Still

As with yesterday's post (see "Imperative"), today's game shows Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) advocate blackburne taking the black pieces and asking his opponent to show what he has gotten out of the "modern" variation. It is imperative that he find something.

Black can bide his time with his extra piece, and blackburne does – until it is time to switch over to attack.

DREWBEAR 63 - blackburne
Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament
ChessWorld, 2011


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

4...Kxf7 5.0-0 d6 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.d3 Bg4

8.Bg5 Nd4 9.Nd5 Rf8 10.h3 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Kg8 12.b4 Bb6 13.c3 Ne6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Nxb6 axb6

White has an open file to work with (the g-file) but Black will be able to oppose there.

16.Kh2 Nf4 17.Rg1+ Kf7 18.Rg3 Rg8 19.Rg4 Qd7

This move does more than link Rooks.

20.Rh4 Rg2+ 21.Kh1 h5 22.Rxf4

Expecting 22...exf4 23.Kxg2 leaving him ahead a pawn.

22...Qxh3 checkmate