Jerome Gambit: When is a Won Game Won? (Part 3)

 

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - Kugich

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament

Chess.com, 2021

At this point in the game I was concerned that my opponent might focus a Rook and a Bishop on my pawn at g2, requiring me to guard it with my Queen. I would be willing to make the exchange of pieces if I had swapped off the "extra" Rook, and if I had grabbed enough pawns to make the resulting King plus pawns vs King plus pawns endgame a favorable one. That became my plan.

24...Bf5 24.Qa5 Bg6 25.Qxc7+ Kg8 

26.Qc4+ 

26.Qxd6 was okay, but I didn't want to see 26...Rad8 with pressure on my d-pawn.

26...Bf7 27.Qd3 Bg6 28.Qd2 h5 29.Re1 Rxe1+ 30.Qxe1 Re8 

I would be comfortable with a pawn or two more.

31.Qb4 Re7 32.Qxd6 Re1+ 33.Kh2 Re2 

The enemy Rook is in place.

34.Qb8+ Kg7 35.Qxb7+ Kh6 36.c3 

I was concerned that if I grabbed one more pawn with 36.Qxa7, that would allow 36...Be4, with the double attack at g2. After the game, however, Komodo 12 pointed out that 37.Qa6+ would then lead to checkmate in 17 moves.

36...h4 

Further planning to hold back White's g-pawn. Of course, not 36...Be4 because of 37.Qa6+ Kg5 38.Qxe2, winning the Rook.

37.Qf3 

Bringing the Queen closer to the point of defense, g2. Also, I had noticed something odd about the position. 

37...Rxb2 38.d5 

It turns out that Black does not have an effective way to stop the advancing passed pawn. He must be careful, in his attempts, that he doesn't allow White's Queen to attack a loose piece and check the King at the same time.

At this point, my opponent allowed his clock to run down, and 

White won on time