Bxf7+ against the Philidor Defense

The game Pete Banks ("blackburne") referred to in the last post packs a lot of interesting chess in less than a dozen moves. It blew my mind.

Clark (Halesowen),M - Lloyd (Greenlands),J 
Worcester County League D2, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bd7 

A bit unusual for a Philidor Defense. When I first saw it I figured that Black was planning on answering 4.d4 with 4...exd4 and then 5...Nc6.

4.d4 b5 

This is Black's idea, quite unexpected. Now Houdini, analyzing, goes to town, showing White working over the Queenside and then winning a pawn: 5.Bd5 c6 6.Bb3 exd4 7.Qxd4 Na6 8.a4 Nc5 9.axb5 Nxb3 10.cxb3 cxb5 11.0-0 Nf6 12.Bf4 Be7 13.Bxd6. 

5.Bxf7+

I am not going to call this a "Jerome" anything - but I like the move. The meanest thing Houdini has to say about it is that it leads to an even game.

5...Kxf7 

Of course, Black has to take the sacrifice, as the oppositional 5...Ke7 is met by 6.Bxg8 h6 7.dxe5 Rxg8 8.Qd5. 

6.Ng5+ 

This has the feel of an ad hoc attack, but there are some interesting aspects to the position, starting with the fact that Black is still weak on the light squares, even after White has sacrificed his light-squared Bishop.

6...Ke8 7.dxe5 dxe5 

Played too quickly. Houdini suggests 7...Qe7 8.Nc3 c6 (8...Qxe5 9.Nd5 Na6 10.f4) 9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Qe2 h6 = (10...Qg6 11.f4) 11.Nf3 Bg4 12.0-0 Qg6 13.Re1 Qh5 14.e5 Ne7 15.Bf4 Kf7 =. 

8.Qd5 Qe7 9.Qxa8 Qb4+ 10.c3 Black resigned.

I will have to keep my eyes open to see if 4...b5 ever shows its face in the Worcester County League again.