They Walk!

After posting the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game for "Is Still Not" I wondered what the current state of the main line in that variation (6.c3 vs 6.Qh5 as in the game) was. I came across the following fantastic game. The center "Jerome Pawns" advance in a mass, like a zombie horde... 



brandonn - Sali
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6

6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Ke6

Stepping back from the center is the safe way to play (see "More Updating"). Capturing the White d-pawn is not worth it.

8.d5+ Kf7

An alternative was seen in an earlier game: 8...Ke7 9.d4 Ke8? 10.0-0!? (10.Qh5+!?+-) 10...Qf6 11.f4 Bb4 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Qd3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 b6 15.c4 Bb7 16.h3 h6 17.g4 Qh4 18.Kh2 Rf8 19.f5 d6 20.Bf4 Ng8 21.e5 Rd8 22.Rae1 Kd7 23.c5 (23.f6!?+-) 23...dxc5 24.e6+ Kc8 25.dxc5 Rxd5 26.Qb5 c6 Black was better, White forfeited on time, iliapana - Sali, FICS, 2005.

9.d4

In a couple of games earlier this year, Black faced 9.e5: drpeker - Sali, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 37) and drpeker - Sali, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 38).

9...Qf6 10.e5 Qg6

11.0-0 Ne7 12.Nc3 a6 13.f4 Nf5 14.Qb3

Also seen on the same day, in a game between the same opponents, was 14.Re1 Bb4 15.Qb3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qb6 17.Qc2 g6 18.Kh1 Re8 19.Bb2 Kg8 20.Rad1 Qa5 21.c4 b5 22.c5 c6 23.d6 Qd8 24.Qb3+ Kh8 25.d5 Ng7 26.e6 dxe6 27.dxe6 Bb7 28.e7 Qd7 29.Qf7 Rg8 30.e8Q Raxe8 31.Bxg7+ Rxg7 32.Rxe8+ Qxe8 33.Qxe8+ Rg8 34.Qe5+ Rg7 35.d7 Black resigned, brandonn - Sali, FICS, 2011.

14...Ke8 15.Qc4 b5 16.Qxc7 Nxd4 17.Be3 Nc2 18.f5 Qg4

19.Rf4 Qg5 20.Bd2

Moving the Bishop out of the range of the enemy Knight, but more aggressive in this tactical mess was 20.Ne4.

20...Nxa1

This is really not the time to go grabbing material, at least without shoring up the King's defenses.

Houdini suggests that the Black Queen return home with 20...Qd8, after which White has a delightful draw by repeating the position (which Black avoids only to his disadvantage): 21.Nxb5 Nxa1 22.Qxd8+ Kxd8 23.Ba5+ Ke7 24.Nd6 Bb7 25.Be1 Kd8 26.Ba5+ Ke7 27.Be1, etc. 

21.d6

Even stronger was 21.f6.

21...Qd8 22.Qc5 Rb8 23.Nd5 Bb7 24.Nc7+ Kf7

25.e6+ Kg8 26.f6 dxe6 27.f7 checkmate

Wow!