Rocket Surgery

perrypawnpusher - MrMef
blitz, FICS, 2012

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

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

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

Recently seen in HauntedKnight - sfanel, FICS, 2011, (0-1, 13).

8.dxc5 Kg8

This is an improvement over both 8..Nc6 from perrypawnpusher - hudders, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 13) and 8...Nc4 from perrypawnpusher - TrentonTheSecond, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 9).

Curiously, the strongest move, 8...Qe7, appears in The Database in two losses for Black, natarajanm - jmarchetti, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25) and ARUJ - cippolippo, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 19).

The Jerome Gambit: it's not rocket surgery.

9.0-0 b6 10.cxb6

Not actually necessary, as 10.f4 followed by 11.e5 will win a piece. The text should, too, but not the way it does.

10...axb6 11.f4 Neg4

12.e5

It is more complicated than this, as Black's advanced Knight covers the f2 square, so first it needs to be kicked with 12.h3.

12...Ba6 13.Re1

Since 13.Rf2 is not possible.

13...Nd5

Missing 13...Qe7, pinning the White e-pawn.

14.Nxd5 Qh4

Suddenly, it did not feel like I had won a piece, but, rather that my opponent had sacrificed one.

15.h3 Qf2+ 16.Kh1 Qh4 17.Kg1

I was ready to accept a repetition of position and a draw. Instead, 17.Qd2 would organize a defense for White, and his threats against the Knight at g4 as well as the pawn at c7 would show an advantage.

17...Qf2+ 18.Kh1 Bb7

MrMef does not want the draw.

19.hxg4

Time was running short (shorter for my opponent) so I grabbed the piece. Later, Rybka suggested protecting the advanced Knight with 19.c4 or challenging the enemy Queen with 19.Re2. 

19...Bxd5

An oversight. Black would do best to continue his attack with 19...Re6, although 20.f5 is an effective answer, as long as White answers the further 20...Bxd5 with 21.Qe2.

20.Qe2

Totally missing that 20.Qxd5 would come with check. 

20...Qh4+

Despite White's extra pawns, Black's active pieces give an equal game.

Time was growing shorter.

21.Kg1 Ra4 22.Qf2 Qxg4 23.b3 Raa8 24.c4 Bb7

25.Re3 d6 26.Rg3 Qf5

Not best.

27.Rg5

The same. White could copy Black's attack with 27.exd6 cxd6 28.Bb2

27...Qe4 28.Qg3

Counter-attacking, and offering a Rook, which, if taken, would allow White to force a draw.

28...g6 29.Bb2

29...dxe5 30.Bxe5

This capture gives Black a chance for a swindle. 

30...Rxe5 31.Rxe5

After the better 31.fxe5, Black can win the Rook with 31...Qd4+ 32.Kh2 Qxa1, but 33.Rxg6+ will allow White to force a draw by repetition.

Neither of us had much thinking time left.

31...Qd4+ 32.Qe3

Losing. After the game Rybka suggested 32.Kh2 Qxa1 33.Qh3 Rf8 34.Re7 Rf5 35.Qxh7+ Kf8 36.Qxg6 Kxe7 37.Qxf5 when things are almost balanced, White's extra pawns vs Black's extra piece. 

32...Qxa1+ 33.Kh2 Bc6

Protecting e8. Was 33...Kf8 better?

34.f5

After the game I could laugh at Rybka's suggestion that 34.Re6 still held a draw by picking on the defending Bishop: 34...Bd7 35.Re7 Bf5 36.Re8+ Rxe8 37.Qxe8+ Kg7 38.Qe7+ Kh6 39.Qh4+.

Maybe the Jerome Gambit is rocket surgery.

34...Qxa2 35.Qg3 Qb2 36.fxg6 Bxg2 37.gxh7+

One last, frantic try.

With more than mere seconds available, Black would find 37...Kh8, winning.

37...Kxh7 38.Rh5 checkmate

Egads...