Counter-counter-counter-attack!?

A Jerome Gambit player starts off a game with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 because he hopes to answer 3...Bc5 with 4.Bxf7+. What if Black counter-attacks with 3...Nd4, the Blackburne Shilling Gambit, instead? Well, White can counter-counter attack with 4.Bxf7+, anyhow. And if Black plans his own counter-counter-counter attack??


Wall,B - Creel,A
Chess.com, 2010


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

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 8.Qxg6+

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8

For the moment Black signals that he would be okay splitting the point. White, however, is not.

10.Qe5+ Ne6 11.Qxh8 Qg5

Now Black is thinking: counter-counter-counter attack!

12.0-0 Nf4 13.g3 Ne2+ 14.Kg2 Nf4+

Black's attacking plan has a hole in it.

15.Kh1 Qg4 16.f3

If, instead, White grabbed the Knight with 16.gxf4, then Black would have a draw after all with 16...Qf3+ 17.Kg1 Qg4+ etc, repeating the position.

Unfortunately, Black's best now is 16...Qh3, when 17.Qxh3 Nxh3 would leave White with a Rook and four pawns for two pieces. The approaching endgame makes those pawns extra valuable.

Black resigned