BSJG: Too Many Things on His Mind?

A major theme in the Jerome Gambit, and related openings, is the play White gets with the pawns he has in exchange for the piece(s) he sacrificed. In lines of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, this can be an interesting 4 pawns vs a piece. Will White attack with the pawns, or wait for the endgame? Will Black try to pick the pawns off as they come into range?

The following game answers none of these questions - although I suspect they rattled around in Black's head, nonetheless. In fact, that might explain how White was able to successfully hold back, let his opponent try to figure out what was going to happen - and then take advantage of the resulting tactical oversight.

Wall, Bill - Guest748831
PlayChess.com, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. It often comes as a surprise for Black, and there are tactical opportunities that can be taken - or avoided.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 hxg6 

The right idea.

Bill has faced lesser alternatives:

7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 (8...Nf6 9.Qe5+ Be7 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Kxc2 Nxe4 13.Re1 d5 14.d3 Bf5 15.f3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Schlier,A, Chess.com, 2010) 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qe5 checkmate, Wall,B - Apple69, Chess.com, 2010;

7...Nf6 8.Qe5+ Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.O-O Qe7 11.f4 Ng4  12.Qh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - DSLC, FICS, 2013; and

7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Nf7+ Ke7 10.d3 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Qxf2 12.Bg5+ Nf6 13.Nd2 Nxa1 14.e5 Bg7 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.exf6+ Qxf6 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Ng5 d6 19.Re8+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Sharkia,A, Chess.com, 2010.

8.Qxg6+

Not 8.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 9.Kd1 Nxa1 10.Qxg8 Qg5 and Black is better. 

8...Ke7 9.Qg5+ Ke8 

A bit better than the text is 9...Nf6, as in 10.Qc5+ d6 (10...Kf7 11.Qxd4 Qe8 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qe3 Qe5 14.h3 Bh6 15.Qf3 Qf4 16.Qe2 d6 17.d4 Qh4 18.Bxh6 Qxh6 19.dxc5 dxc5 20.e5 Nh5 21.Qc4+ Be6 22.Qxc5 Black resigned,Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016) 11.Qxd4 d5 12.e5 Ne4 13.d3 b6 14.dxe4 c6 15.Bg5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5170841, PlayChess.com, 2015.

10.Qe5+ Qe7

Black stays on course, avoiding:

10...Ne6 11.Qxh8 Qg5 12.O-O Nf4 13.g3 d6 (13...Ne2+ 14.Kg2 Nf4+ 15.Kh1 Qg4 16.f3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Creel,A, Chess.com, 2010) 14.Nc3 Nh6 15.d3 Ne2+ 16.Nxe2 Black resigned, Wall,B - Amoex, PlayChess.com, 2013; and

10...Be7 11.Qxh8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Takra, lichess.org, 2016. 

11.Qxd4 

Not the embarassing 11.Qxh8? Qxe4+ 12.Kf1 Qe2+ 13.Kg1 Qe1 checkmate.

Now, what will White do with his extra 4 (connected, 3 passed) pawns? He has other things to do, first.

11...Bg7 12.Qe3 d6 13.O-O Bd7 14.Nc3 Bc6 15.d4 b6 

The game is about even. White has 4 pawns for the sacrificed piece, as well as a more secure King (although he needs to be careful that Black does not develop an attack along the open lines on the Kingside.)

16.d5 Bb7 17.Bd2 Qe5 18.h3 Kd7 19.Nb5 a6 20.Bc3 Qe7 21.Nd4 Rd8 

Black intends to castle-by-hand on the Queenside, but never gets the chance. Instead of bringing the Rook to the center (perhaps he anticipates f2-f4 followed by e4-e5) he would have done better to remove the White Knight with 21...Bxd4. The exchange would have also prevented the following tactical oversight. (Too many things on his mind?)

22.Nf5 Qf8 23.Bxg7 Black resigned

Black dropped a piece, and will lose a Rook to the Bishop fork.

Creating complicated positions increase the likelihood of our opponent making an error.