The Knight sacrifice in the odds game Pollock - Rumboll, Bath, 1882 that we saw in yesterday's post was interesing enough that I searched for other game examples - not necessarily at odds - arising from the Vitzthum Attack. I was surprised that I could only find one.
Gyles, Alfred - Fox, C.
NZL-ch, Timaru, 1911
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5
I have used the name "Vitzthum Attack" and "Sarratt Attack" interchangeably, as have other authors, but the games that I have seen by Conrad Waldemar Vitzthum von Eckstaedt start with this Queen move, rather than 6.Nxf7 or 7.Bxf7+, so perhaps I should start being more precise.
6...Ne5
Probably one reason that Selkirk's suggestion (see next move), from his The Book of Chess, is so rarely seen is that it comes after this defensive error by Black. Either 6...Qf6, 6...Qe7 or even 6...0-0 would be stronger.
7.Ne6 dxe6
As recommended by Pollock.
Bruce Pandolfini, in his Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps (1989) assesses the situation
Scenario: White sacrifices a pawn to speed development. Black has as many pieces out at White, but they are not as well disposed: two lined up on the 5th rank and the other on the edge at h6. White pierces Black's veneer with 7.Ne6!, when 7...dxe6 8.Qxe5 points out Black's disarray and attendant helplessness. White then threatens to capture on c5, g7 and h6 - any of which would put White a piece ahead. There is no defense to all three forays.
8.Qxe5 Bb4+ 9.c3
9...dxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11.Qxg7 Bf6 12.Qxh6 Bxc3+ 13.Nxc3 Qd4
White has two extra pieces for a pawn. He decides to give back a piece, while placing his dark square Bishop on the long diagonal. He could try, instead, 14.Bb5+ c6 15.Bb2, because 15...cxb5 would be strongly met by 16.Rd1.
14.Bb2 Qxc4 15.O-O-O Bd7 16.Qf6 Rg8 17.Rd4 Qc5 18.Rhd1 Rd8
19.Kb1 Qg5 20.Qxg5
Exchanging Queens does not slow down White's attack much, but he has stronger in 20.Qf3.
20...Rxg5 21.f4 Rxg2 22.Ba3 a6 23.f5 b6 24.fxe6 fxe6 25.Rf1 Rg8
White now liquidates the position. This strategy may turn out to be wrong, in which case he probably would regret not playing more aggressively at move 14 (see above).
26.e5 Bb5 27.Nxb5 axb5 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Rf8+ Rxf8 30.Bxf8 c5
In this curious position, the game was reportedly drawn.
If Black keeps his Queenside pawn structure intact and unmoved, while advancing his King along the a-file - keeping in mind that he has to be able to protect his b6 pawn if it is attacked - it looks like he may very well keep the balace.
White cannot send his King to the Kingside to create a passed h-pawn, because Black's pawns would then break through on the Queenside.
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