Sunday, June 9, 2013

Mysterious Ending


In the following key game, between the tournament's second place finisher and the champion, Black's slip allowed White to equalize in a 5.c3 Jerome Gambit - only to see the favor returned at the end. 


CheckmateKingTwo - Daves111
ChessWorld, Jerome Gambit Thematic Tournament, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 




4...Kxf7 5.c3 d5 6.d4 


This is a more energetic reply to 5...d5.


6...exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 dxe4 




Black stays active, not bothered by his King's supposedly exposed position.


9.Ng5+ Kf8 10.Be3 Bf5 11.d5 


A bit better might be 11.0-0.


11...Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 




Black is doing very well, but for some reason he now decides to return a piece, pretty much leveling the game.


12...Nf6 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.f3 Qxd1+ 15.Rxd1 exf3 




In this tricky position, if White now castles (pinning the Black f-pawn), he keeps things in balance.


16.Nxf3 Re8 


This is the problem with White's 16th move.


17.Kd2 Ne4+ 18.Kc1 Nxc3 19.Bc5+ Kf7 Black won on time, in a somewhat better position (if he can make something out of his two isolated, passed c-pawns).


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