Eyes on the Prize

White commands his not-quite-a-Jerome-gambit with skill, until his attention wavers - and his game disintegrates. Eyes on the prize, folks!

BOGuk -CrisChess
standard, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian opening.

4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+

White gives up waiting - if he was, indeed, waiting at all - for Black to play ...Bc5, and fires off his Bishop. An ounce more of patience was to be found in 5.0-0.

5...Kxf7 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bb4 8.O-O Bxc3 9.bxc3 Nxd4 10.cxd4 d6 

Here we have a Jerome-like position, with Black (with the less safe King) holding an extra piece, and White (with the better pawn center) holding an extra pawn. The gambiteer must attack fearlessly.

11.Qf3 Bg4 12.Qf4 g5 13.Qg3 Be6 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Nh5 16.Qf3+ Kg7

Black has systematically exchanged pieces, and then harassed White's Queen. This last move, however, looks like a mouse slip, as the alternative, 16...Kg6 would have protected the offside Knight.

17.Qxh5 Rf8 

The second player's loose castling-by-hand gives his opponent the correct idea: attack the pawn at g5 with a pawn; exchange to open lines.

18.f4

This is the right idea, however, with the wrong pawn. What White should have been looking for is 18.h4, and even after 18...Qe8 19.Qxe8 Raxe8 20.hxg5 he would be clearly better.

18...Qd4+ 

Didn't see that coming.

19.Kh1 Qxa1 20.fxg5 

So there!

20...Rxf1 checkmate