The Spectre of the Jerome Gambit (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

EdnaDrown - n3wes

10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2021

At this point, an "objective" evaluation of the position is dire for White: Stockfish 14 sees Black as being only a pawn shy of being a Queen ahead. It is not at all helpful that the computer's suggestion now is 16.Nxd6.

White still sees the enemy King as vulnerable, however, and so he continues his attack.

16.Rhd1 a6 17.d5+ Kc5 18.b4+ 

18...Kc4 

It is almost funny that Stockfish 14 recommends instead 18...Kb6 19.Nxd6 cxd6 - look how Black's doubled, isolated d-pawns block in his Bishop, while his own King blocks the b-pawn that also imprisons the prelate (which interns the Rook). Given time, though, Black would untangle himself.

The text move, however, is a bit like the choices made by the main characters in a slasher movie: let's move toward danger.

19.Na3+ 

Going for the kill.

However, the best that the position holds for White - without a little cooperation - is 19.Rd4+ Kb3 20.Rb1+ Kxa4 21.Nxd6 cxd6 22.b5+ Ka5 23.b6 when Black is faced with the threat of Rdb4 and Ra1 checkmate. 

analysis diagram

Still, Black escapes by returning a Rook with 23...Re8+ 24.Kf3 Re1 25.Rxe1 Kxb6 when the computer's suggestion seems to lead to an even game after 26.g4 h6 27.h4 Kc5 28.g5 hxg5 29.hxg5 b5 30.gxf6 gxf6 31.Ra1. Wow. 

19...Kb3 20.Ra1 

 20...Re8+ 

Bringing the Rook into the game with check is a good idea, but first Black needed to allow his King to tear a hole in the mating net that White was constructing, with 20...Kxc3. Then, something like 21.Rab1 Re8+ 22.Kf1 Bf4!? 23.g3 Bd2 would give Black's King enough protection to survive. 

21.Kf1 

White sees that an exposed King - his opponent's - means danger, and so shuffles his own out of the way.

However, if you read the previous note, you know that what was necessary was  21.Kd3, when the mating net would be fully functional. 

analysis diagram

Again, Black has a way out with 22...Nxd5 22.Rdb1+ Kxa4 23.Kc4 Nb6+ 24.Kd3 Nd5, and both sides should be happy with the draw by repetion. 

21...Kxa4 

Black's King finds another way out of the net, but White is not ready to give up.

22.Rdb1 Nxd5 23.c4 

Now White does not have a good answer for 23...Be5, when 24.cxd5 Bxa1 25.Rxa1 Kxb4 would leave Black with a safe King and an extra Rook and pawn.

Instead, Black finds a move that seems to solve a number of problems, including moving the Bishop that blocks the pawn that blocks the Bishop that blocks the Rook... I am sure he intended to end the game quickly, but perhaps not in the way that transpired.

23...Bxb4 24.Nc2+ Ba3 25.Rxa3 checkmate

White gets his hard-fought-for checkmate.