Bc5

Black declines, but then faces a Jerome-ish response. 

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5

This unusual position has only occurred 4 times in The Database, a collection of over 24,500 games.

It is as if White were playing Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's original intention, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 and then decided, before playing 6.d4 and risking 6...Qh4 (see "Danger? He laughs at danger!"), that he would first 0-0, allowing Black to insert ...Nf6... 

7.d4 h5

An astonishing idea, a Theoretical Novelty that is so brash, so bold, so confident – that it seems cruel for White to have to point out that it is also so wrong.

8.dxe5 Ng4 9.Qd5+ Kg6 10.Qxc5

White has recovered his two sacrificed pieces and remains a couple of pawns ahead.

What was Black thinking? Keep reading.

10...b6 11.Qd5 Ba6 12.Rd1

Allowing the attacked Rook to escape, with additional pressure down the d-file.

Oh, and also giving Black a crushing game. (Necessary was the block 12.c4)

12...Qh4 13.c4 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1 Qh4

This is good enough for a clear advantage, but 14...Raf8 would have added a handy new attacking piece, when the end of the game would already be near.

15.h3

This allows a mate, but 15.Bf4 Nf2+ was a pretty grim alternative. You just know that Black's h-pawn is also going to advance further and open up White's Kingside... 

15...Qg3 16.Kg1 Qh2+ 17.Kf1 Qh1+

Tossing the Queen's Rook into the attack would have continued the mating attack; but Black is still much better here.

As always, the risk of making too many "second best" moves is that your opponent might stay in the game long enough for you to find a "last best" move. 

18.Ke2 Qxg2+ 19.Kd3 Bxc4+

Here it is.

Would you be surprised if I told you that 19...Raf8 was still the best move?

20.Kxc4 Qc2+

The problem is that Black is attacking with one piece (even if it is the Queen) and if White develops enough while defending, the advantage will shift to the first player.

21.Nc3 b5+

Desperately seeking to open lines to add his Rooks to the attack. 

22.Qxb5 c6 23.Rd6+ Kh7

What we have here is a great big mess, but it is a mess that favors White (who has an extra piece).

Unfortunately, the defense that White chooses has a hole in it (he needed to play 24.Qc5).

24.Qb3 Nxe5+

The one move that saves Black's hide.

25.Kc5 Qf2+ 26.Rd4 d6+ 27.Kxd6 Qxd4+ 28.Ke6 Rae8+

Go Rook!

29.Kf5 Rhf8+ 30.Kg5 Qg1+ 31.Kh4 Nf3+ 32.Kxh5 Qg6 checkmate

Wow!