Just Look Ahead and Move!

Years ago, after playing over a number of Akiba Rubinstein's (1880 – 1961) games, I was inclined to think that he had reduced chess to a few easy steps: play 1.d4, win a pawn, exchange all the pieces, win the endgame. (Actually, it was a lot more complicated than that.)

With a chuckle, I was reminded of Rubinstein when playing over the following online blitz game by shugart. He offers a piece, Jerome Gambit style, but his opponent declines it. Like water rolling down hill, the game then progresses. It doesn't seem that there is a lot of need for tactical calculation - just look ahead and move!

Actually, it is a lot more complicated than that, as the notes show... A very eduational endgame! 

shugart - snob
3 0 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit. 

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Ke7 

Black declines the gift of a piece. If you want me to take the Bishop, then I won't take the Bishop.

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.Nxd4 exd4 

Comfortable with an extra pawn - plus a safer King and a better pawn structure - White is comfortable letting the game unfold.

7.d3 h6 8.Qh5 d6 9.O-O Be6 10.f4 Bf7 

Black has the two Bishops. He is not in a hurry, either.

11.Qh4+ Kd7 12.Qh3+ Be6 13.f5 Bf7 14.Bf4 Kc8 15.Nd2 b6 16.Nb3 c5 

Black has secured his advanced d-pawn.

17.Qg3 Kc7 18.e5 Bxb3 19.exd6+ Bxd6 20.Bxd6+ Qxd6 21.Qxd6+ Kxd6 22.axb3 

In a 3 0 game, such exchanges happen quickly and help with the clock.

Will White's kingside pawn majority be enough?

22...Rgf8 23.g4 a5 24.Rae1 Rae8 25.Rxe8 Rxe8 26.Kf2 Rf8

It was time, instead, for Black's Rook to invade via 26...Re3, with his King to advance behind it, keeping the game balanced. White now shows how it's done.

 27.Re1 Rf7 28.Re6+ Kc7 29.Kf3 b5 30.Ra6 Re7 

The issue here is not Black's a-pawn. It is the fact that when Rooks come off the board White will have a straight-forward win.

31.Ra7+ Kd6 32.Rxe7 Kxe7 

Okay, how fast can you move your pieces? The game is barely half over.

33.h4 Kd6 34.Ke4 b4 

Now the inhuman Stockfish 8 declares a checkmate in 26, but the ticking clock will inject a few inaccuracies before White grasps the full point.

 35.g5 h5 36.Kf3 Ke5 37.f6 gxf6 38.gxf6 

The more accurate 38.g6!? was the way to win, with many hassles: 38...Ke6 39.Kf4 Ke7 40.Kf5 c4 41.bxc4 a4 42.c5 a3 43.bxa3 bxa3 44.g7 Kf7 45.c6 Kxf7 46.c7 a2 47.c8/Q a1/Q 48.Qd7+

38...Kxf6 

39.Kf4 Ke6 40.Kg5 

White should admit that he has only a draw, and mark the enemy King with 40.Ke4, keeping it out of mischief. He also should keep his King closer to home, as Black can now cause pawn mischief similar to the note above: 40...c4 41.bxc4 a4 42.c5 a3 43.c6 Ke6 and it is Black who will have a checkmate in 26!

40...Ke5 41.Kxh5 Kf4 

Black's King advances aggressively, but it needed, instead, to mark White's King with 41...Kf5 and let his pawns do the work, e.g. 42...c4.

The advantage agains shifts to White.

42.Kg6 Ke3 43.h5 Kd2 44.h6 Kxc2 45.h7 Kxb3 46.h8=Q Kxb2 

This is a pretty crazy position, but quite won for White - with enough time to think. Amazingly, there is.

47.Qe5 Kc3 48.Qxc5+ Kxd3 49.Qxa5 Kc3 50.Kf5 d3 51.Ke4 d2 52.Qc5+ Kb3 53.Qd4 Ka3 54.Qxd2 b3 

If only the pawn were on the a-file or the c-file, Black might have drawing chances.

55.Qc3 Ka2 56.Qc4 Ka3 57.Qc5+ Ka2 58.Qa5+ Kb1 59.Kd3 b2 60.Kc3 Kc1 61.Qg5+ Kb1 62.Qb5 Kc1 63.Qf1 checkmate

An amazing game for 3 0!