Jerome Gambit: Uneven (Part 2)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - dmarkg

"Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020

It is time to attack, before Black's King escapes to one of the wings.

18.Rae1 Kd8 19.g4 

Tentative. It was okay to proceed with 19.Re6.

19...Kc7 

After the game Stockfish 11 suggested 19...Ned5 with the idea of exchanging off one of the attacking pieces. That would not solve Black's major problem the weakness of the pawn at d6 (and the King next to it).

20.Re6 g6 

To undermine the pawn supporting White's Rook, but accidentally undermining his own Rook. After 20...Nc8 to protect the d-pawn there could go 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 a6 23.c4 Kb8 24.Bf4 Ka7 unpinning the d-pawn, when White would have to put his Queenside pawns in motion starting with 25.b4. 

21.Rxf6 g5 22.Ne4 h5 

Looking to open a file to attack the King.

23.h3 

Not wrong, but tentative. The move was 23.Rxd6.

23...hxg4 24.hxg4 Rh4 25.Bxg5 Rh7 26.Qg3 Rah8 

Hope springs eternal.

27.Rxd6 Qe8 

To save the Queen, but all moves allow checkmate. This one, rather quickly.

28.Rxc6+ Kxc6 29.Qd6+ Kb5 30.Nc3+ Kc4 31.Qc5 checkmate