Knock-Down Drag-Out Battle

The "Play the Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com is evolving into two two-player races. Bill Wall and ubluk (whose first game was mentioned by IM Gary Lane in his recent "Opening Lanes" column at ChessCafe.com) are contesting for first and second places while DeDrijver and bfcase are battling for third and fourth places. In an earlier game, we saw the latter win, but in the following contest (another win for White) DeDrijver evens things up with his opponent.

DeDrijver (1438) - bfcace (1486)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012

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

4...Kxf7 5.c3

White goes for a "modern" Jerome Gambit variation, bypassing 5.Nxe5+.

5...Nf6 6.Ng5+ Kf8 7.d3 d5 8.exd5 Qxd5 9.f3 Bg4

Black offers to return a piece to rip open White's fortress. Rybka says "take the piece" but Rybka isn't human...

10.c4 Qd4 11.Qe2 Re8 12.fxg4 e4 13.Be3 Qe5

Black eases up on the presssure, whereas after 13...exd3 14.Bxd4 Rxe2+ 15.Kd1 Bxd4  he would have had a crushing position.

14.Bxc5+ Qxc5 15.dxe4

White returns the favor: he should have recaptured with the Knight, 15.Nxe4. In such crazy positions, it can be hard to find your bearings. 

15...Nd4 16.Qd3 Qa5+

More complications. It was okay to grab a piece with 16...Qxg5 and try to hold on.

17.Nc3 Qe5 18.Nd5 Nxg4

The knight at g5 is leading a charmed life! Black could have kept the game even with 18...Qxg5. But White's play lets him regain the balance.

19.Rf1+ Kg8 20.Nf3 Nxf3+ 21.Rxf3 Nxh2

22.Rf5

An illusion: the piece is not protected.

22...Qd6

Thinking, perhaps, about consolidating his position. However, the Rook imprisoned at h8 plays no part, and it begins to look like Black is a piece down. Worse, White has a nice shot.

23.Rd1 c6 24.Nf6+ Qxf6 25.Rxf6 gxf6

26.Qg3+ Kf7 27.Qxh2 Rxe4+ 28.Kf1 Rxc4 29.Rd7+ Ke8 30.Rxb7 Rc1+ 31.Ke2 Rc2+ 32.Kd3 Black resigned