Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Jerome Gambit: Mixed Feelings (Part 2)

 


[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Bossferreira

"Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020


17.Rae1 Qc8 

I don't fully understand this move. Perhaps it was to move the Queen out of the pin on the Knight? In any event, it triggered my attack. 

18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Kf7 20.Qh3 


20...Rh8 

For better or for worse, Black needed to protect the h-pawn with his King, i.e. 20...Kg7 A major difference with this defense, as I found out later, was that most of White's effective continuations would then require sacrificing a Knight - and this game showed, my basic tactical engine was sputtering.  

21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Qh6+ Ke8 23.Qg7 Rf8 

24.Nxf6+ 

I could see that I was winning the exchange here, and had plans to grab the h-pawn as well, but the know-it-all computer pointed out a checkmate in nine: 24.e5 dxe5 25.dxe5 Bxf5 26.e6 Ra7 (What else?) 27.Rxf5 Qd8 28.e7 Rf7 29.exd8=Q+ Kxd8 30.Qxf7 Ne5 31.Qxc7+ Ke8 32.Qe7# 

24...Rxf6 25.Qxf6 Qd8  26.Qh8+ Ke7 27.Qxh7+ 


According to plan. There was also 27.Qg7+ Ke8 28.Qg8+ Ke7 29.f6 checkmate. Keep that pattern in mind. 

27...Ke8 28.f6 

This is okay, but so is 28.Qg8+ Ke7 29.f6 checkmate 

28...Nxd4 29.f7+ 

Or 29.Qg8 checkmate [insert face palm emoji here]

29...Kf8 


30. Qh6+ Ke7 31.f8=Q+ Qxf8 32.Rxf8 Rxf8 33.Qg7+ Black resigned


White will pick up the Knight, and that is too much of a material advantage.


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