Another Bagatelle

I was able to dash off the following game at work the other day - a light-hearted thing (another bagatelle) played in a few minutes; but the final position brought a smile to my face.

perrypawnpusher - anonymous
casual over-the-board game, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 h6

Wow! Okay...

I think I've seen this kind of defense in the Myers Openings Bulletin and in a couple of books by Gunderam. The idea is 3.Nxe5 Qe7 4.d4 d6 5.Nf3 Qxe4+ 6.Be7 and White is doing fine - but he is playing his opponent's game.

I didn't realize how much I wanted to play my type of game, instead.

3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Bxf7+

Yipes! Where did that come from? I usually respond in the Semi-Italian Opening with either 4.0-0 or 4.Nc3, waiting for 4...Bc5 and the chance to play 5.Bxf7+, the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit. Must have been that wish to play my kind of game.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

The other time that I jumped the gun with 4.Bxf7+, I met 6...Ke6 here, instead, in perrypawnpusher - marapr, blitz, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 27).

7.0-0 d6 8.f4 d5

Last move or this, ...Nf6 was the proper move, although White proved to be very fortunate in playing against it in Vuquoclong - gabrielisaac, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 27).

9.f5 Qg5 10.fxg6+ 

10...Ke6

The proper retreat is essential here - on this move, to e8, or, on the next move, to d6. Instead, Black's King is overly courageous.

11.Qh3+ Ke5 12.Qc3+

I had a funny idea here, but surely better was 12.d4+ Kd6 13.e5+.

12...d4 13.Qa5+ Kxe4 14.d3 checkmate.