And Another Thing...

We return to the Jerome Gambit treatment of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit to make a point. Even when you come out of the opening with an advantage, it pays to be alert to danger.

majorminor - JavyCT
standard, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.c3 Qg5

This line was mentioned in the notes of the recent post featuring mr_kill - syiedan86, Team match, GameKnot.com, 2014, and was last covered in the post "Go Ahead and Do Your Worst!".

At first glance it looks like Black has gotten to play the thematic BSG Queen move after all. True - but not necessarily to his advantage.

7.cxd4 Qxg2 8.Qf3

majorminor, who has about 50 games in The Database, finds the proper response to Black's Queen sortie. He has recovered his sacrificed piece, and will be a pawn up, with an edge.

In all fairness, though, there is disappointment to be shared. Black does not have his expected wild counterplay, and White does not have his crazed attack on the King. Still, a pawn is a pawn, even if it is doubled.

8...Qxf3 9.Nxf3 

9...Bb4 10.a3 Ba5 11.Rg1 d6 12.b4 Bb6 13.Rxg7 Nf6

Black has enough counterplay and tricks up his sleeve that White must remain diligent.

For example, if White now shores up his center with 14.d3, Black has 14...Bg4, which attacks the f3 Knight and threatens to lock in the g7 Rook. After 15.Nbd2 Kf8 16.Rg5 h6 17.Rg6 Kf7 18.Nh4 Bxd4 19.Ra2 Rag8 20.Rxg8 Rxg8 White has finally eliminated the problem, at the expense of a pawn.

The move White chooses instead has its own issues.  

14.e5 dxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxd4 

Here, losing a piece, White forfeited on time.