Beaten, Off Of The Beaten Path

The following game, from the newest version of The Database, shows HauntedKnight, a regular Jerome Gambiteer, wandering into largely unexplored opening territory. He makes some plucky choices, and as a result his opponent loses his way, as well. Still, the last tactical shot goes to the defender.


HauntedKnight - sfanel
blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Bxf7+

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Re8 8.dxc5

Earlier in the year, White had tried the other capture: 8.dxe5 Rxe5 9.0-0 Nxe4 10.Nxe4 Rxe4 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qxc5 d6 13.Qd5+ Re6 14.Bg5 Qe8 15.f4 c6 16.Qb3 d5 17.f5 Re2 18.fxg6+ Kxg6 19.Bh4 Rxg2+ 20.Kxg2 Qe4+ 21.Qf3 Qxc2+ 22.Rf2 Qe4 23.Qxe4+ dxe4 24.Re1 Bf5 25.Bg3 Rf8 26.Rd2 Re8 27.Rd6+ Kg5 28.h4+ Kg4 29.Rd4 c5 30.Rc4 b5 31.Rxc5 e3 32.Rxb5 Be4+ 33.Kh2 Kf3 34.Rb3 Bc2 35.Rb4 e2 36.Rf4+ Ke3 37.Rf6 Kd2 38.Rg1 e1Q 39.Bxe1+ Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - DrywallRickshaw, FICS, 2011.

8...d5

Several alternatives: 8...Nc4 9.Qd5+ Nxd5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - TrentonTheSecond, blitz, FICS, 2010;


8...Nc6 9.0-0 Kg8 10.Bg5 Re5 11.f4 Rxg5 12.fxg5 Ne8 13.Qd5+ Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - hudders, blitz, FICS, 2010.


The unplayed 8...Qe7 may be best.

9.Nxd5

Rybka's recommendation, 9.cxd6 Qxd6 10.Qxd6 cxd6, is not for everyone.

9...Nxd5 10.Qh5+

Again, Rybka recommends exchanging Queens (10.Qxd5+ Qxd5 11.exd5) but it is hard to see how White can then reach the kind of tricky position that he needs, in order to induce Black to err.

The text, by comparison, is immediately successful.

10...g6

Of course Black should have played 10...Ng6, as the Knight on d5 is not really hanging, thanks to the pin of the White e-pawn by the Black Rook at e8.

11.Qxh7+ Kf6

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire."

Black's better choice was the dangerous-looking 11...Ke6, when 12.exd5+ Kxd5 (12...Qxd5 is also well met by 13.0-0) 13.0-0 Kc6 14.b4 a5 15.b5+ Kxb5 16.Bf4 Qe7 17.Rab1+ Kxc5 18.Qh6 Kc6 19.Bg3 Qf7 Black has an edge, according to Rybka. 

12.exd5

Played a move too soon.

White could have tried 12.h4!? which looks stronger the more you look at it, with the main threat being, of course, Bc1-g5+.

Black's King can dodge the threat with 12...Ke6 (if 12...Ne7, then 13.Bg5+ Ke6 14.Qg7 Rf8 15.f4 and the heat is on), blocking the e-file, when 13.exd5+ Qxd5 (13...Kxd5 leads to a crazy position after 14.Bg5, where White's threat of a Rook skewer on the d-file trumps Black's discovered check on the e-file!)14.0-0 gives a balanced game where White has 3 pawns for the sacrificed piece, and the much safer King.

12...Nf3+ 13.Kd1 White resigned