I have mixed feelings regarding the following game, recently completed. I won. My attack finished things. But I was so focused on particular lines that I foolishly overlooked others - including checkmates, even a mate in one.
So, there is the answer to the question, Why did my opponent continue to play on? : because, at the end, I was missing so much, there was always room for hope...
perrypawnpusher - Bossferreira
"Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
According to The Database, this move is about half as popular as 7...Ke8 - the computer rates the two moves about 1/5 of a pawn different from each other - but the lines transpose once the King moves to f7.
8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Kf7
Black prepares to castle-by-hand, but never quite gets there. Give some credit to the "Jerome pawns".
11.f4 Re8 12.f5
I have mentioned the alternative 12.Qb3+, recommended by Stockfish 11, before. See "Jerome Gambit: Say 'Hello' to My Little Friends (Part 1)". The move wasn't part of my preparations for this tournament, but perhaps it should have been.
12...Ne7
The Database claims to not have seen this move before. The Knight is headed toward c6 - its usual path is via e4.
13.d4 Nc6
For once Stockfish 11 showed a bit of a feel for the Jerome Gambit. After the game it showed off a bit, with 14...a5 (Huh? Why not 14...Kg8) it recommends 15.g4!? Nxg4 16.Qh3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Kg8 18.Nd5 Rf8 when it preferred that Black give up the exchange to keep his small advantage: 19.Bxf6 Rxf6 20.Nxf6+ Qxf6 21.c3 Bd7.
14...a6 instead of the text move, would have led to perrypawnpusher - apurv83, "Giuoco Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1/2-1/2, 29).
I have also seen 14...Kg8 15.Qd3 Kh8 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.Bxf6 in perrypawnpusher - Heler, Giuoco Piano tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (1-0, 33) and the alternative, 17.Rae1, in perrypawnpusher - Hywel2, Italian Game tournament, Chess.com, 2015 (0-1, 44). Stockfish now 11 recommends the interesting 17.a3 or 17.Rf4.
15.Qd3 Kf8 16.Bg5 a6
It can be risky to spend a tempo to play such a "safety" move (keeping a piece off of b5).
After the game, Stockfish 11 recommended a full tussle, ending with White sacrificing to achieve a draw by repetition: 16...Qe7 17.Bxf6 gxf6 18.Rf3 Nb4 19.Qd2 Kg7 20.a3 Nc6 21.Nd5 Qxe4 22.Rg3+ Kh8 23.Qh6 Qxd4+ 24.Kh1 Rg8 25.Nxf6 Bxf5 26.c3 Qe5 27.Re3 Qc5 28.Nxg8 Kxg8 29.Rg3+ Bg6 30.Rxg6+ hxg6 31.Qxg6+ Kh8 32.Qh6+ etc. I have to admit, there are a lot of Jerome-ish ideas in that line.
I was now full ready to push the attack against the enemy King.
[to be continued]
No comments:
Post a Comment